Violin & Piano Recital

Violinist Gulzara Shakir and pianist Emma Gilljam Tillu bring an evening of remarkable breadth to Abbey 301, drawing together four centuries of music in one intimate programme.

The bookends of the programme are Mozart's poignant Sonata in E minor, one of his few works in a minor key which carries an unusual emotional weight for its time, and the towering Franck Sonata, considered one of the great works in the violin and piano repertoire.

Works by Amy Beach, Stenhammar, a shot of Piazzolla's tango fire, and Bartók's irresistible Romanian folk dances, round out the programme.

Programme:

Mozart: Sonata for violin and piano in E minor, K. 304

Beach: Romance, Op. 23

Stenhammar: Fantasy in B minor for solo piano

Piazzolla: Tango Etudes No. 3 for solo violin

Bartók- Romanian Folk Dances

Franck: Sonata for violin and piano in A major

Gulzara Shakir is a Kazakh violinist and educator based in Mumbai. She began her career with the West Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra under Marat Bisengaliev, touring Germany, Italy, China, Turkey, and Poland. Since 2015, she has been living in Mumbai, where she was one of the leading violinists in the Symphony Orchestra of India, collaborating with conductors and soloists including Zubin Mehta, Carlo Rizzi, and Augustin Dumay. Gulzara is currently a faculty member at the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation, one of India’s leading music institutions, where she trains young violinists and leads ensemble practice. Her students are laureates of international competitions, performing on prestigious stages across India and abroad.

Emma Gilljam Tillu is a Swedish pianist based in Mumbai, holding a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, and is a recipient of the Gottfried Boon Scholarship from the Royal Music Academy of Sweden. Emma has performed across Europe, the United States, China, and India, and has appeared with ensembles including the Symphony Orchestra of India, and under conductors including Dalia Stasevska and Piotr Borkowski. While chamber music remains her greatest passion, she also enjoys collaborating across art forms and has taken part in numerous theatre and dance productions. Emma runs her own piano studio and teaches at the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation in Mumbai, where she is actively involved in training the next generation of pianists.