McLean-Strange Piano and Cello Duo - Worldwide Artists Ltd. UK

Winner of the First Prize at the 2002 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona, Viv McLean has performed at all the major venues in the UK as well as in France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Malta, Israel, Cyprus, Japan, Australia and the USA.

His concerto work includes appearances with the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, Scottish Concert Orchestra, National Musicians' Symphony Orchestra, and he has performed chamber music with leading groups such as the Ysaye String Quartet and the Leopold String Trio. He has performed in festivals including the Cheltenham International Festival and Harrogate Festival in the UK, the International Beethoven Festival, the Mecklenburg Festival and the Kultur Kreis Festival in Germany, the Melle Festival and Festival de Saintes in France, and the Musik vid Kattegatt Festival in Sweden.

Viv studied at the Royal Academy of Music where he held the Hodgson Fellowship and received financial assistance from the Hattori Foundation and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust. He made his Wigmore Hall recital debut through winning the Friends of the Royal Academy Wigmore Award. Whilst studying at the Academy, Viv was the piano winner at the Royal Overseas-League Music Competition and was selected as one of three winners of the National Federation of Music Societies' Young Artists Competition, leading to various recitals and concerto appearances throughout Great Britain. Viv has recorded regularly for BBC Radio 3 since making his recital debut through the BBC Radio 3 Young Artists Forum scheme and has also recorded recitals for radio in Germany and Poland. His commercial releases include recordings for such labels as Sony Classical Japan and Naxos, as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's own label.

Future plans include concerts in France, Norway, Japan and the UK.

Former Principal Cellist of the European Union Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Alasdair Strange won the Associated Board Scholarship to study with Derek Simpson at the Royal Academy of Music, London. On completion of his studies, Alasdair was awarded the DipRAM, the Academy's highest award for performance, as well as the prestigious Carnegie Fellowship. Alasdair was first prize-winner in many competitions, including the Alessandro Pezze, May Mukle, Herbert Walenn, Harry Isaacs, Florence Hooten and David Martin Prizes as well as the 'Young Musician of the West'.

Alasdair's concerto appearances include Penderecki's Cello Concerto No. 2 at the Barbican Hall with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain to great critical acclaim, which was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

Alasdair Strange is privileged to have collaborated closely with the legendary composer, Gyorgy Ligeti, on his Cello Concerto for a gala performance at the Ligeti Festival, London, in the presence of the composer.

Alasdair has given numerous recitals throughout Europe with pianist Viv McLean, including appearances at the Kultur Kreis Festival, Hannover, the Southwark Festival, Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room on London's South Bank, as well as at many music societies and concert clubs throughout Great Britain.

As a chamber musician, Alasdair has performed alongside such luminary artists as Lynn Harrell, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Yuri Bashmet and Daniel Hope, and he currently performs as cellist in the Thorsen-Strange-McLean Trio with Marianne Thorsen (Leader, Nash Ensemble of London) and Viv McLean (First Prize-Winner, Barcelona International Piano Competition).

Other solo highlights include performances of the Brahms Double Concerto at the Barbican Hall, as well as concertos by Elgar, Saint-Saens, Schumann, Dvorak, Haydn D, Boccherini G and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations at venues including the Fairfield Halls, Snape Maltings Aldeburgh, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Wembley Town Hall, St. James' Piccadilly and the Royal Albert Hall. Alasdair has also appeared as a soloist at the Chichester and Dulwich Music Festivals.

As an orchestral Principal, Alasdair has worked under such illustrious conductors as Haitink, Giulini, Rostropovich, Ashkenazy, Abbado and Sir Colin Davis on extensive European tours at concert halls including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Berlin's Philharmonie, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall in London, Symphony Hall Birmingham and at the Edinburgh, Salzburg and Vienna International Festivals.

Alasdair Strange is Artistic Director of the London Ensemble (www.classicalmusicians.com) and performs on a 1690 Ruggieri cello.

The pianist Viv McLean seemed exceptional to me; he astonished us with his musical maturity and extraordinary sonority.

Le Monde (Paris)

At the Festival de Melle, Viv McLean revealed extraordinary originality, superb simplicity, and fingers of steel hidden behind muscles of velvet. He is an otherworldly young man - he plays with the genius one finds in those who know how to forget themselves, naturally placing themselves at the right point to meet the music, this mystery of the moment.

Le Monde (Paris)

The pianist Viv McLean never faltered, spewing molten lava.

The Times (London)

The fluent technique and brilliance of the interpreter were impressive, he played with insight and the greatest sensitivity.

General Anzeiger (Bonn)

The listener was struck by the sustained level of technical mastery. Viv McLean performed with his mind as well as his hands.

Sunday Times

Alasdair Strange was the marvellous cellist.

Stephen Pettitt, The Times

The exacting half-tones of its difficult solo part (Ligeti Cello Concerto) was caught skilfully by Alasdair Strange.

Paul Driver, The Sunday Times

Alasdair Strange performed brilliantly - with sensitive empathy for the music and charming delicacy.

Hannover Zeitung

The solo of the night came from Alasdair Strange in the Cello Concerto No 2 by Penderecki. I suspect he will turn out to be one of contemporary music's survivors - especially if cellists carry on playing him with Strange's concentration and flair.

Scarpia, The Independent

Beethoven's bidding that 'music should set the human soul alight' was satisfied to perfection by Alasdair Strange. The British artist brilliantly rendered the imaginative and vivacious style of this Czech composer (Martinu).

Nord-Deutschland Zeitung

Alasdair Strange offered a calm, unruffled integrity of delivery, ensuring that every component fell securely into place. But Strange took a dominant role in his exchanges with the orchestra.

Meirion Bowen, The Guardian

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