The sensational Danish marimba soloist Ronni Kot Wenzell from Rio, Brazil joins Philippa Mo (violin), in a unique programme including his own arrangements of sublime Baroque masterworks from Bach’s orchestral suites and Schubert’s Ave Maria, before a magnificent display of his explosive virtuosity with Tango Jalousie and a twinning of Schubert’s sweeter L’Abeille and the unmissable and ferocious Flight of the bumble bee, by Rimsky Korsakov like you have never heard it before.
Ronni Kot Wenzell is widely internationally active. He performs and tours in Europe, USA, Asia and South America as soloist, duo and as part of ensembles and as duo partner to the famous Chinese percussion virtuoso, prof. Li Biao. Acclaimed concerts have included the opening of Formula 1 in Shanghai, performances for Nike in Los Angeles, Audi in Germany, the opening of the National Centre for Performing Arts in China, and an invitation to perform at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Ronni has also had a great interest in the piano since a young age. He has been pianist at the Trommen Culture House, north of Copenhagen, and also head pianist at The Royal Danish Ballet School.
Ronni has also performed as a soloist with orchestras in Denmark, Germany and Hong Kong and has participated in many TV recordings. Additionally, he has participated in many CD recordings, among others a solo piano CD commissioned by The Royal Danish Ballet, a CD recording with Japanese Eriko Daimo and a CD recording in Beijing for EMI Classics.
Ronni also occasionally conducts, such as for Disney's latest Beauty and the Beast.
During the past few years Ronni has toured intensively and held master classes at prestigious conservatories, academies and universities around the world, such as Juilliard, New York University, Royal College of Music in London, Escola de Música do Estado de São Paulo in São Paulo etc. He has recently toured South America (Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia) with masterclasses and concerts in the biggest concert halls, such as Sala São Paulo, Brazil and Teatro Colón, Argentina among others.
Ronni is presently guest professor at Conservatório Brasileiro de Música in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is supported by The Danish Arts Foundation.
Philippa Mo (violin) studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London and at the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing. Philippa now performs extensively as a chamber musician. She has given performances and live broadcasts worldwide, including her acclaimed debut at the Wigmore Hall, recitals at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, St John’s, Smith Square, London, the Deutsches Museum, Munich, the Natural History Museum, Ulaan Bataar, when she was invited as the only British musician to participate as soloist in the International Music Festival of Contemporary Music, Mongolia in 2002. Philippa has also been invited to play at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and The Tate St Ives in the UK and more further afield at the Ankara International Music Festival and the Lincoln Center, New York.
Shortwave Cafe is a new arts hub in the Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey and offers a lovely open space with fantastic exhibitions on its walls, a bar serving drinks and pizzas, and comfy tables and chairs. We think it is just the informal, cosy, non-classical space to which to bring this kind of world-class classical music. It is a 5 minute walk from Bermondsey Tube Station (on the Jubilee line). Come and join us!