The 2020/21 schedule continues on Saturday 10 July with our fourth live concert this year. Ticket details are at the foot of the page.
Athenean Ensemble
Conductor Nicholas Simpson
Fruszina Szucs piano
| Edvard Grieg: | Two Elegiac Melodies, Op.34 |
| Edward Elgar: | Serenade, for strings, Op.20 |
| JS Bach: | Concerto, for keyboard and strings, in F minor, BWV 1056 |
| WA Mozart: | Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K.525 |
The Athenean Ensemble
A group of experienced amateur players who formed in November 2010 and comes together twice a year to take part in the Didsbury Coffee Concerts.
Nicholas Simpson
Born in Manchester, Nicholas read law at Nottingham University, and for 10 years played in rock bands before studying composition and conducting at Trinity College of Music in London. For four years he was a pupil of John Tavener, winning the Chappell Prize and the Ricordi Prize for conducting (twice). Whilst still a student his first string quartet was given by the Roth Quartet at the Purcell Room.
In the 1990s Simpson earned a living as a criminal lawyer, composing in his spare time, but quit to concentrate on music on moving back to Manchester in 1998. Forthcoming concerts include the first U.S. outing for his Clarinet Quartet Mardale Changes, another performance of Ilkley Moor Sans Chapeau, his 2014 Huddersfield Phil commission to mark the coming of the Tour de France to Yorkshire, and the premiere by the Amaretti Chamber Orchestra of Bachianas Mancuniensis, a homage to Bach.
In addition to working with the Athenean Ensemble, Nick Simpson is Music Director of the Halifax Symphony Orchestra in West Yorks and Associate Conductor of the Huddersfield Phil. He has also been invited to guest conduct many other orchestras, including most recently the Wrexham S.O.
The Athenean Ensemble, Nicholas Simpson and Fruszina Szücs in rehearsal at Emmanuel.
Fruszina Szücs
Fruszina comes from Hungary and began studying the piano when she was 8. She continued her studies in the UK in 2013 and was awarded a first class degree by the RNCM last year. She is now in the first year of the Master of Music degree at the College where her teacher is Paul Janes.
During her studies at the RNCM, Fruszina has been invited to perform in Hungary, Sri Lanka and at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. She has also been glad to be involved in a range of activities, be that performing with her piano duo partner, Louis Perera, as a member of RNCM opera productions and RNCM Sinfonietta. Fruszina regulary takes part in community projects and charitable ventures, raising funds for Music Action International, Manchester and National Cancer Institute of Sri Lanka, and has enjoyed being one of the RNCM Student Ambassadors.
Fruszina Szücs appears by kind permission of The Principal, Royal Northern College of Music.
Booking is now closed.
You can also enjoy performances from our three recent broadcasts on 1 May , 8 May and 22 May.
