Juritz Briggs Duo

The Juritz-Briggs Violin and Piano Duo

David and Sarah first collaborated in the early 1990s and were brought together musically by a deep commitment to the music of Mozart. David was a longstanding leader of the renowned London Mozart Players and is a consummate interpreter of Mozart’s chamber music and Sarah jointly won the International Mozart Competition and has since been highly praised for her interpretations of Mozart in performance and recordings.

In 2018 they came together in the Briggs Piano Trio (with ‘cellist Kenneth Woods) to record the music of another composer in which they have a shared interest – Hans Gál, alongside Shostakovich. Their trio recording was awarded a Gramophone Editor’s Choice in October 2018 and MusicWeb International Recording of the Month in November 2018.

From the 2019 season, in addition to the Trio, David and Sarah will be working together as a violin and piano duo, covering repertoire from classical to contemporary, but giving special focus to the sonatas of Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms and continuing to raise the profile of Austrian-British composer Hans Gál by including his Sonatas and Sonatinas in their recitals.

Photo: Simon Fox Gál

Sample Programmes

Mostly Mozart:

This programme focuses mainly on Mozart’s wonderful duo sonatas, but also features two delightful brief Sonatinas by the Austrian-British composer Hans Gál whose trio recording gained David and Sarah a Gramophone Editor’s Choice and whose piano concerto gained Sarah a Gramophone Critic’s Choice.

Gál Sonatina in F major (unpublished) 1934  
Mozart E minor Sonata, K304  
Mozart F major Sonata, K377
Interval
Gál Sonatina no 3 in F major
Mozart A major Sonata, K526  

Beethoven Bookends:

Beethoven Sonata in F major, op 24 ‘Spring’
Brahms Sonata no 3 in D minor, op 108
Interval
Mozart Sonata in C major, K303
Beethoven Sonata in G major, op 96

The Austro- German tradition:

Mozart Sonata in E minor, K304
Gál Sonata in D major (1933)
Interval
Schumann Sonata no 1 in A minor, op 105
Brahms Sonata no 2 in A major, op 100

Photo: Simon Fox Gál

About David:

‘ a performance of striking panache’
BBC Music Magazine

‘… an absolute cracker in every respect. … It’s very hard not to be swept away by music-making of this calibre. Be prepared to be refreshed and blown away by the sheer exuberance of the playing.’
Music Web International

David Juritz was born in Cape Town, South Africa and, after winning a scholarship, came to London to study at the Royal College of Music with Hugh Bean and Jaroslav Vanecek. During his time at the RCM he won all the major prizes for violin including the College’s highest award, the Tagore Gold Medal.

On leaving the RCM he joined the English Chamber Orchestra before being appointed leader of the London Mozart Players, a position he held from 1991 to 2010. He made many solo appearances with the LMP, including his debut at the 2006 BBC Promenade Concerts.

He has appeared as soloist and/or director with many orchestras around the world. His recording of the Vivaldi Four Seasons with the LMP was hailed by critics as one of the finest interpretations of the work. David’s recording of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo and of music by the Polish composer, Gracina Bacewicz, have also been warmly received.

He has played with many chamber groups including the Razumovsky Ensemble and the LMP Chamber Ensemble.  He made acclaimed recordings of Schubert (live at the Wigmore Hall) and Symanowski Quartets with the Maggini Quartet and has recorded, broadcast, and performed internationally with many other ensembles.

In 2005 he took on the role of artistic director of the Burton Bradstock Festival in Dorset presenting a series of folk, jazz and classical concerts in August each year.

David plays on a violin made by J.B. Guadagnini in Piacenza in 1748.

Photo:Christine Bradshaw