Raphael Wallfisch comes to Kelso with his accompanist for 36 years, John York. Raphael is one of the most celebrated cellists performing on the international stage. He was born in London into a family of distinguished musicians, his mother the cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and his father the famous pianist Peter Wallfisch.  It was Peter Wallfisch who sourced our Steinway piano for us in 1973 and gave us the first recital on it. Raphael has a particular enthusiasm for the music of English composers.

John York is well known on five continents as a musician of personality and compelling enthusiasm in a wide range of pianistic and pedagogic activities.

Appendix: Raphael’s mother Anita Lasker Wallfisch is well known for her survival of Auschwitz.  For your interest I have added links to a remarkable interview she gave about her life and to a moving address on the subject that she gave recently to the Reichstag which was prefaced by Raphael and John York playing Bloch.