Madera Baroque ensemble with David Beaney and Lesley Holliday
Baroque ensemble Madera presents a sunny programme of 18th century flute and recorder music.
The duo will take you on a journey from the formal royal courts of Europe through to more homely, domestic settings, with compositions by Telemann, Blavet, Stamitz and their contemporaries. This music is perfectly suited to the beautiful setting of Bell House, bringing alive the sounds of the era in which it was built.
Madera is a Baroque ensemble comprising of founder members Lesley Holliday and David Beaney on Baroque flutes and recorders. The ensemble often expands to include harpsichordist Claire Williams when performing trio sonatas, and string players for larger scale works. The name derives from the Spanish, relating to objects constructed of wood. This is particularly apt for the type of instruments that the musicians play, being copies of 18th century originals. Having performed extensively throughout the UK, the ensemble is renowned for its innovative programmes reflecting the surprising wealth of music written for flutes in duos and other contexts presented in a fresh, lively manner. They have also developed a reputation for encouraging young musicians through their school workshops.
The concert will be in 2 halves each of 40 minutes with a 15 min interval.
About the Musicians
Lesley Holliday (Baroque flute)
Lesley graduated in music at Huddersfield University, and gained a post-graduate diploma in Baroque and modern flute at the University of York. She then studied at the Royal College of Music with Lisa Beznosiuk and gained a first-class diploma in early music performance. She has subsequently also studied with Rachel Brown. Lesley has performed with several leading period instrument ensembles including The London Handel Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The King’s Consort, Ex-Cathedra, Yorkshire Baroque Soloists, Scottish Baroque Players, Charivari Agreable and La Serenissima. She has made several recordings with her flute quartet, The Galeazzi Ensemble. She is also a member of The Hoffmeister Trio, comprising of two baroque/classical flutes and ‘cello. Lesley plays an eight-keyed classical flute – a copy of a Grenser model, which was made by Austrian maker, Rudolf Tutz, and a one-keyed baroque flute made by Roderick Cameron. Lesley also teaches in South East London.
David Beaney (Baroque flute and recorder)
Originally from Kent, David studied at Chetham's School of Music and the Royal College of Music, where his principle instruments were the recorder and Baroque flute. He has performed with numerous Baroque orchestras and is a regular performer with early music ensembles Flautotonic, Madera and Baroque Encounter. David has appeared in venues such as St. Martins-in-the-fields, the Royal Festival Hall, Handel & Hendrix in London and at the Cheltenham and Aldeburgh festivals. In addition to performing, David enjoys working in music education. He is Head of Recorder for Southwark Music Service and teaches woodwind at Dulwich Hamlet Junior School.