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Scholfield-Clarke Duo
For the uninitiated on the classical music repertoire of the saxophone, the concert was delightful, occasionally challenging and never less than superbly performed ...the skill of Scholfield and Clarke assured that attention was held from start to end and the journey never less than interesting and occasionally compelling. The long applause confirmed the audience’s satisfaction.
Duo - Instrumental
Instrumentation
- Richard Scholfield - Saxophone
- Iain Clarke - Piano
Repertoire
Sample programmes from recent appearences:
'Notes from America' (Westbourne Music, May 2023)
George Gershwin (arr. Shaposhnikova) - Three Preludes
Paul Creston - Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
William Grant Still - Romance
William Albright - Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Rudy Wideoft - Valse Vanite
'Saxophone in Song' (St Martin-in-the-Fields, September 2022)
Gabriel Pierne (transc. Scholfield) - Canzonetta
Frederic Chopin (transc. Scholfield) - Five Polish Songs
Amy Beach (transc. Scholfield) - Romance
George Gershwin (arr. Blum) - Someone to Watch Over Me
Takashi Yoshimatsu - Fuzzy Bird Sonata
Olivier Messiaen (transc. Scholfield) - Vocalise-Étude
Biography
The Scholfield-Clarke Duo features two of the most promising Scottish chamber musicians of the next generation, passionate about engaging audiences in their fresh and unique recital programmes which expertly fuse together traditional and contemporary elements.
Richard Scholfield (saxophone) and Iain Clarke (piano) have an energetic and dynamic presence on the concert platform, stemming from a close musical friendship which they have been developing for over a decade. They enjoy presenting new and exciting pieces from the saxophone’s original repertoire, but also frequently feature transcriptions in their programmes – bringing a new perspective to historic music by Chopin, Amy Beach, Messiaen and Gershwin, to name a few. The Tunnell Trust award-winning duo have performed recitals at St Martin-in-the-Fields and Perth Concert Hall, and recent appearances include recitals at Westbourne Music (Glasgow) and Barnes Music Society (London). In February 2024 the duo will embark on a Scottish tour with six concerts across the country, and are delighted that these performances will feature a brand new work specially written for them by Scottish composer John de Simone.
Richard Scholfield is a City Music Foundation Artist, and recently earned first prize in the 2023 Croydon Concerto Competition, as well as gaining second prize in the 2022 Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition at Mayfield Festival. He has performed concerti with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (2019), the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra (2022) and the Kelvin Ensemble (2017). Richard also performs regularly with many of Scotland’s top orchestras, including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the orchestra of Scottish Opera.
Iain Clarke is the Royal College of Music’s Gilbert and Eileen Edgar and Anthony Saltmarsh collaborative pianist, working with the woodwind, brass and percussion departments. He is also an accomplished orchestral pianist, regularly performing with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and London Philharmonic Orchestra (including joining their Polish tour in May 2023). He has performed extensively across the UK in venues including Barbican Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Usher Hall, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Glasgow City Halls.
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