Ian Stephens: Duo for Violin and Cello

Instruments: violin, cello

Catalogue no.: D2021-1

ISMN: 979-0-708164-09-8

World premiere: 2 February 2023
Yoojin Jang (violin) Guy Johnston (cello) 
Faculty Artist Series, Eastman College of Music, USA

This Duo, written in 2021, is modern in idiom but is nevertheless very accessible to all music lovers. It has influences of Britten, Shostakovich, and Kodaly, but is totally original. It was commissioned to be a companion piece to other significant Duos for violin and cello. It is suitable for professionals and accomplished amateurs and its three movements last about 16 minutes.

British composer Ian Stephens was born in Devon in 1974 and studied music at Bristol University. He has written string quartets, wind and brass chamber works, small and large choir pieces, ballet scores, sonatas, and concerti. Ian’s music has been performed on BBC Radio 3 and 4, and by ensembles including the Choir of King’s College Cambridge, Brodsky Quartet, Fitzwilliam Quartet, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallé and Royal Northern Sinfonia. He teaches composition at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester.

We've added computer-generated audio files below so that you can get a feeling for the piece.