<<<  <<  -- 5 --  Howard Smith    CHOPIN IN THE BOONDOCKS

Just as Stephen visited schools in the south east corner of New Zealand's North Island, as pianist/member of Chamber Domaine he takes music to London schools for the Wigmore Hall Education and Community Department.

Since 2004 its innovative project 'Scanning the Century', has linked art, poetry, architecture and music from the 20th century.

In addition solo performances have taken De Pledge throughout the UK and since his 1999 début at Wigmore Hall (London) he has toured in Europe, Asia, Australia and the USA. He has featured in concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony and recorded solo works of Bliss, Messiaen and Arvo Pärt, the latter included a world première recording of the Piano Sonatinas (2001). The same year he performed the complete chamber works of Arvo Pärt at the Edinburgh Festival, under Pärt's guidance.

Stephen has collaborated with the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, the English Chamber Orchestra Ensemble and the Scottish Ensemble. In addition he has worked alongside Viktoria Mullova, Colin Carr, Alan Hacker and Rivka Golani. Recent chamber music engagements have been in New York, Dresden, Bogotà, Shanghai, Paris and Beijing.

His chamber recordings for Sanctuary Classics, ASV and Quartz include song cycles by Ned Rorem and Samuel Barber, and music of Messiaen, Shostakovich, Schnittke and Pärt.