Asuka Sumi – violin
Johan Löfving – theorbo

Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger Toccata, Canario
Marco Uccellini Sonata detta la Luciminia Contenta, Op 4
John Dowland/Johann Schop Lacrimae Pavane
Johann Heinrich Schmelzer Sonata IV: Sonatae Unarum Fidium Listen
Arcangelo Corelli/Matthew Dubourg Sonata in F major, Op 5
Nicola Matteis Ciaccona

This concert will last approximately 50 minutes.

Asuka Sumi won the International H.I.F. Biber Competition in Austria in 2013; the judges praised her innovative programming, clear style, and lyrical approach based upon solid technique. After obtaining a Master degrees on baroque violin from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Asuka has been playing a significant role in the early music groups based in Europe, among others Seconda Prat!ca (CD ‘Nova Europa’ Ambronay Edition), and has been invited to perform as a soloist and ensemble leader in prestigious venues and festivals such as Resonanzen Festival in Konzerthaus Vienna, the Sablé and Ambronay festivals in France, Utrecht Early Music Festival, MA festival in Bruges and Göttingen Händel Festival.

Since moving to Leeds in 2015, Asuka is invigorating the early music scene in northern England and works with major UK based orchestra and ensembles such as the Gabrieli Consort & Players, London Early Opera, Cambridge Handel Opera Company, the Parley of Instruments, Manchester Baroque and Leeds Baroque with which she is appointed to the orchestra leader from 2021. Asuka is the Artistic Director of the local concert series Otley Baroque in her town. For more information visit www.asukasumi.com

As a prize winner in the prestigious London International Guitar Competition, Swedish Johan Löfving has established himself as one of the most exciting musicians of a new generation. His performances have taken him to some of the world’s finest concert halls such as Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, The Sage Gateshead, Wiener Saal Salzburg and Konzertsaal. Additionally, he has appeared in major festivals including Brighton Early Music Festival, Cambridge Summer Music Festival, Bath Guitar Festival, Styriarte Festival Graz and Carinthischer Sommer in Villach, Austria.

Since 2009, Johan has been performing regularly with his wife, flautist Yu-Wei Hu as the Flauguissimo Duo. The ensemble specialises in 18th and early 19th century repertoire and its exciting blend of spontaneous musical conversations and sublime beauty. The musical experience is heightened by its use of period instruments and Johan is particularly fond of his beautifully ornamented French guitar dating back to 1850. Johan is also the Artist Director of Northern Star Festival (UK) and Wermland Early Music (Sweden).

He graduated with First Class Honours from the Royal College of Music in London where he studied guitar with Gary Ryan, theorbo with Jakob Lindberg. At RCM he was awarded both the Guitar Prize and the Hilda Anderson Dean Prize. Later, he completed his studies with Prof. Robert Wolff at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. For more information visit www.johanlofving.com