The AMIGOS’ AGM 2010/11 was held at the Centro Cultural São Lourenço on Friday November 18th., 2011.  The AGM, under the leadership of Assembleia Geral’s president, John Levitt, was conducted with his usual humor and style.  Barry Shaw, the president, reported on the events of the previous 2010-11 AMIGOS’ year which included many excellent concerts and the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Centro Cultural São Lourenço.

The opening concert of the previous musical year was by Yevgeny Sudbin, the young Russian hailed by the Daily Telegraph as one of the greatest pianists of the 21^st. Century. Among other great concerts was that given by the vivacious and bouncy Russian pianist Katya Apekesheva to celebrate the beginning of the Centro Cultural’s 30^th. Anniversary.

Then came one of the highlights of the Amigos’ musical year.  The world famous pianist Piers Lane and the renowned clarinettist Michael Collins gave two superb concerts.  Michael Collins is now the Principal Conductor of the City of London Sinfonia. Soon after the very much in demand Chinese pianist Sa Chen flew in from Beijing via Vienna to give two amazing concerts.

In June the Amigos had a Latin American themed dinner to celebrate the Centro Cultural’s 30^th. anniversary.  It was a splendid evening complete with tango dancers and exquisite cocktails, food and wine catered superbly by Annelies Ruegebrink. To round out the musical year in June 2010 violinist Jeroen de Groot and pianist Bart van den Roer gave two wonderful concerts.

Following Barry Shaw’s report it was the turn of Michael Savage, the Hon. Treasurer to present the accounts which were approved by the members present.

One of the highlights of AMIGO’s AGMs is for the person being sponsored by the AMIGOS and Mundo Crastino Meliori to give a concert. Last year Joanna Ballmann, the young Portuguese pianist, who had been sponsored for the past 4 years at the Conservatory in Cologne, gave a wonderful final concert. She graduated soon afterwards and may be off to Brazil to further her professional career.

Ana Beatriz Ferreira is being sponsored for 3 years to study at the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London.  Born in 1991, Ana Beatriz graduated from the National Conservatory in Lisbon in 2009, finishing her piano studies with the top classification. After completing her studies at the Escola Superior de Musica de Lisboa she was admitted to the RCM. Ana Beatriz together with her RCM teacher, Prof. Ruth Nye, had chosen to present a program by Mozart and Liszt. Ana Beatriz gave an introduction to her program and then proceeded to deliver these difficult and demanding pieces with great feeling and assurance.

Following Ana Beatriz’s concert the AMIGOS present were treated a sumptuous supper by Marie Huber and her team at the Centro Cultural.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR’S CONCERTS. CLASSICAL PORTUGUESE GUITAR – MIGUEL DRAGO & PEDRO FRIAO.  THESE WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 28^th., 2011 & WEDNESDAY JANUARY 4^th., 2012. EVERYBODY IS WELCOME.

For more information about the 2011/2012 concert program visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org or www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com

Call Cristina at 289395475 to make concert bookings.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL

The Centro Cultural is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 110 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts which are regularly performed there. Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members.   For membership enquiries please contact Margaret Jackson, AMIGOS’ secretary at jackson.algarve@mail.telepac.pt

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION JUNE CONCERTS 06.06.2011

JEROEN DE GROOT, VIOLIN AND BART VAN DE ROER, PIANO. On Wednesday June 15^th., 2011 Jeroen and Bart will play works by Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. On Saturday June 18^th., 2011 they will play pieces by Ravel, Fauré and Prokofiev.

Jeroen de Groot, born in 1961 in the Netherlands, studied the violin at the Sweelink Conservatory in Amsterdam from the age of 11 with several teachers including Herman Krebbers, who expected the young Jeroen to learn and play a new composition from memory every week. After winning the prestigious “Oscar Back” national violin competition in 1985 he went on to study in Salzburg with Sándor Végh who was more of a musical philosopher teaching Jeroen to develop his own personality. Later he studied in Paris with Ivry Gitlis who taught him the physical aspects of playing the violin.  Jeroen went on to win prizes at international competitions in Munich, Scheveningen and Bordeaux.  He now plays regularly with leading orchestras and in chamber music concerts and recitals all over the world.  His violin is a 1660 Nicolo Amati. (see http://jeroendegroot.info/index.html)

