Philip Higham
cello
The first British cellist in generations to win top prizes at three major international competitions, Philip Higham has established himself as one of the most prominent young cellists in the UK. He performs the first two solo cello suites by Bach, and Benjamin Britten’s Cello Suite No. 2, Op. 80.
Artist Images
Program
The first British cellist in generations to win top prizes at three major international competitions, Philip Higham has established himself as one of the most prominent young cellists in the UK. Praised for his insight into Bach‘s magnificent solo cello suites, Higham performs Suites No. 1 and No. 2. Fresh from recording the complete cello suites of Benjamin Britten in Italy in 2013, Higham also performs Britten‘s Suite No. 2, Op. 80.
J.S. Bach (1685–1750)
Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007
Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)
Cello Suite No. 2, Op. 80
Intermission
J.S. Bach
Cello Suite No.2 in D minor, BWV 1008
About the Artist
Philip Higham is rapidly emerging as one of the most prominent young cellists from the UK. In 2010 he won 2nd prize in the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann Competition in Berlin, making him the first British cellist in generations to have won top prizes at three major international competitions, including 1st Prize in the 2008 Bach Leipzig and 2009 Lutoslawski Competitions.
He was selected for representation by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) in 2009. This fall Higham makes his debut with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Vienna Chamber Orchestra and appears at the Festspiele Mecklenburg Vorpommern and Muensterland Festivals in Germany and Grachten Festival in Amsterdam. He returns to Wigmore Hall, and Bridgewater Hall, and performs the Dvorák Concerto at Cadogan Hall. He will also appear with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra conducted by Garry Walker.
Over the last year Philip has performed the complete Bach Cello Suites at the Lammermuir Festival and Perth Concert Hall to critical acclaim, and taken part in the IMS Prussia Cove Ensemble tour and given a series of performances of concertos by Haydn and Schumann with Sinfonia Cymru. His debut recording for Sonimage featuring works by Debussy, Fauré, Britten and Bridge is due for release later this year.
Since 2009 Higham has given recitals at major festivals and venues throughout Europe including Lake Maggiore (Italy), the Bachwoche in Ansbach, Leipzig BachFest, the Gioventù Musicale d’Italia, Victoria Arts Festival in Malta, Manchester International Cello Festival, City Halls Glasgow, Spitalfields, Brighton and Lake District Summer Music Festivals. He has appeared as soloist with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Camera Di Caserta in the Autunno Musicale Festival in Naples, the Kammerakademie Potsdam and Mendelssohn Kammerorchester in Leipzig, and performed Finzi’s Concerto to critical acclaim at St. John’s Smith Square in London.
Born in Edinburgh in 1985, Higham studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Emma Ferrand and Ralph Kirshbaum. He graduated in 2007 with first-class honors and was immediately selected as an international artist diploma student.In 2010 he was one of the first artists invited to take part in the Royal Philharmonic Society/YCAT Philip Langridge mentoring scheme with Steven Isserlis.
Higham currently plays a fine Tecchler cello (c. 1730).