About this Event
"Matthew Shiel shone" (⭐⭐⭐⭐ThisWeek Culture)
Sink into your seat and relax as award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel performs several of the world's greatest and most soulful 'nocturnes.' This recital concludes with arguably three of the most beautiful piano pieces ever composed in music history: Schubert's Serenade, Franz Liszt's Liebestraum No.3 (German - 'Love-dream') and Debussy's Clair de lune (French - 'Moonlight') - performed by atmospheric candlelight in our special candlelit chapel setting.
This concert will also feature a romantic nocturne composed specially for tonight's artist by Matthew's Italian friend and composer Alfredo Caponnetto - Notturno VI.
Often celebrating secret longings, shadows and dreams, a 'nocturne' is a piano peice which is which is composed in evocation of the night. The genre was invented by John Field (1782 - 1837) and made famous by Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) before it was subsequently championed by the 'romantics' - 19th Century composer-pianists such as Franz Liszt (1811-1886), Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) and Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918).
Tonight, this magnificent and historic 19th century chapel is transformed by moonlight and candlelight into a place of musical inspiration as we celebrate the divine beauty of the piano played in the evening!
TONIGHT'S PROGRAMME:
Schubert: Serenade and Ave Maria
Tchaikovsky: Venetian Gondola Song and White Nights
Chopin: Nocturnes
Alfredo Caponnetto: Notturno VI
Liszt: Liebestraum No.3 and Consolations
Debussy: La fille aux cheveux de lin and Clair de lune
Tonight's Pianist: Matthew Shiel
Matthew Shiel is a concert pianist and conductor based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the recipient of a scholarship to study piano at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he graduated with first class honours and several academic and performance prizes.
Matthew has performed at venues including: National Portrait Gallery of Scotland (Edinburgh), Unitarernes Hus (Copenhagen), The Glasshouse International Centre for Music (Newcastle), Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (Glasgow) and St Giles' Cathedral (Edinburgh) and has been invited to be a guest speaker to the Wagner Society of Scotland and the University of Middlesex.
Matthew has performed several piano concertos with the Scottish Meditation Orchestra (Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K. 488), Àirigh Orchestra (Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No.2, Op.18 and Koželuch - Concerto for Piano Duet in B-flat major, P.IV:8), Abbotsford String Orchestra (Bach - Keyboard Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052 and Mozart - Piano Concerto in D minor, K.466), Little Biggar Orchestra (Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat major, K. 595). Matthew was also entrusted to give the world première of Dr Alfredo Caponnetto's Baroque Concerto - which the composer kindly dedicated to Matthew. Matthew has also performed with The Band of His Majesty's Royal Marines Scotland.
Matthew is chief conductor of the Scottish Meditation Orchestra and the The Orchestra of the Scottish Enlightenment and he teaches piano at the University of Edinburgh. Matthew is currently a Live Music Now artist, a charity and young artists scheme founded by Sir Yehudi Menuhin; it encourages gifted young musicians to perform to those who are unable to access live music such as those living with dementia, hospital patients receiving cancer care or children with additional support needs.
https://matthew-shiel.com/
'Moonlight' (2023) by Emma Yitong Shen
Her artworks are inspired by tonight's musical artist Matthew Shiel and are exhibited onstage as part of our candlelight chapel concert series.
Her artworks, prints and cards are also available for sale during the concert.
https://www.emmayitongshen.com
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
St Vincent's Chapel: Scottish Episcopal Church, St Vincent Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
GBP 7.50 to GBP 29.50