St Mary le Strand Church, London | 28 March 2025

Chamber Soloists in Spring — A Portrait of Collective Creativity

On 28 March 2025, Pavilion Ensemble returned to the stage at St Mary le Strand Church with Chamber Soloists in Spring, a concert that marked both a renewal of artistic energy and a deepening of the ensemble’s mission: to bring diverse voices and contemporary perspectives into dialogue through chamber music.

Curated and directed by conductor Yajie Ye, the programme featured music from across time and geography—including the world premieres of A Butterfly’s Dream by Ray Lin and Nostalgia of Lingnan by Litang Shao. Both works seamlessly blended Chinese traditional instrumentation (notably the guzheng, performed by Mengdie Ji) with modern chamber idioms, and were performed by a thoughtfully assembled ensemble under Ye’s expressive direction.

Alongside these premieres, the concert offered a series of intimate duo works that showcased the ensemble’s sensitivity to chamber interaction. In Michele Deiana’s Glint, cellist Szymon Pawlas and pianist Yajie Ye created shimmering textures and layered resonance, while Wilfried Westerlinck’s Corso—featuring Desislava Dimitrova-Pawlas (flute) and Szymon Pawlas (cello)—brought elegance and fluidity to a three-movement musical landscape.

Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire formed the dramatic centrepiece of the programme. Under Ye’s steady hand, soprano Emily Wishart delivered a captivating performance of this surrealist masterwork, supported by an ensemble of flute, clarinet, cello, and piano that balanced precision with expressive risk-taking.

Other programme highlights included the whimsical colour of Jenni Brandon’s Cacophony, performed by Joy Boole (clarinet), Schubert’s Impromptu Op. 90 No. 2, delivered with warmth by Michelle Kwan (piano), and the bold textures of Nicolas Martynciow’s Impressions, played with rhythmic clarity by Bryony Che (percussion). Thea Musgrave’s Songs for a Winter’s Evening added lyricism and emotional depth to the recital, closing with a moving interpretation of Ye Banks and Braes by Wishart and Kwan.

What resonated most deeply throughout the performance was not only the calibre of each individual performance, but the spirit of collaboration that defined every rehearsal and musical encounter. Whether in tightly choreographed ensemble sections or open musical conversations between duos, the Pavilion Ensemble brought a sense of listening and mutual respect that lies at the heart of chamber music.

We are grateful for the generous support from Ninesongs, King’s College London and St Mary le Strand Church (with London School of Economics), as well as the warm and welcoming audience who joined us for both the concert and the post-event discussion at Bush House.

As we reflect on this concert, we’re reminded of the importance of listening—to each other, to new ideas, and to the moments that unfold when artists come together with openness and purpose.