Harrogate-based piano school, Saphir Piano Studios, has celebrated its 25th anniversary with a pupil concert at the Wesley Centre on Oxford Street.
Julian and Nichola Saphir, who are directors of the studios as well as teachers, are both concert pianists and Royal College of Music alumni.
They moved to Harrogate from London in 1998 and have continued to build their full-time piano school ever since. They currently have more than 80 pupils.
Their December concert is a long-standing tradition but had not taken place since 2019 due to covid.
To celebrate their quarter of a century in Harrogate, the concert saw 34 pupils perform an eclectic programme of piano music on the Wesley Centre’s prestigious hand-crafted Yamaha CF-lllS concert grand piano, which has been played by some of the world’s most famous concert pianists, including Sir Stephen Hough, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Marc-André Hamelin.
Among those taking part was five-year-old Grace Xiu, who is the studios’ youngest pupil.
Alongside the young performers were three of Saphir Piano Studios’ adult students, Moira Morgan, Alistair Duff and Phil Howarth, who treated the audience to music by Chopin and Robert Schumann.
One of the highlights was a six-handed piece by Rachmaninoff, performed by St. Aidan’s Church of England High School sixth formers Annabel Baxter, Krish Desha-Beerachee and Jack Brierley.
The concert was brought to a sparkling finale with the Saphirs themselves giving a duet performance of the ever-popular Christmas favourite, Sleigh Ride.
Julian and Nichola said:
“It’s very important to give each of our pupils the opportunity to play on a fine concert grand piano before a large audience. The atmosphere in the room is always so warm and enthusiastic.”
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Ripon Cathedral hosts concert to raise money for mental health
Ripon Cathedral will play host to a concert this coming weekend to raise money and awareness for a local mental health charity.
Wellspring Therapy and Training, which is based in Starbeck, provides affordable counselling to people suffering from mental illness.
Harrogate concert pianist Julian Saphir and soprano Eleanore Cockerham, a former member of internationally-acclaimed singing group VOCES8, will star in the November 12 concert, which is called A Night to Remember.
They will be joined by local choirs and performers, including Nidd Chorale, Unity Voices, Harrogate Theatre Choir, and St Aidan’s School Chamber Choir.
The concert also aims to raise awareness by exploring themes of memory and thanksgiving.
Concert Co-ordinator, David Moon, said:
“This event is a wonderful opportunity to explore and experience the power music has on our mood and raise money for Wellspring, which is providing a vital wellbeing service in our local community.”
Read more:
Referrals to Wellspring shot up during covid, forcing the charity to temporarily suspend its waiting list. Operations have now returned to normal and the charity has supported over 700 people in the last year.
Sarah James, therapeutic lead for the charity, said:
“Our counsellors are frequently working with adults who present with depression, anxiety, trauma, loss, relationship issues, low self-esteem, emotional abuse, loss of confidence and stress. Many people we support have been signposted to us for more in-depth/long-term therapeutic work that is too expensive for many people to fund for themselves.”
The concert begins at 7pm on November 12. Tickets start at £12 for adults and £5 for children, and are available online here.