Anna Stokes
Flute / Piccolo
Review on Mozart Flute Concerto in D Major Performance - February 2008
THE overture to Rossini's William Tell, being rather more popular than the six hour opera itself, made for a spirited and lively opening to the Misbourne's most recent concert.
The well-known final section, depicting the triumphant return of the Swiss army to its homeland after the Austrian invasion (one imagines the soldiers being armed with complicated penknives) tends to eclipse the pastoral grace of the remainder of the piece which is, in effect, a miniature tone-poem, so it's always pleasing to be reminded of the elegant integrity of the whole.
This was followed by a superb performance of Mozart's Flute Concerto No2 in D Major, its status as an artfully rehashed oboe concerto in no way diminishing its variety and balance. Soloist Anna Stokes brought a perfect mixture of clarity and warmth to the piece in an astute and positive performance.
The second half was devoted to Symphony No5 in D Major by Vaughan Williams, an uplifting, thematically rich work which had provided new insights into the composer's thinking when it was premiered in 1943.Conductor Richard Jacklin's expert attention to detail ensured that the Orchestra conveyed the symphony's contrasts and subtle internal relationships with an impressive assurance that bodes well for the Orchestra's next concert on April 5, which will feature works by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and local composer Nils Greenhow.
12:56pm Friday 8th February 2008
St Albans & Harpenden Review 2008
Qatar Foundation Concert Series Publicity & Review - June 2007
British flautist to perform as part of QF concert series
Web posted at: 5/15/2007 2:40:39
Source ::: The Peninsula
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| Anna Stokes |
DOHA • The next concert in the Qatar Foundation- Qatar Shell Concert Series will take place at the Qatar Academy Auditorium on June 9. Performing on the occasion will be the young British flautist Anna Stokes, accompanied at the piano by Rhodri Clarke. The programme will feature works by CPE Bach, Gaubert, Ginastera and Poulenc. "An entertainingly broad stylistic spectrum of works are on offer, which will undoubtedly show off the Flute's virtuoso and expressive qualities to the full," said QF concert organiser, Steve Griffiths. The climax finale of the evening's programme will be the famously brilliant Carmen Fantasy based on well-known themes from Bizet's opera Carmen. Anna Stokes is one of the foremost flute players of her generation, having graduated in 2004 with a First class Honours degree from the Royal College of Music, London. Since then she has performed regularly in London both as a soloist and a chamber- music player with her own ensemble - the Emanual Ensemble. Anna will be accompanied at the piano by the very talented Rhodri Clarke, who also gained a First Class Honours Degree from the Royal College of Music. Tickets for the concert are priced at QR50 and can be purchased from Qatar Foundation PR and Marketing Dept from May 27 onwards . Tickets can be reserved over telephone No: 4927812, 4927021, 5223073.
Quotes from a review in the Gulf Times by Fran Gillespie
This year, concert-goers have been treated to a series of performances by outstanding young musicians, all embarking on what are surely destined to be highly successful careers.
In January the delightful young soprano Rebecca Bottone made a second visit to Doha, by popular request. The following month the classical guitarist Gary Ryan left his audience spell-bound by his versatility and the astonishing range of sounds he produced from his instrument, and in April pianist and composer Victor-Christian Nicoara, no stranger to Doha, returned yet again to delight his listeners with virtuoso performances of works including Schubert, Chopin and some of his own compositions.
Sunday was the turn of 26-year-old Anna Stokes, a British flautist who, despite her youth, has already built up a formidable CV of orchestral, solo and chamber concerts. She was accompanied by the equally youthful Welsh pianist Rhodri Clarke, with whom she has performed on numerous occasions.
Stokes and Clarke performed a range of works specifically written for flute and piano, ranging from compositions by such familiar names as Francis Poulenc and CPE Bach to works by composers less known to the general public.
That Anna Stokes is a master of her instrument was abundantly clear: her tone, phrasing and technique are all highly professional and her playing was nothing short of brilliant. To listen to such a superb musician is in itself highly enjoyable.
