PH Concert Series: Autumn Romance

Autumn Romance Alice Van Leuven - violin Işıl Bengi - piano

programme Bedřich Smetana: From the Homeland I. Moderato (A major) II. Andantino (G minor, 229 bars)

Leoš Janáček: Sonata for Violin and Piano I. Con moto II. Ballada III. Allegretto IV. Adagio

Antonín Dvořák: Romance in F minor, Op. 11, (B. 39)

Josef Suk: Four pieces for violin and piano op. 17 I. Quasi ballata II. Appassionato III. Un poco triste IV. Burleska

Alice Van Leuven is a sought after violinist currently based in Brussels. She graduated from the Universität der Künste in Berlin where she studied in the violin class of Mark Gothoni and in the chamber music class of the Artemis Quartet. Before that she studied at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel with Philippe Graffin. She feels particularly grateful to the teachers Alain Meulemans and Erik Sluys who accompanied her from her first steps with the violin to the conservatory. Throughout her studies, Alice also worked with many renowned teachers during masterclasses and festivals: Les Rencontres Musicales Internationales d’Enghien with Philippe Graffin, Priya Mitchell, Amy Norrington, David Waterman and Miriam Fried, IMS Prussia Cove (England) with Andras Keller, Bartok Seminar in Szombathely (Hungary) with Barnabas Kelemen, Savonlinna Music Academy (Finland) with Mark Gothoni, the Festival Resonances with Antje Weithaas and Yellow Barn with Donald Weilerstein and members of the Doric and Belcea String Quartet. Despite her young age, Alice appeared already on several renowned international chamber music festivals.

Turkish/Belgian pianist and actress Işıl Bengi was born in Istanbul where she gave her first concerts and won first price at several national piano competitions. At the age of 12 she was selected as a soloist by the Turkish government to play in the same concert as the legendary pianist Idil Biret. At the age of 16, she received a scholarship from the Dr. Nejat F. Eczacıbaşı Foundation to deepen her musical education in Belgium with renowned piano teachers Evgeny Moguilevsky, Piet Kuijken and Alexandar Madzar, as well as chamber music courses, with Muhiddin Dürrüoglu at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels where she obtained her Master diploma. Moreover, Işıl Bengi went on to follow master classes worldwide with renowned artists and she has been very active in various chamber music projects. In March 2019 she recorded an album called Belgian Romantic Works for Cello and Piano with the Belgian cellist Paul Heyman on Et’cetera Records. Işıl Bengi recorded her third solo album Agni Kunda in August 2022 in Studio 4 in Flagey. Her concert activities includes solo recitals as well as chamber music in various music halls in England, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Turkey, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, Japan, including venues such as Bozar, Flagey, Bijloke, Palais des Beaux-Arts of Charleroi, Miry Hall, Amuz, Wigmore Hall, Radio Suisse Romande...