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Stop Press: Music News
Amyn Merchant appointed new Leader of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of Amyn Merchant as the new Leader of the Orchestra. Amyn made his debut as Leader with the Orchestra on March 28 in Poole, under Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits. Amyn has played with the Orchestra several times over the last few months, and will now be responsible for leading the Orchestra in the concert halls cross across the region, from Exeter to Portsmouth.
The BSO’s Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits commented: 'I am delighted that the Orchestra finally has a new Leader, he is young but already a solid and experienced musician of a high calibre and I hugely look forward to working with Amyn on many future artistic projects'.
Amyn said: 'I am delighted to be joining the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and to have the opportunity of working with Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits on a regular basis. Rehearsals with him are always thought-provoking, and performances exciting. It is a great honour to be asked to lead such a wonderful and venerable orchestra as the BSO, and I am very much looking forward to the challenges, and no doubt memorable concerts that lie ahead.'
The London-born violinist joins the BSO from the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and is looking forward to moving to the South Coast over the summer. He started playing the violin at the age of six, winning a scholarship to the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music at twelve. He has worked with the Hallé and Philharmonia Orchestras, has led the second violins at the Royal Opera House, and appeared as Leader of the Ulster Orchestra and Co-Leader of the Philharmonia. He has also made numerous concerto appearances throughout the UK.
Elgar Society Supports Commemorative Recordings
Thanks to support from the Elgar Society, Somm Recordings and BBC Radio 3, the BBC Concert Orchestra - under conductor John Wilson – has recorded a special selection of works by Sir Edward Elgar. Composed or completed between 1914 and 1918, the pieces all reflect Elgar’s profound empathy for the wave of patriotism which swept the country during the years of The Great War.
Works recorded during the three-day session in Watford Colosseum include the symphonic poem Polonia and Carillon, a recitation with orchestra - which were Elgar’s first major war works, dedicated to Poland and Belgium respectively - together with Une Voix Dans le Désert, a recitation with solo soprano, Susan Gritton. Also recorded were the recitation Le Drapeau Belge, small orchestral works Carissima and Rosemary, the ceremonial Sursum Corda for strings, brass and organ, Sospiri for string orchestra with harp and organ and Elgar’s large-scale orchestral version of his music for The Sanguine Fan ballet. The narration is undertaken by actor Simon Callow.
In addition to subsidising the recording, the Elgar Society advised on sourcing some of the scores and parts for the 67 musicians. ‘We were delighted to have been invited to support this project, which sets out to capture a hauntingly beautiful part of our musical heritage,’ says Steven Halls, Chairman of the Elgar Society. ‘The outbreak of the war affected Elgar profoundly, producing an emotional depth in his music of the time that contrasted with some of the more patriotic outbursts. We hope that orchestras and other musical groups in both the professional and amateur arenas will look again at this repertoire and draw upon it when creating concert programmes leading up to First World War centenary commemorations in 2014, for which financial support is available through our Elgar in Performance scheme .’
To be released on the Somm Recordings label, the CD of Elgar’s music composed during the years of The Great War is expected to be available from Autumn 2012 and is part of a dual purpose recording with BBC Radio 3. Prior to this, the most recent recording of Elgar's wartime music has been Somm’s acclaimed The Fringes of the Fleet, featuring baritone Roderick Williams and Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra under Tom Higgins, which was released three years ago.
For information on Elgar Society membership, events and resources, log-on to www.elgar.org, visit the Elgar Society Facebook page, follow @elgarsocietyweb on Twitter or e-mail info@elgar.org
Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition announced
The Ferruccio Busoni Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the 59th edition of the ‘International Piano Competition Ferruccio Busoni’.
The preliminary selection phase will be held in Bolzano between August 22nd and 30th. An international jury will choose 24 candidates who will subsequently be invited to enter the final round of the competition in 2013. As in previous years, the F. Busoni International Piano Festival will take place during the preliminary selection period of the competition. Application is only possible online on the foundation's website at www.concorsobusoni.it. The application deadline is May 31st, 2012.
Marin Alsop takes up the baton at São Paulo Symphony Orchestra
The partnership between newly-appointed Chief Conductor Marin Alsop and the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra began with four inaugural concerts at the Orchestra's magnificent home, the Sala São Paulo, in March, launching Alsop's five-year tenure, during which she will work closely with the Orchestra in all facets of its output, from performance, programming and recording, to education and outreach work.
Marin Alsop has commented, 'The entire organisation impressed me with its wholehearted sense of adventure; its willingness to embrace new ideas; and, most importantly, its commitment to making music at the highest artistic level. 2012 is already off to an exciting start with great programmes, an important recording partnership and an exciting European tour. I can’t wait to get started.'
Alsop’s appointment as Chief Conductor heralds a new phase in the Orchestra’s work, beginning immediately with a major recording deal with Naxos, a highlight of which will be a complete cycle of Prokofiev symphonies. The first release, featuring Symphony No.5 and the symphonic suite ‘The Year 1941,’ is set for release in the UK in September 2012. Alsop will also record Latin American and contemporary repertoire with the Orchestra for the label. Among the other forthcoming highlights of the partnership is a high-profile European tour in August 2012, including UK dates.
Marcelo Lopes, Executive Director of São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, comments “The Orchestra is already a symbol of artistic excellence in Brazil and Latin America as a whole. Now the appointment of Marin signifies a new chapter in the Orchestra’s history, looking set to catapult us onto the world stage.”
Arthur Nestrovski, Artistic Director of São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, comments 'We’re very excited that the time has now come to welcome Marin Alsop as the Orchestra’s new Chief Conductor. Marin embodies what it means to live a musical life in the 21st century, and it is in this very spirit that we hope to undertake unprecedented plans for recording, programming and outreach work, and become an international dynamic force in classical music.'
Founded in 1954, the São Paolo Symphony Orchestra is a flagship institution of Brazil’s most populous and economically important city – and the largest metropolis in the southern hemisphere – the Orchestra plays over 90 concerts each season in its 1500-seat hall, the Sala São Paulo, situated in a magnificent former railway station re-opened as a cultural centre in 1999.
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