Events

Forthcoming Events
Sunday September 29th 5pm

Private concert for Tunbridge Wells Civic Society

featuring Maggie Cole (fortepiano) and Sebastian Comberti (cello) 

Born in London, Sebastian Comberti studied in Italy with Amedeo Baldovino and later with Derek Simpson and Sidney Griller at the Royal Academy of Music, from where he graduated in 1977.

In 1976 he became a founder member of the Bochmann Quartet giving concerts throughout the British Isles and in Europe. In 1983 he became principal cello with the London Mozart Players, with whom he has appeared frequently as soloist, as well as being an active member of the LMP Chamber Ensemble.

A keen interest in historically informed performance has resulted in participation with  a great many of London’s period instrument groups, frequently appearing as principal cello with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and soloist with the  Hanover Band.

As soloist for CPO he has recorded 4 Cds of the Sinfonia Concertantes of JC Bach, while as a member of several  chamber groups he has recorded for CRD, EMI, Harmonia Mundi, Hyperion, Meridian, Phoenix and  RCA.  In April 2001 Sebastian Comberti founded Cello Classics, a label devoted to recordings of rare repertoire and artists, for which he has himself released CDs of hitherto unknown sonatas by Boccherini, quartets for 4 cellos, early 19th Century sonatas with fortepiano, and discs of Sonatas by Stephen Paxton and concertos by Haydn and Zumsteeg with the OAE.

Born in the USA, Maggie has made her home in the UK for the past 40 years. During this time, she has enjoyed a career playing harpsichord, fortepiano and piano. She will always be grateful for the superb tuition received here, most notably from Jill Severs on harpsichord, and for the extraordinary opportunities that living in Europe has brought to her. She is harpsichordist with Britten Sinfonia and has performed with The Nash Ensemble and London Sinfonietta in music that ranges from JS Bach to Henri Duttileux.

Maggie has recorded a diverse repertoire which includes on harpsichord, Scarlatti and Soler solo sonatas, Bach’s Goldberg Variations, his violin sonatas with Catherine Mackintosh and his flute sonatas with Philippa Davies . Another particular delight was in recording Poulenc’s “Concert Champêtre” with Richard Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia. On fortepiano she has recorded trios by Haydn and Beethoven with Trio Goya, ‘Mozartiana with Sebastian Comberti and a CD of Boccherini cello sonatas with Steven Isserlis. She can be heard on modern piano in a recording of romantic flute music by Philippe Gaubert with Idit Shemer.

Maggie is professor of fortepiano at the Guildhall School of Music and teaches all three keyboard instruments from her home in West London. 

In the early phase of the Covid pandemic, Maggie had the great pleasure of recording the solo harpsichord music used in the play ‘Bach and Sons’ at the Bridge Theatre.