Welcoming Acclaimed Pianist Alison Gill

We are thrilled that pianist Alison Gill will be joining us as a guest performer in our upcoming concert, Deep in the Night: Music for Choir, Soprano and Piano on 1st October. A pianist of great elegance and virtuosity, Alison is an extremely popular performer and we are privileged that she has been able to include us in her busy schedule and delighted to welcome her to St James' and St Basil's in Fenham.

Alison is a graduate of the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, specialising as an accompanist and répétiteur. Whilst at RAM she made her Wigmore Hall debut which was filmed for Channel 4. She was also chosen as one of only ten pianists to perform alongside esteemed composers Michael Nyman and Gavin Bryars in Erik Satie's challenging 19-hour work, Vexations, held at the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern in London.

Now based in North Yorkshire, Alison has become a coveted accompanist and soloist across the North East region and beyond, collaborating with the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the Jervaulx Singers and as an accompanist in residence for Leeds Conservatoire, Durham University, Samling and for the BBC Proms, held at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead.

Picture: Andrej Grilc

Alison also serves as the European accompanist in residence for the Berkshire Choral International summer courses and has performed with them, both as accompanist and soloist, in prestigious venues across Europe including UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palau de La Música Catalana in Barcelona; the Teatro Verdi in Florence; and Vienna's Musikverein and just this past summer, she joined them for their residency in Berlin.

For Deep in the Night Alison has chosen to perform two pieces by American composer and pianist, Amy Beach (1867-1944): In Autumn and Dreaming, both taken from her Four Sketches for solo piano (1892) and which Alison felt would fit well with the theme of this particular concert which is inspired by themes of nature and conservation.

"Amy Beach was only 15 years old when she wrote her Four Sketches which is a highly programmatic collection of piano pieces inspired by nature and poetry," explains Alison. "I've chosen to play two of the four works, 'In Autumn' and 'Dreaming' because they contrast so wonderfully. Amy's playful youth, crunching yellowing leaves underfoot in a crisp breeze is beautifully captured 'In Autumn' whilst, in contrast, there's great emotional depth and longing in the forever shifting harmonies of 'Dreaming'. I hope the audience will enjoy listening to both pieces as much as I enjoy playing them."

In addition to her solo performance, Alison will also accompany guest soprano soloist Hannah Fumoleau in a selection of arias and songs by Purcell, Handel, Dvorák and Rebecca Clarke.

DEEP IN THE NIGHT: Music for Choir, Soprano and Piano

Wednesday 1st October 2025 at 7.30pm

St James’ and St Basil’s Church, Fenham Hall Drive, Fenham, Newcastle NE4 9EJ

Tickets are £12 for adults, free for under 18s and are available from: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/sdfchoralevents/1828605