Classical Concert and Cream Tea: Lisa Nelsen (Flute) & Julian Metzger (Cello)

£22

We look forward to continuing our Launde Abbey Concert Series throughout 2026, bringing you intimate classical performances from the finest musicians. Join us for an hour of enchanting classical music in our medieval chapel, followed by the famous Launde Abbey Cream Tea.

Described by The Times – London as “…a flautist and a half…”, Lisa Nelsen is internationally recognised for her versatility as a soloist, chamber and orchestra member, as well as an educator and mentor. Having participated in the 2024 Guinness World Record event with Donne’s “Let Her Music Play”, new projects have included working with composers at MusicFest in Aberystwyth, Cardiff University Music Department, and an incredibly special concert in Oxford at the Jacqueline Du Pré Hall, curated by Kenneth Hesketh and the Royal College of Music. Lisa performs and collaborates with artists such as Julian Metzger, Michelle Santiago, Eleanor Turner and Ahmed Dickinson Cardenas, planning programmes together for the next 2 years. Lisa performed with the National Youth Concert Band, premiering a new concerto for flute by Bill Connor. She has presented online concerts during the pandemic with her chamber ensembles and participated in the Tampere and E-Flute Festivals. Her contribution to the hashtag ‘100 Days of Practice’ on Instagram (four times!) was a means to improve her own consistency in her work and inspire onlookers to ‘have a go’. As Chair of the British Flute Society, Lisa relished contact with the community of players around the country. The position offered opportunities to share in activities and chat through mutual interests in the flute. She’s a professor of flute at Junior Guildhall School of Music, and is an Artist for Yamaha Classical Division International playing on a 14-karat 900-series flute. 

German-born cellist Julian Metzger is a versatile and compelling musical voice whose career spans concerto playing, chamber music and orchestral performance. Raised in a family where music was both vocation and inheritance—his father a music teacher and choral conductor, his uncle a professional cellist—Julian began playing the cello at the age of four, forging an early and enduring relationship with the instrument.
His formative years led him from his native Bad Berleburg to England, where he studied at Wells Cathedral School under Dr Ioan Davies, former cellist of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet. He continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Stefan Popov, later refining his artistry through private mentorship with Raphael Wallfisch. Along the way, musical encounters with David Strange, Steve Doane, Yfrah Neaman, Paul Roberts and Norbert Brainin further shaped his expressive depth and interpretative insight.

As a concerto soloist, Julian brings intensity, elegance and narrative clarity to the stage. He has appeared with a range of orchestras under conductors including Alexander Walker, Adrian Brown and Jacques Cohen, performing works from the central cello repertoire alongside lesser-known concertos by composers such as Tartini, Monn, Bridge, Kabalevsky and Miaskovsky. 

Chamber music lies at the heart of Julian’s musical identity. He has collaborated with artists including Christopher Redgate, Lisa Nelsen, Giovanni Guzzo and Marco Fatichenti, and has appeared at festivals such as the International Casals Festival, Buckingham Summer Festival and Musicfest Aberystwyth. A committed advocate for ensemble music, he founded the Metzger Ensemble and co-founded Enigma14 and the English String Trio, exploring repertoire from intimate string works to adventurous mixed ensembles.

Alongside performing, Julian is a dedicated teacher, working across leading schools and universities and maintaining a busy private studio. Many of his students now study at major conservatoires. Rooted in lyricism and driven by curiosity, Julian Metzger continues to shape a career defined by collaboration, exploration and the evolving voice of the cello.

Launde Classical Concerts offer the chance to hear an hour-long live concert in the company of some of the country’s leading performers, followed by a gorgeous Launde cream tea.

A Launde Abbey Fundraising Event.

Tickets £22 (or £17 for concert only). Call 01572 717254 or email [email protected].