Podcasts about Royal Philharmonic Society

Ursula Jones is “nothing short of a musical icon” – at least according to the Royal Philharmonic Society, who made her an honorary member last year at the age of 92. She has devoted her life to music, and has long championed the work of young performers – she gave Daniel Barenboim his first break as a conductor in London, when he was just 23. Ursula was born in Lucerne in 1932, where her father was one of the founders of the Lucerne Festival, so famous musicians, including the likes of Richard Strauss, were never far away. She came to London in 1954 and worked as a secretary for the Philharmonia Orchestra, moving on to co-found the English Chamber Orchestra in 1960. She married the eminent trumpet player Philip Jones, and later managed his Brass Ensemble. Music isn't her only fascination: she completed a doctorate in archaeology at the age of 60, and in 2021 she cycled 100km to raise money for the charity Brass for Africa. Ursula's choices include music by Britten, Mozart and Handel.

Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society's Singer Award, Jennifer Johnston is a former BBC New Generation Artist, and a graduate of Cambridge University and the Royal College of Music. She has enjoyed close collaborations with both the Bayerische Staatsoper, where she has sung over 80 performances as a guest artist and with whom she won Recording of the Year at the Gramophone Awards for Korngold's Die Tote Stadt, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, for whom she was their Artist-In-Residence for two seasons. Facetune_10-01-2024-19-09-31_edited_edited.jpg Her operatic roles have included Brigitta in Korngold's Die Tote Stadt (Petrenko/Bayerische Staatstoper, Gramophone's Recording of the Year), Mrs Sedley in Britten's Peter Grimes (Gardiner/Bayerische Staatsoper), Hedwige in Rossini's Guillaume Tell (Ettinger/Bayerische Staatsoper), Second Norn in Wagner's Götterdämmerung (Petrenko/Bayerische Staatsoper), Mrs Grose in Britten's The Turn of the Screw (Eschenbach/La Scala), Juno in Handel's Semele (Luks/Glyndebourne Festival), Lady de Hautdesert in Birtwistle's Gawain (Metzmacher/Salzburg Festival), Jocasta in Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex (Gardiner/Berlin Philharmonic & London Symphony Orchestras and on disc), Judith in Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle (Yankovskaya/English National Opera, Mäkelä/Oslo Filharmonien), Dido in Purcell's Dido & Aeneas (Weiss/Festival d'Aix-en-Provence), Waltraute in Wagner's Die Walküre (Rattle/Bayerische Rundfunks Symphony Orchestra on disc), and Pasqualita in Adams' Doctor Atomic (Adams/BBC Symphony Orchestra and on disc). The works of Mahler lie at the heart of her repertoire, particularly his Second Symphony (Rouvali/Philharmonia Orchestra on disc, Zinman/Vienna Symphony Orchestra), Third Symphony (Vänskä/Minnesota Orchestra, Mäkelä/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Welser-Möst/Cleveland Orchestra), Eighth Symphony (Bychkov/NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Welser-Möst/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Petrenko/Bayerisches Staatsorchester), Rückert Lieder (Zinman/Vienna Symphony Orchestra), Das Lied Von Der Erde (Marin/Hamburg Symphony Orchestra), and Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen (V.Petrenko/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra), In huge demand on the concert platform, she has collaborated with many of the world's leading orchestras and conductors, particularly Beethoven's Missa Solemnis (Gardiner/Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique at the BBC Proms, Carnegie Hall and on disc), Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (Welser-Möst/Cleveland & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestras), Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (Madaras/Halle Orchestra), Elgar's Sea Pictures (Slatkin/Irish National Symphony Orchestra), Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius (Brabbins/BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra), Verdi's Requiem (Oramo/BBC Symphony Orchestra at the First Night of the Proms, Slatkin/Orchestra National de Lyon), Schumann's Das Paradies und die Peri (Gatti/Accademia Di Santa Cecilia), Schumann's Faustszenen (Harding/Gewandhausorchester), Ravel's Schéhérezade (Oramo / BBC Symphony Orchestra), Adès's Totentanz (Adès/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra) ,Janacek's Glagolitic Mass (Kanellakis/BBC Symphony Orchestra at the First Night of the Proms), Britten's Phaedra (Brabbins/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra), Chausson's Poeme de l'Amour et de la Mer (De Billy/London Philharmonic Orchestra), and Respighi's Il Tramonto (Petrenko/Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra).

“Uniformity is a two-edged sword, isn't it? Within a choir you need uniformity or you're not going to get a good blend, but within that uniformity, I want as much individuality as possible. I do a lot of 16th-Century music, early 17th-Century music, which has very, very high, passionate stakes. The individual has to come through. That's what makes it interesting.”Robert Hollingworth was a chorister at Hereford Cathedral, set up his first solo-voice ensemble at the age of 16 and read music at New College, Oxford, followed by a year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In place of a conventional academic career he has spent 40 years directing vocal groups, notably I Fagiolini, which he founded at university in 1986. Nearly 30 CDs and DVDs have included first recordings of works and collections by Byrd, Croce, Tomkins, Andrea Gabrieli and more. Recent releases include the multi-award winning Striggio 40-part mass, 'Amuse-Bouche' (French 20th century music including premiers of Francaix and Milhaud), and in 2017 'Monteverdi - The Other Vespers' which also featured the University of York's music department's choir, The 24. Winning the Royal Philharmonic Society's Ensemble Award, Gramophone Awards and the Diapason D'Or de l'Annee, the group is 'In Association' at the University of York Music Department where, as well as teaching Undergraduate projects, Robert runs the MA in solo-voice ensemble singing.As a freelancer conductor, Robert has directed the English Concert, Academy of Ancient Music and the BBC Concert Orchestra; among European choirs, Accentus (France), NDR Chor and RIAS Kammerchor (Germany), National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Voces8, BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. He writes and presents programmes for Radio 3 including The Early Music Show and Discovering Music. During lockdown, he created and presented a new youtube series for choral music enthusiasts called 'SingTheScore'. He is the newly appointed director of Stour Music, taking over after 65 years from Alfred and Mark Deller. He founded and presents the UK's top choral music podcast 'Choral Chihuahua' with Eamonn Dougan and Nicholas Mulroy.To get in touch with Robert, look for I Fagiolini on YouTube (@ifagiolini), Facebook (@ifagiolini), Instagram (@i_fagiolini), or their website, ifagiolini.com.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

