We are delighted to welcome back Sarah Paterson, a highly talented harpist, who first performed at the Old Low Light a year ago. This time she will be accompanied by accomplished cellist Jeremy Harbottle and their concert will mark the start of our 2024 classic music programme.
They will offer a very varied programme, mixing classical repertoire with more popular favourites from the modern era.
Centre director Guy Moody said: “We are able to bring our 2024 winter classic music performances with very welcome support from the Mouth of the Tyne Festival Collective and through once again working with renowned, local professional musicians and teachers, David and Jennifer Murray who are passionate about bringing top quality classical music close to home at a reasonable cost in challenging times.
“The Old Low Light provides an intimate venue for these classic concerts and the programme means our audiences can hear top class performers and discover from them the stories behind the composers and their compositions. All the classic concerts will be introduced by the performers to give audiences a deeper understanding of the music they are listening to.”
More about Sarah and Jeremy
Sarah Paterson began learning the harp with Anita Aslin and Frank Sternefeld, before studying at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) with Eira Lynn Jones, graduating with Batchelor of Music (Honours). At the RNCM she was awarded the Dianne Bolton Prize for Salon Music, was selected for the BBC Philharmonic Professional Experience Scheme, and as Principal Harp in the resident orchestra at the Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte (Montepulciano). As a member of the RNCM Harp Ensemble she performed at the Natural History Museum and the Baltic Art Gallery and was honoured to be one of 60 harpists to play for the then Prince Charles’ 60th Birthday celebrations.
Back home in Saltburn-by-the-sea, Sarah enjoys an eclectic freelance career, working regularly with orchestras across the north of England in addition to giving solo and chamber music recitals, including at The Old Low Light (North Shields), Pen and Palette Club (Newcastle), Long Newton Music, Classical Café (Middlesbrough Town Hall), and performing Debussy’s Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane with Skipton Camerata. The music she provided for Keeping The Feast (a play by Djenane Watkins) was awarded the Adjudicator’s Cup in the Preliminary Round of the All England Theatre Festival in 2016.
Sarah is a keen chamber musician and enjoys being part of Encore (a quartet of piano, soprano, cello and harp) in addition to a cello and harp duo with Jeremy Harbottle. She recorded a new harp duet Arachne and Minerva by Ed Carter, with Venera Bojkova in the temple at Hardwick Park. The piece – commissioned as part of an art project about the history of the park – was premiered with the addition of a soprano part in January 2023. Sarah has made two recordings with Victorian Opera Northwest (Sir Richard Bonynge), a recording of Ella Fitzgerald hits with Strictly Smokin’ Big Band, solo recordings Follow the Star and Butterflies, and will be recording with the Black Dyke Band in December 2023. She teaches the harp privately, at Queen Mary’s School and at Yarm School, where her teaching role includes Wider Opps Harp for the Year 3’s.
Jeremy Harbottle has been a keen musician from an early age, attaining grade 8 in piano and cello aged 14 and winning local young musician awards, a piano performance diploma in 1997 and a scholarship to study cello with the Royal College of Music, alongside a chemistry degree at Imperial College London.
Since then, he has been teaching cello, piano and singing, privately and in four schools. He has been principal cellist of numerous local orchestras and plays professionally in concerts and ensembles around with UK, including playing many of the major cello concertos as soloist.
Jeremy is passionate about conducting and singing and has been musical director of four choirs for over 15 years as well as musical director and vocal coach for a youth musical theatre company.