Bart van de Roer was born in the Netherlands in 1972 and had his first piano lesson when he was 9. He studied at Amsterdam’s Sweelinck Conservatory with Jan Wijn and participated in a number of master classes with eminent pianists. He has a very active musical career performing as a soloist and a chamber music player and devotes a part of his time to teaching.  In 1994, together with Mark and Wouter Vossen, he founded the Storioni Trio which was immediately successful.  The Trio was awarded several prizes, made tours of Europe, Asia and the USA and has played in most major concert halls including the Carnegie and Wigmore Halls and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.  The Storioni Trio founded the Storioni Festival in 2008, an international chamber music festival in and around Eindhoven. Bart has been a prize winner in several competitions including the Steinway Competition and the Princess Christina Competition. (see www.storionitrio.com)

For more information about the concert program please see www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com).

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members. For concert bookings please call Cristina at 289395475 or send an e-mail to ccsl@iol.pt

The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts. For more information and membership details please visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org

SEPTEMBER 2011 CONCERTS. After the summer break the new concert season will begin with the Russian Sinaiski Trio. The trio consists of pianist Evgeni Sinaiski, Nadzhda Korshakova, violin and Kirill Tomofeev, cello. These concerts will be on Tuesday September 13^th. and Saturday 17^th., 2011.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL SÃO LOURENÇO

The Centro Cultural São Lourenço is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. It is now in its Thirtieth Year. The AMIGOS celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2010.

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION MAY CONCERTS 08.05.2011

Sa Chen makes a very welcome return to São Lourenço.  Her first visit in 2009 enchanted audiences with her delicate and glittering technique. On Monday May 23^rd., 2011 Sa Chen will play works by Scarlatti, Liszt and Verdi.  On Wednesday May 25^th., 2011 she will play a Schubert Sonata and later two pieces by Beethoven.

Sa Chen was born in Chongqing, China in 1979 to a musical family.  She started her musical studies with the violin at the age of five but soon switched to the piano.  She first studied at the Sichuan Conservatory and then at the Shenzhen School of Arts. Her first major performance was at the age of 16 in the BBC televised final of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition with Sir Simon Rattle conducting the City of Birmingham Symphony.  This resulted in Sa Chen being offered a scholarship at London’s Guildhall School of Music where she studied under Prof. Joan Havill.

Long considered as “one of the brightest performers of her generation” Sa Chen became the only pianist in history to have won awards in three piano major international competitions including the Crystal Prize at the 12^th. Van Cliburn Piano Competition. As a soloist she has performed with many orchestras including the Berne, Birmingham and Shanghai Symphonies and Warsaw and other Philharmonic orchestras.  She has played under famous conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, Semyon Bychkov and Long Yu in many major capitals worldwide.

Sa Chen was among the artists featured in the 2002 Tokyo series “The 100 Great Pianos of the Twentieth Century”.  She has played extensively in the USA as well as in Europe and in Asia with the Singapore Symphony and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Recently Sa Chen performed in Lisbon’s “Music Days” at the Centro Cultural de Belém.

For more information about the concert program and Sa Chen please visit www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com and on Sa Chen’s website (www.chen-sa.com).

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members. For concert bookings please call Cristina at 289395475 or send an e-mail to ccsl@iol.pt

The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts. For more information and membership details please visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org

JUNE 2011 CONCERTS. These will be on June  15^th. and 18^th., 2011 and will feature Jeroen de Groot, Violin, and Bart van den Roer, Piano.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL SÃO LOURENÇO

The Centro Cultural São Lourenço is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. It is now in its Thirtieth Year. The AMIGOS celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2010. The Vale do Lobo Group provides support for the AMIGO’s “Young Musicians” project.

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION APRIL CONCERTS 26.03.2011

Concerts on Tuesday April 12^th., 2011 and Thursday April 14^th., 2011 at 1900 will be performed by two world famous musicians – Piers Lane, piano and Michael Collins, clarinet. Concerts will include music by Brahms, Liszt, Beethoven, Chopin, Milhaud and Poulenc. On his previous visit to the Centro Cultural in February 2010 Piers Lane  played his concerts by candlelight mainly featuring Chopin.

