Cello-piano recital to celebrate Albania’s national day on 28 November

The Belgium Cello Society (BSC) stages a cello-piano recital by two virtuoso musicians in a special Albanian programme at ULB Solbosch in Brussels on 28 November.

It marks Albania’s national holiday, which celebrates the Balkan country’s independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912.

For the occasion, principal cellist of the Belgian National Orchestra, Olsi Leka, joins forces with duo partner, pianist Elodie Vignon.

Born in Tirana, Albania, Leka studied at the Royal conservatory of Brussels. As well as his orchestral appearances, he performs in chamber music ensembles, recitals and as a soloist.

Leka is a cello professor at the music conservatories of Antwerp and Brussels. Regularly invited for cello masterclasses in Belgium and around Europe, he also enjoys a successful recording career.

For his upcoming recital in Brussels, the cellist is accompanied by pianist Elodie Vignon. The  Belgium-based French musician is a fellow alumni of the Brussels music conservatory and also an acclaimed recording artist.

On the duo’s programme are three works by Albanian composers Aleksander Peçi and Rauf Dhomi that are fine examples of the sonorities of the country’s traditional music. They include Peçi’s Barokjare for cello and piano and 3 Valle for cello and piano, and Dhomi’s Rondo for cello and piano.

The pair also perform a work by the great Belgian composer Joseph Jongen. In 1912, the same year as Albania’s independence, he wrote his sonata op 34 for cello and piano in England while fleeing the Great War.

A contemporary of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy, and influenced in his 'language' by the 'French school', Jongen left Belgium a considerable musical heritage. This season, the BCS celebrates the 150th anniversary of his birth.

Led by cellist and artistic director Han Bin Yoon, the society promotes and supports cello playing in Belgium. It is currently staging a series of autumn/winter recitals at ULB and Flagey. Tickets for the concert on 28 November are priced between €9 and €18.

Recital by Olsi Leka & Elodie Vignon  
28 November, 19.30-20.30
Salle Dupréel, ULB Solbosch
Avenue Jeanne 44
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