fWotD Episode 2544: Kathleen Ferrier Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day where we read the summary of the featured Wikipedia article every day.The featured article for Monday, 22 April 2024 is Kathleen Ferrier.Kathleen Mary Ferrier, CBE (22 April 1912 – 8 October 1953) was an English contralto singer who achieved an international reputation as a stage, concert and recording artist, with a repertoire extending from folksong and popular ballads to the classical works of Bach, Brahms, Mahler and Elgar. Her death from cancer, at the height of her fame, was a shock to the musical world and particularly to the general public, which was kept in ignorance of the nature of her illness until after her death.The daughter of a Lancashire village schoolmaster, Ferrier showed early talent as a pianist, and won numerous amateur piano competitions while working as a telephonist with the General Post Office. She did not take up singing seriously until 1937, when after winning a prestigious singing competition at the Carlisle Festival she began to receive offers of professional engagements as a vocalist. Thereafter she took singing lessons, first with J. E. Hutchinson and later with Roy Henderson. After the outbreak of the Second World War Ferrier was recruited by the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (CEMA), and in the following years sang at concerts and recitals throughout the UK. In 1942 her career was boosted when she met the conductor Malcolm Sargent, who recommended her to the influential Ibbs and Tillett concert management agency. She became a regular performer at leading London and provincial venues, and made numerous BBC radio broadcasts.In 1946, Ferrier made her stage debut, in the Glyndebourne Festival premiere of Benjamin Britten's opera The Rape of Lucretia. A year later she made her first appearance as Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, a work with which she became particularly associated. By her own choice, these were her only two operatic roles. As her reputation grew, Ferrier formed close working relationships with major musical figures, including Britten, Sir John Barbirolli, Bruno Walter and the accompanist Gerald Moore. She became known internationally through her three tours to the United States between 1948 and 1950 and her many visits to continental Europe.Ferrier was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 1951. In between periods of hospitalisation and convalescence she continued to perform and record; her final public appearance was as Orfeo, at the Royal Opera House in February 1953, eight months before her death. Among her many memorials, the Kathleen Ferrier Cancer Research Fund was launched in May 1954. The Kathleen Ferrier Scholarship Fund, administered by the Royal Philharmonic Society, has since 1956 made annual awards to aspiring young professional singers.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:32 UTC on Monday, 22 April 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Kathleen Ferrier on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm Joanna Standard.

Anna May Wong was an international star who appeared in some of Hollywood's biggest movies in a career that spanned from the silent films of the 1920s, through the advent of talkies in the 30s, to television in the 1950s, despite all the obstacles in her path. A new biography, Not Your China Doll, examines how against all the odds Anna May Wong found international fame and became a trailblazer for Asian American actors. The English folk singer and guitar virtuoso Martin Simpson performs material from his new album - his 24th - Skydancers. The title track, commissioned by naturalist Chris Packham, highlights the plight of the Hen harrier. Simpson talks about his love of birds, of traditional song, of writing his own, the influence on him of American music, and a lifetime playing the guitar and banjo. Some leaders of classical music organisations say that the attitude to funding by the Arts Councils in England and Wales is undermining excellence, and putting inclusion before professionalism. We hear from a range of voices, including Sir Antonio Pappano, Chief Conductor at the London Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Royal Opera House; John Gilhooly, director of the Wigmore Hall and chair of the Royal Philharmonic Society; Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra and a former music director at Arts Council England; and Michael Eakin, Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and former Executive Director of the Arts Council Northwest. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May

