The Serenata Music program featuring Graeme Lord , clarinet, and the London Symphonia String Quartet with commentary by Tom Allen was a fitting end to our 20th season. The eclectic choice of music (Gerald Finzi, from Five Bagatelles, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, from Clarinet Quintet, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, from Clarinet Concerto in A Major, Steve Reich, New York Counterpoint, and Brahms, Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in B Minor Op. 115) provided the audience with much to absorb. Mr. Allen s commentary added to the evening s pleasure. Graeme Lord s empathic playing of the Brahm s quintet contrasted to the jolting Steve Reich piece in which Mr. Lord played solo against 10 clarinet lines which he had previously recorded. it was an artistic tour de force. We look forward to hearing moire from Mr. Lord.
The final London Symphonia concert with Tanya Miller conducting, not only gave us a world premiere of Alexis Marsh s flute concerto with Laura Chambers, flute , but also a stirring rendition of Shostakovich s Chamber Symphony. Beethoven s 7th symphony proved to the audience that our local symphonia can do justice to this venerable music.
SERENATA MUSIC PROGRAM 2025-26
Saturday, October 4, 2025 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church, London Symphonia,
David Jalbert, piano.
Friday, November 14, 2025, 12:30 P.M. von Kuster Hall, Western University. The Musicians from Marlboro.
Saturday, January 17, 20206. Metropolitan United Church,. London Symphonia, Lara St. John, violin.
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 7:30 P.M. Graeme Lord, clarinet, London Symphonia String Quartet, Tom Allen, commentator.
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See our concert listings on the right for more good music in the London area.
We encourage you to tell your friends to follow us at serenatamusic.com. They can receive our email notices if they send us a note to serenatamusic@gmail.com or call us at 519-852 8332.
********************
The Serenata Music schedule for 2025-26 is as follows:
Saturday, October 4, 2025. 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church,
London Symphonia, Mozart, Ravel, and beyond. David Jalbert, piano.
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Friday, November 14, 2025, 12:30 P.M., von Kuster Hall, Western University, The Muisicians from Marlboro.
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Saturday, January 17, 2026, 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church. London Symphonia, The Ancient Flame. Lara St. John, violin.
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Saturday, April 18, 2026. 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church. London Symphonia. The Brahms Effect with Tom Allen, narrator, Graham Lord, clarinet.
*************************************
Please contact us if you are not on our mailing list at serenatamusic@gmail.com or 519-433-8332.
For tickets to all Serenata Music concerts scroll down.
Like us on Facebook: Serenata Music; or Twitter: @serenataconcerts.
Serenata Music concerts are at the von Kuster Hall, Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western.
London Symphonia Concerts are at the Metropolitan United Church, 468 Wellington St., London.
Other performances are at the Wolf Performance Hall, London Public Library, 251 Dundas St.
*********************
Tickets Are Available From
London Symphonia-Serenata Music Concerts
London Symphonia box office.
https://londonsymphonia.ticketspice.com/; contact@londonsymphonia.ca or call 226. 270. 0910
The final London Symphonia concert with Tanya Miller conducting, not only gave us a world premiere of Alexis Marsh s flute concerto with Laura Chambers, flute , but also a stirring rendition of Shostakovich s Chamber Symphony. Beethoven s 7th symphony proved to the audience that our local symphonia can do justice to this venerable music.
SERENATA MUSIC PROGRAM 2025-26
Saturday, October 4, 2025 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church, London Symphonia,
David Jalbert, piano.
Friday, November 14, 2025, 12:30 P.M. von Kuster Hall, Western University. The Musicians from Marlboro.
Saturday, January 17, 20206. Metropolitan United Church,. London Symphonia, Lara St. John, violin.
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 7:30 P.M. Graeme Lord, clarinet, London Symphonia String Quartet, Tom Allen, commentator.
********************
See our concert listings on the right for more good music in the London area.
We encourage you to tell your friends to follow us at serenatamusic.com. They can receive our email notices if they send us a note to serenatamusic@gmail.com or call us at 519-852 8332.
********************
The Serenata Music schedule for 2025-26 is as follows:
Saturday, October 4, 2025. 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church,
London Symphonia, Mozart, Ravel, and beyond. David Jalbert, piano.
******************
Friday, November 14, 2025, 12:30 P.M., von Kuster Hall, Western University, The Muisicians from Marlboro.
******************
Saturday, January 17, 2026, 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church. London Symphonia, The Ancient Flame. Lara St. John, violin.
*******************
Saturday, April 18, 2026. 7:30 P.M. Metropolitan United Church. London Symphonia. The Brahms Effect with Tom Allen, narrator, Graham Lord, clarinet.
