Heather Gordon-Redfearn & Eileen Guppy
(Clarinet & Piano)

Heather Gordon-Redfearn (Clarinet) and Eileen Guppy (Piano) met when they were both tutors at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Here is a PDF of the Poster for this Concert (click to VIEW or right click to SAVE). Please feel free to print and display the poster to help publicise this concert. 

Programme (announced 11th January)

Francisco Gómez: Lorita Caprice
(3 movements)
Poulenc: Sonata  for Clarinet and Piano
Gershwin (arr. Guppy): A Foggy Day (in London Town)
J. S. Bach: Minuet I and II from Cello Suite No 1 in G Major
Paul Lewis: Lullaby
Benny Goodman: Solo Flight + Paganini Caprice XXIV + Slipped Disc

INTERVAL

Norbert Burgmüller: Duo for Clarinet and Piano
Trad. (arr. Guppy): 3 Scottish Folk Songs
(Will Ye No come back Again + Skye Boat Song + Loch Lomond)
Richard Rodney Bennett: Ballad in Memory of Shirley Horn
Adolf Schreiner: Immer Kleiner (Always Smaller)
Antônio Carlos Jobim (arr. Guppy): One Note Samba
Joseph Horovitz: Movement III from Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano

A very enjoyable concert with a mixture of classical and jazz. The first piece (a caprice by Gomez) was new to most of the audience but well liked. Next came a 3 movement Sonata by Poulenc which made full use of the clarinet’s range. Eileen then played her first piano solo (all of which were her own arrangements) of Gershwin’s Foggy Day. This was followed by Heather’s solo on Bass Clarinet of 2 Bach Minuets, which certainly did full justice to the music (originally for Cello). Back together for a Lullaby, then the first half finished with 3 short pieces composed by Benny Goodman, highlighting the clarinet.

The second half started with a beautiful Duo for Clarinet and Piano. Next Eileen soloed on 3 Scottish folk songs, much to the audience’s delight. A soothing ballad came next before a comedy piece “Always smaller” where Heather slowly removed 4 pieces from her clarinet ending up playing just the mouthpiece. Rather weird but enjoyable. Eileen’s final solo “One note Samba” was followed by a lovely Sonatina composed by Horovitz. Lengthy applause was followed by an encore of  “Stranger on the Shore” (composed and made famous by Acker Bilk).

Eileen	Heather	Heather with Bass Clarinet

Press Report

Heather Gordon-Redfearn (clarinet) and Eileen Guppy (keyboard) soon dispelled any winter blues with a flamboyant, jazz inspired concert. The result was a splendid evening, much enjoyed by the audience.

They began with Francisco Gómez’s “Lorita Caprice”, quite energetic and showing the remarkable tonal range of the clarinet. There followed a compelling performance of Poulenc’s sonata for clarinet and piano. To give Heather a rest Eileen played her own arrangement of Gershwin’s “A Foggy Day in London Town”. Heather then introduced her (enormous) bass clarinet and played two minuets for solo cello by Bach, showing how good a match were the two instruments. They finished with “Lullaby” by Paul Lewis and three pieces by Benny Goodman.

The second half started with a beautiful Duo for Clarinet and Piano by Burgmüller. Eileen played her arrangements of three well-known Scottish folk songs. Richard Rodney Bennett’s tribute to the jazz singer Shirley Horn provided a contrast. “Always Smaller” (Schreiner), where Heather slowly dismantled her clarinet and finished playing only the head (mouthpiece), was quite a technical feat, justly receiving copious applause. Eileen’s final solo, “One Note Samba”, was followed by a lovely Sonatina composed by Horovitz. The encore was a gorgeous rendition of Acker Bilk’s “Stranger on the Shore”.

For more information about Eileen visit her own website (in a new window), by clicking HERE