Isabeau Hansen and Nalni Chen at Christ Church

Mses Isabeau Hansen and Nalni Chen graced Christ Church earlier today, as scheduled in the Midweek Music programme, to an audience north of one hundred attendees in what resulted in one of the most technically demanding concerts of this autumn-winter season.

The flute-piano duo played pieces by Phillipe Gaubert, Ian Clarke, Pietro Morlacchi and Sergei Prokofiev: the first three of these composers had not yet been played at Christ Church this year, and the russian Prokofiev had not been heard since June, when played by one of Chetham's young pianists.

Ms Chen made Christ Church's Yamaha piano sound very mellow, and followed Ms Hansen's flute so closely and so precisely that their connection was palpable. Of Ms Hansen's playing, Mr Simon Barker did remark that it appeared that there were several flautists on stage, a description both evocative & accurate.

In an afternoon filled with pieces executed so proficiently it's difficult to choose one that stood above the rest. «Orange Dawn» by Clarke was the one that I preferred, but I wouldn't we surprised if the audience's votes were to be evenly split amongst today's tunes.