Free lunchtime recital: Starling Quartet, Shostakovich & Schnittke
Join us for this recital series by students of the Royal Academy of Music
Free admission, donations encouraged
Programme: Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) – String Quartet No. 3 in G minor (1983)
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975), String Quartet No. 9 in E-Flat Major, Op. 117
Lisa Archontidi-Tsaldaraki – Violin
Lisa Archontidi-Tsaldaraki is a Greek violinist and Convivium Artist. In March 2023,
she released her debut solo CD, “Rhapsody” for the Convivium Records label
(distributed by Naxos UK and US), featuring an all-20th century programme.
Lisa debuted at Athens Megaron in 2023 and has performed as a guest of Sound
Out on Resonance FM 104.4. In 2019, Lisa toured Germany as a soloist with the
Bromley Youth Chamber Orchestra, culminating in a performance at the Neues
Bach-Denkmal. Other highlights include recitals in Steinway Hall, Charlton House,
Portsmouth Cathedral, Benslow ILS and two articles in the Strad.
She won top prizes at the Convimus, Primuz, Medici, and Napolinova International
Competitions and won the title of Young Musician of the Year in the Rotary South-
East England and Gibraltar District Competition in 2019.
Lisa has received masterclasses from James Ehnes, Ning Feng, Joel Smirnoff, Cihat
Askin, Dong-Suk Kang, Yuzuko Horigome, So-Ock Kim, and Lana Trotovsek.
Lisa is a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Music (class of Rodney Friend MBE).
Simon Song – Violist
Simon Song is an Australian violist based in the UK. As a musician, he has toured
across Europe, Asia and Oceania with orchestras and choirs and has performed in
spaces such as the Musikverein and Hamer Hall. He has worked with several
eminent conductors of today such as Sir Mark Elder, Barbara Hannigan, Trevor
Pinnock, Ryan Wigglesworth and John Wilson.
A passionate chamber musician, he frequently performs in chamber groups of
various sizes and combinations, playing repertoire ranging from the baroque period
to the present day. In the past year, he has been a part of several UK premiers of
new works, most recently being Unsuk Chin’s Alaraph with the Royal Academy of
Music’s Symphony orchestra.
Arya Gunes – Cello
Arya Gunes is a promising young cellist who has been performing across Europe
for the past 9 years. Her upcoming engagements include a performance of Haydn’s
D Major Cello Concerto with the Başkent Chamber Orchestra in Turkey, a lunchtime
concert at the Royal Academy of Music and two performances as part of the
Wigmore Hall’s “Crying Out Loud” series with the Starling Quartet.
In November of 2023, Arya premiered “Echoes of the Bosphorus” for cello and
organ, dedicated to her by composer Vitas Li. Inspired by Arya’s Turkish heritage,
the piece is based on her favourite traditional songs from her childhood. She is
heavily connected to her cultural background and performed in several benefit
concerts for the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, as well as being a part of the
Turkish National Youth Orchestra, with whom she has toured in Turkey and Italy.
Currently a third-year undergraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music,
studying with Robert Cohen, Arya’s studies are generously supported by the Helen
Worswick Award. She has won several international music competitions, such as
the 2019 Lvivsky Virtuoz Competition for Violinists, Violists and Cellists, the 2022
Cardenal Cisneros Music Competition and the 2018 Luthiers Clar Cello
Competition.
Aside from her performing work and studies, Arya is particularly passionate about
contributing to her community through music and has worked with the City Lit
Percussion Orchestra, the Robert Blair Primary School and the West Hampstead
Nursery as part of the Open Academy Programme.
Pei-Chi Kao – Violin
Pei-Chi Kao is a Taiwanese violinist who recently earned her master’s degree from
the Royal Academy of Music under the guidance of Rodney Friend and Joshua
Fisher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Fu Jen University, where she
previously served as concertmaster of the Fu Jen University Symphony Orchestra.
Pei-Chi has performed in several concerts as a member of the Academy Symphony
Orchestra, collaborating with esteemed conductors such as Edward Gardner, Sir
Mark Elder, Ryan Wigglesworth, and Roderick Cox. In 2023, she won first prize in
the FJU Concerto Competition and performed Korngold’s Violin Concerto with the
Fu Jen Symphony Orchestra.
Passionate about chamber music, Pei-Chi is the second violinist of the Starling
Quartet and the violinist of Tue•Trio. In 2022, Tue•Trio won second prize in the
student music competition in the piano trio category in Taiwan.