Acclaimed American Violinist, Madeline Adkins, returns to Stellenbosch in August to perform in recital with pianist Luis Magalhães at the Endler Hall on Sunday, 21 August at 16h30. Hailed as ‘deliciously exuberant’ by the Baltimore Sun, Adkins has established herself as equally at home in the spheres of solo performance, chamber music, and orchestral playing.

After her South African tour, she will assume her new post as Concertmaster of the Utah Symphony under Maestro Thierry Fischer–this following a long and fruitful career with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra where she also regularly performed as soloist.

She performs with popular pianist Luis Magalhães, who is described as possessing a “wonderfully full sound” (American Record Guide) and a “polished, refined technique” (Allmusic.com), and who has achieved critical acclaim as both a soloist and a chamber musician. Magalhães, who is no stranger to local audiences, is an artist of global standing, and in 2014 was bestowed the honour of being named a Yamaha International Artist.

The duo creates a formidable team, which is aptly portrayed by their first CD of Mendelssohn Sonatas. Their recital programme will serve as the launch of this CD. In the recital they will play two sonatas by Mendelssohn – in F major and F minor. Mendelssohn was a child prodigy whose abilities perhaps even surpassed those of Mozart in his early teens. Mendelssohn’s sonatas are sparkling and wonderfully attractive in that they display wit, humour, depth and virtuosity in perfect proportion. The concert will close with Prokofiev’s Sonata No.1.