Weekly Highlights 1st May 2026

Posted: 1st May 2026

Purcell Pianist Takes Part in International Masterclass

Luca (Year 11, piano) was recently invited to take part in an exclusive masterclass in Germany organised by Kawai Europe, following recognition from a leading international piano technician.

Working alongside a small group of advanced musicians, including university students with experience of major international competitions, Luca received expert guidance from renowned pianist Marc Laforêt. The experience proved both inspiring and highly motivating.

At the concluding concert, Luca performed with outstanding technical control and clarity of sound. The masterclass also helped shape his interpretation of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, which he later performed in London with the Vanbrugh Ensemble to warm acclaim from the audience.

Purcell Student Wins Junior Composition Prize

Congratulations to Stephanie (Year 8, harp) who has been awarded First Prize in the Junior Composition Competition at the North London Festival of Music, Speech & Drama.

Her original solo harp work, Puppy Love (in War), impressed the adjudicators and became Stephanie’s second consecutive win in this competition – an outstanding achievement.

We are delighted to celebrate Stephanie’s continued creative success and look forward to hearing more of her compositions in the future.

Purcell School Brass Ensemble appears at the Wigmore Hall

On Saturday 25th April, the Purcell School Brass Ensemble were delighted to perform at the Wigmore Hall as part of the British Brass Chamber Music Day in memory of legendary British trumpeter, Philip Jones. Many will have heard of the pioneering Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, who set benchmark standards for brass ensembles all over the world to be measured against with their inspirational playing, bringing brass chamber music to the forefront of classical concerts globally throughout the second half of the 20th century.

The Purcell School Brass Ensemble had the huge honour of opening the day’s proceedings, performing Elgar Howarth’s arrangement of Trumpet Tune and Air, John Iveson’s setting of Susato Suite, and Richard Bissill’s arrangement of Jealousy. On what was a real landmark occasion for our brass department and the school, our brass students, directed by Head of Wind, Brass & Percussion Mike Cavanagh, performed brilliantly in the most famous chamber music venue in the world. Congratulations all!

Performers: Mason, Rhys, Rowena, Seth, Glyn, Gil, Brad, Trevor, John, Theo, Jarvis, Skye, Willow, Tristan.

Alumni News: Alexis Ffrench Joins Classic FM

We are delighted to share that alumnus Alexis Ffrench (piano, composition) has joined Classic FM to present a new eight-part series, Music to Live By.

The series explores how classical music can support wellbeing, from enhancing mood to promoting calm and focus. Described by Alexis as an ‘essential emotional toolkit,’ the programme draws connections between classical repertoire and music across genres and generations.

The series launched on Friday 10 April at 9pm and is available on Classic FM and Global Player.

Concert Review

Lunchtime Concerts
In the Recital Room this week Gracie and Jakub performed on Monday, Ayman, Emily, Rhys, Mason, Trevor, Skye and Tristan on Tuesday, and Mac and Alina on Thursday.

Jonas and his band – Seth, Otto, Marcus and Flo – led Wednesday’s concert in the JCS.

Well done to everyone who performed this week.

Forthcoming Events

In addition to those highlighted events below, please visit our online Concerts and Events Guide here.

5 May – Songwriters Concert
Time: 7.00pm
Venue: CP Hall, The Purcell School
Tickets: Free admission. No booking required

A concert celebrating songwriting at Purcell featuring original songs, written, arranged and performed by Purcell students.

8 May – The Purcell School Pianists at Sutton House
Time: 1.00pm
Venue: Sutton House, Chatham
Tickets: Tickets are available here

18 young pianists from The Purcell School for Young Musicians Keyboard Department take on the magnificent challenge of performing György Ligeti’s complete cycle of 18 études for solo piano!

This concert is part of the Hackney Music Live x Stoke Newington Contemporary Music Festival 2026. Please visit their website for further information and to purchase tickets.

11 May – Afternoon Concert at Benslow Music
Time: 3.00pm
Venue: Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin SG4 9RB
Tickets: Tickets are £10 and available here

12 May and 9 June – Lunchtime Concert at St James’s Church Sussex Gardens
Time: 1.00pm
Venue: St James’s Church, Sussex Gardens, Hyde Park
Tickets: Admission is free of charge. No booking required.

Purcell pianists perform two dates in the popular concert series at St James’s Church Sussex Gardens.

3 June – Florian Mitrea Piano Recital
Time: 7.00pm
Venue: CP Hall, The Purcell School
Tickets: Admission is free of charge. No booking required.

Internationally acclaimed pianist and member of The Purcell School Keyboard faculty, Florian Mitrea, will perform a solo recital in Purcell’s CP Hall.

Further details about the programme will follow.