Jamie Walton is a cellist, cultural entrepreneur, and Artistic Director of the North York Moors Chamber Music Festival and Ayriel Studios. As a soloist, he has appeared and recorded with the UK's finest orchestras, including recording three concerti with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and no less than ten concerti with the Philharmonia Orchestra (including the Dvorak and Schumann concerti under Vladimir Ashkenazy). Turning his focus to chamber music, he launched his festival in 2009, which has sold to capacity audiences ever since and was shortlisted twice for a Royal Philharmonic Society award. It was also one of the only organisations that went ahead as planned during the Covid pandemic (in both 2020 and 2021), adapting quickly to house concerts in a five thousand square foot acoustically-adapted marquee. Jamie was also the Patron and lead campaigner for Cedar's Hall, a brand new concert hall at Wells Cathedral School, which he helped officially open in 2016. And, more recently, he initiated the building of a new state-of-the-art recording studio in the heart of the North York Moors - Ayriel Studios - which opened in 2022. In this episode, Jamie talks about what drives him and his creative process, the parallels he finds between music and food, why he doesn't miss the conventional concert circuit and why he's so passionate about showing young musicians a world outside of the conservatoire bubble.This episode was recorded in August 2023.-------------------Jamie's websiteAyriel Studios-------------------Follow The Classical Circuit on InstagramDid you enjoy this episode? If so, ratings and follows help a lot with visibility, if you have a spare moment... *bats eyelashes*No offence taken if not.--------------------This podcast is also available to listen to via The Violin Channel--------------------Music: François Couperin - Le Tic-Toc-Choc ou Les MaillotinsPerformed by Daniel Lebhardt--------------------The Classical Circuit is made by Ella Lee (producer by trade, pianist at heart). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston is one of the UK's most distinguished singers, particularly celebrated for her interpretations of Mahler, Wagner, Elgar and Britten. She has performed across the globe with some of the world's finest orchestras and conductors, and is closely associated with the Bayerische Staatsoper (with whom she won Gramophone's Recording of the Year award) and also with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, at which she was formerly Artist in Residence. She was the winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society's Singer award, and is a former BBC New Generation Artist... yet Jennifer was a barrister in a previous life, before going on to pursue a singing career. In this episode, Jennifer shares her honest observations of the new classical music landscape (born from a perfect storm of circumstances) and the struggles our industry is facing as a result. She also talks about why music education in schools is so crucial, flies the flag for contemporary music, and recounts the time she was sacked by an opera company for being 'too fat'...This episode was recorded in July 2023.-------------------Jennifer's links:WebsiteSpotify Artist PageInstagramX (formerly Twitter)-------------------Follow The Classical Circuit on InstagramDid you enjoy this episode? If so, ratings and reviews help a lot with visibility, if you have a spare moment... *bats eyelashes*No offence taken if not.--------------------This podcast is also available to listen to via The Violin Channel--------------------Music: François Couperin - Le Tic-Toc-Choc ou Les MaillotinsPerformed by Daniel Lebhardt--------------------The Classical Circuit is made by Ella Lee (producer by trade, pianist at heart). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gepresenteerd door: Leonard Evers Groot Omroepkoor Florian Helgath, dirigent Hannes Minnaar, piano Anton Spronk, cello * Johannes Brahms - uit Vier Quartette op.92: O schöne Nacht * Johannes Brahms - uit Fünf Gesänge op.104: Nachtwache nr.1 * Johannes Brahms - uit Fantasien op.116: nr.3: Capriccio * Johannes Brahms - uit Drei Gesänge opus 42: Vineta * Johannes Brahms - Intermezzo op.117 nr.1 * Johannes Brahms - uit Fünf Gesänge op.104: Nachtwache nr.2 * Johannes Brahms - Geistliches Lied op.30 * Grace-Evangeline Mason -  A Memory of the Ocean (Nederlandse première, in opdracht van de Royal Philharmonic Society met steun van de Vaughan Williams Foundation, en het AVROTROS Vrijdagconcert) * Frank Martin - Mis voor dubbelkoor 

For our 10th episode, we are celebrating the Royal Philharmonic Society, who have generously sponsored this podcast with their Enterprise Fund and Harriet's Trust! Our guest this week is James Murphy, CEO of the RPS, who previously worked at the Royal College of Music, National Youth Orchestra (with Matilda!) and Southbank Sinfonia. We chat about his work at all of these different organisations, particularly delving deep into the future of classical music and how important young musicians are, and discussing topics such as how to present yourself onstage and tips for a career in music management. Find out more about the RPS: https://royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/

Jenna Coleman (Clara in Dr Who) and Aidan Turner (Poldark) are appearing in a new production of Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at The Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End, before touring to Manchester and Brighton. Playwright Sam Steiner tells Samira Ahmed about his romantic comedy in which the characters are restricted to speaking just 140 words a day. And the director, Josie Rourke, talks about bringing the play to the stage, and how, in the theatre, language isn't everything. Alice Farnham, one of Britain's leading conductors and the co-founder and artistic director of Women Conductors with the Royal Philharmonic Society, shares insights from her new book, In Good Hands- The Making of a Modern Conductor. And the filmmaking duo Tom Berkeley and Ross White join Samira to discuss their Bafta nominated short film An Irish Goodbye. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May Image: Aidan Turner as Oliver and Jenna Coleman as Bernadette in Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at The Harold Pinter Theatre

Hi there! Happy March and welcome to the third edition of the Conductor's Podcast Wisdom series, a new series full of shared life experiences and, of course, wisdom! This month's question that I am asking my people is, “

In today's episode, Conductor Alice Farnham will share her journey to the podium with us.Farnham started her career as a church musician playing organ and trumpet. She was an Organ Scholar at St. Hugh's College, Oxford University and trained for three years with the legendary pedagogue Ilya Musin in St. Petersburg. Alice is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Women Conductors with the Royal Philharmonic Society.  She is listed in the Classic FM Today's Ten Best Women Conductors and in the BBC Woman's Hour Music Power List. Recent conducting engagements include the BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Opera House, Mariinsky Theatre, Calgary Opera, Singapore Lyric Opera, and English Touring Opera.  Upcoming engagements include productions with Welsh National Opera, Belfast Ensemble, Opéra de Rouen, to name a few. She has been a Guest Conductor with the Royal Ballet Covent Garden, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Danish Royal Ballet.

Welcome back! Today Hattie and Rebecca speak with concert pianist Clare Hammond about her experience with generalised anxiety disorder, post-natal depression and how these experiences have lead Clare to performances in schools and prisons. They speak about managing a mental illness as a musician, how it might feel to inhabit a prolonged period of darkness, how and whether to communicate struggle with audiences and Clare's work within prisons. Find Clare's article for Classical Music UK about music in prisons hereFind Changing Tunes for music in prisons hereClare's websiteFollow Clare on TwitterFollow us on TwitterSupport the podcast if you can and buy us a coffee!More about ClareAcclaimed as a “pianist of extraordinary gifts” (Gramophone) and “immense power” (The Times), Clare Hammond is recognised for the virtuosity and authority of her performances. In 2016, she won the Royal Philharmonic Society's 'Young Artist Award' in recognition of outstanding achievement and in 2020 she was engaged to perform at the International Piano Series (Southbank Centre).  Performances during the pandemic included recitals for the Wigmore Hall and Aldeburgh Music, a live recital broadcast for BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts from St David's Cardiff, and broadcast recordings of Moussa and Carwithen with the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Geoffrey Paterson) and BBC Concert Orchestra (Gavin Sutherland). During 2020-21, Clare was engaged to perform with the Britten Sinfonia (Ryan Wigglesworth), Sinfonia Varsovia (Jacek Kaspszyk), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Christoph Altstaedt) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Dalia Stasevska). In recent seasons, she has performed with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (Vasily Petrenko), Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (Jacek Kaspszyk), and Philharmonia (Jamie Phillips).  Clare gave the world premiere of Uncoiling The River by Kenneth Hesketh with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Martyn Brabbins) and released the Complete Keyboard Works of Myslivecek with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra (Nicholas McGegan) for BIS Records in 2019. Clare's discs for BIS have been widely praised with her latest, Variations, receiving extensive critical approval. The disc was commended for its “shimmering pianism and lightly-worn virtuosity” (BBC Music Magazine) and “artistry of the highest order” (Musical Opinion), while Crescendo (Belgium) hailed her as “one of the most exploratory pianistic personalities of our time”. Clare's discography includes world premiere recordings of over twenty works.  Clare completed a BA at Cambridge University, where she obtained a double first in music, and undertook postgraduate study with Ronan O'Hora at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

The mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly has sung at the most prestigious venues around the world, including the Royal Opera House, London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York, as well as Glyndebourne, Vienna and Bayreuth. In 2009 she was a soloist at the Last Night of the BBC Proms, singing Rule Britannia dressed as Admiral Nelson, and she has also made a name for herself taking on male or so-called “trouser roles” in opera, including Handel's Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar). As a child, she was an outstanding pianist with a passion for classical music and jazz. After studying piano and voice at the Royal College of Music, she decided to become a singer. She was a member of the BBC Singers for five years, before taking the leap and seeking work as a soloist. She took a break from public performance in 2019 to have treatment for breast cancer, but has now resumed her career. She was made a DBE in the 2017 Birthday Honours and last year she became an Honorary Member of the Royal Philharmonic Society, recognising her outstanding services to music. Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor

When Ludwig van Beethoven died in 1827, he was three years removed from the completion of his Ninth Symphony, a work heralded by many as his magnum opus. He had started work on his 10th Symphony but, due to deteriorating health, wasn't able to make much headway: All he left behind were some musical sketches. Ever since then, Beethoven fans and musicologists have puzzled and lamented over what could have been. His notes teased at some magnificent reward, albeit one that seemed forever out of reach. Now, thanks to the work of a team of music historians, musicologists, composers and computer scientists, Beethoven's vision will come to life. I presided over the artificial intelligence side of the project, leading a group of scientists at the creative AI startup Playform AI that taught a machine both Beethoven's entire body of work and his creative process. A full recording of Beethoven's 10th Symphony is set to be released on Oct. 9, 2021, the same day as the world premiere performance scheduled to take place in Bonn, Germany—the culmination of a two-year-plus effort. Past Attempts Hit a Wall Around 1817, the Royal Philharmonic Society in London commissioned Beethoven to write his ninth and 10th symphonies. Written for an orchestra, symphonies often contain four movements: the first is performed at a fast tempo, the second at a slower one, the third at a medium or fast tempo, and the last at a fast tempo. Beethoven completed his Ninth Symphony in 1824, which concludes with the timeless “Ode to Joy.” But when it came to the 10th Symphony, Beethoven didn't leave much behind, other than some musical notes and a handful of ideas he had jotted down. There have been some past attempts to reconstruct parts of Beethoven's 10th Symphony. Most famously, in 1988, musicologist Barry Cooper ventured to complete the first and second movements. He wove together 250 bars of music from the sketches to create what was, in his view, a production of the first movement that was faithful to Beethoven's vision. Yet the sparseness of Beethoven's sketches made it impossible for symphony experts to go beyond that first movement. Assembling the Team In early 2019, Dr. Matthias Röder, the director of the Karajan Institute, an organization in Salzburg, Austria, that promotes music technology, contacted me. He explained that he was putting together a team to complete Beethoven's 10th Symphony in celebration of the composer's 250th birthday. Aware of my work on AI-generated art, he wanted to know if AI would be able to help fill in the blanks left by Beethoven. The challenge seemed daunting. To pull it off, AI would need to do something it had never done before. But I said I would give it a shot. Röder then compiled a team that included Austrian composer Walter Werzowa. Famous for writing Intel's signature bong jingle, Werzowa was tasked with putting together a new kind of composition that would integrate what Beethoven left behind with what the AI would generate. Mark Gotham, a computational music expert, led the effort to transcribe Beethoven's sketches and process his entire body of work so the AI could be properly trained. The team also included Robert Levin, a musicologist at Harvard University who also happens to be an incredible pianist. Levin had previously finished a number of incomplete 18th-century works by Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach. The Project Takes Shape In June 2019, the group gathered for a two-day workshop at Harvard's music library. In a large room with a piano, a blackboard and a stack of Beethoven's sketchbooks spanning most of his known works, we talked about how fragments could be turned into a complete piece of music and how AI could help solve this puzzle, while still remaining faithful to Beethoven's process and vision. The music experts in the room were eager to learn more about the sort of music AI had created in the past. I told them how AI had successfully generated music in the style of Bach. However, this was only a harm...

Synopsis On today's date in 1901, the English composer Edward Elgar conducted the first performance of his cheery, upbeat, and slightly rowdy “Cockaigne” Overture, a commission from the Royal Philharmonic Society dedicated to his many friends in British Orchestras. Now “Cockaigne” does NOT refer to the schedule 2 narcotic, but rather to an old nickname for the City of London, originating in a very old poem about a utopian land where rivers flow with wine and houses are made of cake and barley sugar. Elgar said he wanted to come up with something “cheerful and London-y, stout and steak ...honest, healthy, humorous and strong, but not vulgar." The new overture proved an instant hit, and critics of the day compared it favorably to the festive prelude to  Act I of  Wagner's opera “Die Meistersinger.”  Elgar made two recordings of the work, conducting the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra in 1926 and the BBC Symphony in 1933. By chance during that 1933 recording session, as a back-up some takes were cut simultaneously to two separate wax master recording machines from two separate microphones, enabling engineers many decades later to blend the two simultaneous “takes” into an “accidental stereo” version of the old mono recording. Music Played in Today's Program Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934): Cockaigne Overture (BBC Symphony; Edward Elgar, cond (1933 “accidental stereo”)) Naxos 8.111022

