• Liszt sonata and Brahms Fantasies - solo piano
• Wyvern Theatre, November 5th, 1.05pm

Every now and then, a composition that you might think would come in several discrete sections is presented as one movement. Jamie Cochran's solo piano programme showcases two such compositions.

Brahms wrote seven Fantasies, miniatures of variety and contrast, displaying passion, lyricism, longing and sweetness but performed as one piece. Clara Schumann wrote to Brahms 'I like the deeply passionate ones as much as the dreamy ones, in which such exquisite sounds are conjured out of the piano.'

A sonata usually has four movements but Liszt's sonata is also played as one piece, by turns quiet, defiant, lyrical, sinister and reflective. There are some powerfully explosive and energetic passages, which seems quite appropriate for Guy Fawkes Day….

Jamie will be performing at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon on Wednesday November 5th at 1.05pm.

Tickets for adults are £9.50 (including a theatre levy of £1); students aged 15-18 £3.50; accompanied children aged 14 years and under are admitted free.

A transaction fee of up to £3.95 may apply, whether the transaction is for one or several tickets.

Jamie Cochran - after being crowned Essex Young Musician of the Year in 2018, Jamie went on to study at Merton College, Oxford, where he was awarded both instrumental and academic scholarships. Having graduated with a first-class degree, he went on to hold the position of Graduate Musician in Residence from 2022-23 at St. Hilda's College, Oxford, whilst continuing his studies in London. Jamie has recently finished his Master's degree at the Royal Academy of Music with William Fong and Michael Dussek, where he was also awarded a DipRAM for outstanding performance in a postgraduate final recital. His studies were generously supported by the Wayne Sleep Foundation, Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation and the Cullis Bursary Fund.

A Tillett Trust Debut Artist, his recent successes include first prize at the 2024 Norah Sande Award and runner-up at the Bromsgrove International Musicians' Competition 2025. Jamie has performed internationally, including venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, and recent performances have included Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Colchester Symphony Orchestra and Bernstein's The Age of Anxiety with the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra.

• Brahms and Shostakovich - piano quintets
• Arts Centre, Sunday November 23rd, 3pm

Composed in 1893, Brahms' only piano quintet (2 violins, viola, cello and piano) is one of the best-known and best-loved quintets today. It is very expressive, ranging from calm through mystery to storm, with a short passage that, if written today, could be said to be influenced by the jazz era.

Although Shostakovich composed two piano quintets, the first was when he was a student and was eventually abandoned. The one that survived was composed in 1940, during the Soviet era and shortly before the outbreak of war with Germany. An immediate public success (it 'was discussed in trams') and still today one of Shostakovich's most popular works, this is a composition of beguiling charm, directness and vitality.

The Ward Quartet (Nicholas Ward, Kathryn Parry, Wendy Gudgin and Harriet Bennett) with Paul Turner will be performing at the Arts Centre in Swindon on Sunday November 23rd at 3pm.

Tickets for Adults are £20.50 and Concession (Senior Citizen/Unwaged) £17.50 (including a theatre levy of £1.50); students aged 15-18 £3.50 (no levy); accompanied children aged 14 years and under are admitted free.

A transaction fee of up to £3.95 may apply, whether the transaction is for one or several tickets.

The Ward Quartet first appeared for SRS as part of the 25th Anniversary celebrations, playing a major part in the 'Schubertiade' by performing the stunningly romantic Death and the Maiden Quartet ('one of the pillars of the chamber music repertoire') alongside the Quartettsatz and the Quartet in A minor. This was on that very snowy weekend in February 2019 and the group had to get back to Felixstowe following their afternoon recital. One of the quartet, Kathryn Parry, is particularly well-known to SRS audiences as she was involved in SRS from the start, giving several popular recitals and masterclasses. She has given a memorable performance of the Brahms horn trio (with Richard Bissil on horn) and came to Swindon with The Revolutionary Drawing Room to perform 'A Viennese Quartet Party'.

Swindon Recital Series was founded 27 years ago by Paul Turner. The Recital Series is committed to providing world-class chamber music in the Swindon area by presenting regular concerts of chamber music given by professional musicians. The Series takes place between September and April each year at various venues in and around Swindon, including the Wyvern Theatre and the Arts Centre.

For more information contact either Artistic Director Paul Turner at turner.paul@virgin.net, recitals@hotmail.co.uk or on 01793 531316 or 07989 397372 or SRS Secretary Julia Singleton at juliaesingleton@gmail.com or on 01793 644660 or 07718185518

Information about the recital series can be found at www.swindonrecitalseries.org