16 June – St Bride’s Lunchtime Concert
Time: 1.15pm
Venue: St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, London
Tickets: Admission is free of charge. No booking required.

Purcell students perform at a lunchtime concert at St Bride’s Church, in the heart of London.

18 June – St Mary’s Watford Lunchtime Concert
Time: 12.30pm
Venue: St Mary’s Church, 1 Church Street, Watford WD18 0EG
Tickets: Admission is free of charge. No booking required.

Purcell guitarists and singers present a lunchtime concert at St Mary’s Church in Watford.

23 June – Claire Martin with The Purcell School at PizzaExpress Live (Chelsea)
Time: Doors 6.30pm | Show 8.00pm
Venue: Pizza Express, The Pheasantry, 152 King’s Rd, London SW3 4NX, UK
Tickets: Tickets are £20 and available from PizzaExpress Live

Join us for a special evening of world-class jazz as acclaimed vocalist Claire Martin performs alongside the exceptional young musicians of The Purcell School at PizzaExpress Live in Chelsea.

Under the direction of saxophonist and Head of Jazz Simon Allen, and supported by a faculty of leading jazz performers and educators, students at The Purcell School refine their craft to an outstanding level. Many go on to study at top conservatoires and build successful careers as professional musicians.

An eight-time British Jazz Award winner, Claire Martin has been a defining voice in UK jazz for over three decades. She began her career at just 19 and soon fulfilled a lifelong ambition to perform at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho. Since signing with Linn Records in 1990, Claire has released 18 acclaimed albums and collaborated with some of the most celebrated names in jazz, including Martin Taylor, John Martyn, Stéphane Grappelli, Kenny Barron, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and Jim Mullen.

Claire has toured extensively around the world with her trio and has appeared as a featured soloist with leading orchestras such as the Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, BBC Big Band and BBC Concert Orchestra. She also co-presented BBC Radio 3’s flagship programme Jazz Line-Up for 17 years.

For this one-night-only performance, Claire joins forces with The Purcell School’s outstanding jazz musicians to present a specially curated programme celebrating highlights from her remarkable career.

26 June – St James’s Piccadilly Concert
Time: 1.00pm
Venue: St James’s Piccadilly, 197 Piccadilly, St James
Tickets: Admission is free of charge. No booking required.

29 June – Lunchtime Concert at Proms at St Jude’s
Time: 12.00pm
Venue: St Jude’s, Central Square, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 7AH
Tickets: Admission is free of charge. No booking required.

Purcell students perform a one-hour lunchtime concert of chamber music at the Proms at St Jude’s.

Programme to include:
Chopin Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante Op.22
Franck Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano
Rachmaninov Trio élégiaque No. 1

For further information about the venue, visit the Proms at St Jude’s website.

1 July – Anna Avramidou plays Tchaikovsky with The Purcell School Symphony Orchestra
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Milton Court, 1 Milton Street, London EC2Y 9BH
Tickets: Tickets are £22 / £11 (Conc.) and can be purchased here

The Purcell School Symphony Orchestra returns to Milton Court with a vibrant programme featuring the first symphonies of Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich.

Prokofiev composed his Symphony No. 1, the ‘Classical Symphony’, in 1917 during the upheaval of the Russian Revolution. The work draws on the clarity and charm of Haydn while adding Prokofiev’s distinctive neoclassical wit.

Shostakovich wrote his Symphony No. 1 at just 19 as his graduation work at the Leningrad Conservatory. Both symphonies reveal the striking brilliance and individuality of these composers in their youth—an inspiring reflection of the creative potential nurtured at The Purcell School.

Featured soloist, Anna Avramidou, a Year 13 pianist at The Purcell School, is rapidly gaining international recognition. She won the prestigious Cooper International Piano Competition in 2025 and has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra. Her accolades also include prizes at the Clara Haskil Piano Competition and the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Weimar.

As the winner of The Purcell School’s Senior Concerto Competition, Anna will perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, one of the most thrilling and monumental works in the piano repertoire.

Programme:
Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 Classical
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B♭ minor, Op. 23 Anna Avramidou, piano
Shostakovich Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10

5 July – Last Night of the Proms at St Jude’s with Helen Charleston
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: St Jude’s, Central Square, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 7AH
Tickets: Tickets are from £40 and available from the Proms at St Jude’s website

The Purcell School Symphony Orchestra joins forces with the dazzling mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston for the Last Night of Proms at St Jude’s.

Traditionally a sold-out occasion, the Last Night promises all the excitement and spectacle of a classic prom celebration. This year’s programme includes:

Walton Spitfire Prelude and Fugue
Elgar Sea Pictures
Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 “Classical”
Mozart Così fan tutte: “Ah scostati! . . . Smanie implacabili”

Conducted by Paul Hoskins, Director of Music at The Purcell School.