Synopsis On today's date in 1901, the English composer Edward Elgar conducted the first performance of his cheery, upbeat, and slightly rowdy “Cockaigne” Overture, a commission from the Royal Philharmonic Society dedicated to his many friends in British Orchestras. Now “Cockaigne” does NOT refer to the schedule 2 narcotic, but rather to an old nickname for the City of London, originating in a very old poem about a utopian land where rivers flow with wine and houses are made of cake and barley sugar. Elgar said he wanted to come up with something “cheerful and London-y, stout and steak ...honest, healthy, humorous and strong, but not vulgar." The new overture proved an instant hit, and critics of the day compared it favorably to the festive prelude to  Act I of  Wagner's opera “Die Meistersinger.”  Elgar made two recordings of the work, conducting the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra in 1926 and the BBC Symphony in 1933. By chance during that 1933 recording session, as a back-up some takes were cut simultaneously to two separate wax master recording machines from two separate microphones, enabling engineers many decades later to blend the two simultaneous “takes” into an “accidental stereo” version of the old mono recording. Music Played in Today's Program Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934): Cockaigne Overture (BBC Symphony; Edward Elgar, cond (1933 “accidental stereo”)) Naxos 8.111022

Schon immer übte London mit seinen zahlreichen Bühnen, seinem anspruchsvollen Publikum und seinen generösen Institutionen (darunter die Royal Philharmonic Society) eine besondere Anziehungskraft auf Kunstschaffende aus. Einen aussergewöhnlichen Einblick in diese Welt bietet dieser musikalische Abend, an dem Khatia Buniatishvili (mit Tschaikowsky), Jaap van Zweden und das Gstaad Festival Orchestra das Festival-Zelt Gstaad zum Klingen bringen. Die Sinfonie Nr. 7 ist das erste Werk, mit dessen Komposition Dvořák beauftragt wurde. Unter tosendem Applaus am 22. April 1885 in der St. James's Hall uraufgeführt, stellt sie den tschechischen Komponisten vor die heikle Frage, ob er seiner natürlichen Neigung folgen und sein Herz und seine mährischen Wurzeln sprechen lassen oder sich stärker der (für ihn neuen) Notwendigkeit zuwenden soll, ein an die Regeln der «westlichen» Romantik gewöhntes Publikum anzusprechen, wie insbesondere sein Mentor Johannes Brahms sie verkörpert. Mit seinem Talent und seinem ihn charakterisierenden Grossmut trifft der grosse Meister auf Anhieb ins Schwarze!

Avec ses nombreuses scènes, son public très gourmand et ses généreuses institutions (à l'image de la Royal Philharmonic Society), Londres a en tout temps été un pôle d'attraction pour les créateurs. Animée par Khatia Buniatishvili (dans Tchaïkovski), Jaap van Zweden et le Gstaad Festival Orchestra, cette soirée en offre une magnifique vitrine. La Septième symphonie est la première œuvre commandée à Dvořák. Créée sous un tonnerre d'applaudissements le 22 avril 1885 au St James's Hall, elle pose la délicate question au compositeur tchèque de savoir où mettre le juste curseur entre son inclination naturelle à laisser parler son cœur et ses racines moraves et la nécessité (nouvelle pour lui) de plaire à un public habitué aux codes du romantisme «occidental», incarné en particulier par son mentor Johannes Brahms. Avec le talent et la générosité qui le caractérisent, le grand Antonín met dans le mille… du premier coup!

In this special podcast episode, we celebrate International Women's Day (8 March 2021).  An episode not only celebrating the achievements of women in music, but also music itself, and all of those who are engaged with it and making the effort to take it out of any one particular box. In this lively conversation, we are excited to be joined by three knowledgeable and passionate panellists: Dobrinka Tabakova – a multi-award-winning composer born in Bulgaria who has lived in the UK for over 25 years.  As well as writing extensively for the concert hall she has also composed for film and dance projects – and amongst her commissioners are the Royal Philharmonic Society, BBC Radio 3 and the European Broadcasting Union. Her music is performed worldwide – and her debut profile album String Paths, on ECM Records, was nominated for a Grammy in 2014. In 2017 she was appointed composer-in-residence with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Sarah Alexander – Chief Executive and Artistic Director, National Youth Orchestra of Great  Britain, named Orchestra Manager of the Year in the 2015 Association of British Orchestras/Rhinegold Awards and awarded an OBE in the 2018 New Year's Honours list. When accepting that award Sarah spoke of the NYO being unique.  Through the groundbreaking initiatives brought in under Sarah's stewardship, its teenage musicians have continued to share their knowledge and love of orchestral music with thousands of other teenagers, both encouraging others musically and bringing musical inspiration directly into the lives of many who may never have heard a live orchestra before. James Murphy – Chief Executive, Royal Philharmonic Society – before that he was Managing Director of Southbank Sinfonia, and previously Communications Director at NYO.  He made Southbank Sinfonia the first UK orchestra to hire an equal number of male and female guest conductors and substantially raised the proportion of music is performed by women. His advocacy for gender equality continues at the RPS whose Women Conductors programme has given over 500 women the chance to try their hand and further their skills at conducting.  This episode is hosted by HP's Lydia Connolly, Director and Head of Artist Management at HarrisonParrott. Useful links and resources Connect with Dobrinka: Website: dobrinka.com Instagram: instagram.com/dobrinka_tabakova Facebook: facebook.com/DobrinkaTabakovaComposer Connect with Sarah: Website: nyo.org.uk Ode to Joy project: nyo.org.uk/ode-to-joy Instagram: instagram.com/nyo_gb Twitter: twitter.com/NYO_GB Facebook: facebook.com/NYOGB Connect with James: Website: philharmonicsociety.uk Twitter: twitter.com/RoyalPhilSoc James Recommends: Daffodil Perspective: thedaffodilperspective.com Donne UK: donne-uk.org This is the second episode in our ​‘Under the Spotlight' podcast mini-series where we shine a light on ​‘challenging' topics in the arts, and focus on guests living these experiences and who are working to create change in the sector. The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts. #theculturebar  A special thank you to Robert Cochrane as the composer of the theme tune music, and Merlyn Thomas our editor. Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases

