ABOUT
Photo: Patrick Allen
THE ZOFFANY ENSEMBLE
The Zoffany Ensemble performs many of the greatest works in the chamber music repertoire by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Brahms, and also music by more neglected composers such as Louise Farrenc and Anton Arensky. From time to time other players, with whom Manon has a close affinity, are added to the group as the repertoire demands.
Select an image to find out more about each member of the ensemble.
JOHANN ZOFFANY 1733 - 1810
The ensemble takes its name from the German-born, neoclassical artist and founding member of the Royal Academy, Johann Zoffany, whose paintings, as well as portraying eminent actors such as David Garrick, often depicted the nobility in their pursuit of musical entertainment. Zoffany came to London in 1760, and from around 1770 - 1800 produced work of exceptional quality, much of it now displayed in the National Gallery, the Tate Gallery and the Royal Collection.
MANON DEROME was born in Montreal and at the age of four started to learn the violin with Jean Cousineau. Ten years later she entered the Conservatoire de Musique du Québec in Montreal to study with Taras Gabora, Raymond Dessaints and Yuli Turovsky. In 1982 she won the Premiere Prix de Musique de Chambre and graduated two years later. In 1986, with the aid of a scholarship from the government of Québec, she travelled to London for further studies with Rodney Friend, and soon after formed a duo with pianist Yoshiko Endo.
Manon has recorded many programmes for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and given recitals in the USA, Canada, Austria and England, making her Wigmore Hall debut in 1991 with pianist Caroline Palmer. During the early years of her career she played for the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the Britten Sinfonia.
Manon Derome is now the co-leader of the London Chamber Orchestra and also works frequently with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. She plays on a Matteo Gofriller dated 1696.
Photo: Patrick Allen