The Sound of the Cello from the British Isles - In Memory of British Cellist May Mukle
Venue: MESZL Ötpacsirta Salon, 1088 Budapest, Ötpacsirta utca 4.
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 6:00 PM
Life for female musicians a hundred years ago was by no means easy: certain instruments were not considered suitable for women according to the attitudes of the time, and female cellists were still a rarity even in the first half of the 20th century. Defying these social expectations, May Mukle chose the cello as her instrument and, with exceptional determination and artistic vision, carved out a place for herself in concert halls around the world. In addition to her career as a soloist and chamber musician, she actively advocated for the recognition of British female composers and performers. Her efforts helped enrich the cello repertoire with numerous works dedicated to her.
The program features rarely heard compositions. In addition to works by Rebecca Clarke, Imogen Holst, Margot Wright, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Howard Ferguson, May Mukle’s own compositions will also be performed. The evening both pays tribute to an inspiring performer and offers a glimpse into the rich, lesser-known layers of the British musical tradition.
Program:
Rebecca Clarke: Epilogue
May Mukle: Two Fancies (The Light Wind, The Hamadryad)
Vaughan Williams: Six Studies in English Folk Song
Margot Wright: Three Northumbrian Folk Songs
Imogen Holst: Two Scottish Airs
Imogen Holst: The Fall of the Leaf ((for solo cello)
Howard Ferguson: Five Irish Folk-Tunes
Rebecca Clarke: I’ll bid my heart be still
Rebecca Clarke: Epilogue
May Mukle: Two Fancies (The Light Wind, The Hamadryad)
Vaughan Williams: Six Studies in English Folk Song
Margot Wright: Three Northumbrian Folk Songs
Imogen Holst: Two Scottish Airs
Imogen Holst: The Fall of the Leaf ((for solo cello)
Howard Ferguson: Five Irish Folk-Tunes
Rebecca Clarke: I’ll bid my heart be still
Peformers:
Cecília Sipos (cello)
Claus-Christian Schuster (piano)
Cecília Sipos (cello)
Claus-Christian Schuster (piano)
Cellist Cecília Sipos was a student of Endre Lengyel at the Béla Bartók Music High School and continued her university studies in Vienna, Graz, and Linz. Her teachers included Angelica May, Rudolf Leopold, Martin Hornstein, and Claire Pottinger-Schmidt.
Chamber music plays a prominent role in her artistic career, as reflected in her work with the Lombardini Quartet and the Ensemble Trisonante piano trio, as well as in her numerous CD recordings. She has performed at the Budapest Jewish Cultural Festival, as well as at the Europäische Wochen Passau, ImpulsTanz Wien, Styriarte Graz, Sommerfestival Grafenegg, Donaufestival Strudengau, and Kultursommer Wien, among others.
She has performed in numerous European countries, as well as in Japan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Georgia. She was a member of the Tonkünstler Orchestra in Lower Austria and the Graz Opera Orchestra. As a Baroque cellist, she regularly performs with early music ensembles.
Claus-Christian Schuster is an internationally renowned Austrian pianist, chamber musician, and music educator. From 1984 to 1993, he was a founding member of the Wiener Schubert Trio and subsequently joined the Altenberg Trio Wien, where he served as pianist until 2012. The ensemble performed worldwide, had its own concert series at the Musikverein in Vienna, and made numerous recordings. Among its accolades are the Robert Schumann Prize and the Edison Award in Amsterdam. From 1976 to 1986, he taught at the Vienna Academy of Music (Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst), and subsequently at the Vienna Conservatory (Konservatorium der Stadt Wien) until 2012. He regularly gave master classes in Europe and the United States. In 1999, he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and the Arts in recognition of his artistic and pedagogical work.
Since 2022, Cecília Sipos and Claus-Christian Schuster have shared the joy of making music together and have developed a close friendship. Their work focuses on researching and presenting unknown works and little-known composers, culminating in their CD recording Music from the British Isles, released in 2025.
Admission to the event is free of charge; however, advance registration is required. Registration may be completed by email at koncertregisztracio@fszek.hu or by telephone at +36 1 411 5011, stating the number of attendees. Written confirmation of registration will be provided. If you are unable to attend the event after registration, please notify us via email. Detailed information regarding the processing of personal data related to registration is available here.
By attending the event, participants acknowledge that photographs and videos may be taken during the program and could be published on the library's website or Facebook page. Data management is based on voluntary consent. If you wish to object to the publication of your profile, please submit a written request.
By attending the event, participants acknowledge that photographs and videos may be taken during the program and could be published on the library's website or Facebook page. Data management is based on voluntary consent. If you wish to object to the publication of your profile, please submit a written request.
Photo: Lukas Drechsel-Burkhard