Enjoy an outstanding candlelit concert in the splendour of St Mary le Strand and experience a captivating evening of Cello music by Frédéric Chopin, performed by acclaimed cellist Kirsten Jenson and leading concert pianist Warren Mailley-Smith. Nestled in the heart of London, this exquisite Baroque church—rich in history and architectural grandeur—provides the perfect backdrop for an evening of passion, lyricism, and Romantic brilliance.

Chopin’s chamber works and piano masterpieces reveal the full expressive range of the Romantic spirit. The sparkling Introduction and Polonaise Brillante in C major opens the programme with grandeur and virtuosic flair, blending operatic elegance with dazzling interplay between cello and piano. The deeply expressive Sonata for Cello in G minor, one of Chopin’s final major works, unfolds with profound lyricism and dramatic intensity, showcasing an intimate musical dialogue between the two instruments. The programme concludes with the heroic and impassioned Ballade No. 1, a cornerstone of the piano repertoire, performed here in its original solo piano form—an electrifying display of poetic storytelling and technical brilliance.

Guests will also be treated to a complimentary Limocelllo on arrival should they wish.

Featuring

Kirsten Jenson (cello)

Warren Mailley-Smith (piano)

Programme

Chopin - Introduction and Polonaise Brillante in C major

Chopin - Sonata for Cello in G minor

Chopin - Ballade No.1

About the artists

Kirsten Jenson  is an award-winning cellist with an international career spanning solo, chamber, and cross-genre performances. She made her solo debut performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra while studying under the esteemed cellist and pedagogue Johannes Goritzki. Since then, she has cultivated a dynamic freelance career, with a particular passion for chamber music. Following her advanced studies in Switzerland, Kirsten joined the acclaimed Ragazze Quartet in the Netherlands. With the ensemble, she recorded several albums for Channel Classics, and performed regularly on live television and radio, as well as at prestigious venues including the Royal Concertgebouw.

Warren Mailley-Smith is one of the UK’s most accomplished and in-demand concert pianists, performing over 150 times each year. In 2016, he became the first British pianist to perform the complete solo piano works of Chopin from memory in a landmark series of 11 recitals at St John’s Smith Square, an achievement hailed by critics as “epic.” He is set to repeat the acclaimed series in venues across the UK in the coming seasons. Warren has given solo recitals at prestigious venues including Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, and has performed for the British Royal Family on numerous occasions. A passionate chamber musician, he is the Artistic Director of the Piccadilly Chamber Music Series and Founder and Artistic Director of The Piccadilly Sinfonietta.

Description supplied by the event organiser.