Cellist Jonathan Roozeman and pianist extraordinaire Varvara Nepomnyashchaya give short shrift to the January blues!
The January blues were well and truly beaten last Friday night 19 January at St Peter’s Church of Ireland for the opening concert of 2024 for Drogheda Classical Music.
In what was a stellar concert with two of Europe’s finest musicians, the baby-faced cellist Jonathan Roozeman and his incredible partner Varvara Nepomnyashchaya performed works by Schnittke, Schubert, Finnish-Swedish composer Ceclia Damström and the great Sergei Rachmaninov.
Described by the New York Times as “proven a virtuoso”, Finnish-Dutch cellist and rising star Jonathan Roozeman is already establishing himself as a player of exceptional musical integrity and this was on full display last Friday night. His playing was sensitive and, when needed, full of romantic bravura.
His duo partner, Varvara Nepomnyashchaya, who has quickly garnered a remarkable musical reputation by performing with many of world’s most prestigious orchestras, belied her miniature frame by producing a titanic display of virtuosity and skill as Roozeman’s accomplice.
The preconcert talk with Dr Gavan Ring was as entertaining as ever as both Ring and Roozeman delved into Roozeman’s initial hopes of becoming a pianist. After a failed audition attempt, a professor of suggested after that he might try the cello and the rest is history as they say! What a chance of fate!
Drogheda Classical Music continues on 9 February when the premier classical series of the northeast welcomes one of the UK’s most revered pianists Tim Horton for a sensual programme of Chopin and Schumann. This is not to be missed!
Tickets are €20 (€18 conc.) and booking is available through Droichead Arts Centre or by calling 0419833946. U-18 tickets (€5) and Student tickets (€10) available at the door with ID and subject to availability.
Drogheda Classical Music is funded by the Arts Council and Louth County Council and run in partnership with Droichead Arts Centre with sponsorship from WhitelightEvents and RTÉ Supporting the Arts.