MICHAEL COLLINS’ dazzling virtuosity and musicianship have made this British clarinettist one of today’s most sought after soloists and conductors. At 16 he won the woodwind prize in BBC’s first Young Musician of the Year Competition and at 22 he made his US debut at Carnegie Hall. Michael has performed as a soloist with many of the world’s major orchestras and has a long standing alliances with many conductors.  Michael has become highly regarded as a conductor in his own right and is the Principal Conductor of the City of London Sinfonia. His ensemble, London Winds, celebrated its 20^th. anniversary recently. Michael has made many acclaimed recordings and his most recent recording is “The Virtuoso Clarinet” with Piers Lane (on the Chandos label).    For more information about Michael Collins see www.michael-collins.co.uk

PIERS LANE, the London based Australian pianist, has a flourishing international career which has taken him to over 40 countries including Portugal. He was five times a soloist at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. Piers’ wide ranging concerto repertoire exceeds 80 works and has led to engagements with many of the world’s greatest orchestras under leading conductors.  In 2007 he was appointed Artistic Director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music and two years later the festival received the Limelight Magazine Award for the best Event/Festival in Australia. Piers is in great demand as a collaborative artist and has a long standing partnership with violinist Tasmin Little and Michael Collins. He has written and presented over 100 programs for BBC Radio 3 including the popular 54-part series, The Piano. Piers has an extensive discography. For more information about Piers Lane see www.pierslane.com

More information about the concert program and the artists can be seen on www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts. For more information and membership details please visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org For concert bookings please call Cristina at 289395475 or send an e-mail to ccsl@iol.pt

MAY 2011 CONCERTS. These will be on May 25^th. and 28^th., 2011 featuring Sa Chen, Piano. This will be Sa Chen’s second visit to the Centro Cultural – her last was in 2009 and her concerts were greatly appreciated by rapturous audiences.

ABOUT THE CENTRO CULTURAL SÃO LOURENÇO

The Centro Cultural São Lourenço is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. It is now in its Thirtieth Year. The AMIGOS celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2010. The Vale do Lobo Group provides support for the AMIGO’s “Young Musicians” project.

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The concert on Thursday 24^th., March 2011 will be performed by Sunita Mamtani, Cello and Uta Kerner, Violin.  They will play pieces by Boccherini, Kodály, Mozart and Händel-Halvorsen. The second concert will be on Saturday 26^th. March when Sunita and Uta will be joined by Julian Riem, Piano and will play pieces by Beethoven, Shostakovich and Brahms. Sunita, Uta and Julian have previously performed at São Lourenço.

Sunita Mamtani was born in Munich in 1975, started playing the cello at the age of 9 and studied at Munich’s Richard-Strauss-Conservatory and Academy of Music, where she obtained her diploma. Sunita has attended several masterclasses. She performed with the Piano Trio Suc and recorded for German radio and TV stations. The Trio won the Theodor Rogler Competition in 2003.  With the Lenbach String Trio and as a soloist Sunita became a member of Lord Yehudi Menuhin’s “Live Music Now”.  She has performed throughout Europe and presently teaches the cello at the Lagos Music Academy in Portugal.

Uta Kerner was born in Neuss, Germany, and started her violin lessons at the age of five.  Uta was a member of the NRW Youth Orchestra and had several awards in the “Jugend Musiziert” competition.  She played with the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra and, after her diploma, attended masterclasses in Munich. She later co-founded, with Sunita Mamtani, the Piano Trio Suc. In 2004 she also became a member of “Live Music Now”. She played with the Radio Orchestra Munich.  Since 2007 Uta has been a member of the Seville Symphony Orchestra.

Julian Riem was born in Munich where he first studied the piano before continuing in Paris and Basel.  He won international competitions in Modena, Florence and Madrid. Julian received a diploma for solo performance with distinction in 2004. He performs as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe and Japan. Julian has recorded on radio and television in Germany, Japan, Spain and the USA and, since 1999, has been guest professor at the Conservatories in Munich and Augsburg.

More information about the concert program and the artists can be seen on www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts. For more information and membership details please visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org For concert bookings please call Cristina at 289395475 or send an e-mail to ccsl@iol.pt

APRIL 2011 CONCERTS. These will be on April 12^th and 14^th., 2011 featuring Piers Lane, Piano, and Michael Collins, Clarinet.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL SÃO LOURENÇO

The Centro Cultural São Lourenço is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. It is now in its Thirtieth Year. The AMIGOS celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2010. The Vale do Lobo Group provides support for the AMIGO’s “Young Musicians” project.

