Meare, Annabelle

Violinist who comprises one fourth of the ECO String Quartet, the stand-out chamber ensemble of the English Chamber Orchestra.

Other artists groups with whom she has worked include the European Camerata, the Festival Strings of Canada, the London Conchord Ensemble, the Melchior Ensemble, and the Philharmonia.

In 2001, she and fellow violinists Jayne Maddison, Annalee Patipatanakoon and Julia Wedmanperformed Antonio Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Four Violins” with the Festival Strings of Canada.

The English Chamber Orchestra entertained at the Prague Proms with a program that included Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Violin Concerto in E major”, Bela Bartok’s “Divertimento”, Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Symphony No. 44 in E minor”, and Giuseppe Tartini’s “Concerto in D major” on 26^th July 2005.

Their concert on 29^th November 2006 at Cadogan Hall in London, England, comprised Max Bruch’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26”, Felix Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 4 in A, Op. 90” (“Italian”), Franz Schubert’s “Overture in the Italian Style in C, D. 591”, and Robert Schumann’s “Konzertstuck for Four Horns and Orchestra, Op. 86”.

On 30^th January 2007, the English Chamber Orchestra Ensemble performed at Wigmore Hall in London. Annabelle and Stephanie Gonley were the violinists, Jonathan Barritt and Judith Busbridgewere the violists, and Caroline Dale and Jesper Svedberg were the cellists for a double-header of Johannes Brahms’ “String Sextet No. 2 in G, Op. 36” and Schubert’s “String Quintet in C, D. 956”.

The ECO opened their 2007-2008 season with a tribute to Sir Edward Elgar that began with “Introduction and Allegro” followed by “Nursery Suite”, “Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra”, and “Cello Concerto”.

In January 2008, she participated in the 9^th Wye Valley Chamber Music Festival with a pair of concerts at Holy Trinity Church and St. Briavels Church. The Holy Trinity concert on 15^th January featured Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Piano Trio in B flat, Op. 97” (“Archduke”), Schubert’s “Quartettsatz, D. 703”, and Alexander von Zemlinsky’s “Clarinet Trio” The 16^th January concert at St. Briavels consisted of Beethoven’s “String Quartet, Op. 74” (“Harp”), Schubert’s “Allegro for Piano Duet, D. 947”, and Richard Strauss’s “Piano Quartet”.

The Melchior Ensemble interpreted Bach’s “Ricercare a sei voci” from The Musical Offering, BWV 1079, Mendelssohn’s “Octet in E flat, Op. 20” and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “String Sextet in D minor” (“Souvenir of Florence”) at the Theatre in Peterhouse on 3^rd March 2008.

On 29^th December 2008, Annabelle was one of several musicians to share the stage at the Domkerk in Utrecht, The Netherlands, at the International Music Festival for a performance of Der Fiedler vomGetto by Maarten Kooij.

Soloists from the Philharmonia appeared at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in Covent Garden on 16^thand 17^th January 2009 for a double bill of Beethoven’s “String Quartet, Op. 132” and T.S. Elliot’s “Four Quartets”.

The ECO Ensemble was back at Wigmore Hall for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Flute Quartet in D, K. 285” and “Piano Quartet in G minor, K. 478” and Schubert’s “String Quintet in C, D. 956” on 15^thFebruary 2009.

In August 2009, Annabelle and double bassist Graham Mitchell, violist Lawrence Power and soprano Elizabeth Watts were guest artists at the Kungsbacka Chamber Music Festival. Their recital on 4^thAugust featured the music of Gabriel Faure, including “La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61”, “Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 15”, and “Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 45”. On 5^th August, they performed Beethoven’s “Arrangement of Irish Folksongs for Soprano and Piano Trio”, Frank Martin’s “Trio Based on Popular Irish Folk Songs”, Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 49”, Sergei Prokofiev’s “Five Pieces from the Ballet Romeo and Juliet for Viola and Piano”, and Schubert’s “Piano Quintet in A, D. 667” (“The Trout”). They capped off the festival on 6^th August with Bartok’s “Duo for Two Violins, Sz98”, Ernst von Dohnanyi’s “Piano Quintet in E minor, Op. 26”, Antonin Dvorak’s “Bagatelle for Two Violins, Cello and Harmonium, Op. 47” and “String Quintet in G, Op. 77”, Haydn’s “Piano Trio in G, Hob. XV:25” (“Gypsy Rondo”) and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Piano Quintet in C minor”.

On 29^th September 2009, the London Conchord Ensemble joined forces with harpsichordist Maggie Cole for a concert at The German School in Petersham.

The Choir of the 21^st Century, the ECO, mezzo-soprano Mae Heydorn, tenor Nicholas Mulroy, bass Hakan Vramsmo and soprano Ida Falk Winland performed George Frideric Handel’s Messiah at Cadogan Hall on 2^nd December 2009.

On 11^th February 2010, the ECO offered up Bach’s “Concerto in D minor for Two Violins” along with Bartok’s “Divertimento” and David Heath’s “Piano Concerto” (“El Hedeijya”).

Annabelle was one of several “friends” to grace the stage at the Jesuit Church in Dubrovnik, Croatia, for a recital entitled Julian Rachlin & Friends. The mostly Bach affair included the master’s “Concerto for Three Violins and Strings in C major, BWV 1064”, “Concerto for Violin and Strings in A minor, BWV 1041” and “Concerto for Violin and Strings in E major, BWV 1042” as well as Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Two Celli and Strings”.

Recordings on which she appears include: After Rachmaninov; Bach: Concertos em re menor; Elvis & Anabelle; David Gray: Greatest Hits; Ludwig Thuille: Piano Quintets in E flat major and G minor; Nicolas Bacri: Pieces pour Clarinette; and, “Puddledance”.

She performs here with the Nash Ensemble…

Sources:

Meare, Annabelle

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