Andrey Gugnin: Winner of the Syndey International Competition

Friday March 9th and Sunday 11th

Andrey Gugnin, piano

Winner of 2015 Gina Bachauer Competition

Winner of 2016 Sydney International Piano Competition

"Gugnin's nervy, energised and involved playing... made him the clear winner." - Peter McCallum, Sydney Morning Herald 24 July 2016

"A thoroughly compelling performance." Dominic Lowe, Bachtrack, commenting on Gugnin's appearance with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, January 2018 

"What really impressed was Gugnin’s assurance – his absorbed, crystalline playing – so by the cadenza ... you were beguiled by a flawless technique." David Truslove, Classicalsource.com, commenting on the LPO perofrmance, January 2018

Friday 9th March, 6pm

Gugnin Solo performance

Shostakovich Piano Sonata no. 1
Shostakovich 24 Preludes, op 34
Stravinsky Three Movements from Petrushka
Chopin Sonata no. 3 in B minor op. 58

Sunday 11th March, 5pm

'B, B, B and B' Gugnin with Tasana Nagavajara, violin

Violin and piano
Brahms Violin Sonata in D ​minor
Brahms Scherzo from Sonata FAE

Piano Solo
Beethoven Sonata no. 28 op. 101
Bach-Busoni Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532.

Andrey Gugnin is the first overseas musican that I invited to Eelswamp. I saw him perform at the Beethoven Competion in Vienna 2013, where he won second prize. Recognizing a great talent, I tracked him down and invited him to perform for us. In the past four years his rise has been meteoric, winning two major international competitions: the Gina Bachauer in 2015 and the Sydney International Competition, 2016. His concert calendar has increased exponentially, with performances in Carnegie Hall, The Royal Festival Hall in London with the London Philharmonic, in St Petersburg with Russia's top conductor, Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra and at the Sydney Opera House.

Despite his rapid rise, Andrey has not forgotten us at Eelswamp, and returns to one of his favourite venues, to perform two brilliant programs. This will be Gugnin's fifth orbit through planet Eelswamp. Don't miss it!

Tasana Nagavajra, violin, director of the Pro Musica Orchestra, is one of the leading musical figures in Thailand as well as one of the finest violinists in the Kindgom. He has co-sponsored four of Andrey Gugnin's visits, inspired by the joy of working with such a fine chamber musician. Andrey and Tasana have played together in Brahms's Piano Quintet, Beethoven's Kreuzter Sonata, Franck's Violin Sonata and Rachmaninov's Trio Elegy no 2. 

Reservations: 1,200 baht for one concert. 2,000 baht for two in the same series. 

Email asiachart@hotmail.com or call 038 069681 office hours. Due to limited number of places payment must be received before the day.

Tickets: No tickets will be issued for concerts. Admission to the music room on the day of the concert will be in accordance with the sequence of receipt of payment (ie, who pays first goes in first and can select their desired seat).

Etiquette: No photos allowed during the main performance. But photos may be taken during encore. Please do not upload videos to Youtube.

Children: Children aged six years and older may attend the concert. Smaller children may be left with the nanny on the premises. 

Cancellations and credits: Credit will be allowed for future concerts in the event of cancellation provided that the concert for which the original booking was made breaks even.

Directions to Eelswamp: search for 'Eelswamp' on google maps. Directions can be found at the bottom of this page: http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-music-room-at-eelswamp.html

Taxi service to Eelswamp: Grabtaxi Just enter "Eelswamp" in the destination box.

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Chamber music: Beethoven, Schubert and Bach

3 Concerts: all-Beethoven, all-Schubert and all-Bach

Dimitri Papadopoulos, piano, 

Alexandre Vay, cello 

and Tasana Nagavajara, violin

February 9th, 11th and 15th

Friday 9th, 6pm: 
All-Beethoven: Cello and Piano works
Sonatas nos. 3,4 and 5 and Handel Variations
Alexandre Vay, cello
Dimitri Papadopoulos, piano

Beethoven wrote five cello sonatas. We will hear the last three, which comprise some of the finest music Beethoven wrote.















Sunday 11, 5pm
The Schubert Trios

Tasana Nagavajara, violin
Alexandre Vay, cello
Dimitri Papodopoulos, piano

Trio no. 1 op.99 in B flat and 

Trio no. 2 op.100 in E flat

These are two masterpieces of Schubert's late output. We heard these two trios in October 2015. They were originally scheduled for performance in Bangkok but the performance was cancelled due to the passing of His Majesty the Late King. At Tasana's request, the trios are being rescheduled in Bangkok. We are very fortunate to have a performance at Eelswamp as well.

