8:30 pm, Friday, 02 March 2012
Location: Holker Hall, Cark-in-Cartmel
By kind permission of Lord & Lady Cavendish.
Tickets: £12.00 only available in advance from Peter Hickson. Tel: 015395 33422
Philip Higham is rapidly emerging as one of the most prominent young cellists from the UK. In 2010 he won 2nd prize in the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann Competition in Berlin, making him the first British cellist in generations to have won top prizes at three major international competitions, including 1st Prize in the 2008 Bach Leipzig and 2009 Lutoslawski Competitions. He was selected for representation by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) in 2009.
At the opening of the 2011/12 season Philip made his debut with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Vienna Chamber Orchestra and appeared at the Festspiele Mecklenburg Vorpommern and Muensterland Festivals in Germany and Grachten Festival in Amsterdam. He returns to Wigmore Hall twice and Bridgewater Hall (29 February) and performs the Dvorák Concerto at Cadogan Hall (24 January), with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra (7 & 8 April) conducted by Garry Walker and at Colston Hall with the Bristol Ensemble (14 March). In July he appears at the Cheltenham Festival broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and takes part in the IMS Prussia Cove 40th anniversary celebrations at Wigmore Hall.
Over the last year Philip has performed the complete Bach Cello Suites at the Lammermuir Festival and Perth Concert Hall to critical acclaim, taken part in the IMS Prussia Cove Ensemble tour and given a series of performances of concertos by Haydn and Schumann with Sinfonia Cymru. His debut recording for Sonimage featuring works by Debussy, Fauré, Britten and Bridge is due for release later this year. Future plans include performances of the complete Britten Cello Suites in 2013.
Since 2009 Philip has given recitals at major festivals and venues throughout Europe including Lake Maggiore (Italy), the Bachwoche in Ansbach, Leipzig BachFest, the Gioventù Musicale d'Italia, Victoria Arts Festival in Malta, Manchester International Cello Festival, City Halls Glasgow, the Spitalfields, Brighton and Lake District Summer Music Festivals. He has appeared as soloist with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Camera Di Caserta in the Autunno Musicale Festival in Naples, the Kammerakademie Potsdam and Mendelssohn Kammerorchester in Leipzig, and performed Finzi’s Concerto to critical acclaim at St. John’s Smith Square (London).
Born in Edinburgh in 1985, Philip studied at St. Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh with Ruth Beauchamp and at the Royal Northern College of Music with Emma Ferrand and Ralph Kirshbaum. He graduated in 2007 with First class Honours and was immediately selected as an International Artist Diploma student. In 2010 he was one of the first artists invited to take part in the Royal Philharmonic Society/YCAT Philip Langridge Mentoring Scheme with Steven Isserlis.
Philip Higham currently plays a fine Tecchler cello (c.1730)
‘young Scottish cellist Philip Higham delivered a breathtakingly accomplished and moving performance of Bach’s Cello Suites , which will without doubt rank as one of the lasting highlights of this festival’.
The Herald Lammermuir Festival September 2010
The sound of Philip Higham’s solo cello in the Third Cello Suite, singing its soulful song so close to your ear you could almost sense the air moving with the sound waves, was mesmerising.
The Herald Royal/Michael Tumelty Royal Concert Hall Glasgow/JS Bach Day November 2010
Despite his dazzling technique and fantastically pure sound, perhaps Higham’s greatest strength is his ability to seem entirely detached and relaxed whilst providing more musical interest than almost all more obviously involved performances. His flawless technique makes this cerebral approach possible, giving the impression that he is free from the demands of his instrument: Higham appears to be philosophizing from an armchair whilst delivering a stunning performance…. Philip Higham is a big deal: there will be plenty more opportunities to hear this exceptional musician.
Bachtrack Wigmore Hall March 2011
Cellist Philip Higham.…played his own account of the Third Suite, a performance of dignity and intensity.
The Herald Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow/JS Bach Day October 2010
Higham's passionate connection with the piece, his total technical command of its virtuosic demands, were outstanding.
The Guardian St John’s Smith Square/Finzi Concerto December 2009
An outstanding event at the Palladian style Shoreditch Church opened the first complete week of this year's Spitalfields Festival. Philip Higham, a young cellist new to me… riveted my attention throughout the whole evening. He is musician first, consummate instrumentallist second. I didn't look forward to yet another Bach cello suite performance… but Philip's account of No 3 was totally persuasive, pulse and flow deeply satisfying, virtuosity subsumed in an inward communion with the music, with no flashy point scoring drawing attention to himself.
www.musicalpointers.co.uk Spitalfields Festival June 2010
The soloist was a young Scottish cellist called Philip Higham....Afterwards, Finzi Jr told him this was the best performance of the concerto he'd ever heard, and I could see what he meant: Higham's passionate connection with the piece, his total technical command of its virtuosic demands, were outstanding.
The Guardian St John’s Smith Square/Finzi Concerto December 2009