Sergio Simon Alvarez and Pei-chun Liao

Birmingham Conservatoire, YMF, March 2003

Sergio Simon Alvarez was born in Salamanca, Sapin and graduated with Honours from the Conservatorio Superior de Musica de Salamanca. During this period, he was principal oboe of the college symphony orchestra, working with, among others, the conductors Lutz Kohler and James Ross. From 1999 to 2001, he belonged to the Orquestra Academica de Valencia, playing as a soloist under the conductor Joan Enric Lluna.

In December 2000, he joined the Concert Symphony Orchestra in Munich, Germany and recorded a CD of pieces by Mahler, Stravinsky and the Spanish composer Jose Luis Turina.

He has attended courses and masterclasses with Fermin Clemente Bo, Eduardo Martinez Caballer, François Leleux and Emanuel Abbuhl, has taught at the Conservatorio Profesional de Musica de Avila, and at the Conservatorio Profesional de Musica de Zamora and now teaches at the Bedstone International Summer Youth Orchestral Camp in Shropshire.

Sergio is currently studying at Birmingham Conservatoire with the teachers Richard Weigall and George Caird and performs with the Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra as well as working on the chamber music repertoire with the pianist Pei-Chun Liao.

Pei-chun Liao is one of the most active young musicians in Taiwan. She studied under Tai-Cheng Chen and Boris Lvov during her education at the National Institute of Arts, Taiwan, and in 1999 she gave her solo debut at the National Recital Hall.

She has been a regular participant in masterclasses given by Leon Fleisher, Alexander Nasedkin, Wikto Miesanow, Pi-Shien Chen and Fu Tzong. Other recent successes in competitions include the Beryl Chempin Beethoven Prize, the Birmingham Conservatoire Piano Prize and the Symphony Hall Recital Prize. In Taiwan, she won the Young Artist (1999) Competition and third prize in the Taipei International Chopin Competition (1995).

Pei-chun is currently studying for the Diploma of Professional Studies at Birmingham Conservatoire with Malcolm Wilson, Head of the School of Keyboard Studies and the Irish pianist and composer Philip Martin. In 2002, she gave two recitals and was soloist in a Mozart piano concert with the Birmingham Conservatoire Sinfonia conducted by Peter Donohoe.

Forthcoming engagements this year include a solo recital in Birmingham Symphony Hall.

Programme details | Pictures from 2003