Origins Coco Tomita & Simon Callaghan

• George Enescu (1881 - 1955): Impressions d’enfance, Op. 28 (Arr. for Solo Violin):
• 1 Enescu: Impressions d’enfance, Op. 28 (Arr. for Solo Violin) 04:03
• Francis Poulenc (1899 - 1963): Violin Sonata, FP 119:
• 2 Poulenc: Violin Sonata, FP 119: I. Allegro con fuoco 06:45
• 3 Poulenc: Violin Sonata, FP 119: II. Intermezzo 06:24
• 4 Poulenc: Violin Sonata, FP 119: III. Presto tragico 06:08
• Lili Boulanger (1893 - 1918): 2 Pieces for Violin & Piano:
• 5 Boulanger: 2 Pieces for Violin & Piano: No. 1, Nocturne 03:22
• Jenö Hubay (1858 - 1937): Carmen (Fantaisie brillante), Op. 3 No. 3 [After Bizet's WD 31]:
• 6 Hubay: Carmen (Fantaisie brillante), Op. 3 No. 3 [After Bizet's WD 31] 10:40
• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77:
• 7 Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77: I. Allegretto 08:14
• 8 Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77: II. Blues. Moderato 05:27
• 9 Ravel: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77: III. Perpetuum mobile. Allegro 04:00
• Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918): Beau soir, L. 6 (Arr. J. Heifetz for Violin & Piano):
• 10 Debussy: Beau soir, L. 6 (Arr. J. Heifetz for Violin & Piano) 02:33
• Total Runtime 57:36

Info for Origins

"Winner of the Strings Final of the BBC Young Musician in 2020, Coco Tomita’s stunning debut album features a varied programme, including works by Enescu, Poulenc, Boulanger, Hubay, Ravel and Debussy. The choice of repertoire for her debut recording was entirely Tomita’s own: 'Having complete freedom over what I wanted to share with the world was amazing, and put simply, I love all the pieces I’ve chosen deeply. They’ve resonated with me over the years, and I found really interesting connections between every piece and composer. The programme also relates to key figures of the 20th century, especially female violinists I hugely respect.' Those violinists include Ginette Neveu, the driving force behind Poulenc’s Violin Sonata, and Jelly d’Aranyi – taught by Jenő Hubay, whose Carmen is one of the pieces on the album that Tomita played to such acclaim during the BBC Young Musician. She is particularly fascinated by the Poulenc and Ravel Sonatas, which are at the heart of the album: 'there’s just so much to explore and express.'"

"The playing, technically dazzling and characterful, bursts with musical intelligence, with the experienced Callaghan an expressive duo partner. The choice of repertoire, of her own devising, is a refreshing mix." (The Guardian)

Coco Tomita, violin
Simon Callaghan, piano

Coco Tomita
was born in Japan in 2002 and began to play the violin when she was four years old. She became a pupil of Natasha Boyarsky when she was six, and in 2012 she was awarded a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School where she has continued to study with Mrs Boyarsky.

In 2010, at the age of eight, Coco became the youngest contestant to win Third Prize in the Junior section of the Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Fermo, Italy. Two years later, she made her debut appearance at the Cadogan Hall, London performing as a soloist with the Southbank Sinfonia.

Since joining the Yehudi Menuhin School she has given many performances; in October 2013 she was one of the soloists for Vivaldi: Concerto for Four Violins with the Menuhin School Orchestra in Holland, and a year later at the Milton Court, London alongside Alina Ibragimova. In 2015, she was one of the two soloists for Bach: Concerto for Two Violins for the Shipley Arts Festival, and was also invited to give two recitals in Ancona, Italy, as part of ZonaMusica Universal Musica concert series in Maiolati Spontini, and Incontri Musicali d’Estate at Istituto Campana in Osimo, Italy. Most recenty she performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Dorking Chamber Orchestra.

Coco has also performed at various Masterclasses given by Shmuel Ashkenasi, Zakhar Bron, Ida Haendel, Lewis Kaplan and Weidong Tong, all of whom gave her an enthusiastic praise, encouragement and guidance.

Booklet for Origins