We're here! Welcome to Jurassic Park... I mean... Going Through the Motions!To celebrate John Williams winning the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society gold medal, we thought we'd pull out all the stops!Shortly after, the boys are Moving Forward with the weeks news and recommends. Alex has downloaded a new album... or at least a familiar sounding album, its AC/DC latest album POWER UP! Callum has more dinosaur recommendations with Camp Cretaceous on Netflix.We have Wonder Woman 1984 release information, drama on the Matrix set and a brand new trailer for The Grand Tours latest road trip: "A Massive Hunt"This Christmas Alex will be performing live at the Dominion Theatre in London for a limited availability showings of Alan Menkens "A Christmas Carol". For tickets and information, please use the link below,https://www.nederlander.co.uk/whats-on/christmas-carolWant to contact the show? Email: motionspod@gmail.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/motionspod/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motions_pod/(00:00 - (01:04:30) Jurassic Park(01:04:30) - (01:25:28) Moving Forward See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tom Service catches up with viola player Lawrence Power to talk about his filmed series of Lockdown Commissions from major composers, and his imaginatively re-worked West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival in Buckinghamshire. The newly installed Artistic Director of English National Opera, Annilese Miskimmon, revels in the return of live opera with ENO's new drive-in production of La boheme from the car park of Alexandra Palace in North London, and reveals her vision for the company's future. To mark National Alzheimer's Day on Monday, Tom talks to Dr Sylvain Moreno, one of the world’s leading researchers on how music can positively affect the brain, and to front line workers with people suffering from dementia - Camilla Vickers and soprano Francesca Lanza from Health:Pitch, and Rebecca Seymour from Celebrating Age Wiltshire. And Music Matters' Musicians in Our Time series, following leading musicians as they face the challenges of their lives and remake the musical world over the course of the next year, continues with flautist Jane Mitchell of the Aurora Orchestra, recent recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Salomon Prize. Photo Credit: Jessie Rodger

This podcast shares highlights from our inaugural 2019 Composium. Listen to Thea Musgrave‘s inspiring keynote speech, and our first panel discussion hosted by broadcaster Katy Hamilton, with speakers Lucy Schaufer mezzo-soprano, Zoe Martlew, cellist and composer, James Murphy, Chief Executive of the Royal Philharmonic Society and Vanessa Reed, Chief Executive of the PRS Foundation. Composium was kindly supported by Penny McCracken & John Mumford, The John S Cohen Foundation and The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation. In partnership with PRS for Music and Wild Plum Arts.

The second episode from our Composium day features a moving short talk from James Murphy, Chief Executive of the Royal Philharmonic Society, and our second panel session with speakers Hannah Kendall composer, Huw Watkins pianist and composer, Emma-Ruth Richards composer and Harriet Wybor, composer and Classical Relationship Manager from PRS for Music. Composium kindly supported by Penny McCracken & John Mumford, The John S Cohen Foundation and The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation. In partnership with PRS for Music and Wild Plum Arts.

Speakers: Ben Quash, John Gilhooly and Marina Warner Chair: Paul Baumann – Receiver General, Westminster Abbey Ben Quash is Professor of Christianity and the Arts at King's College, London where he runs the MA in Christianity and the Arts in association with the National Gallery, London. John Gilhooly has been Artistic and Executive Director of Wigmore Hall, London since 2005 and Chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society since 2010. Marina Warner is a writer of fiction, criticism and history; her works include novels, short stories and studies of art, myths, symbols and fairy tales. Part of Art, Imagination and Public Service, Westminster Abbey Institute's 2019 autumn programme.

To start Season 2, I'm really honored to bring you a conversation with the incredible Marin Alsop, who's someone I've admired so much for so many years! In this episode, we discuss Making things happen for yourself, finding balance between pushing yourself to grow and not becoming overly self-critical, bringing a score to life, how she nurtures focus in her work by planning carefully, and the importance of becoming our own best teacher!   ALL ABOUT MARIN ALSOP: Website: https://www.marinalsop.com/ Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: https://www.bsomusic.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinalsop.conductor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marin.alsop.conductor/   Marin Alsop is one of the world's great orchestral conductors. She's described as an inspiring and powerful voice in the international music scene, and a Music Director of vision and distinction who passionately believes that “music has the power to change lives”. She is recognized across the world for her innovative approach to programming and for her deep commitment to education and to the development of audiences of all ages. Upon her appointment as Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2007, Maestro Alsop became the first woman to head a major American orchestra, and was the first woman to conduct last night of the Prom in its 100 year history. Among her many awards and academic positions, Marin Alsop is the only conductor to receive the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, she's an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music and Royal Philharmonic Society, and was recently appointed Director of Graduate Conducting at the Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute. She attended the Juilliard School and Yale University, who awarded her an Honorary Doctorate in 2017. Her conducting career was launched in 1989, when she was the first woman to be awarded the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize from the Tanglewood Music Center. As part of her artistic leadership in Baltimore, Mastro Alsop has created several bold initiatives: including ‘OrchKids', for the city's most deprived young people, and the BSO Academy and Rusty Musicians for adult amateur musicians. Maestro Alsop conducts all of the world's major orchestras, and in addition to her position with the Baltimore Symphony, she is Principal Conductor and Music Director of the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Chief Conductor of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director of California's Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Her extensive discography has led to multiple Gramophone awards and includes highly praised recordings with all of the major labels, including Naxos, Decca Classics, Harmonia Mundi and Sony Classical. If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/     THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

