From Baroque to Cuban, a romantic musical journey. (LIVE: PRE-RECORDED)

Flute & Piano Recital

St James’s Church Piccadilly, June 30th 2021

Jose Zalba-Smith, flute

Louisa Lam, piano 

Programme 

Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonata in G minor BWV 1020

I. Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Allegro

Francis Poulenc: Sonata for Flute and Piano (1957)

I. Allegro malincolico

II. Cantilena

III. Presto giocoso

Scott Joplin: Bethena for Solo Piano  (1905) 

Ian Clarke: The Great Train Race for Solo Flute (1993)

Javier Zalba: Divertimento for Flute and Piano (2009)

———BIOGRAPHIES———

Louisa Lam

Respected as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist, Louisa Lam’s recent credits include the televised string final of BBC Young Musician of the Year. She is currently a staff accompanist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, in both the Senior and Junior departments.

After making her debut performance at the age of nine with Richard Clayderman at the Derngate Theatre, Northampton, Louisa studied at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department before gaining a First Class Honours degree in Music at King’s College London and a Masters Degree from the GSMD, where she studied with Gordon Back, supported by a scholarship from the Worshipful Company of Cutlers.

Her recent appearances include: Barbican Hall, Wigmore Hall, Auditori Winterthur (Barcelona), Musica Eboræ (Portugal) and on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune. She is the répétiteur for the St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus in Hackney and has a thriving teaching practice, both at home in London and at Christ’s Hospital School in West Sussex. Louisa is also an accompanist and performance coach for the Music4People summer school in North Yorkshire, and ProCorda residential string training camps.

Please find more information at www.louisalam.com

Jose Zalba-Smith 

Born in 1984, in Havana, Cuba, Jose studied flute and piano at the Alejandro G. Caturla and later at Amadeo Roldan Conservatory. His flute professors at this time were Erasmo Lopez and Floraimed Fernandez, both members of the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, Ballet and Opera Orchestras. After auditioning in London, Jose was offered places at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Trinity College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the latter offered a full scholarship for the Bachelor of Music Degree which Jose accepted and commenced in 2003. After completion of this degree in 2007, Jose was kindly supported by the Society of Knights of the Round Table and the Innholders' Company to continue his studies at the Guildhall School of Music, in their Masters Programme.

During his time at Guildhall, with Philippa Davies as his main professor, Jose enjoyed training under other eminent players such as Sharon Williams, Ian Clarke, Sarah Newbold and Sam Coles.

He accepted numerous invitations to perform in festivals such as Glasgow Cathedral Music Recital Series (2006), Seville Music Festival, Spain (2006), Belgrade Music Festival, Serbia (2007), Winchester Music Festival (2008), Frome Young Musicians Recital Series (2008), and Paxos International Chamber Music Festival, Greece (2008). Jose was accepted as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Spain (2006-2007) and as an extra player for the National Welsh Opera (2006).

Finally, on completing his Masters, Jose was chosen to be part of the 2008-2009 Foyle Future Firsts Training Scheme with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and also given a place with the Southbank Sinfonia with whom he has enjoyed many exciting opportunities to play an extremely varied programme in a variety of venues across the UK.

Jose has performed several times as Principal and Sub Principal with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and freelances regularly with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He was flautist for Under Milk Wood: an Opera by John Metcalf in the 2014 Welsh Tour. He has been invited to be Artist in residence for the Vale of Glamorgan Contemporary Music Festival, 2017 and 2018. 

Jose, as well as a classical player, is on demand as a Latin/world music flautist. He founded his own Cuban band Tradicional Cubano and Latin jazz group The Mañana Collective performing regularly across the UK in venues such as Ronnie Scotts, West Dean Chilli Festival, Green Note and Jazz Club Camden, St James Church Piccadilly to mention few. He currently runs a successful Cuban music workshop series which he has taken to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Royal Northern College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, Oxford Flute Summer School, Philippa Davies International Flute Summer School and The Scottish International Flute Summer School.

He is also in demand as a teacher and currently enjoys working at Wimbledon High School and Surbiton High School.

Please visit www.josezalba.com for further information and audio/video links.

Awards & Scholarships:

Supported by the Rampton Family Trust, The Society of Knights of the Round Table, The Innholders’,Leathersellers’ and Cordwainers’ Companies.

Grant from Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Foundation, Royal Philharmonic Society.

Third Prize BFS Founders Prize by the British Flute Society Silver Jubilee Competition (2008)