Helen Sills, violin
Bettina St J. Skeen, cello
Alan Brown, piano
Programme
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Intermezzo no. 1 in B minor, op. 119
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Piano Trio no. 1 in B major, Op. 8
I. Allegro con brio
II. Scherzo
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro
Biography
The London and Sussex-based Plaegan Piano Trio takes its name from the Saxon word meaning ‘joyful activity’. First established in 1978 as a Piano Quartet, it performed extensively at major venues throughout the UK and Germany. Since 2011 the Plaegan Piano Quartet has become the Plaegan Piano Trio.
Helen Sills studied at the RCM and Nottingham University and has been a conference lecturer, a Director of Music for the GDST, an instrumental teacher and an ABRSM examiner, besides playing with many freelance orchestras and chamber ensembles. Her book 'Stravinsky, God, and Time' was published by Brill Press in July 2022.
Bettina St J. Lawrence, educated at Tring Park School for The Performing Arts, studied the cello with Lilly Phillips at the RAM and later with Bernard Greenhouse of the Beaux Arts Trio. Her career as a freelance cellist has ranged from Welsh National Opera and regional and ballet orchestras, to string quartets in the first Pizza Express in Coptic St. Bloomsbury!
Alan Brown studied with Ruth Harte at the RAM, winning many prizes. Since his acclaimed Wigmore Hall debut, Alan has appeared many times at the Purcell Room, the Fairfield Hall and other major venues throughout the UK, Europe, Australia, South Korea and Japan. Alan is an accompanist and coach at the RAM and Guildhall, while regularly playing for international violin courses, working, amongst others, with the violinist Igor Ozim.