Thursday 15th, 6pm
Bach Cello in G and D
Dimitri Papadopoulos, piano
Alexandre Vay, cello

Bach wrote three Sonatas for Viola da Gamba. We will hear two of them performed on the modern cello and the two suites for solo cello written in the same key.

Two Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Keyboard 

No. 1 G Major BWV 1027
No. 2 in D Major BWV 1028

Bach Suites for Cello solo 
No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007
No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012

Tasana Nagavajara is the director of the Pro Musica Orchestra, Bangkok and former concertmaster of the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. He is well known to our audience, having performed many times with the Alexandre and Dimitri as well as with Andrey Gugnin and Pornphan Banternghansa.

Alexandre Vay and Dimitri Papadopoulos are two French musicians who have been playing together since Conservatory days in Lyon. Alexandre is co-soloist in the Munich Radio Orchestra. Dimitri is 'Professeur' at Geneva Conservatory. Alexandre and Dimitri performed the complete Beethoven Cello Sonata and Variation cycle in 2014 at Eelswamp and joined Tasana in 2015 for a performances of the mighty Tchaikovsky Trio in A minor and the Dvorak F minor trio. Their dedication to difficult repertoire, such as the two Schubert trios, which are rarely played together, marks them for distinction.

Reservations: 1,200 baht for one concert. 2,000 baht for two, 3,000 for all three. Email asiachart@hotmail.com or call 038 069681 office hours. Due to limited number of places payment must be received before the day.

Tickets: No tickets will be issued for concerts. Admission to the music room on the day of the concert will be in accordance with the sequence of receipt of payment (ie, who pays first goes in first and can select their desired seat).

Cancellations and credits: Credit will be allowed for future concerts in the event of 

cancellation provided that the concert for which the original booking was made breaks even.

Directions to Eelswamp: search for 'Eelswamp' on google maps. Directions can be found at the bottom of this page: http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-music-room-at-eelswamp.html

Taxi service to Eelswamp: Grabtaxi Just enter "Eelswamp" in the destination box.

A member of 

Official media partner

Eelswamp Calendar 2017

Calendar 2017 - second half

September

"Epic Variations of the 20th Century"

and

"Early Beethoven and Late Chopin"

Evgeny Starodubtsev, piano

"An accomplished and probing artist" New York Times"

Third visit to Eelswamp

Winnner of at least fifteen International Piano Competitions, Evgeny will be making his third visit to Eelswamp to perform two grand programs.

Friday 29th September, 6pm

"Early Beethoven - Late Chopin"

Beethoven

Variations on the Theme, "Tändeln und scherzen" from Franz Xaver Süssmayr's opera Soliman II 

Sonata no. 2 in A major op.2 no.2

Chopin

Three Mazurkas op. 56

Sonata no. 3 in B minor op. 58.

Sunday October 1st, 6pm*

Frederic Rzewski, 36 Variations on the theme, 

"The People United Will Never Be Defeated"

Frederic Rzewski

This set of variations was written in 1975. It was inspired by a Chilean protest march, Bach's Goldbergs and Beethoven's Diabelli Variations but resembles Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, with its recurring rhapsodic theme. It is one of the great epic masterpieces for piano of the 20th century; stirring, dramatic, romantic and quite accessible to the listener. A recording of the work, last year, won the Gramophone Recording of the Year award. Don't miss this performance!

1200 baht for one concert. 2000 baht for both: Book Now!

*Note the slightly later weekend starting time in order to enable Pattaya Players audience and cast to attend.

Blog post with more information,biography, pictures and a neat diagram here: http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/08/epic-variations-beethoven-and-chopin.html

October 

Friday, 20th October, 6pm

Piano Duo from Mexico: Duo Petrof

Anatoly Zatin and Vlada Vassilieva, piano

Winners of Nikolai Rubinstein Medal, Moscow

Global Music Awards, Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement

Bach: Sheep may safely graze, BWV208

Beethoven: Variations on a theme by Count Waldstein WoO67 

Schubert: Fantasy in F minor Op.103

Rachmaninov: Barcarola and Scherzo Op.11

Tomás León: “Laura”: Waltz

Mendelssohn: Andante and Allegro Brillante Op.92

1000 baht Book Now!

                                   

November 

Mozart Sublime

Sunday 19th November, 5pm.

Born Lau and the Pro Musica Quartet

Mozart: String Quintet in C major, K 515

Mozart: String Quintet in G minor, K 516

Two of the most sublime works of Mozart. 

1000 baht Book Now!

