00:00Good afternoon, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspapers. Lovely this
00:06afternoon to speak to Ina Erskine. They're exciting times because Piagere has become
00:11a quintet, it's a new line-up as of this spring, and you are playing Bognor Regis in November,
00:19with a really exciting coupling of two pieces which are challenging but beautiful. What's
00:26on the programme? On the programme we have got Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Piano Quintet No. 1,
00:35and in the second half we're playing Saint-Saëns Piano Quintet, also No. 1.
00:40And why do these two pieces work well together?
00:44They are the most dramatic, life-affirming, incredible pieces of virtuosic writing for
00:55for that musical ensemble, combination, that I've heard in a long time. Even among
01:02musicians, the two pieces are not well known. Piano quintets are quite rarely staged these days,
01:10so it's a really wonderful opportunity to be a part of a piano quintet playing these works,
01:16but also hopefully for audience members to come and experience piano quintets, which have a very,
01:23very different richness of sound to either a piano trio or a string quartet, because it's a
01:29beautiful marriage of the two. It sounds fabulous, and if that wasn't exciting enough, which of
01:34course it is, November is an even bigger month for you. Regional finals of? Yes. Of what?
01:41Well, of Sussex Violinist, which is me playing on my own with backing tracks. I was nominated
01:50for the Wedding Industry Awards by the lovely wedding couples that I've played with this year,
01:57and I was absolutely delighted to be nominated as a regional finalist. So, on the Tuesday,
02:03the 26th of November, all of the regional finalists are assembling in Haywards Heath
02:09to find out who is going through to the national final, which will be in January, somewhere in
02:15London. Exciting, and what happens on the night? Do you play on the night, or do you just await your fate?
02:22We await our fate. There are lots of mingling. I hope a few bubbles will be consumed,
02:30and an opportunity to meet other nominated wedding suppliers in the industry that have
02:35all reached the same stage. Absolutely, and it's brilliant to have got this far. It would be lovely
02:41to progress. What does it mean to you to be at this point, with hopes for further recognition?
02:48It's really wonderful to just be recognised as somebody that's doing a good job in the industry.
02:55Playing at a wedding, I think, is an incredibly special thing. It's a real honour to be chosen
03:00by a wedding couple to do something so special as provide live music
03:05on a day that we all hope is a once-in-a-lifetime affair, and the power of music is incredibly
03:13strong to create an atmosphere and to add a special little something to proceedings.
03:22So it's really, it's very, very special to be recognised as somebody that's doing a good job.
03:27Fantastic. Well, a really significant November. Best wishes for both events.
03:32Lovely to speak to you. Thank you so much.
03:33All the best. Lovely to speak to you.
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