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This evocative programme brings together the musical voices of two remarkable 19th-century families: the Schumanns and the Mendelssohns. Featuring works by Clara and Robert Schumann, alongside Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, the concert celebrates a rich tapestry of Romantic expression — lyrical, intimate, and deeply personal.
Too often overlooked, Clara and Fanny’s compositions shine with originality and emotional depth, in dialogue with their more widely recognised counterparts. This rare pairing of works offers a fresh perspective on Romantic-era creativity, highlighting both the familial bonds and the significant artistic contributions of these four composers. |
ProgrammeRobert Schumann
3 Romances, Op.94 (arr. for cello and piano) Robert Schumann 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op.102 Clara Schumann 3 Romances, Op.22 (arr. for cello and piano) - Break - Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel Fantasie in G minor for cello and piano Felix Mendelssohn Sonata for Cello and Piano No.2 in D major, Op.58 |
Liubov Ulybysheva |
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Liubov Ulybysheva is a Russian-born British cellist who enjoys a versatile career as a soloist and chamber musician alongside teaching and coaching. She completed her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Oleg Kogan and at the Royal Academy of Music with Felix Schmidt, winning the Mir Carnegie Prize for Cello upon graduating.
She is a recipient of many awards and competitions prizes, such as the First Prize at the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artist Competition, the MBF Music Education Award, the Muriel Taylor Young Gifted Cellist Award, the Hattori Foundation, the Jellinek and the Kenneth Loveland awards. Liubov was also a recipient of the Meyer Foundation Award and the English Speaking Union Scholarship. Liubov later became a member of the Razumovsky Academy and made her solo debut at the Wigmore Hall as part of the Razumovsky Young Artist Recital Series in 2008. The same year she started teaching at the Razumovsky Academy herself, first as a teaching assistant to Oleg Kogan and now as a teacher in her own right. Alongside teaching at the Razumovsky Academy, Liubov has given master-classes, cello classes at the Royal Academy of Music, cello and solo, chamber music and orchestra coaching with various youth orchestras including Southbank Sinfonia. As a soloist and chamber musician Liubov has performed across the UK and abroad. She is very grateful to have been able to perform at some incredible venues such as the Wigmore Hall, St.Martin-in-the-Fields, Kings Place, Barbican Hall, LSO St Luke’s, Fairfield Hall, Oxford’s Holywell Music Room, Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, etc. She has played with, amongst others, Dora Schwarzberg, Natalie Clein, Jack Liebeck, Philip Dukes, Katya Apekisheva and the Razumovsky Ensemble. She has performed live on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Ulster and Classic FM. In 2018 Liubov joined the Royal Opera House orchestra and in the same year she released her debut recording, From the Shadow of the Great War, featuring the works for cello and piano by English composers. In 2019, Liubov became an artistic manager of the Brundibar Arts Festival which aims to bring little-known music written during the Holocaust to the general public. She was very honoured to be awarded the Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2020. |
Maiko Mori |
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Since winning first prize at the Birmingham International Piano Competition in 2002, Maiko Mori has continued to establish herself as one of the outstanding soloists and chamber musicians of her generation on the international stage.
Maiko has garnered acclaim at prestigious venues and festivals in the UK, including the Purcell Room, West Road Concert Hall, and Cheltenham Festival, as well as abroad in countries such as Japan (Suntory Hall), Serbia (Kolarac, Montecatini International Piano Festival), India (TATA Theatre), and Sweden (Lidköping Music Festival). Her performances have been broadcast on Radio France and BBC Radio 3. Her concerto debut in the UK with the RCM Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vasily Petrenko, in 2006 marked the beginning of her successful collaborations with various orchestras worldwide. Notable recent concerto performances include Grieg’s Piano Concerto in Osaka, Japan, with the NTT Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Takaya Mitsunobu. Maiko is known for her diverse repertoire, encompassing a wide range of concertos and solo works, with a particular affinity for 20th-century music and jazz/classical fusion repertoire. Most recently, she released her album “Chasm” with Orchid Classics featuring a collection of modern Études by Kapustin, Spanswick, Tanaka, and Hamauzu. The album blends elements of classical, jazz, rock, and techno idioms, reflecting Maiko’s innovative approach to the piano and her passion for genre-crossing music. In addition to her performing career, Maiko is passionately dedicated to mentoring young musicians worldwide. She is a piano teacher at the University of Chichester and has been a regular faculty member of the international piano festival "PIANO WEEK" since 2018, where she gives masterclasses and recitals. Maiko has also been a jury member for the Montecatini International Piano Competition. Recently, she was appointed as an Artist for the Tokyo International Piano Association (TIPA). |