December 

1+1=3 Two brilliant musicians - three concerts

 Ilya Kondratiev, piano and Erzhan Kulibaev, violin

Friday, December 8th, 6pm

Erzhan plays mostly solo

“Dressed elegantly in black, with a Stradivarius in his left hand, the young Kazak violinist, with a strong sound that swirled around each member of the audience, shone with an outstanding technique and convincing and emotional peformance of Tchaikovsky to finish with a standing ovation from the Argentinian crowd.” (La Nacion)

Bach: Sonata no. 2 in A minor and arrangements of works by Albeniz, de Falla and Piazzolla, followed by Paganini's Variations on “Nel cor più non mi sento”, two works by Tchaikovsky and finishing with the Ysaye 3rd Sonata, 'Ballade'.

Saturday December 9th, 5pm 

Ilya plays solo

Recently awarded the Beethoven Medal by the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe
Second visit to Eelswamp

Beethoven: Sonata op.81a ‘Les Adieux’
Chopin: Scherzo no.1 op.20 
Chopin: Scherzo no.3 op.39
Liszt: Fantasy and Fugue BACH
Liszt: Sonata in B minor

Sunday December 10th, 5pm 

Ilya and Erzhan together: violin and piano

Schubert's charming and sonorous Sonata in A major D. 574
Stravinsky's spicy 'Divertimento' based on his ballet, 'The Fairy's Kiss"
Respighi's superbly dark masterpiece from the Great War period: Violin Sonata in B minor

1,200 baht for one concert, 2000 for two, 3000 for three. Book Now!

Recent history below

Calender 2017 - first half of the year

January 2017

Romantic Bach and beyond

Bach competition winner, Daniel van der Hoeven

Friday 20th January, 6pm
Romantic Bach: The Toccatas: the seven Toccatas of JS Bach


Sunday, 22nd January, 5pm
Mozart Sonata K457 in C minor, Beethoven Sonata Pathetique and Ravel

http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/01/romantic-bach-and-beyond.html

February 

Gugnin Victorious

Andrey Gugnin returns, after his victory at the Sydney Piano Competition last year, one of the major international piano competitions. Andrey won first prize and five other prizes, including audience prize, chamber music and Mozart concerto prizes. He will play one solo recital and one one chamber music/solo recital with Tasana and guest cellist, Iris Regev.

Friday 10th and Saturday 11th

Andrey's Solo performances include Schubert Sonata in D major, Shostakovich Sonata no.1 Desyatnikov, 'Reminiscences of the Theater' and Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'.
and 
Rachmaninov Trio Elegaic no. 2 with Tasana Nagavajara, violin and Iris Regev, cello

More information: http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/01/gugnin-victorious.html

March

"A formidable achievement"

Friday 3rd and Sunday 5th March

Maria Lettberg, piano

Maria is one of the few people to have recorded all of the Scriabin's solo works. The 8-cd box set was described by Gramophone magazine as "a formidable achievement". I have spent three years arranging her visit.
1. Friday 3rd March: All Scriabin Program: with works spanning the whole of Scriabin's creative life.
2. Sunday, 5th March: Works by Liszt, Chopin and Beethoven

1685: Scarlatti, Bach and Handel

Sunday 12th March, 5pm

Michele Benuzzi returns to Eelswamp to perform a program of harpsichord music by the three grand masters who were born in the same year, 1685, Scarlatti, Bach and Handel.

Blog post http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/02/1685.html
April

All-Bach and last sonatas of Mozart, Beethoven,Schubert

Michael Tsalka 

Friday 31st March: The Bach Trio Sonatas for piano: six works for organ, transcribed for piano. These are delightful, joyous works.  

and 

Sunday, 2nd April: The last sonatas: The last sonata of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert

http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/03/bach-trio-sonatas-and-mozarts.html

Friday, May 5th and Sunday May 7th

Before the Van Cliburn Competition

Yury Favorin, competitor, 15th Van Cliburn Competition
One of 30 selected from 290 applicants, and a strong contender to win a prize, Yury will play two programs for us, featuring works by Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich among others.

Blog post with full program: http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/03/before-van-cliburn.html


Sunday, May 14th

Pro Musica Quartet 
Leo Phillips, Rueychai Saengow, violins
Tasana Nagavajara, viola
Iris Regev, cello

Haydn: Quartet op.76 no. 3, 'The Emperor'
Tchaikovsky: Quartet no. 3 op. 30

http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/04/pro-musica-quartet.html

June

Hélène Tysman, piano: works by Bach, Chopin, Ravel and Debussy

I have been following the career of Hélène Tysman since I saw her compete and win a prize in the Hong Kong International Piano Competition in 2008. Since then, she was awarded a Distinction in the 16th Chopin Competition among other prizes. She is a wonderful musician with so much wonderful repertoire it's going to be hard to narrow down a few choices.
http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/05/mostly-french.html


Friday 2nd and Sunday 4th June.

