Part of ArtsFest 2012
J.S. Bach Sonata no. 3 for Viola da Gamba and Piano in G minor
Vaughan Williams Romance for viola and piano
Vieuxtemps Sonata for Viola and Piano
Duncan Anderson viola
Steven Neugarten piano
Having taken up the violin at home in Cheshire with Sylvia More aged seven, Duncan later attended Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester studying with David Vernon and Adrian Levine. It was whilst at Chetham’s that he made the transition from violin to viola. He is now in his final year at the RCM studying with Ian Jewel whilst taking a degree in physics at Imperial College. Upon completion of his current course, he hopes to take a Masters course at the Guildhall school next year.
Duncan has performed around the country including in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. He has played in various orchestras and chamber ensembles, working with distinguished conductors such as Sir Mark Elder, Paul McCreesh and Vladimir Jurowski. In summer 2007, Duncan played with Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra for Lady Susanna Walton at the Walton estate on the Italian island of Ischia. Duncan has also toured to South Africa with Imperial College Symphony Orchestra, playing at the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival. In the 2011-2012 season, he is taking part in English National Opera’s Evolve scheme, which involves rehearsing with the orchestra for two operatic productions under the baton of Ed Gardner. Duncan currently plays in two string quartets, both based at the RCM.
As a soloist, Duncan has given many recitals, and has featured several times in the Arts Imperial Lunchtime Concert series. In 2009 he performed Vaughan Williams’ Flos Campi with the Chester Philharmonic Orchestra, and has since performed the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto in D with the Imperial College Symphony Orchestra. Duncan plays on a viola made for him in 2007 by Helen Michetschlager.