CELLO AND PIANO CLASSICS

Emily Brockett(cello) and Karolina Kubálkova(piano)
 
Sunday 17th August 2025,2.00 pm
St. Michael's Parish Church, Linithgow

 This event is part of Linlithgow Arts Guild's "Summer Concert Series" featuring current and recent former students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.


TICKETS:
Entry to our summer soncerts is free of charge, but we will invite donations at the door. Tickets for this event are available at the link below.

                      Ludwig van Beethoven: Cello Sonata no. 3 in A major (Opus 69)

 Beethoven’s third cello sonata is a staple and masterpiece of classical music, showcasing perfect harmony between piano and cello. This work was composed in 1807-1808 in Vienna, the sonata embodies Beethoven's middle period style – lyrical melodies, dramatic contrasts, and virtuosic dialogue between instruments. The four movements take listeners on a journey from serene beauty to exuberant joy.
 

                                                   Sergei Rachmaninoff: Préludes for piano (no. 6 & no. 1)

In 1903, Rachmaninoff composed the Op. 23 Preludes while working as a conductor at the Bolshoi Theatre and enjoying growing success as both pianist and composer after the triumph of his Second Piano Concerto. These Preludes reflect his deep affinity for Russian liturgical music, Romantic lyricism, and his love of wide, sonorous piano textures — all composed just before the turbulence of the 1905 Russian Revolution. This afternoon features two contrasting examples: No. 6 in E-flat major, an introspective, dreamlike meditation, and No. 1 in B-flat major, a bold and majestic opening statement.
 

                                            Debussy: Cello Sonata in D minor

Composed in 1915, this sonata paints a musical picture and story of the Pierrot Lunaire; a solitude clown who wanders the streets of Paris at night, with his love unrequited. The intricate magical colours produced by the soothing timbre of both the cello and piano makes it a landmark of impressionist chamber music. It invites the listener to imagine the Pierrot Lunaire’s complex swing of emotions—from sorrow to desolation.
 

                                               Gabriel Fauré: Après un Rêve

Fauré's exquisite "Après un Rêve" (After a Dream) is a gentle, evocative piece for cello and piano, composed in 1877.
 

The Performers

Emily Brockett, age 21, is a Glasgow-born cellist who has just completed her studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in July. During her time there, she has studied with the Associate Principal Cellist of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Betsy Taylor. A former student of the Junior Conservatoire, Emily received both the Dame Colette Bowe Award and the Sam Hutchings Prize in recognition of her musical promise and dedication.
She has performed widely throughout the UK and Japan, with appearances alongside the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the GRIT Orchestra, and the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and Great Britain. She also recently appeared as a soloist at Bothwell Parish Church and took part in the “Variations” chamber course in Ullapool, performing with members of the Edinburgh Quartet.
Emily has participated in masterclasses with internationally renowned artists including David Watkin, Pei-Jee Ng, Pedro de Alcantara, Joona Pulkkinen, and Mark Bailey—experiences that have been deeply formative in her musical development.
Beyond the concert stage, Emily shares her creative voice through a growing YouTube channel, where she arranges and performs original material and reimagined works on both acoustic and electric cello. Her work reflects a keen interest in exploring new ways to connect with audiences and expand the possibilities of her instrument.

Karolína Kubálkova    Award winning pianist Karolina, has delighted audiences all over the world. She is an awarded concert pianist and daughter of internationally celebrated, Juno awarded Czech pianist Antonin Kubalek. She is alumna of the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Prague Academy of Music, and the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto. Karolina currently makes Glasgow her home and contributes proudly to the UK music community, serving not only as a solo and collaborative artist but also as the artistic founder and curator of the new concert series "Music in the Mearns". Her exceptional talent garners international acclaim.
Karolína’s memorable Prague Spring debut in 2009 left a lasting impression on audiences and critics alike, as recognized in Hudebni Rozhledy - national Czech music magazine. Karolina has received coaching from world renowned performers including Menahem Pressler, Boris Berman, and Ian Fountain.
 Karolina's illustrious career has graced stages across Europe and beyond, including Germany, Croatia, Hungary, China, England, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Jordan, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Portugal, and The Netherlands. Notably, she has performed concertos by Beethoven and Mozart with prestigious orchestras like the Toronto Concert Orchestra under the baton of the late Kerry Stratton and Symphony in the Barn in Ontario, Canada under the baton of Irish conductor Kevin Mallon in 2021.
Karolina has appeared twice during the Edinburgh International Festival solo recitals in 2024, and this coming season she will be performing again as a soloist in St Giles’ in Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Pianodrome and once again in St Mary’s Cathedral with programmes featuring Rachmaninov, Glass, Mozart, Chopin, and Scottish inspired music.
In 2025, Karolina is touring Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 20 in d minor with an RCS Chamber ensemble around Scotland, and was featured on BBC Radio Scotland ‘ Classical Now ‘ discussing her work curating Music In the Mearns and her upcoming performances, where they aired her own White Label recording of Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C minor.