Sophie Cashell (Piano) performs on
Saturday 5th November at 2.00 pm
Tickets €15/10 available from 059-9725893
Duiske Concerts 2011
The Abbey Centre, Graiguenamanagh, Co. kilkenny
A wonderful weekend of music ~ November 4th, 5th & 6th 2011
Sophie Cashell came to national attention after winning the BBC Television Classical Star Competition in 2007. For her prize, Sophie recorded her first CD “Debut” on Universal Classics and Jazz label featuring works by Chopin, Liszt, Ravel and Debussy. Jeremy Nicholas of The Gramophone Magazine crowned the disc as Editor’s Choice in December 2008 and hailed it ‘A most enjoyable debut album that bears repeated playing… I’m not sure that Universal hasn’t got a real find on it’s hands’.
Since her success in the competition, Sophie has concentrated on finishing her studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London where she graduated in summer 2010. During the holidays, she has toured France, UK and Ireland in recital appearing most recently at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival and at the Harrogate International Festival, Chester Festival, the Birmingham International Piano Festival and returning to the Théâtre Saint-Bonnet de Bourges (where she recorded her CD) amongst others. Orchestral concerts include her debut with the RTE Concert Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia at the Hampton Court Festival; the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra on tour in Scotland and Chester Festival, and with the orchestra of Saint Cecilia at the National Concert Hall, Dublin. At the invitation of Barry Douglas, Sophie made her debut at Castletown Concert Series in Ireland in September 2009. Sophie is a keen chamber musician and regularly gives trio concerts in the UK and Ireland.
2010/11 is an important season for Sophie and she marks the opening of this season with a return to the National Concert Hall, Dublin for a performance of the solo version of Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition and her debut at King’s Place with cellist Johannes Moser, as part of their Festival.
Sophie began playing the violin at 4, but after starting to play the piano a year later found herself feeling a natural affinity for the keyboard. She joined her brother and sister at the Menuhin school at the age of 13 before continuing her studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London.