Reviews
Emanuel Ensemble (flute, violin, viola and cello) - Wigmore Hall review 10/11/2005
"This concert was one of several fairly low-key Maw celebrations this season, a survey of his works for small groups. Beautifully varied in texture, they mostly share a sense of transformation, putting a musical idea before your ears, taking it through various adventures and, when it returns, making you hear it anew in the light of experience. The young Emanuel Ensemble's concentrated, careful performance of his Flute Quartet brought out this character straight away. Starting with modal phrases that echo Debussy, it soon sets off on its own purposeful but elegant path. When Maw interrupted his efforts to produce a fast finale as a tempting vista loomed, the players were able to keep it sounding all of a piece." Quote from Robert Maycock - Independant Newspaper - 14th november 2005 - Nicholas Maw 70th Birthday Concert, Wigmore Hall ________________________________________________________________________________________________
UK Premiere of Sean Hickeys "Flute and Piano Sonata" - Performance March 2004 (Anna Stokes - Flute, Eunyoung Lee - Piano)
" I was so pleased to have received the recording of your wonderful performance of my sonata. Brava! You did a beautiful job. I love your tone and the overall pacing of each movement was extremely well judged. The same is true for Eunyoung's performance as well. You both seemed to really make musical the tricky final movement. Thankyou so much for performing my work"
Quote from composer S. Hickey (Composer - New York) - 20/3/2004
http://www.durrenweb.com/sean_hickey
Past Performances (N.B This does not include everything)
Anna has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral player at numerous venues including:
Solo & Chamber Music Performances
Wigmore Hall (Emanuel Ensemble) (Nov 05)
(Barber Wind Quintet) (1999)
Purcell Room (Emanuel Ensemble) (Nov 05)
Lucerne - Concert in Weggis as part of the Sir James Galway International Masterclass 2007
Interlaken Classics Music Festival Concert, Switzerland (Sir James Galway & Lady Galway Concert with Masterclass Participants)
St James's Piccadilly - Soloist with Oxted Sinfonietta
Beethoven Haus Chamber Music Hall, Bonn (flute & piano)
St Martin-in-the-fields (Emanuel Ensemble)
St Georges Church, Hanover Square (Emanuel Ensemble)
Whitchurch Purcellians Concert Series, Dorset (Emanuel Ensemble)
Stowmarket Concert Society (Flute/hrp duo)
National Gallery (Emanuel Ensemble & flute/hrp duo)
V & A Museum (Emanuel Ensemble & flute/hrp duo)
St James's Palace (Emanuel Ensemble)
Kensington Palace (Emanuel Ensemble)
Cliveden House Gala Concert (flute & piano)
City Showcase Spotlight London (solo flute and flute/cello duo)
Villa D'este, Italy (Emanuel Ensemble)
Hoghton Tower (Flute & piano) recorded by Classic FM
Regents Hall (Flute & piano)
St James's Piccadilly (Flute & piano)
St Michaels Church, Chester Square (flute & piano + flute/harp duo)
Waltham Abbey (Flute & piano)
Coworth Park, Ascot (Flute/hrp duo)
(in the presence of HRH Prince Harry & Prince William)
Cheltenham International Music Festival Chamber Series showcase
(Own compositions) (solo flute & a work for flute, piano and percussion)
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Orchestral Performances
Pentland Theatre, Finchley (BBC Concert Orchestra)
Queen Elizabeth Hall (New Professionals Orchestra)Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (Hidden States Ensemble)
The Warehouse, London (Roxburgh Chamber Orchestra)
29' Cantiere Internazioinale d'arte, Montepulciano (Janacek Philharmonic)
Berlin Konzert Haus ( Young Janacek Philharmonic)
Britten Theatre, RCM (The Camille Ensemble)
Thaxted Festival (RCM Sinfonietta)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Thames Festival Project
Windsor Castle (Purcell School Chamber Orchestra)
Sadlers Wells (National Youth Ballet Sinfonia)
St John's Smith Square (Walton Facade perf. - HRH Prince Charles present)
Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire (Chamber Orchestra)
Royal Festival Hall (Orchestral concert)
Guildford International Music Festival (Concerto soloist - 1999)
St Peters Church, Kensington (Concerto soloist - Kensington Chamber Orchestra)
St James's Piccadilly (London Kensington Sinfonia)
(New Art Ensemble)
Buckingham Palace (Queens Golden Jubilee - RCM Symphony Orchestra)
(Purcell School Chamber Orchestra)
NYO concerts conducted by Sir Colin Davis, Ivan Fischer, John Elliot Gardiner, Sir Roger Norrington, Tadaaki Otaka, Mstislav Rostropovich, Christopher Seaman, Stanislav Skrowzewski, Yan Pascal Tortelier with soloists including Anne Sophie von Otter, Thomas Moser, Howard Shelley, Leonidas Kavakos,
Royal Albert Hall BBC Proms (NYO)
Konzerthaus, Vienna
Palais des Beaux Arts
Festspielhaus, Baden BadenCentre Culturel, Lisbon
Theatre Comedie, Paris
Barbican Hall
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Birmingham Symphony Hall
St David's Hall, Cardiff
De Monfort Hall, Leicester
The Anvil, Basingstoke
Victoria Hall, Hanley
Derngate Hall, Northhampton
City Hall, Hull
Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow,
Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
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Haus Beda (Purcell School Chamber Orchestra)
Stadthalle Speyer (Purcell School Chamber Orchestra)
Marienschule in Euskirchen (Purcell School Chamber Orchestra)
Burgerhaus Bad Berleburg (Purcell School Chamber Orchestra)
