7 Star Arts presents some of the UK’s finest artists representing a range of genres from music to theatre and the visual artists. Available individually or as part of 7 Star Arts unique productions, our artists are ideal for festivals, arts centres or small scale venues.
Anthony Hewitt
Pianist
“A remarkably gifted artist” The Gramophone, 2008
Anthony Hewitt‘s communicative and virtuosic pianism has won him many plaudits worldwide. He is a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician and prize-winner at international piano competitions as well as founder and artistic director of the Ulverston International Music Festival.
Viv McLean
Pianist
“…extraordinary originality, superb simplicity, and muscles of steel hidden by fingers of velvet” Le Monde
Viv McLean won First Prize at the 2002 Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona and has performed in all the major venues in the UK, as well as throughout Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA. He has performed concertos with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra and the Halle Orchestra. As a keen chamber musician he has collaborated with many groups including the Leopold String Trio and the Sacconi String Quartet as well as artists such as Natalie Clein, Daniel Hope, Guy Johnston and Lawrence Power. Viv has recorded regularly for BBC Radio 3 as well as for radio in Germany, France, Australia, Norway and Poland.
Viv regularly performs in 7 Star Art’s productions of Classic Gershwin, Divine Fire, Sweet Harmony and Chekhov’s Grand Piano
David Le Page
Violinist
“his unique sense of creativity infuses everything he does” – The Independent
Guernsey-born David Le Page is a successful composer and virtuoso of the violin who has worked with a diverse selection of artists and ensembles.
Susan Porrett
Actress and Writer
Susan Porrett has had a long theatrical career. She played Audrey in As You Like It at Nottingham Playhouse, Ursula in Much Ado About Nothing at the National Theatre and Second Witch in Macbeth and Queen Caroline in The Art of Success (both for the RSC). In 2004 she went to the Hong Kong Festival to play the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet for English Touring Theatre and later appeared in The Good Soul of Szechuan at the Young Vic. Favourite parts include Miss Pross in A Tale of Two Cities, Betsy Trotwood in David Copperfield (both at Greenwich Theatre) and Matron in Forty Years On (at West Yorkshire Playhouse). Most recent stage appearances: The Heresy of Love (Shakespeare’s Globe, 2015), The Autumn Garden by Lillian Hellman (Jermyn Street Theatre, October 2016) and The Slaves of Solitude at Hampstead Theatre (October-November 2017). Films include Alan Bennett’s A Private Function, in which she played butcher’s wife, Mrs. Medcalf. Her many television credits include: Upstairs, Downstairs (as underhousemaid Alice); three series of Grange Hill (as Mrs.Thomas, the biology teacher) and playing Doris in Absolute Hell with Judi Dench. Her most recent tv appearance was as Withers in the BBC series Mapp and Lucia. Radio work in 2017: BBC Radio 4’s Home Front series.
Susan has created four words and music productions for 7 Star Arts which she performs with the pianist Viv McLean – ‘Classic Gershwin’ (the story of George Gershwin), ‘Divine Fire’ (the story of Fryderyk Chopin and George Sand), ‘Sweet Harmony’ celebrating the genius of Shakespeare, and ‘Chekhov’s Grand Piano’ which interweaves the words of Anton Chekhov with selected music for piano and violin and specially-composed works by violinist David le Page, who also performs in this and ‘Sweet Harmony’.
The Liam Stevens Trio
Jazz Trio
Established in 2013, the Liam Stevens Trio is one of the most exciting young groups on the jazz scene today. Led by jazz pianist Liam Stevens, the trio regularly gain plaudits from audiences and respected veteran musicians alike, and perform at leading jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s and Pizza Express Soho.
Liam Stevens – piano
Joe Dessauer – drums
Jj Stillwell – bass
Klára Smith
Artist
Armed with a scalpel and solid knowledge of print design, Klara Smith is a paper artist and freelance graphic designer.
Her papercut illustrations work on several levels – as the papercut itself; as photographs which capture distorted shadows that take on a life of their own and, as in her projects with a number of musicians, gently animated, fluid stories.
With many years of experience, Klara also designs printed materials, namely books and other publications. Apart from the commercial work, she creates her own artist’s books, original hand pulled prints and decorates ceramics with her illustrations.
Klara has produced beautiful cut-outs for 7 Star Arts’ productions Sweet Harmony and Chekhov’s Grand Piano. Her recent project Out There is a collaboration with violinist David Le Page who has composed original music in response to Klara’s art.
