Award-winning violinist Katie Stillman and pianist Simon Lane are performing at a Valentine's Day concert in aid of Oxford-based conservation charity the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS).
Canadian violinist Katie Stillman is a force to be reckoned with. Having toured Mexico at just 15-years-old, she won the prestigious Grand Prize at the Canadian Music Competitions aged 16, before winning Radio Canada’s Young Artists Performance Prize.
Katie studied at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) where she won numerous prizes including the John Manduell Prize for outstanding achievement and also met duo partner Simon Lane. The duo has since performed throughout the UK and Canada including at London's Wigmore Hall, St. George’s Bristol and Bridgewater Hall.
Katie Stillman said: “We are delighted to be involved in fundraising for the Sumatran Orangutan Society, which is so crucial to the future of our planet. We have designed the format of the concert for the enjoyment of both regular concert goers and people who have come simply to support this good cause.
"We will begin with a more traditional violin and piano recital - perfect in such a lovely hall - then continue after the interval with a more relaxed Salon-style evening. This gives us the chance to chat to the audience, sharing the stories of these virtuosic and often sentimental works which gave the composers their chance to shine.”
The concert, at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, in Oxford, on February 14, will include a variety of short and longer pieces by composers such as Massenet, Beethoven, Elgar, Gershwin and Respighi.
Simon Lane said: “I am very much looking forward to playing in Oxford. I believe I did a piano competition in the Jacqueline du Pré building when I was about 15, so it will be great to go back now I am a little older. This concert deserves a full house as I know the music will appeal and the audience will also be supporting a very good cause.”
The event follows SOS’s successful Concert4Conservation in 2011, headlined by local band Stornoway. Claire Baylis of SOS said: “Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered and SOS works hard to protect them, so we’re incredibly lucky to have such talented musicians supporting the cause.
"It’s set to be a relaxed but very special evening – ideal if you want a memorable Valentine’s night out or simply enjoy beautifully performed classical music.”
Tickets cost from £15, and are available from www.wegottickets.com
