NOVA Festival 2022
Here are some impressions from 2022's NOVA Festival. We had a fantastic time performing, walking, swimming, drinking and making new friends. Even though we had to change the programme last minute, the musicians had a fantastic time and the concerts were received with bucketloads of enthusiasm.
Felix Rosenboom opened the festival with a captivating performance of Kodaly and Britten solo cello sonatas, both complex works full of folk and song influences. Felix is studying at the Mozarteum with Clemens Hagen and it was a real pleasure to have him play at the NOVA Festival.
On the same evening, Elena Toledo and Leon Human gave an exciting performance of a selection of Bartok Duos. These fascinating and unusual works which aren't regularly performed in concert were a treat to hear in the intimate Wheal Martyn setting.
The evening finished with an herculean outing of the Martinu Madrigals for viola and violin, played by Elena Toledo and Jake Montgomery-Smith. A gripping finale rounded off the concert with a bang, and set the bar high for the following days.
We were all really worried when Elena was rushed into hospital for emergency surgery, but she's now well on her way to recovery. Angus Webster bravely stepped in, swapping his conductor's baton for the viola to play Mozart's C minor string quintet, with Leon Human taking over as 1st violin.
The real challenge came with Dvorak's Op. 97 string quintet. A bittersweet piece laced with African-American spiritual and Czech folk influences, Dvorak uses both violas to create a rich, warm middle voice sound. Such a tour de force catapulted the musicians and audience into the festival's final day. A special thanks to Jake for switching to violin for this concert!
The final concert began with Mozart's G minor string quintet masterpiece, which Ola Lenkiewicz stepped into last minute and played beautifully. It was a pleasure to explore such multi-faceted and beautiful music for an appreciative audience.
Exhausted but happy faces after an intense performance of Brahms's Sextet in G Major Op. 36. The last movement offered an uplifting finale for both the musicians and audience, rounding off a successful 2022 NOVA Festival with a high.
A big thanks to our wonderful audiences for being so accommodating and supportive over the 3 days, and for listening so intelligently and appreciatively. We couldn't do it without you!
Finishing on such a high, we're busy planning for NOVA Festival 2023. If you'd like to support the festival and become a friend, follow this link to donate. Don't forget to also join our mailing list to find out first about upcoming concerts and events!
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