Music Workshop Review: Sveta & Slava - Cello & Piano Duo
The young, award-winning Russian-Ukrainian duo, Cellist Svetlana Mochalova and pianist Slava Sidorenko, who have won multiple awards and performed at venues including the Purcell Room, the Barbican, Wigmore Hall and Glastonbury, brought a feast of music and a moment of pure aspiration to some of the students at Churchill Academy and Sixth Form on Friday 6th October.
Their enthusiasm immediately engaged Year 7 in a workshop containing numerous pieces of music for cello and piano as well as a taste of some of the many instrumental techniques that composers have written for on both instruments. The duo fielded many interesting questions from the students and had us all up and out of our seats on several occasions, including doing actions during their own humorous take on “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!”
Our second session of the morning was a masterclass in front of an attentive audience of Music students from across the academy. Several students performed in a masterclass, receiving constructive comments and advice about their playing. Each performer was able to enhance their interpretations of the music performed and allow their own personality and flair as a performer to shine through. Congratulations to Lily Spry, Ella Phippen, Toby Wilson and Keith Ng, our masterclass performers, for their superb playing.
Sveta and Slava completed their visit to Churchill performing the opening concert in this season of concerts organised by Churchill Music in St. John’s Church. Sveta & Slava are aiming to reach out to new and diverse audiences, and therefore left some of the programme up to the audience to vote for. “Their enthusiasm, engaging playing and novel approach to programming led to a superb evening of music. It was just amazing!” - Year 10 Music student and guitarist.
