Triple And Titan: Tom Poster, Elena Urioste and Laura Van der Heijden

Part of the Roman River Festival 2025 - See all concerts here.

One of the most ambitious evenings that Roman River Music has produced, and one rich with old friendships too: three world-renowned, leading soloists, Tom Poster, Elena Urioste, and Laura van der Heijden, whose playing is informed by the understanding that comes from a decade of performing together, accompanied by The Wild Arts Ensemble, a tight-knit group of musicians fresh from a summer of touring with our Wild Arts operas, and all conducted by our Artistic Director, Orlando Jopling.

Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56, composed in 1803, is a unique and ambitious work in the classical music canon. Scored for piano, violin, and cello—an unusual combination in classical repertoire, and often seen as a hybrid between a concerto and chamber music, it allows each soloist moments to shine while maintaining a balanced and cohesive ensemble. Beethoven was known for his innovation, and the Triple Concerto reflects his boldness in exploring new textures and orchestrations. The concerto unfolds across three movements, blending lyrical elegance, virtuosic passages, and symphonic grandeur. The work is divided into three movements, starting with an Allegro, which introduces the key themes with a majestic, almost symphonic character. The second movement, Largo, provides a lyrical contrast with intimate, meditative passages that allow the solo instruments to shine. The final movement, Rondo: Allegro, is energetic and playful, featuring lively dialogues among the three soloists. Throughout the concerto, Beethoven combines the grandeur of orchestral music with the intimacy of chamber music, giving each instrument equal prominence in the musical conversation.

Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D major, also known as the Titan, premiered in 1889 and is a groundbreaking work that marked his symphonic debut. The symphony, which draws heavily on Mahler’s love of nature and folk music, is both expansive and deeply emotional. Performed using only the instruments specified in Mahler’s original score, the arrangement by Iain Farrington chosen by Orlando maintains the character of the original work while adapting it for a smaller ensemble, allowing for performances in more intimate settings. It opens with a mysterious, almost eerie theme that evokes the sounds of nature waking up, gradually building to a rich orchestral tapestry. The second movement features a lively, dance-like character, incorporating elements of Hungarian folk music. The third movement is a somber funeral march, referencing the loss and grief that Mahler experienced in his life. The final movement bursts with triumphant energy, offering a sense of resolution and hope. The Titan is a vivid representation of Mahler’s genius, incorporating themes of life, death, and nature, while also experimenting with orchestral textures. Its emotional depth and striking contrasts make it one of the most beloved works in the symphonic repertoire. using only the instruments specified in Mahler’s original score. This arrangement maintains the character of the original work while adapting it for a smaller ensemble, allowing for performances in more intimate settings.

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Elena and Tom are part of the Roman River family! As far back as 2015, Elena was our musician-in-residence, and both she and Tom performed for us that year, as well as being part of our fabulous July Summer Weekend in 2017, which was broadcast as part of Radio 3's Big Chamber Weekend. Having first met as members of the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme, they now run the world-renowned Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective, one of the most exciting classical groups around. Along the way, their professional collaboration blossomed into a personal relationship; they married in 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they launched the #UriPosteJukeBox project, performing daily livestreamed music requests and featuring Tom as pianist, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, writer, backing dancer and snowman. This project garnered widespread acclaim and led to a BBC Music Magazine and won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Inspiration Award in 2020. They are both extremely 

Tom is a musician whose skills and passions extend well beyond the conventional role of the concert pianist. He has been described as “a marvel, [who] can play anything in any style” (The Herald), “mercurially brilliant” (The Strad), and as having “a beautiful tone that you can sink into like a pile of cushions” (BBC Music). American born Elena describes herself as a musician, yogi, writer, and entrepreneur, as well as a lover of nature, food, animals, and connecting with other human beings. Renowned for her expressive performances and commitment to diverse musical projects, she has performed with major orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic and London Philharmonic, and has appeared at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall and the BBC Proms. Their great friend, Laura, who frequently performs as part of the Kaledioscope collective, is widely recognised as one of the leading cellists of her generation, captivating audiences and critics alike with her deeply perceptive interpretations and engaging, creative programming. Like Tom, who had composed two chamber operas by the age of 14, Laura began her musical journey young, with the recorder at age 4, followed by piano at 5 and cello at 6, and went on to win the BBC Young Musician competition in 2012, aged only 15. 

PROGRAMME

The concert will open with a young artist spotlight by the remarkable 10-year-old pianist and composer, Bethany Reynolds, playing the first of the Etudes de Virtuosité, Op.72 (E major Vivace) by Moszkowski.
As well as this solo piece, there's a surprise up her sleeve for you all ...

Beethoven Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56

Interval

Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 1 in D major

Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Planning: Doors open at 7.15 pm for a 8pm start. Please allow ample time for parking. As well as along the roadside there is the Stoneham Street Car Park, CO6 1UH, which only costs £1 for up to 4 hours. This is 10 minutes' walk from the church.

The artist-in-residence's work will be available to view before the concert, during the interval, and after the concert when we hope you will linger for a glass of wine and to meet the performers and the artist.

Bethany Reynolds piano

Elena Urioste violin
Tom Poster piano
Laura Van der Heijden cello

Orlando Jopling conductor
The Wild Arts Ensemble 

Tickets £35 – £65 (£25 for under 30s)

Reduced visibility seats available.

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Celebrating 25 Years of Artists-in-Residence
Over the past quarter century Roman River Music has invited many highly recognised local artists to be part of the festival. Their work has been both incorporated into the stage sets for concerts and on the cover of our programmes. This year, rather than invite a new one to join this illustrious roster, we are looking back to fête all of those who have been so wonderfully part of Roman River Festival.

John Doubleday is a distinguished Essex-born sculptor and painter, celebrated for his figurative bronze works that populate public spaces across the globe. Alongside his public sculptures, Doubleday is known for more intimate, poetic works—ghostly figures in landscapes and lyrical female nudes—reflecting his broader interest in human presence and memory. We were honoured that John agreed to be our Artist-in-Residence in 2015.

Trained at Goldsmiths College London, he made his debut exhibition in 1968 and has since held over 30 solo shows throughout Britain, Europe, and America. He is best known for iconic public commissions portraying world leaders and cultural figures—including Nelson Mandela, Golda Meir, The Beatles, Charlie Chaplin, Sherlock Holmes, Dylan Thomas, and Sir Laurence Olivier. One of his latest major commissions is a two-metre bronze Mayflower sculpture in Billericay, inspired by his own family’s ancestral ties to the pilgrims. Working primarily in wax and casting his pieces in bronze, a process he relates to in emotional as well as artistic terms, he aims to capture a subject’s personality, not merely physical likeness.

John is significant figure in the cultural life of Essex and a friend to Colchester’s artistic heritage. He has had a longstanding relationship with The Minories in Colchester, one of the region's key contemporary art galleries. Early in his career, The Minories supported and exhibited his work, helping to establish his national profile, and now has some of his work on permanent display.