In our September 2019 podcast, we bring you news of the London Philharmonic Orchestra's new conductor, the Royal Philharmonic Society's new membership offer, and a choir that hopes to bring the message of environmentalism to its audience. Plus we introduce our September issue, in which Julian Lloyd Webber delves into the world of Elgar's Cello Concerto, one hundred years after its premiere. He's also the soloist on your free cover CD. And, as ever, we bring along the new recordings that we've been enjoying this month.This episode is presented by editor Oliver Condy, who is joined by editorial assistant Freya Parr and managing editor Rebecca Franks. It was produced by Ben Youatt and Jack Bateman.Recordings:A Scots Tune (From the Rowallan Manuscript) from SoftLoudSean Shibe (guitar)Delphian DCD34213Leopold Mozart Missa SolemnisDas Vokalprojekt, Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie/Alessandro De MarchiAparté AP205Rebecca's choice: 'Allegro Moderato Leggiero (Four to the Floor)' from Gabriel Prokofiev's Bass Drum ConcertoBranford Marsalis, Joby Burgess, Ural Philharmonic Orchestra/Alexei BogoradSignum Classics SIGCD584Freya's choice: Hildegard von Bingen O vos felices radices from Supersize Polyphony Armonico Consort, Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge/Geoffrey Webber, Christopher MonksSignum Classics SIGCD560Olly's choice: First movement from Bryce Dessner's Concerto for Two PianosMarielle and Katia Labèque (piano); Orchestre de Paris/Matthias PintscherDeutsche Grammophon 4818075Stories:Our September issue is on sale now: http://www.classical-music.com/issue/september-2019Subscribe to the magazine today: http://www.classical-music.com/subscribe/bbc-music-magazine/worldwide Edward Gardner appointed to the London Philharmonic Orchestra: http://www.classical-music.com/news/edward-gardner-announced-next-principal-conductor-london-philharmonic-orchestraRoyal Philharmonic Society: https://www.rhinegold.co.uk/classical_music/royal-philharmonic-society-announces-new-membership-offer/Nature's Voice: https://www.templemusic.org/shop/thesoundofnature/?yr=2019&month=6&dy=&cid=mini See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chief Executive of the Royal Philharmonic Society, James Murphy talks to Jane Glover about her latest book ‘Handel in London’ Aged 25, Handel arrived in London in 1710 and transformed the musical scene. Whilst London has changed drastically from then, much has remarkably stayed very similar, conductor Jane Glover discusses this in her acclaimed new book ‘Handel in London’. In this special event, co-presented by Wigmore Hall and the Royal Philharmonic Society, James Murphy talks to Jane about the iconic composer, his lasting impact in Britain, and how she draws upon the exploration of his extraordinary life to shape how she performs his music today. Written in elegant prose that wears its author's scrupulous scholarship lightly ... Glover deftly weaves musical analysis into her biographical flow. Her greatest achievement, however, is to give life and music a political and social context. - Richard Morrison, The Times

It was a pleasure to record a podcast with world-leading British tenor Toby Spence (@toby-spence) on his fiftieth birthday. Enjoy this special interview, in which we discuss: his early musical training and influences, formative years at English National Opera, starring as Captain Vere in Deborah Warner's recent production of Britten's opera Billy Budd at the Royal Opera House, the challenges of being a performer, identity as a singer, and his desert island items. Special thanks to: Natasha Worsley for very kindly arranging this interview and Toby for coming especially to meet me and record on his birthday! Originally published on 28 May 2019. Interview recorded on 22 May 2019 at Askonas Holt, London. An honours graduate and choral scholar from New College, Oxford, Toby Spence studied at the Opera School of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was the winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society 2011 Singer of the Year award. In concert Toby has sung with the Cleveland Orchestra under von Dohnanyi, Berliner Philharmoniker and the Wiener Philharmoniker under Rattle; San Francisco Symphony under Tilson Thomas; the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Pappano; Rotterdam Philharmonic under Gergiev; LSO under Davis; London Philharmonic Orchestra under Nézet-Séguin; Los Angeles Philharmonic under Dudamel; Bayerischer Rundfunk under Gardiner and at the Osterfestspiele Salzburg and Edinburgh International Festival under Norrington and Mackerras. Recent appearances include The Seasons with the Philharmonie de Paris, Bruckner F minor Mass with the Sinfonieorchester Basel; The Creation with the Houston Symphony Orchestra; Messiah, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Haydn’s Nelson Mass with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Mumbai and Missa Solemnis with the LSO under Tilson Thomas. Recent opera engagements include Ghandi Satyagraha at English National Opera; Captain Vere Billy Budd for Teatro Real and Opera di Roma; Anatol Vanessa for Frankfurt Opera; Don Ottavio at the Liceu Barcelona; Eisenstein Die Fledermaus and Antonio The Tempest for the Metropolitan Opera; Don Ottavio and Tito for the Wiener Staatsoper; Essex Gloriana and Tamino Die Zauberflöte for the Royal Opera House, where his previous roles have also included Ferdinand The Tempest, David Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Count Almaviva Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Ramiro and Tom Rakewell; Tamino, Candide, Paris La Belle Hélène, Lensky and Faust for English National Opera; Madwoman Curlew River for the Edinburgh Festival; Tito, Tamino and Henry Morosus Die Schweigsame Frau for the Bayerische Staatsoper; and Tom Rakewell and David Die Meistersinger at Opéra de Paris. Engagements in the 2018-19 season include Dvorak Stabat Mater with Houston Symphony Orchestra; Britten War Requiem with Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Szymanowski’s 3rd Symphony for the Gulbenkian Foundation and Orff’s Carmina Burana in Shanghai and Beijing with Long Yu and Aida Garifullina for Deutsche Grammophon’s 120’s anniversary. Opera engagements include Captain Vere Billy Budd for the Royal Opera House and a staged version of Britten Les Illuminations for Teatro Real Madrid. Subscribe to the Talking Classical Podcast on SoundCloud, iTunes and Spotify. Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com

For the first time on 'Music On The Move' Bourby is joined by not one, but TWO special guests! Jessica Gethin (Chief Conductor of Perth Symphony Orchestra) and Alice Farnham (Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Women Conductors with the Royal Philharmonic Society) sit down with Bourby to give you an exclusive listen into our first interactive program 'Women On The Podium'. This initiative was our first effort into inspiring women to embrace leadership roles within music!

