Arasbaran Cultural Center in Tehran will feature a duet performance by two Belgian musicians on July 14.
The performance is an experimental concert of piano and violin by Liselotte Sels and Ann Vancoillie respectively.
The compositions will feature Mozart’s Violin Sonata No 21, composed in 1778 while Mozart was in Paris. The piece was composed in the same period that Mozart’s mother, Anna Maria died, and the sonata’s mood reflects the loss. It is the only instrumental work by Mozart whose home key is E minor, Mehr News reported.
Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No 5 in F major is another piece to be performed in the duet. The work brims with hope and optimism and was thus known as Frühlingssonate (Spring Sonata). It was published in 1801 and dedicated to Count Morits von Fries, a patron who supported some of Beethoven’s works. Spring Sonata is in four movements of Allegro, Adagio, Scherzo and Rondo.
Other pieces included in the duet are Violin Sonata in la major by Cesar Franck (1822-1890) born in Liege that is now in Belgium, ‘Circles’ by Dutch-born Belgian composer Albrecht Frederic Devreese, 87 and ‘Lullaby’ by another Belgian composer Wilfried Westerlinck (1909-1948).
Traditional Music
Due to her interest in Middle-Eastern music, Sels wrote her doctoral dissertation on Turkish folk music. In her post-doctoral research, she explored traditional music of Iran. She also plays clavichord, a European keyboard instrument used mainly in medieval times and during the Renaissance and Baroque.
Sels composes in her leisure time. Secular choruses ‘Water of Kharabat’ and ‘Pure Wine’ are two of her compositions written on verses of Persian poet Hafez. The pieces are to be broadcasted on Flemish Community Day (July 11) via the Belgian channel Radio One Classics.
She is currently playing piano for the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, while completing her research on the classical pieces written for piano by 19th century composers in Flanders.
Versatile Soloist
Vancoillie is currently working as a soloist first violin in Vlaamse Opera (Flemish Opera), Ghent. She studied in Brussels, Ghent and Salzburg with masters such as Kati Sebestyen, Andre Gertler, Sandor Vegh and Nicolaus Harnoncourt.
Passionate to experiment with different realms of music, Vancoillie has worked with various ensembles in Belgium and elsewhere. She has acquired exceptional skills in the styles of baroque, classics, jazz, world music and improvisation.
