TWIMC: Sofiia Matviienko

St John’s Waterloo is pleased to partner with the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition to showcase the talents of three exceptional young musicians and support them as they develop their professional careers.

Sofiia Matviienko (flute), Wind Winner of the 2022 Competition

Richard Shaw (piano)

An impressive young flute player from Ukraine, Sofiia will play a highly engaging programme of music for the flute, including old favourites and surprising new pieces.

• Bach - Flute Sonata in A minor, Wq. 132, H. 562: Poco Adagio and Allegro
• Heath - Home from the storm
• Karg-Elert - Sonata Appassionata fis moll
• Tchaikovsky - Area de Lensky (arr. Matviienko)
• Kolodyb - Poema
• Runchak - Homo Ludens
• Schubert - Variations on Tocken Blumen D.602
• James - Concerto for trumpet (arr. for flute by Matviienko)
• Matviychuk - Vatra
• Hudelson - Wild Nightingale for solo beatbox flute

Sofiia Matviienko was born in the small town of Pereshchepino in central Ukraine. She started studying the recorder at the age of 5 due to speech problems and found that this was what she liked and wanted to do. From the age of 9, Sofiia switched to the classical flute and moved to Poltava to study and graduated from the Poltava Academy of Arts with honours. However, most of her knowledge and skills she received over the Internet through master classes on Youtube and filmed lessons from famous musicians. Sofiia has won many competitions and participated in international festivals in Argentina, Germany, Ukraine, Italy, Bosnia, UK and other countries.

In 2016 she played her first solo concert in Italy, recorded on CD. Recently she become a winner of such competitions as the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition, Rickmansworth Young Musician, Bromsgrove Young Musicians and the Yamaha Scholarship competition in 2022.

In 2017, Sofiia auditioned and received a full scholarship to study at Purcells School for Young Musicians in the UK, where she graduated with honours in 2020. Currently, she is studying in the Royal Academy of Music in the first year of a BMus degree with the legendary flutist - William Bennett, thanks to the generous ABRSM scholarship. Additionally, since 2021 Sofiia became an artist for a LefreQue product.

In different years, Sofiia was supported by the Rotary Club of Dusseldorf-Schlostrum, the Yamaha Scholarship Program and the Vere Music Fund. She is happy to take part in charity events, such as, at the annual concert of St. Nicholas for children in Poltava, Ukraine.

Pianist Richard Shaw specialises in chamber music and accompaniment and has performed extensively in Britain and abroad. He broadcasts live duo performances regularly for BBC Radio 3 with a wide range of soloists. He is Staff Accompanist at the Royal Academy of Music and gives masterclasses for accompanists at CSSM (formerly the Charterhouse Summer School of Music) each July. He has given recitals for the Wigmore Hall, Double Reed Society, Lionel Tertis International Viola Festival, British Horn Society, British Flute Society, Barbirolli International Oboe Festival & Competition, and the British Clarinet and Saxophone Society, and regularly performs at the Dartington Festival.

Richard takes a keen interest in music of our day. The many composers with whom he has worked include Malcolm Arnold, Elena Firsova, Karl Jenkins, Patrick Nunn, Vladislav Shoot and Dmitri Smirnov. The composer and artist Edward Cowie is currently writing a series of piano works for him.

His current CDs include music by the great French flautist Phillipe Gaubert, with Kathryn Thomas (flute), on the Deux-Elles label (DXL 923), and a critically acclaimed CD of chamber works (with the Galliard Ensemble) and piano solos by Sir Harrison Birtwistle (DXL 1019). His ‘Piper’s Dream’ CD (with Ensemble Lumière) features the piano solos and chamber works of the British composer Cecilia McDowall (DXL 1033). His latest CD is of the music of Fauré and his circle (DXL 1125). He has recorded 26 CDs for Cramer Music. Forthcoming recordings include CDs for Toccata Classics with the Ashton Piano Trio. His music album, Malcolm Arnold: Songs and Arias, will shortly be published by Novello & Co/Music Sales.

Doors open at 6:30pm, concert starts at 7pm.

Getting to St John’s Waterloo.

St John’s Waterloo is accessible by bus, tube or train; the nearest station is Waterloo Station.

Parking is available in Exton Street on pay bays, Monday to Friday from 8.30am till 6.30pm & Saturday 8.30am till 1.30pm at £5.40 per hour. Payment must be made by phone or app, details can be found on signs along Exton Street. After 6.30pm (1pm on Saturday) parking is free within the bays and on single yellow lines. There are no disabled bays along Exton Street.

Parking is also available in car parks in York Road and Cornwall Road, details for both can be found online.

The Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition is a prestigious music competition which draws competitors from round the world. The Competition started in 1979 and is hosted every two years by the Mayfeld Festival in partnership with Mayfield School. Open to competitors between the ages of 16 and 27, the Competition supports young classical musicians who are embarking on their professional careers. These three recitals provide an exciting opportunity to hear this year’s first prize winners, selected by a distinguished panel of judges, comprising John Wallace CBE, Tasmin Little OBE, Guy Johnston, Dmitri Alexeev, Sam Haywood and Melinda Maxwell. Find out more about the Competition here.

The Competition has played an important role in the careers of many internationally celebrated musicians. Past winners include: piano virtuoso Paul Lewis; great Spanish clarinettist Joan Enric Lluna; Russian pianist Yuri Didenko, and flautist Michael Cox, currently principal flute of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Join us at these recitals to hear potential future stars of classical music!

Tickets for the recitals cost £10. Concessions: £5 for Friends of the Competition; Free for Patrons of the Competition, students and under 25s.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

St John’s Church, Waterloo, 73 Waterloo Road, London, United Kingdom