Ludlow Arts: Classical

Saturday 20 July 2024

1:00pm

St Laurence, Ludlow

Stien De Neef: harp
Simone Damiani: piano

Beethoven arr. Thomas: Adelaida, Op.46
Scriabin: Sonata in G sharp minor, Op.19, No.2
Henriette Renié: Contemplation
Uno Vesje: Life is flashing before my eyes and I realize that it all started with a blackbird
Chopin: Mazurka in A minor, Op.17 No.4
John Thomas: Grand Duet in E♭ minor, Adagio and Allegro con brio

Belgian harpist, Stien De Neef enjoys an international career as a performer connecting with audiences through her profound musicality and captivating sound. Recent highlights include winning the 2nd Prize of the United Kingdom Harp Competition 2024, and the 1st Prize of the Renié Harp Competition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Stien is currently on the Training Scheme of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra while she is completing a fellowship at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Stien has played with various orchestras and participated in various international harp competitions. She also received a 2nd Prize at the International Marcel Tournier Competition in Cosenza (Italy) in 2019 and a 3rd Prize ‘Excellence’ at the ‘Concours Français de la Harpe’ in Limoges (France) in 2019.

Besides performing, Stien is an enthusiastic harp tutor across the West Midlands and teaches in Rugby School and Uppingham School.

Simone Damiani enjoys a musical career as pianist and piano teacher, his playing described as ‘beautifully singing’ by Vladimir Ovchinnikov. Simone performs solo and chamber music across Europe. He performed solo piano music by Ottorino Respighi in Budapest and a selection of Arias from Italian Operas at the Italian Institute of Culture. He was a soloist for two consecutive years at the Corato International Piano Festival (Italy)S. Future performances will feature solos and duos with violin and harp respectively in various venues across the Midlands and the UK.

Passionate about inspiring the next generation of pianists, Simone is a Visiting Piano Tutor at Cheltenham College, Warwick School and King Edward VI Aston School in Birmingham.

Stien and Simone appear by kind permission of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Free entry. Donations welcome.