Ivana Gavric plays Mendelssohn and Bach

In an exciting first-time collaboration, City of London Sinfonia and pianist Ivana Gavric present a joyful and vivacious programme that showcases the piano’s versatility.

At the heart of the concert lies Mendelssohn’s seldom-performed Concerto in D minor for violin, piano and strings, written when the composer was just 14 years old. The concert also features Bach’s Concerto in F minor for keyboard and strings, in recognition of Mendelssohn’s admiration for Bach.

Both City of London Sinfonia and Ivana Gavric’s commitment to performing music by female composers is reflected in this evening’s works: Cecile Chaminade’s 'Autrefois' is one of the short lyric piano pieces which were the foundation of her popularity; Farrenc’s Nonet in Eb has been described as a ‘glorious sonic feast’ and is arguably one of her most popular works; and Fanny Mendelssohn’s Adagio for violin and piano is a beautiful small scale work and only the second piece of chamber music she composed.

This is a unique opportunity to hear the piano both as solo instrument and in conversation with a duet partner, brought to life by Ivana Gavric and City of London Sinfonia Creative Director Alexandra Wood.

The performance of Farrenc's Nonet in Eb is made possible with funding from the ABO Trust’s Sirens programme, a ten year initiative to support the performance and promotion of music by historical women composers.