Brahms violin sonatas

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34097, 8 March 1976, Page 18

Brahms violin sonatas

Wanda Wilkomirska. Poland's foremost violinist. and the New Zealand pianist. Janetta McStay. will combine for a series of three lunchtime concerts during the festival fortnight. They will play the complete cycle of the Brahms and Prokofiev violin sonatas in the James Hay Theatre. Wanda Wilkomirska plaved in her first concert at seven, j •She now tours internationally giving an average of about

, 100 concerts a year, and has . been praised by critics for .her unusual lyricism and remarkable powers of coml munication. ■ She is recognised today as . one of the finest violinists of , her generation. Janetta McStav was born in Invercargill. At the age of 17 she won a scholarship in ! piano to the Royal Academy ’ of Music, London. Until 1954 when she returned to NewZealand. she toured Britain I and Europe as a concert, .pianist. Back in New Zealand' - she gained special distinction . as pianist in chamber music,

> and has toured with many • visiting string quartets. She is now an associate - professor of music at the University of Canterbury. ; The series is expected to be ’ of special interest to school parties, and teachers and i pupils of violin and piano, but ' the venue is big—almost 1000 seats—and bookings are not; ’ heavy, so that patrons can be assured of seats from door ■ sales. Tickets can be bought for; I 'the full series, at lunch-times ~on March 8. 10, and 16, or for . individual recitals.