Guilhermina Suggia

FAYE CLINTON - LONDON GUILHERMINA SUGGIA AWARD

Faye Clinton trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where under the guidance of Stefan Popov, she won several prizes, including the Suggia Gift and the Lillian Davis Award. Her development as a soloist and chamber musician has been influenced by William Pleeth, Raphael Wallfisch, Andre Navarra, Reszo Pertorini and Janos Devitch.

In 1989, Faye was awarded a Leverhulme Trust fellowship to study the unaccompanied Hungarian Contemporary Cello Repertoire with Istvan Lang and Karoly Botvay at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. Apart from her lunchtime recital at St John's Smith Square, this highly successful period stimulated her interest in the music of contemporary composers which in turn has led to premieres of a number of new works especially written for her, including pieces by Andrew McBirnie and the late Charles Proctor.

While in London, Faye participated in a Prince's Trust concert in 2000, and the following year, performed with a string ensemble at a festival at the South Bank. In April 2003, she shared a platform with Indian violinist, Sanjoy Ghosh, in a cross-cultural concert at Friendship House in Southsea.
Some summer recitals in 'Lees Court' in Kent and 'All Saints' Church in West London prompted an invitation to play at the Queen's Hall in Trinidad last year.
The surprise of the evening was 'Banraku' by Japanese composer Toshiro Mayuzumi. This piece is an experiment in composition, composed in 1960 and a unique adaptation for the cello in which the performer is called upon to exploit all the resources of the instrument. This Faye Clinton did with grace, producing some extraordinary tonal effects and providing the highlight of the evening. The Trinidad Newsday
Forthcoming engagements include recitals in Cyprus and at Portsmouth's Menuhin Theatre with pianist Enrique Ali and tenor, Ronald Samm.
Faye has recently recorded with pianist, Enrique Ali, a CD featuring works by Grieg, Mayuzumi, Piazzolla and Leighton. Extracts from this CD are posted below - click on the link to listen to a Real Audio file.
Faye is a member of the Performers and Composers Section of the ISM.