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION FEBRUARY / MARCH CONCERTS 13.02.2011

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27^th. & WEDNESDAY 2^nd. MARCH, 2011. KATYA APEKISHEVA, PIANO. The Centro Cultural welcomes back Katya this time as a solo performer.  In the past she has accompanied Jack Liebeck, the renowned violinist.  In the Sunday concert Katya will perform works by Haydn, Fauré, Debussy and Mussorgsky.  On Wednesday March 2^nd. Katya will play pieces by Chopin, Grieg, Schubert and Ginastera.

Katya Apekisheva was born into a musical family in Moscow. After studying in Moscow at the Gnessin music school for exceptionally gifted children she continued in Jerusalem and then in London at the Royal College of Music. In 1995 she won the President’s Rose Bowl, presented by HRH Prince of Wales, for the outstanding pianist of the year. In 1996 Katya was nominated the London Philharmonic Young Soloist of the Year and then performed with that orchestra. She continued to win prizes including the Schubert Prize at the AXA Dublin Piano Competition.  Katya has performed throughout Europe, the USA and Asia with major orchestras under conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle.  As a chamber musician she collaborates with ensembles and soloists including Jack Liebeck. Her solo CD of the Grieg solo piano works received critical overwhelming acclaim and among the awards received was Critic’s choice for 2008 in Gramophone Magazine.

Recent major events include a tour of the USA with Nicola Benedetti and performances at the Homecoming Festivals in Moscow and at the Berlin Spectrum Series. Among Katya’s latest performances are concertos with the English Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic. She has made recordings for BBC Radio 3 and German Radio. This season’s highlights include a concert tour of South Africa and a CD release with Jack Liebeck on Sony.  For more about Katya please visit her website (www.katyaapekisheva.com). The Times (London) has congratulated Katya for her “Astute colours and brilliant technique”.

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members.  For more information visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org or www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com alternatively call Cristina at 289395475 or send an e-mail to ccsl@iol.pt

MARCH 2011 CONCERTS. These will be on March 24^th. featuring Uta Kerner, Violin, and Sunita Mamtani, Cello and on March 26^th. when pianist Julian Reim will join Uta and Sunita.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL SÃO LOURENÇO

The Centro Cultural São Lourenço is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. It is now in its Thirtieth Year. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts which are regularly performed there. The AMIGOS celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2010. The Vale do Lobo Group provides support for the AMIGO’s “Young Musicians” project. Membership enquiries are welcome – please contact Margaret Jackson, AMIGOS’ secretary at jackson.algarve@mail.telepac.pt

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION     NEW YEAR’S CONCERTS 13.12.2010

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 29^th, 2010 & TUESDAY JANUARY 4^th, 2011  JOANA GAMA PIANO.

Wednesday’s concert will begin with Franz Liszt’s Years of Pilgrimage – Switzerland followed by various pieces by Erik Satie.  On Tuesday Joana will play pieces by Chopin followed by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras. The South American theme continues with three pieces by the Argentine born Alberto Ginastera.

JOANA GAMA is one of Portugal’s most talented and promising young pianists.  She was born in 1983 in the northern town of Braga and enrolled, at the age of five, at the Calouste Gulbenkian Conservatory of Music in Lisbon.  She had lessons there before continuing her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London and later at the Lisbon College of Music. Following her graduation in 2005 she finished her Master’s degree in Piano Performance at the University of Évora earlier this year (2010).

Joana participated in piano Master Classes with a number of maestros and also with the Borodin Quartet in chamber music. In 2005 she came first at the national Young Musicians Prize for piano accompaniment and in 2008 for piano soloists.

Joana favors 20^th. and 21^st. century music frequently incorporating contemporary Portuguese music in her performances.  She participated in the “Peças Frescas” concerts in Lisbon’s Teatro São Luiz premiering works by a number of modern day Portuguese composers such as Fernando Lobo and Sara Claro.

Joana has won several prizes and has been a soloist with the Gulbenkian Orchestra at the prize winners’ concert in Oporto in 2008 which was broadcast live on Antena 2. In recent years Joana has collaborated regularly with the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra and with the National Youth Orchestra in premiers of compositions by Christopher Bochmann OBE, an English conductor and composer with strong ties to Portugal.

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members.  For more information visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org or www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com or call Cristina at 289395475 or send an e-mail to ccsl@iol.pt.

