Malvern Concert Club: Maria Włoszczowska & Alasdair Beatson

Polish violinist Maria Włoszczowska is recognised for her versatile musicianship, performing as soloist, director/concertmaster, and chamber musician. Recent career highlights include her BBC Proms solo debut with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Dinis Sousa, her New York recital debut at 92NY with Jeremy Denk and directing the Chamber Orchestra of Europe at Mozartwoche Salzburg. As Leader of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Maria also regularly directs the orchestra in repertoire such as Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante.

Maria appears frequently at Wigmore Hall and at international festivals such as Musikdorf Ernen, Lammermuir, IMS Prussia Cove and Yellow Barn, Vermont. The 2022-23 season saw the launch of the Valo Quartet, which Maria leads; they made their debut appearance in Brussels under the auspices of the Festival Resonances, and their Finnish and Italian debuts in the 2023-24 season. Maria plays on a violin by Francesco Stradivari.

Scottish pianist Alasdair Beatson is renowned as a sincere musician and intrepid programmer. He champions a wide repertoire on both modern and historical instruments, with particular areas of interest: classical, early romantic and French music (especially Fauré) alongside the music of today’s composers. He is a prolific chamber musician whose colleagues include Steven Isserlis, Alexi Kenney, Viktoria Mullova, Pieter Wispelwey, the Doric, Gringolts and Meta4 string quartets, and the Nash Ensemble.

His extensive discography of solo and chamber music includes recent recordings of works by Beethoven and Schubert for violin and fortepiano with Viktoria Mullova, and a solo piano recital Aus Wien. Performances during 2024 include regular appearances at Wigmore Hall, and at festivals including Bath Mozartfest, Ernen, Lewes, Megaron Spring Festival, Peasmarsh, Resonances, West Cork and Yellowbarn. Alasdair is artistic director of the chamber music festival at Musikdorf Ernen in Switzerland.