Alena Walentin
Flautist
Alena Walentin, former student of William Bennett OBE, is an outstanding young concert flautist, Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and Artist of the Altus Flutes.
Alena is the recipient of numerous prizes, including first prizes at the British Flute Society’s Competition, International Flute Competition “Friedrich Kuhlau”(Germany) and Royal Academy of Music flute competition. She has also won several prestigious awards including the Worshipful Company of Musicians Award, the Hattori Foundation Award, The Leverhulme Trust Award, The Philharmonia MMSF Award, “Wolfson Foundation Award” and many others.
Betty Cid
Flamenco dancer
Betty’s talent for dance was evident from a young age. Studying Ballet, Flamenco and Classical Spanish with Conchita Del Campo. At 18 she decided to immerse herself completely in the beautiful art of Flamenco, studying in Madrid and Seville where she was invited to join the acclaimed Menche Esmerelda Company. touring Spain.
Betty has performed with the famed Rafael Amargo Company, The Company Ballet Flamenco Cruceta. She has also performed title and solo roles in many flamenco dance performances such as in the “Festival de Jerez”, Andalucia; “Festival de Otono”, Madrid and “La Arriaga”, Bilbao. Betty has danced in Spanish Zarzuelas under the Cuban choreographer Domingo Rojas, touring Spain, as well as dancing Cuban cabaret which also toured Spain and the Canary Islands. She was invited to join The Mask of Zorro and featured in Andrew Lloyd Webbers Phantom of the Opera.
Betty performs regularly at the Spanish Costa Dorada Tableaux in central London, as well as directing and dancing in her Company’s own theatre productions.
Betty is the founder and director of the West London Spanish Dance School.
Rowan Hudson Trio
Jazz Trio
Duncan Eagles Band
Jazz Ensemble
Duncan Eagles and his band have established themselves as a dynamic and original addition to the European Jazz scene. Featuring Duncan Eagles, (saxophones), Max Luthert, (bass) and Eric Ford (drums & percussion).
Ellie Bignall
Vocalist
Ellie is a versatile London-based Jazz singer performing across a variety of musical styles. Her singing is very reminiscent of the forties and fifties and has been likened to Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Ellie frequently performs with The Liam Stevens Trio
Natasha Hardy
Singer Songwriter
Natasha Hardy is a classical crossover singer, her voice has been described as ‘angelic, haunting, and ethereal’ something like a mix between Enya and Sarah Brightman. She spent many years perfecting a combination of operatic, classical and contemporary styles to create the sound that she wanted, resulting in a beautiful cinematic blend of ethereal vocals with ambient, Celtic and orchestral influences, reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings Soundtrack.
Natasha forged a non-traditional way to find her voice and, whilst working full time, she self-funded her classical singing studies. She also studied contemporary music at the same music college in East London as Ed Sheeran, all the while honing her song writing skills.
Musical Influences and Musical Career
Natasha’s musical influences are varied, from the ethereal voices of Enya and Sarah McLachlan, to the operatic voices of Renee Fleming and Angela Georgiou. She holds the contemporary artists Enigma, Deep Forest and Faithless in high regard, along with the emotional cinematic music from film composers Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, and Gabriel Yared and songwriters, Prince, George Michael, Simon and Garfunkel and Joni Mitchel.
Through her entrepreneurial spirit, Natasha built up her own singing business, from singing at weddings and events, to care and nursing homes; she is passionate about using music as a tool for healing. She co-wrote and features in various corporate music including award winning AV show commissioned by Ferrari for Ferrari World, Abhu Dhabi and German Couture House, Ollendiek. Natasha has put on many of her own classical concerts and recitals, but the call to write her own classically inspired music was greater than singing cover songs.
Lost in Love album
In 2015, Natasha’s passion for writing material she could sing herself gave birth to the idea of a classical crossover album. Over the next year Natasha wrote cathartic and bittersweet love songs, pouring her heart and soul into them. The album began to take shape in the form of songs about her passions, heartaches, unrequited loves, and the fairy-tale fantasies that falling in love can bring. By the end of 2016 the album had been written, recording completed by 2017. Amazingly, she had managed to bag the lead violinist on the Lord of The Rings Soundtrack, Dermot Crehan, as the violinist. Fast-forward to 2018, and her self-funded debut album ‘Lost in Love’ is ready for worldwide release.
In Too Deep is the first single taken from the album, due for release in April 2018. To find out more go to: www.natashahardy.com