Coulsdon and Purley Festival Finalists
Sigal Nachshen – harp
Cherry (Hiu) Kwan – oboe

The Programme

Aidan Si – collaborative pianist

Sonata for harp in C minor, Op 2 No 3

Sweet Blues pour Harpe

from Fantasy on Italian Airs
Introduction, Cadenza and Rondo

Two Fantasy Pieces for oboe and piano, Op 2
1. Romanze
2. Humoresque

Oboe Sonata, Op 166
1. Andantino
2. Ad libitum – Allegretto – Ad libitum
3. Molto allegro

The Artists

Sigal Nachshen has been taught from the age of five by Welsh harpist and composer Gwenllian Llyr. Sigal has been a member of the National Children’s Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra, North London Youth Orchestra, Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra, Barnet Symphony Orchestra and her school orchestra. She received her ARSM diploma with distinction and full marks in 2024. Successful in both national and international music competitions, she has been praised for her “musicality and mature interpretation” as well as her “expressive” and “elegant” playing.

Hong Kong oboist Cherry Kwan is an RCM Award Holder, supported by the Oak Foundation Scholarship for her Master’s course (MMusEd), studying with John Anderson, Melanie Rothman and Juliana Koch. In addition to winning the recital class at the Coulsdon and Purley Festival she also received the Stellar Achievement award for the highest score in the section. She began learning the oboe at the age of six under Yiu Song Lam as a scholar at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, additionally receiving a music scholarship at the Diocesan Girls’ School. Cherry has performed in prestigious venues including St John’s Smith Square, Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Hong Kong City Hall. As an orchestral player she frequently appears with both Hong Kong and London orchestras, such as the Albion Orchestra, ULSO and Hong Kong Youth Philharmonia.

A graduate of the Royal College of Music and distinguished laureate of multiple competitions, Macau-born pianist Aidan Nok Hang Si is now furthering his studies with Carole Presland at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he is undertaking a Postgraduate degree. He is a member of the London-based ‘Kenton’ piano trio and has a particular and profound affinity with Romantic art songs, such as those of Schubert and Schumann.