Programme
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Sonata in G minor BWV 1020
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Claude Debussy (1862-1918), arr. A. L. Christopherson and H. Wiggin
Girl with the Flaxen Hair, Preludes Book 1, no. 8
Chick Corea (b.1941), arr. Rob Buckland and H. Wiggin
Children’s Songs (selection)
No. 6
No. 19
No. 7
Misha Mullov Abbado (b.1990)
Red Ruth
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude from Cello Suite no. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008
Béla Kovács (b.1937)
Sholem-alekhem, rov Feidman!
Interval
Barry Cockcroft (b.1972)
Ku Ku
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Prelude, arr. Carlos Salzedo
À la Manière de Chabrier, M. 63
À la manière de Borodine M. 63
Francisco Tarrega (1852-1909), arr. O. Wass
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Manuel De Falla (1876-1946), arr. H. Wiggin
7 Popular Songs (selection)
El Paño Moruno
Asturiana
Nana
Polo
Andy Scott (b.1966)
Sonata for Saxophone and Harp
The musicians
Since forming their duo in 2016, saxophonist Huw Wiggin and harpist Oliver Wass have continued to develop and refine their programmes of music for this unusual pairing of instruments. Huw and Oliver particularly enjoyed their recent concerts for Absolute Classics and Gower Festival, and have developed a reputation as warm communicators who draw audiences into their intimate and engaging performances.
The duo features on Orchid Classics disc ‘Reflections’ which received a four-star review from BBC Music Magazine and five stars from Robert Hugill, who described the duo as ‘a seemingly unlikely combination that works real magic’. The disc reached no. 2 in the UK Specialist Classical Chart and no. 6 in the iTunes Classical Chart. Shortly after the release they were also featured by Classic FM, who filmed and released a video containing a selection of items from ‘Reflections’.
Since winning First Prize and Gold Medal at the Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition in 2014, Huw Wiggin has become one of the most popular saxophonists of his generation.
He has performed in venues as far afield as the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing as well as those closer to home such as London’s Wigmore Hall. Other past highlights include appearances at Henley, Brighton, Ryedale, Newbury, Ripon and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals.
Huw is professor of saxophone at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has given worldwide masterclasses. He has also been a member of the judging panel for major competitions including the Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition.
Having studied at Chetham’s School of Music, Royal Northern College of Music and Hochschule für Musik, Cologne, Huw gained a Master’s Degree with Distinction from the Royal College of Music in 2012, also winning the RCM Concerto Prize.
Huw is a member of the prize-winning Ferio Saxophone Quartet, and regularly performs with them in the UK and abroad. Signed with Chandos Records, the quartet has released three discs for the label – ‘Flux’ in July 2017, ‘Revive’ in November 2018, and ‘Evoke’ in October 2021 – with their fourth due for release later in 2022.
Oliver Wass holds a First Class Masters Degree from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. In May 2016, he became the first harpist ever to win the Guildhall Gold Medal (previous winners including Jacqueline du Pré, Bryn Terfel and Tasmin Little).
He has won the Suoni d’Arpa International Competition in Italy, the Jury Prize at the International Harp Competition in Szeged, Hungary, and Second Prize at the Bromsgrove International Competition.
He has performed every major harp concerto, including Lyra Angelica with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto with The Mozartists at the Wigmore Hall, and he has directed the Handel Harp Concerto in the Barbican Hall.
He has given recitals at the Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall, where he was praised by Seen and Heard International for his “tremendous dynamism” and “remarkable range of timbres and warmth of tone”.
Oliver is also a member of the award-winning flute, viola and harp trio, The Pelléas Ensemble, playing with “verve and polish” (The Times).
Curry Rivel Music 