Pianist Profiles
| JENNIFER MICALLEF & GLEN INANGA (UK) |
| Jennifer Micallef and Glen Inanga have been collaborating since 1994 when they began their studies with Aaron Shorr and Martin Roscoe at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Their binding chemistry was obvious from the outset, and three years later critics were already describing them as "an exceptionally gifted team in terms of ensemble, nuance, sensitivity, elan and musical intelligence". |
In 1995, the duo won the International Schubert Piano Duo Competition, Czech Republic and was invited to return as jury members the following year, also giving recitals in Brno, Ostrava and other major cities. In 1996, they were awarded the RTZ-CRA Ensemble Prize at the Royal Over-Seas League Competition, London. Success continued in later years with major prizes at international piano duo competitions – the ARD in Munich and Murray Dranoff in Miami – the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition & Festa, Japan, and awards granted by the Eric Falk and John Tunnell Trusts and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust Recital Scheme. Since a highly acclaimed South Bank debut in the Park Lane Group Young Artists Series, and concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Wigmore Hall, numerous recital and concerto engagements have taken the duo throughout Europe, USA and Canada and Japan. Overseas tours under the auspices of the British Council have included a visit to Bulgaria to give concerts in Sofia and Plovdiv, the latter as part of the European Cultural Capital celebrations in 1999. The duo have appeared as soloists with orchestras at home and abroad, including BT Scottish Ensemble, Bournemouth Symphony, Bayerische Rundfunk, New Bulgarian Symphony, Brno Philharmonic, and I Pomeriggi Musicali.
In February 2004, the Micallef-Inanga Piano Duo as Artistic Directors successfully launched the first Cayman Arts Festival in the Cayman Islands. The duo has also given live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, Czech and Bulgarian National Television. Their appearance in Radio 3's Russian Roulette series in 2001 led to an invitation to perform in the American Expressions series in Autumn 2002, the Spanish Rhythms series in Spring 2004 as well as the Bohemian Rhapsody series in Autumn 2004. The duo's recording of the complete music for two pianos of Ravel on the SOMM label was met with great critical acclaim in April 2002 and their latest disc, Robin Holloway's Gilded Goldbergs, on the Hyperion label, was selected as the Sunday Times 'Disc of the Week' and Record of the Month (February 2003), Editor's Choice, Gramophone Magazine. Central to their career has been the opportunity to work with other artists, over the years the Duo have worked with the Harlem Gospel Choir, the Bach Choir, BackBeat Percussion Ensemble, the Kirov and Royal National Ballet.
In July 2006, they made their BBC Proms debut in two performances at the Royal Albert Hall with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. In October 2006, the duo has been asked to work on a special celebrity performance of The Carnival of the Animals in Stratford-upon-Avon. Jennifer and Glen are passionate about music education and regularly lead active learning programs, workshops and master classes in the UK and abroad. Other plans for the 2006/2007 season include another recording on the Hyperion label as well as concerts in Hong Kong, Singapore, United States and United Kingdom.
In February 2004, the Micallef-Inanga Piano Duo as Artistic Directors successfully launched the first Cayman Arts Festival in the Cayman Islands. The duo has also given live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, Czech and Bulgarian National Television. Their appearance in Radio 3's Russian Roulette series in 2001 led to an invitation to perform in the American Expressions series in Autumn 2002, the Spanish Rhythms series in Spring 2004 as well as the Bohemian Rhapsody series in Autumn 2004. The duo's recording of the complete music for two pianos of Ravel on the SOMM label was met with great critical acclaim in April 2002 and their latest disc, Robin Holloway's Gilded Goldbergs, on the Hyperion label, was selected as the Sunday Times 'Disc of the Week' and Record of the Month (February 2003), Editor's Choice, Gramophone Magazine. Central to their career has been the opportunity to work with other artists, over the years the Duo have worked with the Harlem Gospel Choir, the Bach Choir, BackBeat Percussion Ensemble, the Kirov and Royal National Ballet.
In July 2006, they made their BBC Proms debut in two performances at the Royal Albert Hall with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. In October 2006, the duo has been asked to work on a special celebrity performance of The Carnival of the Animals in Stratford-upon-Avon. Jennifer and Glen are passionate about music education and regularly lead active learning programs, workshops and master classes in the UK and abroad. Other plans for the 2006/2007 season include another recording on the Hyperion label as well as concerts in Hong Kong, Singapore, United States and United Kingdom.