Iris Axon Concert Series Begins for 2026
Violin-piano duo Leora Cohen and Paul Wingfield to perform
Picture: Leora Cohen
January 15, 2026
The Iris Axon Concert Series begins its 2026 season with a performance that promises both refinement and fire, as violinist Leora Cohen and pianist Paul Wingfield take to the stage at Acton Hill Church on Sunday 1 February at 4pm.
The duo will present a balanced programme spanning Baroque clarity, late-Romantic depth and virtuosic brilliance. They open with Bach’s Obbligato Sonata in A major, BWV 1015, a work full of conversational interplay between violin and keyboard. From there, they move into the rich emotional landscape of Elgar’s Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor, Op. 82, a piece written in the shadow of the First World War and known for its lyrical intensity.
The afternoon concludes with a burst of colour and flair: Tchaikovsky’s Valse-Scherzo, Op. 34, a sparkling showpiece that allows the violin to dance, whirl and dazzle.
Leora Cohen’s playing has been praised by Maxim Vengerov as “the sound of heavenly beauty”, and paired with Paul Wingfield’s expressive pianism, this opening concert sets a high bar for the year ahead.
The Iris Axon Concert Series is an annual season of short (60-70 minute) monthly recitals on Sunday afternoons at the Acton Hill Church. The series was started by Music Director Jane Schopf in 2004 to provide a venue for young musicians starting on their professional careers, many of whom have subsequently enjoyed international success in competitions and on the concert platform. The series has continued to grow and now attracts established international artists as well.
Originally called the Acton Classical Music Concert Series, it was re-named in 2009 in memory of one of its most loyal supporters, Iris Axon, who made possible the purchase of a concert grand, handmade by Clive Pinkham.
The church is deemed ideal for concerts as it has the largest unsupported wooden barrel-vault ceiling in London which brings out the middle harmonics, creating a luxuriously warm sound.
Concerts are usually held on the first Sunday of the month at 4pm. Programmes at the door. There are crèche facilities available.
More information is available at classicalconcerts-acton.com.
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