FEBRUARY & MARCH 2011 CONCERTS. KATYA APEKISHEVA, PIANO. Katya is well known to audiences at the Centro Cultural where she usually performs with violinist Jack Liebeck. This time she will demonstrate her solo skills. These concerts will be in late February and early March – dates will be announced shortly.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL

The Centro Cultural São Lourenço is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts which are regularly performed there. Concerts are co-sponsored by the Vale do Lobo Group of Companies. For membership enquiries please contact Margaret Jackson, AMIGOS’ secretary at jackson.algarve@mail.telepac.pt

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Amigos committee members

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION   THE AMIGOS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The AMIGOS’ AGM was held at the Centro Cultural São Lourenço on Friday November 26^th, 2010.  This was the 22^nd Amigos’ AGM and was very well attended.  Barry Shaw, the president, reported on the events of the previous 2009-10 AMIGOS’ year which included a splendid black tie dinner at the Centro Cultural to celebrate the AMIGOS’ 20^th Anniversary and also the Master Classes conducted by renowned British pianist Paul Crossley.  He told the members that they could look forward to such famous musicians as Sa Chen, Piers Lane and Katya Apiskisheva during the coming months.

The Master Classes were made possible by the kind and generous support of the foundation, Mundo Crastino Meliori. Helga Hampton, former AMIGOS’ president (for 10 years) and now Vice President,  conceived and coordinated the Master Classes which gave 6 young pianists from Portuguese conservatories the remarkable experience of learning from a true master for nearly a week and the results were heard in two delightful concerts.  One of those pianists, António Pedro Cebola, has since continued to have lessons with Paul Crossley in London co-sponsored by the Vale do Lobo Group of Companies and the AMIGOS and gave an excellent piano recital at the Vale do Lobo Auditorium last month.

Michael Savage, the Hon. Treasurer, presented the accounts which were approved by the members present. The AGM, under the leadership of Assembleia Geral’s president, John Levitt, was conducted with his usual aplomb. All the officers of the AMIGOS’ committee retired and were re-elected for a further period of two years.  In addition, Anneli Lindroos was co-opted onto the committee.

One of the highlights of the AMIGOS’ AGMs is when the person sponsored gives a concert. Part of the AMIGOS’ charter is to further the development of Portuguese musicians. Joana Ballmann, who has been sponsored now for 4 years, gave her farewell concert.  Joana,  celebrated her 24^thbirthday during the weekend, and will be graduating from the Cologne Conservatory in February 2011 with a BA in music.  She chose the Portuguese composer Fernando Lopes-Graça as the theme for her thesis for her final exam.  Her concert included music by Beethoven, Bach, Schumann, Ravel, Debussy as well as Lopes-Graça.  She plans to continue her post graduate studies at Berlin or Leipzig. The AMIGOS wishes her every success in her future endeavours and look forward to hearing her sometime in the future.

Joana Ballmann

Following Joana’s concert the AMIGOS present were treated a sumptuous supper by Marie Huber and her team at the Centro Cultural.

NEW YEAR’S CONCERTS. JOANA GAMA, PIANO.  THESE WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 29^th., 2010 & TUESDAY JANUARY 4^th., 2011. EVERYBODY IS WELCOME.

For more information visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org or www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com or call Cristina at 289395475.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL

The Centro Cultural is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço, near Almancil, and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 110 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts which are regularly performed there. Concerts are co-sponsored by the Vale do Lobo Group of Companies. For membership enquiries please contact Margaret Jackson, AMIGOS’ secretary at jackson.algarve@mail.telepac.pt

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION   SEPTEMBER 2010 CONCERTS 03.09.2010

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24^th., 2010 & SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 25th., 2010. YEVGENY SUDBIN, PIANO.

Both concerts will have the same programme.  Yevgeny will play two Sonatas by Domenico SCARLATTI followed by Franz LISZT’s Petrarch Sonnets (Nos. 47, 104 & 123).  After a short interval Yevgeny will play Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH’s 4 Preludes from Op. 34.  This will be followed by 4 preludes by Sergei RACHMANINOV.

YEVGENY SUDBIN is already hailed as potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21^st. Century – The Daily Telegraph. Yevgeny was born in St. Petersburg in 1980.  He displayed exceptional musical talents from a young age and he entered the music school of St. Petersburg Conservatory at the age of 7.  In 1990, Yevgeny continued his studies in Berlin and then moved to London where he studied at the Royal Academy of Music. He has studied under many famous musicians and also at the International Piano Foundation at Lake Como.

