Tuesday 13 May 2025
2pm
Milton Court Concert Hall
Chamber Music Masterclass with Johannes Meissl
Digital Programmes
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Milton Court
Eating is not permitted in the auditorium. Drinks are allowed inside the auditorium in polycarbonates.
Filming or recording of the performance is not permitted.
Latecomers will be able to enter the auditorium at a suitable break in the performance.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Founded in 1880 by the City of London Corporation
Chair of the Board of Governors
The Hon. Emily Benn
Principal
Professor Jonathan Vaughan
Vice-Principal & Director of Music
Armin Zanner
About the Guildhall – MDW (Vienna) annual chamber music & creativity exchange
The word ‘Improvisation’ sounds like the complete opposite of what high quality classical music performance is about, doesn’t it?
This is far from what European art-music performance was about until the end of the 19th century, when listeners expected to be surprised and be taken into the unexpected. The performance of well-known works included improvised repeats and cadenzas, extemporised preludes before a performed composition, interludes between movements and postludes following canonical works and entire extemporised pieces. In addition, fantasias were often improvised on themes provided by the audience.
The Austrian MDW and Guildhall School in London are collaborating to revive this tradition and its spirit. This event, guided by Professor Johannes Meissl (MDW) and Professor David Dolan (Guildhall School), demonstrates this collaboration.
Guildhall – MDW (Vienna) exchange: String Quartet Concert & Workshop
Programme
2pm Sonas Quartet
Beethoven String Quartet No 11 in F minor, Op 95 ‘Serioso’
I. Allegro con brio
II. Allegretto ma non troppo
III. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso – Trio
IV. Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato
Yente Lottman violin
Isabelle Allan violin
Eve Quigley viola
Alice Abram cello
3.15pm Trio Havisham
Brahms Piano Trio No 3 in C minor, Op 101
I. Allegro energico
II. Presto non assai
III. Andante grazioso
IV. Allegro molto
Zany Denyer piano
Magdalena Riedl violin
Seth Collin cello
Johannes Meissl
Johannes Meissl, born in Ried, Austria and studied at Vienna University of Performing Arts (MDW) with Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Gerhart Hetzel and Hatto Beyerle, graduating with distinction and a special award. In 1982 he joined the Artis Quartet. After further studies with the LaSalle Quartet in the US and several competition prizes the ensemble established a long-lasting international career. Concerts at prestigious series and festivals worldwide, awards for over 40 recordings (Grand Prix du Disque, Diapason d’Or, Echo, Midem Classics, etc.) and the still running “Artis Series” at the Musikverein in Vienna (since 1988) bear witness to the international standing of the ensemble.
Meissl also performs in solo recitals and in open chamber projects, and he has achieved success as a conductor.
Professor for chamber music at MDW, Johannes Meissl has been Vice Rector of this top-ranking university since October 2019. Prior to this, he headed MDW’s Joseph Haydn Department of Chamber Music and served as president of the Senate at MDW.
Meissl is Artistic Director of the International Summer Academy (ISA) of MDW and Artistic co-Director of European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA). He gives master classes worldwide and he is very active within the Musethica project, combining intensive performance training with social outreach and community engagement. For more than 30 years, he has been teacher and mentor for generations of young chamber musicians. His students have won first prizes at leading international competitions and succeeded in establishing sustainable careers. For a number of his former student ensembles’ acclaimed recordings he served as artistic producer.
Forthcoming Events
Guildhall – MDW (Vienna) exchange: String Quartet Concert & Workshop
14 May 2025
Silk Street Music Hall
Join us for an evening concert and workshop, part of a special exchange between Guildhall School and the mdw-University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
The Ivan Sutton Chamber Music Award
20 May 2025
Silk Street Music Hall
Join the finalists of the Ivan Sutton Chamber Music Competition as they perform major chamber music works with piano.
23 May 2025
Silk Street Lecture Recital Room
We shine the spotlight on outstanding Guildhall guitarists in this chamber concert celebrating the instrument.
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