Another Great Cycle - The Ysaye Six

Graf Mourja, violin

Saturday, 24th June. Only one concert!

Eugene Ysaye 

Graf Mourja

Graf Mourja is one of the most remarkable violinists you will ever see or hear. He thrilled the audience last year with his performance of the 24 Paganini Caprices. Graf will perform the Six Sonatas for Solo Violin by Belgian composer, Eugene Ysaye, one of the great cycles for solo violin.

http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2017/05/lord-of-strings-plays-king-of-violin.html

And others who are keen to come and for whom I'm trying to find a slot
Chen Moye
Marina Horak
Aleksandr Djermanovic
Jianing Kong
Sasha Kasman
Alessandro Taverna
Lydia Jardon
Tra Nguyen
Duo Petrof - October

1+1=3 Two fine musicians - three concerts

Ilya Kondratiev, piano and Erzhan Kulibaev, violin

Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th December

Friday, December 8th, 6pm

Erzhan plays mostly solo

Erzhan Kulibaev is a young violinist from Kazakhstan. He studied in Moscow, Madrid and Salzburg and was awarded an Honorary Diploma by Queen Sofia, of Spain. Erzhan won first prize at the Demidovski, Lisbon, Novosibirsk, Hindemith and Buenos-Aires International Violin Competitions. Within the last year, Erzhan won First Prize With Distinction at Manhattan International Music Competition and a Gold Medal at Berliner International Music Competition 2017.

“Dressed elegantly in black, with a Stradivarius in his left hand, the young Kazak violinist, with a strong sound that swirled around each member of the audience, shone with an outstanding technique and convincing and emotional peformance of Tchaikovsky to finish with a standing ovation....” (La Nacion)

 Erzhan plays Stradivarius “Rode” 1722 courtesy of the Maggini Foundation

Bach: Sonata no. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003
Albeniz, 'Asturias'
de Falla, 'Spanish Dance'
Piazzolla, 'Adios Nonino', 'Estudio no.3', 'Triunfal' and 'Muerte del Angel'.
Paganini, Variations on “Nel cor più non mi sento”, 
Tchaikovsky, Sérénade Mélancolique, Op.26 and Valse-Scherzo, Op.34 
Ysaye 3rd Sonata, 'Ballade'.

Saturday December 9th, 5pm 

Ilya plays solo

Recently awarded the Beethoven Medal by the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe
Second visit to Eelswamp

Beethoven: Sonata op.81a ‘Les Adieux’
Chopin: Scherzo no.1 op.20 
Chopin: Scherzo no.3 op.39
Liszt: Fantasy and Fugue BACH
Liszt: Sonata in B minor - first performance at Eelswamp of this remarkable work. The Liszt Sonata is one of the most important musical developments of 19th Century.

Ilya Kondratiev is a graduate of Moscow Conservatory and the Royal College of Music, London. He has won numerous prizes in international competitions, including the Weimar Liszt and the Budapest Liszt Competitions, which should make him eminently qualified to tackle the Liszt sonata on this program, one of the most 'musically' challenging works in the repertoire.

Ilya is a great artist: not only is he a delight to listen to, he is fascinating to watch. His sense of drama is captivating. Ilya brought the house down at Eelswamp in January, 2015, with a jaw-dropping performance of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 (Tom and Jerry). I am very much looking forward to his return. Don't miss it!

Sunday December 10th, 5pm 

Ilya and Erzhan together: violin and piano

Schubert, Sonata in A major D. 574. 
Stravinsky 'Divertimento' based on his ballet, 'The Fairy's Kiss"
Respighi, Violin Sonata in B minor - This is a real masterpiece, written during the Great War in 1917. It is a work of dark brooding, profound beauty and great power. I wouldn't have thought Respighi had it in him to write something of this quality. Don't miss it.

1,200 baht for one concert, 2000 for two, 3000 for three. Book Now!

Reservations: 1,200 baht for one concert. 2,000 baht for two, 2,900 for all three. Email asiachart@hotmail.com or call 038 069681 office hours. Due to limited number of places payment must be received before the day.

Tickets: No tickets will be issued for concerts. Admission to the music room on the day of the concert will be in accordance with the sequence of receipt of payment (ie, who pays first goes in first and can select their desired seat).

Cancellations and credits: Credit will be allowed for future concerts in the event of cancellation provided that the concert for which the original booking was made breaks even.

Directions to Eelswamp: search for 'Eelswamp' on google maps. Directions can be found at the bottom of this page: http://eelswamp.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-music-room-at-eelswamp.html

Taxi service to Eelswamp: Grabtaxi Just enter "Eelswamp" in the destination box.

A member of 

Official media partner