The newly rebranded Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra launches a star-studded season at the Sheldonian Theatre, with touring and recordings with Maxim Vengerov and Nigel Kennedy
The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra (formerly Oxford Philomusica) and their founding Music Director Marios Papadopoulos announce a star-studded 2015/2016 season with Renée Fleming, Vadim Repin, Nicola Benedetti, Pinchas Zukerman, Nigel Kennedy and Maxim Vengerov, all of whom relish performing in the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, – the Orchestra’s unique and intimate home. The Oxford Philharmonic has rebranded to reflect a global outlook as it steps onto the international platform.
Read moreLondon Music Masters presents world premieres of Gavin Higgins’ Tänze on 23 October and Edmund Finnis’ Shades Lengthen on 10 December as part of LMM’s 2015 commission series
London Music Masters hosts world premieres of two new works by leading British composers Gavin Higgins on 23 October, and Edmund Finnis on 10 December as part of LMM’s 2015 series of commissions. Higgins’ dance suite Tänze will be performed by 70 of London Music Masters Learning students aged 9-11 and the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. This free event precedes pianist and LMM Ambassador Benjamin Grosvenor’s concert with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, marking his first time performing with them in London.
Read moreBenjamin Grosvenor performs with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall on 23 October
Multi-award-winning pianist Benjamin Grosvenor performs Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major with the London Philharmonic Orchestra on 23 October at the Royal Festival Hall. This performance marks Grosvenor’s London debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, having performed in Eastbourne and Newbury with them in 2013. The full programme includes Bizet’s Symphony in C and James Sherlock performing Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in addition to Grosvenor’s Ravel. This performance follows on from 23-year-old Grosvenor’s performance at the Last Night of the BBC Proms alongside opera stars Danielle de Niese and Jonas Kaufmann.
Read more“Women still reticent to try conducting” despite pioneering course at Morley College & across UK to encourage them to step forward
Conductor Alice Farnham, Co-Founder of Women Conductors @ Morley, still finds “women and young girls reticent to try out conducting” and often reluctant to put themselves forward for a specially targeted conducting course, despite endorsement from fellow conductors such as Sir Antonio Pappano and bursaries.
Read moreSir Antonio Pappano and South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza give the world premiere of Luca Francesconi’s Bread, Water and Salt inspired by Nelson Mandela
To launch Rome’s 2015-2016 Symphonic Season, Sir Antonio Pappano, Music Director of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, and South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza give the world premiere of Luca Francesconi’s Bread, Water and Salt, inspired by the words of Nelson Mandela, on 3, 5 and 6 October. The Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia’s opening weekend at the Auditorium Parco della Musica launches Pappano’s Beethoven Cycle with the 9th Symphony with its iconic Ode to Joy - a rousing call for freedom to follow Nelson Mandela’s moving words. For the Beethoven, vocal soloists Rachel Willis Sørensen, Adriana Di Paola, Stuart Skelton and Michael Volle join Pappano’s award-winning orchestra and chorus. The season launch coincides with the much anticipated release of Verdi’s Aida on 2 October.
Read moreKonstantin Scherbakov returns to Wigmore Hall on 26 November for Liszt’s arrangement of Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony, following a new CD of Beethoven’s Eroica Variations
Russian-Swiss pianist Konstantin Scherbakov returns to Wigmore Hall for a lunchtime concert on 26 November to perform Liszt’s arrangement of Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’. Konstantin Scherbakov is one of the rare pianists on the international stage whose current repertoire includes the complete Liszt-Beethoven Cycle of Symphonies. Described by Classic CD as a “long-life Beethovenian”, the winner of the first Rachmaninov Competition received critical acclaim for his complete set of Beethoven Symphonies on 5 CDs for the Naxos Label, recorded between 1998 and 2004. His recording of the Ninth Symphony was awarded the prestigious German Critics’ Prize. This also follows the July release of Beethoven’s Eroica Variations together with the famous Sonatas ‘Pathetique’ and ‘Appassionata’ on the TwoPianists label.
Read moreLaurence Equilbey and her vibrant Insula orchestra make their UK debut at the Barbican Centre on 21 September 2015, coinciding with their CD release of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with Franco Fagioli
French conductor Laurence Equilbey brings her new ensemble Insula orchestra with the renowned accentus choir to London for their UK debut at the Barbican Centre on 21 September 2015, with a programme of masterpieces entitled Magnificat. Insula orchestra is to become the vibrant resident ensemble at the new Paris arts centre - La Cité Musicale de L’île Seguin – under construction on the site of the former Renault car factory on an island in the Seine in the south east side of the French capital. Following their Salzburg debut last year and the Barbican in September, the 2015/16 season sees Insula orchestra taking to the international stage with further touring to Basel for an all-Beethoven programme and a concert performance of Mozart’s Lucio Silla in Vienna.
Read moreThe Jocelyn Pook Ensemble and the Nottingham People’s Choir present Jocelyn Pook’s 'Anxiety Fanfare and Variations for Voices' on 30 September at Nottingham Contemporary
Following their performance at the Tête à Tête Opera Festival last week, the Jocelyn Pook Ensemble will join forces with the Nottingham People’s Choir to perform Pook’s Anxiety Fanfare and Variations at Nottingham Contemporary on September 30. The choir is funded by the Institute of Mental Health - a partnership between Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Nottingham. They will be performing alongside soloists Donna Lennard (soprano), Melanie Pappenheim (mezzo-soprano), Jonathan Peter Kenny (countertenor) and George Ikediashi (baritone).
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