From his London home Yevgeny has travelled extensively to give recitals at many of the world’s finest venues such as the Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall and Zurich’s Tonhalle.  He has performed with such famous orchestras as the London Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony and the Mostly Mozart Festival in the Lincoln Center in New York.  He has also performed at music festivals throughout the world including Aspen, Le Roque d’Anthéron and Verbier.

Yevgeny has released a critically acclaimed CD with works by Scriabin and during 2008-09 embarked on recording the complete cycle of Beethoven concertos with the Minnesota Orchestra under Osmo Vanska.  His recording of Rachmaninov’s Concerto No. 4 in its original 1926 version coupled with Medtner’s Concerto No. 2 with the North Carolina Symphony has just been released to very favourable revues.

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp.  Wine and lemonade is served from 7.00pm.  During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members.  For more information visit the AMIGO’s website www.amigos-de-musica.org or www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com or call Cristina at 289395475.

OCTOBER 2010 CONCERTS. CONSTANTIN SANDU, PIANIST, AND HORIA VACARESCU, VIOLIN.  THESE WILL BE ON OCTOBER 20^th. & 23rd., 2010.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL

The Centro Cultural is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts which are regularly performed there. 2010 is a significant year in the history of the Amigos as it marks the first twenty years of its existence. At present there are some vacancies for new AMIGOS. The Centro Cultural and the AMIGOS welcomes everybody to their concerts but reservations are essential.  Please call Cristina at the Centro Cultural at 289395475 or send an e-mail (ccsl@iol.pt).

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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION JUNE & JULY 2010 CONCERTS 19.06.2010

PÅL LINDTNER EIDE, PIANO. These concerts will be on Wednesday June 30^th. and Saturday July 3^rd., 2010. Wednesday’s concerts are titled “Chopin’s Greatest Hits”. Pål Eide has devoted 2010 to Fredéric Chopin’s music to celebrate the 200^th. Anniversary of this great pianist and composer’s birth. Pål Eide will play 11 of Chopin’s best known and loved pieces. The Saturday concert will start with Grieg’s greatest piano work, Ballad in G Minor Op. 24, which will be followed by Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit. To close Pål will play two of Chopin’s best loved works – the Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor Op. 35 and Ballad No. 1 in G Minor Op.23. At the end of each concert the audience will have an opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Pål’s “Listen”, his newly released CD.

PÅL LINDTNER EIDE was born in Bergen, Norway, in 1970 but has lived in Denmark with his Danish wife and three daughters for the past 20 years. He is a concert pianist who plays classical music from Bach to modern day composers. Pål has established a reputation as one of Scandinavia’s most interesting and promising pianists of his generation.

Pål started playing the piano when he was 8 and, two years later, was a finalist in the first competition he entered. He has since won many prizes. After studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen he was awarded a Russian State Scholarship to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow with Tatiana Nicolayeva and later with Professor Naum Starkmann.

Pål later returned to Denmark to enter the Soloist Class at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Professor José Ribera, the Spanish pianist who is in constant demand to teach masterclasses worldwide and is an acclaimed soloist and recording artist in his own right. Pål later studied with Prof. Jiri Hlinka in Oslo.

Pål Eide’s debuts in Copenhagen and Bergen received top reviews, praising his uninhibited virtuosity and powerful expression. He has performed throughout Europe with orchestras and as a soloist. Pål has made several radio and television appearances in Norway, Denmark and Germany and has started recording.

Concerts at the Centro Cultural begin at 7.30pm sharp. Wine, lemonade and “nibbles” are served from 7.00pm. During the interval wine and canapés are served. Entry is €25 for guests and non-members. For more information visit www.amigos-de-musica.org or www.centroculturalsaolourenco.com or call 289395475.

SEPTEMBER 2010 CONCERTS. YEVGENY SUBDIN, PIANO. These will be on Wednesday September 22^nd. & Saturday September 25th, 2010.

ABOUT THE AMIGOS AND THE CENTRO CULTURAL SÃO LOURENÇO

The Centro Cultural is located next to the historic Church of São Lourenço and holds regular exhibitions by well known artists and sculptors. The AMIGOS is an international group of around 100 members who support the musical activities at the Centro Cultural by underwriting the concerts which are regularly performed there. 2010 is a significant year in the history of the Amigos as it marks the first twenty years of its existence. The Centro Cultural and the AMIGOS welcomes everybody to their concerts but reservations are essential. Please call Cristina at the Centro Cultural at 289395475 or e-mail (ccsl@iol.pt).

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