Programme: Richard will join the Endellion Quartet and violist Predrag Katanic in a performance of Brahms Sextet in B flat major

Time: 7.30p.m.

11/01/05 (Tuesday): BBC Radio 3 - "In Tune" with Sean Rafferty

Richard will talk and play works with pianist Christoph Berner from about 1715GMT. Ralph Kirshbaum will also be in the studio to talk about Pierre Fournier, the Fournier Award and Thursday's Fournier Award concert at the Wigmore Hall.

Click here to listen to BBC Radio 3 online.

13/01/05 (Thursday): Wigmore Hall, London

Duo recital with Christoph Berner (Fournier Award concert)

Programme: Beethoven Sonata in F major, Chopin Sonata, Gabrielli Ricercar No.7 for solo 'cello, Martinu Sonata No.1 (1939), Popper Hungarian Rhapsody

Time: 7.30p.m.

01/02/05 (Tuesday): Austrian Cultural Forum, London

New Musicians Showcase, hosted by Michael White
Performance with violinist Katharina Hoetzenecker
(This concert marks Katharina Hoetzenecker's London debut)

Programme: Richard will join Katharina in the UK premiere of Werner Pirchner's 'Shalom?' for violin and 'cello

Time: 6.45p.m.

Masterclass with Bernard Greenhouse (filmed for DVD release)

Programme: Richard will play Bach Solo Suite I

Time: 2p.m.

10/03/05 (Thursday): Cobbe Collection, Hatchlands Park, Surrey
LATE ADDITION (09/03/05): Richard is replacing an indisposed Natalie Clein

Guildford International Music Festival
Ashley Wass Piano Trio (piano: Ashley Wass, violin: Katherine Gowers)

Programme: Beethoven Trio in E flat (op.1, no.1), Beethoven Trio in C minor (op.1 no.3), Brahms Trio in B major (op.8)

Time: 8p.m.

13/03/05 (Sunday): Corn Exchange, King's Lynn   SOLD OUT

Programme: Elgar Concerto

Orchestra: Norfolk Symphony Orchestra (conductor, James Stobart)

Time: 3.30p.m.

05/06/05 (Sunday): Haden Freeman Concert Hall, RNCM, Manchester

Mstislav Rostropovich Masterclass

Programme: Richard will play Shostakovich Sonata. Another 'cellist, a piano trio, and a string quartet will also have classes.

Pianist: Sam Armstrong

Time: 2.30p.m.

24/07/05 (Sunday): St. Wilfrid's Church, Harrogate, Yorkshire

Harrogate International Festival
Richard Watkins Ensemble - Chamber Music concert with Richard Watkins (horn), Leon McCawley (piano), Catherine Leonard (violin), Razvan Popovici (viola), Mary Scully (double bass)

Programme: Richard will join chamber music partners in performances of Schubert's Nocturne in E flat and his Piano Quintet in A major "The Trout".

Programme also includes Schumann Adagio & Allegro, and Brahms Horn Trio in E flat.

Time: 8p.m.

25/08/05 (Thursday): The Tabernacle, Machynlleth, Powys, Wales

Machynlleth Festival
Solo recital

Programme: Gabrielli Ricercar No.7, Bach Solo Suite I, György Ligeti Solo Sonata, Judith Weir 'Unlocked'

Time: 1p.m.

27/08/05 (Saturday): The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh Festival - Royal Bank at The Hub - Ralph Kirshbaum Masterclass

Programme: Richard will play Schubert Arpeggione Sonata. Another 'cellist, Danjulo Ishizaka, will also have a class.

Pianist: Hester Dickson

Time: 5p.m.

IMS Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music, Cornwall
25/09/05 - 02/10/05

Schubert - String Quintet in C, D.956 - with David Adams, Meesun Hong, Razvan Popovici, and Adi Tal
Brahms - String Sextet in G major, op.36 - with Anna Lim, Matilda Kaul, Ilse Wincor, Ylvali Zilliacus, and Bartholomew Lafollette

Possible concerts on September 30th and October 1st
(programmes only decided on September 29th)

IMS office: +44 (0) 1736 763264

09/11/05 - 20/11/05
8th Rostropovich Competition, Paris

First Round (77 participants) - 11/11/05 at 15:10
Venue:
Conservatoire National de Région de Paris

Repertoire:
J.S. Bach, Solo Suite I, BWV 1007 (Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande)
George Crumb, Solo Sonata

Second Round (25 participants) - 16/11/05 at 09:00!
Venue:
Amphithéâtre de l’Opéra Bastille

Repertoire:
Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, "Oyan!" for solo 'cello
(work composed for the Competition and sent to participants one month prior to the first round)
Debussy, Sonata
Beethoven, Sonata in C major, op.102 no.1
Popper, Dance of the Elves
(with Véronique Roux, piano)

Richard receives a special "mention" from the jury at the Rostropovich Competition!
Richard was extremely unfortunate not to have reached the final after giving exceptional performances in the first and semi-final rounds. 'Cellists who have received "mentions" in the past include Alban Gerhardt, Alexander Baillie, Ulrich Heinen, and Liwei Qin. The distinguised jury consisted of;
Chairman : Mstislav Rostropovich, Natalia Shakovskaya [Russia], Young-Chang Cho [Korea], Frans Helmerson [Sweden], Gary Hoffman [USA], Alain Meunier [France], Philippe Muller [France], Arto Noras [Finland], Raimund Trenkler [Germany], Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi [Japan], Etienne Vatelot [France].

09/12/05 (Friday): Faccombe, Hampshire [Private]

Duo recital with Christoph Berner

Programme: Beethoven 12 Variations on "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" from Mozart's Opera "Die Zauberflöte", Bridge Sonata, Shostakovich Sonata