Wimbledon, musicians’ weddings, and the word “klang” make for some worthy discussion in this episode. We also touch on the recent passing of the great British composer Oliver Knussen, and the start of this year’s BBC Proms.  Our special guest is the Director of Wigmore Hall and Chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society, John Gilhooly. John became the youngest director of any of the world’s concert halls at the age of 32. We pick his brains on what it takes to be successful in arts administration and performance. And of course, we conclude with a weird gig of mistaken identity...how intriguing! (Photo credit: Kaupo Kikkas) Mentioned in this episode:   Oliver Knussen passing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44764282 First night of the BBC Proms: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0b9zrlx/bbc-proms-2018-first-night-of-the-proms Wigmore Hall Under 35s £5 ticket scheme: https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/wigmore-series/under-35 Upcoming events: Jacob Collier Prom 19 July: https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e88qwh OperArt at V & A museum Friday Lates: https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/Bp2PWgaQ/an-evening-of-opera-seven-angels London Contemporary Orchestra late night prom 23 July: https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ebzcd4 Southbank Sinfonia events: https://www.southbanksinfonia.co.uk/events/

Jordan Erica Webber questions the significance of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s video game-themed concert

Should audiences be allowed to bring food and drink into operas? Which age group is now most interested in orchestral music? And how much money do orchestral musicians make? These are just three of the questions the BBC Music Magazine team grapples with in this month's episode, which also features the podcast's first 'Meet the Artist' interview. That's with Vladimir Jurowski, who has won the Royal Philharmonic Society's conductor award this year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Donald Macleod recalls the story of the Royal Philharmonic Society - and the remarkable roll-call of commissions and world premieres given by the Society during its two centuries of existence

Commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society, Witold Lutosławski's Cello Concerto was written for and premièred by the great cellist Mstislav Rostropovich at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1970. Tom Hutchinson of the Royal Philharmonic Society tells us more. Part of the Philharmonia Orchestra's series Woven Words: "Music begins where words end". Explore the series’ digital resources at http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/lutoslawski

Commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society, Witold Lutosławski's Cello Concerto was written for and premièred by the great cellist Mstislav Rostropovich at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1970. Tom Hutchinson of the Royal Philharmonic Society tells us more. Part of the Philharmonia Orchestra's series Woven Words: "Music begins where words end". Explore the series’ digital resources at http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/lutoslawski

Enregistrement public de la 25e saison, du concert de printemps de la Formation Symphonique (FS) des Choeur et Orchestre des Grandes Ecoles, réalisé les : Vendredi 30 mai 2008 à 21h en l'Église Saint-Eustache (Paris 1er). Samedi 31 mai 2008 à 21h en l'Église Saint-Eustache (Paris 1er). Direction musicale : Sylvain AUDINOVSKI, chef d'orchestre. Patrizia METZLER, chef de choeur. La Symphonie n° 3 en ut mineur avec orgue fut composée en 1886 à la suite d'une commande de la Royal Philharmonic Society de Londres. C'est en fait la cinquième (et dernière) symphonie de Camille Saint-Saëns, celui-ci ayant répudié ses œuvres de jeunesse. La symphonie fut créée le 19 mai 1886 à Saint-James Hall à Londres, sous la direction du compositeur... Retrouvez plus d'informations sur ce programme en consultant cette page : https://www.coge.org/programme/25-fs02/symphonie-n-3-avec-orgue-de-saint-saens.html

David Cairns is a British journalist, non-fiction writer and musician. He is a leading authority on the life of Berlioz. David Cairns' work in journalism has spanned a number of high profile newspapers and magazines. He was chief music critic of the Sunday Times from 1983 to 1992, having earlier been Music Critic and ArtsEditor of The Spectator. Other publications for which he has been a music critic include The Evening Standard, The Financial Times and The New Statesman. He is best known for his monumental two-volume biography of Berlioz: "Berlioz: The Making of an Artist 1803-1832" and "Berlioz: Servitude and Greatness 1832-1869". The books won a number of major awards, including The Royal Philharmonic Society's Music award, The Yorkshire Post "Book of the Year" award, The British Academy's Derek Allen prize, The Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction and Biography of the year in the Whitbread Book Awards.

Hebrides Ensemble has built a reputation as Scotland's foremost chamber group, touring frequently throughout Scotland, appearing at international music festivals and broadcasting regularly on BBC Radio 3. Its concerts are acclaimed for their imaginative and innovative programming and for the outstanding quality of performance. For its work in 2005 Hebrides Ensemble was nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society award. The Ensemble has commissioned and premiered new works by more than forty composers including Gordon Mcpherson, Nigel Osborne, Lyell Cresswell and Haflidi Hallgrimsson and performs a celebrated series of concerts each year at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Festival appearances include a residency at the St. Magnus Festival, Orkney and a performances, to outstanding critical acclaim, at the 2005 and 2006 Edinburgh International Festivals. In November 2006, the Ensemble will perform a prestigious Scottish Arts Council Tune Up tour.

Lutoslawski's Cello Concerto was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society and premiered in London by Rostropovich in 1970. This lecture explores the compositional process and performance history through the sketches, concepts of musical drama, and the cultural and political contexts of...