Lunchtime Music: Shostakovich Cello Sonata

Gen Li cello
Maria Linares Molero piano

Shostakovich Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op.40

Hailing from Chengdu, China, Gen Li (pictured) is pursuing a Master of Music at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. A First-Class graduate under full scholarship, he has been recognised with awards including the Musicians’ Company Award, Musicians Union Bill Warman Award, RBC Strings Prize, and Leamington Music Prize.

An active orchestral musician, he serves as principal cellist of the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra and has participated in the CBSO, ROH, and BRB schemes. Committed to musical education, he teaches cello at Rugby School.

His studies have been generously supported by the Tillett Trust, Musicians’ Company, and Help Musicians.

From an early age, 23-year-old pianist Maria Linares has performed at festivals and venues in Europe, including the London Steinway Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall and London Festival. On an international level she has performed in the Iturbi Festival, Serenates Festival, the Valencia Philharmonic Society and the Barcelona Auditorium in Spain; Rossini Theatre in Gioia del Colle and the Diocesan Museum of Brescia in Italy; Am Ring Theatre in Saarlouis and Riegelsberg Town Hall in Germany; Hindemith Music Center in Switzerland and Vaduz Town Hall in Liechtenstein.

At the age of twelve she gave her first solo piano recital and later made her debut with an orchestra at the Palau de la Musica in Valencia and the Ciudad de Leon Auditorium. Since then she has performed as a soloist with the Valencia Orchestra, the Youth Orchestra of the Generalitat Valenciana, the Youth Orchestra of Leon and the Orchestra of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, with notable conductors such as Manuel Hernández Silva, Daniel de Tejada, Roberto Fores and Daniele Rosina, in auditoriums such as the Palau de Les Arts, Teatro Principal de Valencia, Cultural Centre La Nau, Palau de Congressos in Castellon or Palau Altea de Alicante.

Other performers tbc

Running time approx. 55 minutes