The flute and the harp have long been recognised by composers as a sublime combination with a strong visual and aural impact. So Concerts in the West is delighted to be offering West Country audiences a superb example of just such a partnership in the shape of Flautist Katherine Bicknell and concert harpist Keziah Thomas, who have been playing together since 1998 as the Aoyama Duo. They will be performing on 3 May at a new Devon venue, St Stephen's in Exeter.

The Aoyama Duo met at the Royal College of Music in their first term and went on to win the Douglas Whittaker prize for Chamber Music. Since then they have performed jointly at numerous prestigious venues in the UK, including the National Gallery, Leighton House and The Forge in London.

Catherine Hodgson, founder and director of Concerts in the West said: "British harpist Keziah Thomas has been described as "Stupendous, totally original and engaging". She is a lively and exciting artist and her collaborative performances with Katherine Bicknell are highly memorable. They are an exceptional dynamic duo."

Born in London in 1980, Keziah Thomas began studying the harp at the age of ten and earned a performance diploma from the Associate of the Royal College of Music, as well as solo debuts at the Royal Albert Hall and the Wigmore Hall while still at school. She has a degree from the Royal College of Music and was awarded the Douglas Whittaker, Jack Morrison and Marie Goossens Harp Prizes. Keziah is a musician with great passion, charm and humour who produces captivating performances of both standard harp repertoire and new music. Consequently she is much in demand as a soloist and chamber musician and has appeared in major venues and festivals around the world including Japan. She has premiered three new works for harp duo at the Park Lane Group's 2005 Young Artists Series. In 2010 Keziah made her debut at Carnegie Hall and was praised for her "totally original and engaging performance, which brought joy to the audience" (New York Concert Review).

Katherine Bicknell is the prize-winning flute playing half of the Aoyama Duo and is establishing herself as a flautist of exceptional tone and "striking musical ability" (musicweb). Her career started early at the age of nine and at just 14 years of age she achieved a Grade 8 with distinction. Katherine was a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music from 1995 to 1998 where she also won the Sally Wainwright, Adrian Cruft, Douglas Whittaker, Geoffrey Tankard and Eve Kisch prizes. She is principal flute of the Symphony Orchestra of India and is a much sought after teacher, holding posts at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk. She is a regular guest principal of the LPO, Philharmonia, RLPO and BBC NOW.

The programme for the evening concert at St Stephen's is:

Harp Concerto in Bb Major, Op. 4 No. 6 (G. F. Handel 1685-1759); Naiades Fantasy-Sonata (William Alwyn 1905-1985); Sonata for Flute and Harp (2003) (Andy Scott - b.1966); Syrinx, Clair de lune (Claude Debussy 1892-1918); Suite Paysanne Hongroise (Béla Bartok 1881-1945) arranged by Paul Arma; Music from Scotland: Farewell to Stromness (Peter Maxwell Davies - b.1934), Lochaber No More (Trad. Scotland), Glenlivit arranged by Staneslow; Bordello 1900, Café 1930, Nightclub 1960, Concert d’Aujourd’hui from Histoire du Tango (Astor Piazzolla 1921-1992).

Performance and Box Office Details for Aoyama Duo (Katherine Bicknell flute and Keziah Thomas harp:
Saturday 3 May 2014 7.30pm, St Stephen's, High Street, Exeter, Devon. Box Office: 01392 667080 (Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3LS) Tickets: £14. Town parking available, interval drinks, disabled access. (New Venue)