*************************************
Please contact us if you are not on our mailing list at serenatamusic@gmail.com or 519-433-8332.
For tickets to all Serenata Music concerts scroll down.
Like us on Facebook: Serenata Music; or Twitter: @serenataconcerts.
Serenata Music concerts are at the von Kuster Hall, Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western.
London Symphonia Concerts are at the Metropolitan United Church, 468 Wellington St., London.
Other performances are at the Wolf Performance Hall, London Public Library, 251 Dundas St.
*********************
Tickets Are Available From
London Symphonia-Serenata Music Concerts
London Symphonia box office.
https://londonsymphonia.ticketspice.com/; contact@londonsymphonia.ca or call 226. 270. 0910
Tickets Are Available From
London Symphonia-Serenata Music Concerts
London Symphonia box office.
https://londonsymphonia.ticketspice.com/; contact@londonsymphonia.ca or call 226. 270. 0910
https://londonsymphonia.ticketspice.com/; contact@londonsymphonia.ca or call 226. 270. 0910
Mailing list
If you would like to be added to our email list please go to the contact page and send an email with your name and email address.
Group rates for Music Teachers and students are available by contacting Serenata Music by email or telephone (519) 433-8332
Biographies
Mariko Furukawa
Pianist
Japanese pianist Mariko Furukawa was born in 1982, began her studies of the piano at the age of five and graduated high school from the Toho Conservatory. While studying in Japan, Mariko won the First prize twice at Piano Teachers National Association Competition (PTNA) in Japan both at the age of twelve and sixteen, resulting in an invitation to perform in Salt Lake City. In 1998 she was First Prize winner in the All Japan Studentâs Piano Competition.
Since Mariko has moved to the states in 2001, she won numerous awards include the Grand Prize at the annual Mannes Concerto Competition, resulting in a performance of with the Mannes Orchestra conducted in Lincoln Center, Grand Prix for excellence in piano performance at the summer festival at American Conservatory in Fontainebleau (France) in 2003, Third Prize at The Chopin competition in Asia which sent her as a delegate to the International Chopin Competition 2005 in Poland, and her recent achievement is the First Prize at Dorothey MacKenzie Prize (NY), and Third Prize at Porto International Piano Competition (Portugal) in fall of 2006. She was also a finalist at the Kosciusko Foundation Chopin Competition in New York in 2003.
In 2004 her performance of Chopin was broadcast on the Radio as part of the âYoung Artist Showcaseâ at WQXR. Mariko is an active chamber musician as well and she won the Mannes Chamber Music Competition in 2004, resulting in a performance with the Orion String Quartet. She has performed at numerous major halls throughout New York and Japan which include Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, United Nations, Steinway Salon, Yamaha Salon, Union Club, Goethe Institute, German consulate, French Consulate. She also appeared in master classes given by Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Vladimir Krainev, Richard Goode, Cyprien Katsaris, Idil Bilet, Philippe Entremont, Dmitri Bashkirov, Ewa Poblocka.
Since she came to New York. Mariko studied in The Juilliard School and The Mannes College of Music where her major teacher was Jerome Rose and Jacob Lateiner. Her major teachers include Yoriko Takahashi, Koji Shimoda.
Since Mariko has moved to the states in 2001, she won numerous awards include the Grand Prize at the annual Mannes Concerto Competition, resulting in a performance of with the Mannes Orchestra conducted in Lincoln Center, Grand Prix for excellence in piano performance at the summer festival at American Conservatory in Fontainebleau (France) in 2003, Third Prize at The Chopin competition in Asia which sent her as a delegate to the International Chopin Competition 2005 in Poland, and her recent achievement is the First Prize at Dorothey MacKenzie Prize (NY), and Third Prize at Porto International Piano Competition (Portugal) in fall of 2006. She was also a finalist at the Kosciusko Foundation Chopin Competition in New York in 2003.
In 2004 her performance of Chopin was broadcast on the Radio as part of the âYoung Artist Showcaseâ at WQXR. Mariko is an active chamber musician as well and she won the Mannes Chamber Music Competition in 2004, resulting in a performance with the Orion String Quartet. She has performed at numerous major halls throughout New York and Japan which include Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, United Nations, Steinway Salon, Yamaha Salon, Union Club, Goethe Institute, German consulate, French Consulate. She also appeared in master classes given by Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Vladimir Krainev, Richard Goode, Cyprien Katsaris, Idil Bilet, Philippe Entremont, Dmitri Bashkirov, Ewa Poblocka.
Since she came to New York. Mariko studied in The Juilliard School and The Mannes College of Music where her major teacher was Jerome Rose and Jacob Lateiner. Her major teachers include Yoriko Takahashi, Koji Shimoda.