ABOUT HARMONIEMUSIK
The core members of classical ensemble Harmoniemusik first performed together in 1991 when they were booked to give a concert each night after dinner on a ship cruising the Mediterranean between Istanbul and Venice. The following year the group expanded to incorporate string players and organized the rebirth of a festival of chamber music in St Columb Major, Cornwall. Harmoniemusik has given a series of Classic Cornwall concerts in St Columb each August since then, besides touring in France and the Republic of Yemen, and performing regularly in Germany and around the UK. The ensemble has enjoyed playing in a wide variety of venues, including the Cologne Philharmonie, Regency Town House in Brighton, Doctor Johnson’s House, Goldsmiths’ and Fishmongers Hall in the City of London, the Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham, barns and drawing rooms, theatres and gardens, tiny churches and magnificent cathedrals.
Harmoniemusik’s concerts are characterised by carefully designed programmes in which instrumentation, era and texture are contrasted. Works performed range from solos, duos, trios, quartets, quintets and sextets to early piano concertos by Mozart, symphonies by Haydn and chamber orchestra pieces by Elgar, Copland and Wagner. The ensemble’s repertoire spans the centuries, from baroque trio sonatas to brand new works written especially for the group.
Paul Guinery - piano
Paul studied the piano at the Royal College of Music and Modern Languages at Queen’s College, Oxford. As well as being Harmoniemusik’s regular pianist since 1997, Paul has made solo CD recordings of Rachmaninov and, more recently, of 20th century English piano music – Delius and his Circle. Paul is also co-author of a recent in-depth analysis of Delius’ works, Delius and His Music. As an announcer for BBC Radio 3 he has presented many classical music programmes, including the Proms.
Janna Hüneke - flute and recorder
Janna was born in Germany and studied the flute in London. In the early 90s she played the piccolo in premieres of Stockhausen’s opera Dienstag aus Licht. Janna has played with Grange Park Opera, Pimlico Opera, the National Symphony Orchestra, Brighton Philharmonic and many other orchestras. As a soloist she has performed throughout Britain and Germany. Janna co-founded and co-directs Flute School London.
Mark Lacey - clarinet and saxophone
Mark studied the clarinet at the Royal Academy of Music. He has performed with English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, the National Theatre, English Touring Opera, Grange Park Opera, Carl Rosa Opera, Pimlico Opera, the BBC Concert Orchestra and many other orchestras and ensembles. He is a regular performer of the jewels of the clarinet chamber repertoire including the quintets of Mozart and Brahms. In his spare time, Mark is a keen sailor.
Alec Forshaw - bassoon and harpsichord
Alec read music at Cambridge University. He is a founder member of the London Woodwind Ensemble, The Galliard Trio and Harmoniemusik, and also has performed regularly with Lontano, the Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, the London Chamber Orchestra and with the National Theatre, both at home and on tour. He lives in London and pursues a varied career as bassoonist, harpsichordist, writer and arranger.
Sarah Devonald - oboe and recorder
Sarah studied music at the Guildhall School of Music in London and Cambridge University and has played principal oboe in many orchestras and opera companies. She has performed as a soloist in numerous concertos and recitals, and these days concentrates on playing and directing chamber music. After many years making programmes for BBC Radio 3, she co-founded Tandem Productions a few years ago, which is now a successful company.
Lindsay Kempley - french horn
Lindsay graduated from the Royal Academy of Music and has since enjoyed a busy and varied career including work with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet, BBC Concert Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Lindsay has also played regularly in West End musicals such as Les Miserables and Love Never Dies.
Natasha Holmes - cello
Natasha Holmes was a prize winning cello student at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has played Romantic, Contemporary and Baroque music in ensembles including The English Chamber Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Music Projects London and Norwich Baroque. She worked as a cellist with Glyndebourne Education for nine years and currently plays in the Gainsborough Ensemble with Janna Hüneke and Pavlo Beznosiuk. Natasha also plays Baroque cello with Loki Music and teaches asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors English.
Carole Howat - violin
Carole has had a busy career playing with the RSNO, chamber orchestra RNS, EN Ballet, Grange Park Opera orchestras, Scottish Chamber orchestra, the Scottish Ensemble string group for a few years and has freelanced with the other orchestras in Scotland.
She now enjoys doing more Chamber music and leading a respected local amateur orchestra as well as SCO and a some Scottish Opera work.
Carole enjoys teaching young kids (and adult beginners) piano.
Joanna West - violin
Jo studied music at Clare College, Cambridge and then did a post graduate course at the Royal Academy of Music. She has a varied and busy career performing and teaching; she was a member of the English National Opera Orchestra and is now Principal 2nd Violin in the
London Concert Orchestra. She also performs regularly with the City of London Sinfonia and has just finished a season of opera with Holland Park Opera. In her free time she enjoys gardening and has recently taken on a rather large allotment, with varying degrees of success!
Robert Puzey - viola
Robert Puzey has enjoyed a varied career teaching and freelancing on viola and violin. His teaching
includes work in schools and with adult string players at The City Literary Institute. He has played with and jointly run The Oberon String Quartet for many years and also plays with the Max Bruch Trio. In recent years he has performed concertos on both instruments, as well as working with the Orchestra of St. John's and London Gala Orchestra. He is now incorporating more conducting for courses at the City Lit. and with further amateur groups - Pinner Strings and Primrose Hill Community Orchestra.