Michael Stimpson, Composer

Tales from the 15th Floor

An exciting newly formed duo gave the World Première performance of Tales from the 15th Floor for cello and piano in Italy in 2003 (Sept 7th Ascoli/ Sept 8th Grottammare). Bridget MacRae (Principal cellist of the Munich Chamber Orchestra) and Roberto Russo - one of Italy's finest young pianists performed the piece which is the resulting work of an astonishing series of events in the composer's life back in 1977:

"In 1977 a rare virus left me totally paralysed. The virus then attacked the internal organs and I began a spell of some four months, mostly unconscious, in intensive care. For much of the time I experienced quite horrific hallucinations and for some odd reason in many of them Frank Sinatra was trying to kill me. So in the third movement of this piece I have made brief reference to one of his most famous songs, New York, New York. But in my waking moments there were a number of loving and even amusing moments and all contribute to this musical account of time on the 15th floor of the hospital." - MS

Bridget MacRae
Canadian cellist Bridget MacRae first gained national attention at age 13, performing with the Victoria Symphony for the CBC. Her eloquent playing as a soloist and chamber musician has since captivated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic- at international festivals such as Casals, Prague Spring, Rheingau and Prussia Cove, in major venues such as Wigmore Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Berlin Philharmonie, and broadcast by the CBC, BBC3 and Deutschland Radio Berlin.

Bridget began her studies with James Hunter at the Victoria Conservatory, continuing with Aldo Parisot, Joel Krosnick and Xenia Jankovic. She has participated in masterclasses of eminent cellists such as Janos Starker, William Pleeth, Ralph Kirshbaum and YoYo Ma, and in chamber music coachings with the Tokyo and Juilliard Quartets, Eugene Lehner, Menahem Pressler and Gabor Takacs.

Bridget is the newly appointed principal cellist of the Munich Chamber Orchestra. She is also cellist of the ensemble Conchord, which recently gave its Wigmore Hall debut and released two CDs for ASV/ Black Box. She was cellist of the internationally renowned Schidlof Quartet in the UK and solo cellist of Les Violons du Roy in Quebec. Recent engagements include a recital for the Deutsche Schubert Gesellschaft, performances at Bargemusic in New York, and concerts with the Vogler Quartet. Bridget made her London solo debut in 2002 at the South Bank Centre.

Bridget was a prize winner at the Canadian Music Competition and the Montreal Debut Competition. She was the winner of the Samuel Mayes Cello Prize at Tanglewood, the recipient of numerous grants from the Canada Council and the Vancouver Foundation and awarded the 'City of Victoria Prize' by the McPherson Foundation.

Roberto Russo

Italian pianist Roberto Russo began studying the piano under his father (himself an accomplished pianist from Alfonso Rendano's School) later graduating with an honourable mention from the Cosenza Music Academy in Italy under Giuseppe Maiorca. From there he continued his formal training in Florence with Daniel Rivera, with Franco Scala and with Maria Tipo where he obtained the Diplôme de perfectionnement from the Conservatoire Supérieur.

Roberto's solo performances, chamber music recitals and work with orchestra have taken him across Europe and the Americas playing for international festivals and concert associations where he has been widely acclaimed by audiences and critics alike. He has collaborated with both Argentine and Italian national radio and television (in 13 documentary shows on the life and works of Puccini and Debussy). He was appointed artistic director of the Franz Liszt Prize Piano Competition which is held in Grottammare, Italy where he has also been director of the international concert season over the last three years.