Toad Lane Concerts: Alessandro-Emilio Pacik violin & Hector Leung piano

Pianist Hector Leung and violinist Alessandro-Emilio Pacik

The audience at St Mary's was enthralled by a brilliant recital from violinist Alessandro-Emilio Pacik on Wednesday 26 January. Born in Leipzig, he has been living in the UK for 12 years and is the fourth-generation violinist in his family. He engages in many orchestra projects at the RNCM and last year gained High Commendation for his third year recital.

He was skilfully partnered by prize-winning pianist Hector Leung who gained both his master’s degree and FRSM diploma with distinction and was latterly Junior Fellow in Accompaniment at the RNCM.

A sublime Sarabande from the Unaccompanied Violin Partita in D Minor by JS Bach was followed by a delightfully fluent Violin Sonata K. 301 by Mozart, played with graceful elegance and commendable phrasing.

The pièce de résistance was, however, a compelling performance of arguably the most popular violin concerto of all, No. 1 in G minor Op 26 by Bruch. Alessandro had previously performed this with orchestral backing at Sheffield City Hall. His interpretation exuded profound melancholy and dramatic urgency as well as lyrical poignancy. Hector supplied the orchestral reduction with aplomb and enthusiasm.

Gershwin’s ‘It Ain't Necessarily So’ with shades of Stéphane Grappelli was an excellent encore to round off a notable performance from these two gifted rising stars.

The first week of 2022 featured a professional violin duo standing in for a pianist struck down by Covid. The second week had violin and cello in a piano trio. Then the third week we had a solo violinist. This is the way programming happens sometimes and certainly there were no complaints with this excellent playing. Next month’s singers, pianist and harpist will continue the excellence and artistry whilst broadening the variety.

The award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. No refreshments available at the moment, but the venue is Covid-19 compliant. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

To see the February 2022 programme, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson