blog

Year 1 visit the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:04:06 +0000

Last Tuesday saw the Bridge Project’s annual Year 1 orchestral ‘sit-in’ take place with the LPO at the Southbank Centre. One of our LMM volunteers, who accompanied Ashmole Primary school children on the trip, writes about her experience.....

In a former life I was amongst groups from my school who went to the Royal Festival Hall for Ernest Read Children’s Concerts, which were pleasant, if rather formal, because we children sat in the seats designated for the audience.

How refreshing then that today we were like little nymphs and fairies, lurking throughout the orchestra, where you cannot help but absorb what is going on round you. The children next to me were counting bars for the 4th trumpeter, conducting, recognising different solo instruments, imitating how to play them, and trying to see whether they could reach the bottom of the tuba’s bell, amongst many other things! It makes it all so real, normal and fun for them – even just preparing to be there in one of the band rooms and remembering to be absolutely quiet - seems to me part of that extraordinary experience of playing within a world class symphony orchestra. Afterwards one boy was wide-eyed, describing how he had played some of the keys on the contra-bassoon. I expect he has never been near such an instrument before, and perhaps never again, but who knows, after today?

It is a magical project with the conductor and musicians seeming so very ready to help, support and amuse and for the children to be able to creep in and out of the orchestra was just brilliant!

I have read that music is like Heineken – it reaches the parts other art forms don’t – and if children can get inspired early on many of them can manage the discipline of learning to play because their motivation becomes unstoppable.

Thank you very much for letting me be a tiny part of your very important and inspiring work.

lmm recommends

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:59:58 +0000

Debussy: Painter of Dreams | LSO St.Lukes | 1 February | 8.00 pm

To complement his London Symphony Orchestra concerts at the Barbican, Michael Tilson Thomas takes a more intimate look at Debussy’s music and journeys through his violin and cello sonatas in addition to other chamber works.

The Soldier's Tale | Wigmore Hall | 4 February | 11.00 am

A repeat performance of The Soldier’s Tale by Stravinsky, open to families and children aged 8 and up. The story is based on a Russian folk tale about a soldier who makes a deal with the devil, trading his fiddle for a book that predicts the future.

Composition for screen showcase | Britten Theatre | 7 February | 7.30 pm

The RCM’s famous “Composition for Screen” course attracts the freshest young talent from all around the world. Their former students are now scoring the biggest movies in Hollywood.

This concert will showcase the cream of RCM composers, hailing from every corner of the globe. Conducted by Marcio Da Silva, RCM musicians will perform their works live to film, projected in the atmospheric setting of the RCM’s Britten Theatre. A huge range of short films, animations and collaborations will be on show.

Pictures at an exhibition | Southbank Centre | 11 February | 4.00 pm

Conductor Charles Hazlewood joins 250 schoolchildren to bring you a colourful concert that combines painting, music and singing with a multidisciplinary approach to classical music. Charles Hazlewood conducts a young choir, part of Southwark Excellence in Schools, who will share a stage with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

This fully immersive concert allows families to interact with classical music and to experience it together.

lmm recommends | Tuesday 24 January

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

From Blue to Joy | southbank centre

Drawing experience from The Mexican Day of The Dead, one hundred young people from Kids Company will be participating in a funeral parade across the South Bank as part of the sites festival: Death: The Festival for the Living.

Kids Company work with vulnerable, inner-city children from London and through this project have been exploring notions of loss, helping the children to voice their perspectives. They will be joined by Abram Wilson and his Band, with a specially decorated coffin. After these spooky happenings the parade will culminate at the Clore Ballroom at 5pm with a speech followed by a party - funeral style.

A fanatastic FREE outing for all the family!

5.00pm | Friday 27 January | The Clore Ballroom, Southbank Centre.

For more information please click here.

Music to Die For

It’s Music To Die For –“ a heavenly mix of devilishly popular classics” from the BBC Concert Orchestra, where they’ll be joining Death: the Southbank Centre's Festival for the Living. Expect chilling recitals of Maher, and lively performances from Requiems by Fauré, Verdi and Mozart.

7.30 pm | Friday 27 January | Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre

Tickets from £12. For more information, please click here.

London Symphony Orchestra | Michael Tilson Thomas

Debussy’s beautiful ‘Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra’ was written in a period of uncertainty and self-doubt; consequently, he prohibited its performance and sanctioned its publication during his lifetime. Belioz ‘Symphonie fantastique’ recalls the cursed love affair of a man who has poisoned himself with opium, inviting crazed hallucinations of a masked ball, the movement to the scaffold and finally, a witches’ Sabbath. Performed by The London Symphony Orchestra, and conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, with a preceding appearance by the conductor in conversation at 1.15pm.

7.30 pm | Tuesday 24 January | Barbican Hall.

Tickets from £10. For more information, please click here.

London Contemporary Orchestra workshops

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:09:57 +0000

In music education there aren’t many challenges bigger than introducing a newly-composed violin concerto of staggering complexity to a school hall filled with eight-year olds. Yet with some careful planning and inspired creative leadership from LMM Animateur Jess Maryon-Davies, the London Contemporary Orchestra with composer Martin Suckling and LMM Award Holder Agata Szymczewska did just that, and then some.

In two sessions the creative team managed not only to present the new work, de sol y grana, in a lucid and engaging way (the composer had rescored fragments of the piece commissioned for Agata and the LCO for the reduced forces available in the workshop) but also to create whole new compositions that were rehearsed and performed.

The 80 or so Bridge Project students from Ashmole and Jessop schools who took part were creative equals to the RPS prize-winning composer. They generated ideas and motifs which were expertly and energetically realised by the musicians from the LCO. In a neat twist, Martin scored the works that the children were creating in real time and presented them to the group at the end of the day.

Martin was evidently delighted that the first audience for his new work was this group of receptive and excitable eight-year olds and the children, now in their second year of violin playing, seemed to enjoy the opportunity to engage in some musical rough and tumble with Agata and the LCO.

Watch the highlights of the day online:

www.youtube.com/londonmusicmasters

This month in Muso... Agata & Jennifer!

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The latest edition of Muso presents an interesting array of articles, ranging from your typical ‘big-artist’ feature through to a thought-provoking piece on the work of The Musicians Benevolent Fund, celebrating its 90^th anniversary this year. This particular issue is also brimming with references to LMM Award Holders, our creative partners and even one of our Ambassadors, Colin Currie!

The idea at the core of LMM’s Bridge Project also seems to be invoked in Muso’s review of A Classical Affair, which took place at the Barbican in September. This panel-audience event explored the positive and negative arguments surrounding the classical music, and whether it has a future in modern society. LMM’s Bridge Project is an initiative that certainly strives to maintain classical music’s standing in society: ‘Targeting socio-economically challenged inner-city boroughs, the project encourages children, their families and their communities to develop a life-long appreciation for classical music in all its varied forms.’

LMM Award Holders, Agata Szymczewska and Jennifer Pike, feature in this issue’s list of ‘unmissable events’ and both for giving world premieres this month! The first was given by Jennifer on 7 December with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, performing Haflidi Hallgrimsson’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op. 46, while Agata premiered Suckling’s ‘de sol y grana’ on 12 December at the Spitalfields Music Winter Festival. The premiere was given with the London Contemporary Orchestra, the first of two references to this ensemble in the ‘unmissable events’ section. The second notes their performance in the Reverb 2012 festival, where they will give the European premiere of Gabriel Prokofiev’s Concerto for Bass Drum and Orchestra on 3 March.

Muso’s news highlights informs us that the PRS for Music Foundation’s Women Make Music initiative has announced a second round of recipients, adding to the 13 that were initially named in August. The initiative seeks to raise the profile of female music creators after statistics revealed that women composers are disproportionately represented in the UK. Charlotte Bray is one composer that benefitted from the first round of funding. Earlier this year we were delighted to co-commission Bray to compose a work for Bridge Project students, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Jennifer Pike. Scenes from Wonderland was premiered on 28 June 2011 in the Royal Festival Hall.

With the Olympics on the horizon in 2012, Muso interviews a London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Sally Beamish has composed ‘Spinal Chords’ as her contribution to the artistic flourishing accompanying the games. The piece has been commissioned by New Music 20x12 and will be performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Spinal Chords is not the only large-scale work is on the horizon for Beamish in 2012; she is working on a concerto for percussionist and LMM Ambassador Colin Currie, which will be entitled Dance Variations.

To hear Beamish and her inspiration for Spinal Chords discuss this project, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONmdbEWOAJY&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLBB452E307A7D16C3

lmm recommends | Monday 9 January

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Family gamelan taster sessions – Southbank Centre, Gamelan Room

Saturday 7 January 2012 – Saturday 18 February 2012

Prices: £8 & £4 concessions/children Booking Fee: £1.75 (Members £0.00)

Suitable for adults and children over 6

Have an enjoyable and enriching family day at these gamelan taster sessions where you will start to gain an understanding of this wonderful musical ensemble originating from Indonesia, which includes an interesting range of instruments. As well as being fun it has the added bonus of being able to improve various skills such as listening, coordination and team working skills. You do not need any musical abilities to participate so anyone is welcome to join and have a go at this new and unique experience.

Book tickets here.

Spaghetti Western Orchestra – Southbank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall

Thursday 5 January 2012 – Wednesday 11 January 2012

Prices: £20-£30 Booking Fee: £1.75 (Members £0.00) Concessions: 50% off (limited availability)

Having previously appeared in BBC proms 2011 and on Later with Jools Holland, Spaghetti Western Orchestra have blown many audiences away with their comedic performances of classics such as music from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and For a Few Dollars More. As well as using traditional instruments the Spaghetti Western Orchestra perform with everyday objects like bottles, coat hangers, bicycle pumps and rubber gloves to create interesting and new sounds contributing to their exclusive style. Their performances have been described as ‘unmissable’ and ‘pure performance - music, drama and comedy - musicianship and arrangements of the highest order’ making it a must-see. Book your tickets now to ensure you get the opportunity to watch this exciting show.

Book tickets here.

A Cappella Workshop 1: Voice Camp with Swingle Singers – Kings Place, Hall Two

Saturday 14 January 2012, 11am

Price: £9.50

As part of London A Cappella Festival Swingle Singers, an a cappella group who have won several Grammies, will be holding a singing workshop at King’s Place. The workshop will include activities which explore a cappella performance in addition to several different vocal tasks, all of which are led by Swingle Singers. Singers of all ages and abilities are welcome to join this day packed with enjoyable vocal excitement. Get your tickets for this popular workshop with the Swingle Singers quickly before you lose out.

Book tickets here.

Come and sing: French song, Wigmore hall

Saturday 7 January 2012, 10am

Prices: £18 Concessions: £10 (not part of subscription theme)

Take part in a day filled with brilliant songs and singing at this collection of workshops held by Isabelle Adams at Wigmore hall. You will participate in variety of interesting vocal warm-ups as well as learn some new songs all inspired by French Song and linking to Christopher Maltman’s concert on 15 January. After your day of learning how to use your vocal chords you will then have the chance to put all your knowledge into practice when you will be given the chance to perform on the Wigmore hall stage. No experienced is required at this workshop, anyone can join in the musical fun! Booking is required so call the box office: 020 7935 2141 or visit here.

RCM at the Royal Festival Hall

Wednesday 18January, 6pm, Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre

Free event – no tickets required

This performance is brought to you as part of The Royal College of Music and The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s celebration of Prokofiev and his works. The RCM musicians will be performing Quartet no 1 in B minor op 50 and Quintet in G minor op 39 to pay tribute to Prokofiev as well as being part of ‘Sergei Prokofiev: Man of the People?’. The event is free, interesting for all and easy to get to. So why not go and enjoy the music of Prokofiev.

^{London Symphony Orchestra , Thomas Adès – Barbican Hall}

Sunday 15 January 2012, 7.30pm

Prices: £10-£35

A collection of pieces by Adès and Mahler will be played by The London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Hall. There will be performances of Adès’ In Seven Days and Tevot as well as Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn inspired by the German Poems. Thomas Adès will be conducting, with Nicolas Hodges on the piano and tenor Toby Spence. The premier of Francisco Coll’s Hidd’n Blue which was commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra Discovery Panufnik Young Composers Scheme will also take place at the concert. This performance of exciting pieces is a definite one to watch.

Book tickets here.

LMM Recommends | Thursday 22 December

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

White | Southbank Centre

As part of their Winter Festival the Southbank Centre presents White, a performance designed for children aged two to four that features music, stories and surprises! This production is brought to the Festival by critically-acclaimed children’s theatre company Catherine Wheels. This is the company’s first production for under-4s and was premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010. With a story centred around colour and a running time of only 40 minutes, White is an ideal first theatre experience for young children.

Saturday 17 December – Saturday 31 December, Spirit Level, Southbank Centre, £12

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/dance-performance/tickets/white-60630

Dick Whittington | New Wimbledon Theatre

Dame Edna Everage makes her pantomime debut as the ‘Saviour of London’ in the New Wimbledon Theatre production of Dick Whittington. Everage is joined by fellow celebrities Sam Attwater, 2011 champion of ITV’s Dancing on Ice, and Nickelodeon presenter Anna Williamson in this classic rags-to-riches tale. This production features the usual array of pantomime fare – an abundance of slapstick comedy, glitzy dance routines and audience participation – whilst bringing the festive theatrical phenomenon into the 21^st century with an underwater 3D movie sequence!

Booking until Sunday 15 January 2012, New Wimbledon Theatre, £15.25 - £44.00

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://www.atgtickets.com/Dick-Whittington-Tickets/7/209/#overview_tab

A Christmas Carol | Greenwich Playhouse

If you are looking for some gentler Christmas theatre, check out Sell a Door Theatre Company’s family-friendly production of A Christmas Carol. Described as a ‘heart-warming version’ of Dickens’ popular Christmas story, Sell a Door’s production features ghouls, Christmas carols and a good helping of festive cheer! A Christmas Carol concludes a successful year for this theatre company, which was formed in 2007 by a group of performers from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Book your ticket now to avoid disappointment!

Booking until Sunday 15 January 2012, Greenwich Playhouse, £13 & £10 (CONCESSIONS)

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://www.galleontheatre.co.uk

The Railway Children | Waterloo Station Theatre

Although not strictly a Christmas show, The Railway Children invokes a particular variety of childhood magic that perfectly complements the festive season. This innovative production is staged in the former Eurostar terminal of Waterloo Station and features a 140-year old, 60 tonne steam locomotive! This production of The Railway Children was first staged at the National Railway Museum, York in 2008 and after transferring to Waterloo Station was awarded an Olivier for Best Entertainment. This is the final opportunity to see this exciting production before it closes in January – don’t miss your chance!

Booking until Sunday 8 January 2012, Waterloo Station Theatre, £21- £75

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://www.railwaychildrenwaterloo.com/home/bookinginfo/

Boxing Day Baroque by Candlelight, St Martin in the Fields | 26 December

The Belmont Ensemble of London presents an all-baroque programme in the elegant St Martin in the Fields. Conducted by Peter Dyson, the orchestra’s programme will include works by Mozart, Vivaldi, Torelli and Corelli. The Belmont Ensemble performs frequently at the Trafalgar Square Church and has given over 500 concerts at the venue since the early 1990s. Take a break from the Christmas fervour and relax on Boxing Day with the Belmont Ensemble!

Monday 26 December, St Martin in the Fields, 7:30pm

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://enterprise.smitf.org/jserv/concerts/view.jsp?id=3718&command=concert

'Buy a Bar' Commission is a Huge Success at Spitalfields Festival!

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The highly-anticipated world premiere of Martin Suckling’s violin concerto ‘de sol y grana’, funded through LMM’s hugely successful ‘Buy a Bar’ campaign, took place at Shoreditch Church last night as part of the Spitalfields Music Winter Festival. Under the baton of Hugh Brunt, LMM Award Holder Agata Szymczewska and the London Contemporary Orchestra dazzled the audience with an inspiring first performance of Suckling’s innovative new work. The piece’s title is taken from an Antonio Machado poem and roughly translates as ‘of sun(light) and scarlet’. Suckling describes the composition as comprising of nine ‘bubbles’ of music, each behaving differently: “some hang in the air relatively serenely while others are considerably more volatile and unpredictable.”

Szymczewska’s compelling and energetic performance of ‘de sol y grana’ perfectly captured the unique qualities of each “bubble”, while admirably maintaining the high level of technical accuracy needed to perform this challenging work. Both Martin and Agata were also able to work with LMM Partner schools in the run up to the premiere to give workshops, introducing Bridge Project students to contemporary music composition and performance.

‘de sol y grana’ was sandwiched between two equally stimulating performances of Vivier’s Pulau Dewata and Grisey’s Vortex Temporum, also given by the London Contemporary Orchestra. A special mention must be given to pianist Antoine Françoise who shone in Vortex Temporum, fully embracing the overwhelming, and somewhat animalistic, nature of Grisey’s keyboard writing. Shoreditch Church provided a thoughtful environment in which to embrace and reflect upon the individual intricacies of each contemporary work.

To conclude, a superb evening for performers and audience alike!

LMM Recommends | Friday 9 December

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

World Premiere of Martin Suckling’s Violin Concerto ‘de sol y grana’ | 12 December

The world premiere of Martin Suckling’s violin concerto, de sol y grana, performed by LMM Award Holder Agata Szymczewska and the London Contemporary Orchestra, promises to be an enthralling evening. The work was commissioned by London Music Masters from funds raised through their ‘Buy a Bar’ campaign earlier this year Conducted by Hugh Brunt, this performance is given as part of the Spitalfields Music Winter Festival. Suckling’s violin concerto will be performed alongside two other contemporary works – Vivier’s Pulau Dewata and Grisey’s Vortex Temporum, featuring pianist Antoine Françoise.

Monday 12 December, 7pm, Shoreditch Church, £5-£15

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk/index.php?pid=11&calendar=12|December|2011

Or call the Spitalfields Music Box Office: 020 7377 1362

Renée Fleming and London Philharmonic Orchestra | 14 December

A rare opportunity to hear world-renowned soloist, Renée Fleming, perform alongside the LPO at the Royal Festival Hall. Fleming will be performing Strauss’s Four Last Songs under the baton of Christoph Eschenbach, in a concert also featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Wagner’s overture to Tannhäuser. With such an overwhelming talented combination of musicians, this concert is sure to sell out.

Wednesday 14 December, 7:30pm, Royal Festival Hall, £12-£75

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://shop.lpo.org.uk/performances/book/?6592,63,0,0,0

Elias String Quartet | 16 December

Performing as part of Wigmore Hall’s ‘Emerging Talent’ scheme, the Elias String Quartet presents a programme of Bach, Haydn and Beethoven. This is the quartet’s second performance of the season at Wigmore Hall, and each piece is linked by its exploration of the fugue – Bach’s The Art of the Fugue opens the concert. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the quartet before they begin touring with ‘The Beethoven Project’ in 2012.

Friday 16 December, 7:30pm, Royal Festival Hall, £12-£26

To purchase tickets for this performance visit: http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/productions/elias-string-quartet-28190

Slava’s Snowshow | Royal Festival Hall

As part of their Winter Festival the Southbank Centre presents Slava’s Snowshow, a visually spectacular Christmas experience featuring Slava Polunin’s company of clowns. Returning to the city after a 15 year absence, the award-winning Snowshow has been performed in over 80 cities across the globe to-date. The perfect complement to this brisk Christmas season, book your tickets now!

Saturday 17 December – Sunday 8^th January, Royal Festival Hall, £20-£47.50

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/dance-performance/tickets/slavas-snowshow-59988

Matilda the Musical | Cambridge Theatre

Following a hugely successful run at The Courtyard Theatre, the RSC’s Matilda the Musical has arrived in the West End. A vibrant adaption of this classic childhood story, Matilda is proving popular with children and parents alike. Songs such as “Revolting Children” and “When I Grow Up” revive the nostalgic Roald Dahl spirit with a Minchin-esque twist! Many of the original cast members are reprising their role in this West End production, with Bertie Carvel drawing much attention for his portrayal of the infamous Miss Trunchball.

This already critically-acclaimed production is selling fast, so be sure to book your tickets soon!

Currently booking until October 2012, Cambridge Theatre, £20-£62.50

To buy tickets for this performance visit: http://www.matildathemusical.com/bookticketssee/

Agata and Martin tell us about LCO workshops at Ashmole and Jessop - watch the video!

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:11:12 +0000

LMM Award Holder Agata Szymczewska and composer Martin Suckling discuss how 60 children at Bridge Project partner schools, Ashmole and Jessop Primary, got a sneak preview of de sol y grana ahead of its premiere on Monday 12 December. Led by LMM Animateur Jess Maryon-Davies, Agata, Martin and musicians from the London Contemporary Orchestra delivered a set of workshops introducing the new work to the children, exploring the inspiration behind its conception and creating their own compositions based on the piece.

"These were perhaps the best workshops I've ever been involved in! It's totally fab that the first people to hear bits of the new piece were these children and I'm really impressed at the amount they managed to create in such a short space of time" - Martin Suckling

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B2C at Westminster Music Library - watch our video!

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:49:46 +0000

A group of Year 2 students from Ashmole Primary school visited Westminster Music Library for a Bridge to the Community performance earlier this month. This was their first performance outside of school and they played a selection of pieces before having the chance to explore the music library and learn about a few famous composers! Have a look at their video blog to see how they got on!

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This month in Music Teacher ... primary schools

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:29:05 +0000

This month’s edition of Music Teacher picks up on an interesting theme, something we’ve actually been discussing here at the LMM offices this week. A study from London University’s Institute shows that there is an uneven spread in the standard of music in primary schools, with many schools lacking a music specialist. Headed by Professor Susam Hallam, the study found that 45% of primary staff could not read music and one in nine schools did not have a piano.

However, does not being able to read music necessarily restrict primary teachers from incorporating music and the arts into the curriculum? Also highlighted in MT, the Write an Opera programme from the Royal Opera House Education team, provides training for Key Stage 2 teachers to develop confidence and skills in incorporating creativity into the classroom. By supplying the resources to build an opera from scratch, this is a great way to reach more children by giving teachers the skills to implement for years to come. So even though primary schools might not have access to specialist music teachers, there are fantastic projects out there that can help make creativity an important element of all teaching.

Also, congrats to Youth Music for receiving a BeMOBO Award (an offshoot of the Music of Black Origin Award that honours individuals/organisations that bring about change via grassroots, education or community initiatives)!

21 factoids about de sol y grana

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:12:50 +0000

What should composers blog about? Should they attempt to demystify the creative process, charting the journey from the first flashes of inspiration, through the nitty-gritty of getting dots on paper, to the final completed ’work of art’?

Or should they focus on the finished product and offer some insight into what it ’means’, what they hope an audience to take from listening to it? Or should they write about the place of new music in society, their motivations for writing what they write, and what they hope their piece will achieve?

There are no rules, I guess. Having very recently finished my piece for Agata Szymczewska I offer the following miscellany which perhaps covers some of the above points:

1. de sol y grana roughly translates as ’of sun(light) and scarlet’

2. It’s from a poem by Antonio Machado in which he uses these words to describe the glittering surface of soap bubbles

3. I often use texts, especially poetry, to help me focus my thoughts for a piece, but I very rarely try to depict these texts in the music itself

4. I’m a violinist, writing a violin concerto. The music comes from my fingers. They don’t always go where I intend/expect them

5. This is a really fun way of composing: you are physically ’in contact’ with the music all the time

6. This is a really inefficient way of composing: you can while away entire days playing around with a chunk of music, trying to get it to ’feel’ right, instead of engaging your brain

7. There are nine sections in the piece. I wrote them in the order 7-1-4-9-5-8-3-2-6. This seemed like the sensible thing to do at the time

8. Microtones can be used to produce absolutely gorgeous sounds

9. Microtones don’t necessarily produce absolutely gorgeous sounds

10. I spent weeks playing chords on my microtonal keyboard and melodies on my microtonal violin making sure the harmonic structure of the piece was full of 8

11. Having the option of a veritable battery of percussion, I was slightly surprised to realise on completing the piece that I had only used four separate instruments

12. (Vibraphone, cabasa, suspended cymbal (bowed), marimba)

13. I love harmonics, their sparkly glistening bodiless magical sound. I had planned for the solo part to be full of them

14. It isn’t, but the orchestral strings certainly have more than their fair share

15. Time signatures of the form 3/4+1/16 are a nuisance to typeset, especially when it comes to extracting parts

16. Extracting orchestral parts is the dullest component of fulfilling a commission, but at least you can have old episodes of QI playing on YouTube in the background

17. This is why it is essential for composers to have two computer monitors

18. I don’t know about ’demystification’; I’m sitting here with a freshly printed score on my desk and already it seems alien

19. Aliens are cool

20. By which I mean: one of the (many) wonderful things about being a composer is hearing the new life your music takes on in the hands of the performers; once you’ve handed it over, it’s not your music anymore

21. Or not only yours, at least

BBC music magazine - reviewed

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:38:58 +0000

BBC music magazine is tidy combination of big name interviews, thoughtful opinion pieces, musician profiles, interesting features and CD reviews. This month’s edition does not disappoint with insightful interviews with cellist Steven Isserliss (who comments on Tavener’s, The Protecting Veil, which he premiered at his own Proms debut in 1989 “[it is] wonderful to play. Plus it bought me my washing machine!”) and conductor Vladimir Jurowski who’s mastery of European languages is not diminished by his use of one of the newest international verbs ‘googling’ (which apparently he does instead of visiting libraries). James Naughtie’s interview with Jurowski includes many references to the conductor’s philosophical musings but doesn’t really get behind the mask of the man who has led LPO courageously for the past four years

For kids: Steven Isserliss has written several books for children as well as co-writing performance pieces for young audiences including ‘The Little Red Violin’. One of LMM’s creative partners Wigmore Hall recently produced a teachers pack to support a family concert where Steven performed this piece it can be found here and is titled ‘String Stories 2011’:

http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/learning/resources/teachers-packs

In case you didn’t buy the magazine with its attendant ‘free’ CD a selection of recordings can be downloaded from Itunes.com/bbcmm (these are actually free).

Our Latest Bridge to the Community Event at King Solomon Academy!

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:19:40 +0100

Today LMM Award Holder, Elena Urioste played two pieces for the pupils at King Solomon Academy, with accompanist, Belinda Jones. This is the first time an LMM Award Holder has given a full-length recital with an accompanist through LMM’s Bridge to the Community initiative.

The day began very early (7am!) and very cold. Although once we were inside and warm, Elena got down to what she does best and gave a stunning performance of Amy Beach’s Romance and Mozart’s Sonata in B flat major. The whole school watched in awe for the entire recital. The students were then given the opportunity to ask Elena about her career. – How many hours a day does she practise, does she miss her family when she’s touring, does she get nervous before going on stage etc.

Each pupil at King Solomon learns how to play a string instrument, which is amazing and because of this we were extra pleased that we were able to coordinate a performance from such a talented young violinist and hope that we will be able to visit again in the future.

A week in the life at LMM

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:16:53 +0100

A bus journey from Glasgow to London, sleep, then first day at LMM. Greeted at the reception by a friendly face, despite being a little late, as I suspect most new people to the building probably are, and then got introduced to the rest of LMM staff, whose names I immediately forgot (but I remember them now!) After a short meeting with Hannah, about what I was going to do, I got straight into the work. First task was to read through MUSO magazine, then write a blog post (for the first time ever) on some interesting articles, the most exciting of all on LMM Award Holder, Jennifer Pike. After some time of only having a pen and many blank pages, I finally thought of something to write!
Second day, making sure not to be late, instead coming in 20 minutes early and after putting the finishing touches onto yesterday’s blog, I learnt how to put it onto the LMM website. After getting a satisfying feeling from seeing the finished product on the internet, I got started on researching the weekly ‘LMM Recommends’ posts. This involved finding out about music events going on in and around London (and there are a lot of them!), and putting together a summary of those events the LMM Team would suggest to their followers. The hardest part of this task was deciding which to choose from all the great things going on, but eventually I think I came up with a great selection. It’s only a shame that I won’t be in London long enough to check some of it out myself.
It was an unusually early start on day 4, getting up at 6.30am to an absolutely freezing morning (and I’m from Scotland!). However, I got to see a fantastic Bridge to the Community performance by LMM Award Holder, Elena Urioste and pianist Belinda Jones at King Solomon Academy, which was beyond amazing!
I really enjoyed my week at London Music Masters. It’s much better than school! I’m hoping to go on to do music at university and am now definitely considering a career in arts administration for music when I graduate.

LMM Recommends | Wednesday 19 October

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:32:08 +0100

LPO FUNharmonics Family Concert | 23 October

The newly appointed London Philharmonic Orchestra assistant conductor , Nick Collon , will be at the Royal Festival Hall this Sunday in his first engagement with the orchestra. They will be playing works by Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Rachmaninov, with songs including The Dancing Cossack and The Nutcracker for people to sing along to (don’t worry though, the words are given!). So get the whole family down for a great fun-filled afternoon out.

23 October 12pm, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets from £10. Closest tube station: Waterloo.

For more information please go to http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/music/classical/tickets/lpo-funharmonics-family-concert-56989. .

RCM Spar k s Springboard: Film music for beginners | 23 and 24 October

A great two-for-one deal for anyone interested in Film Music! For all those between the ages of 15-18, this will be a great opportunity to participate on an exciting creative journey to learn how to write an effective score for a film. This beginner’s course will work around footage from the Oscar award winning science fiction film The Matrix. All ticket holders will also gain entry to hear the NDR Pops Orchestra from Germany at the Royal Albert Hall, accompanying a screening of The Matrix. Not to be missed.

23 October Royal Albert Hall, 7:45pm. 24 October, RCM studios, 11:00am. Tickets cost £25 for both days. Closest Tube Station: South Kensington.

For more information please to go http://www.rcm.ac.uk/events/listings/details/?id=6058.

Janine Jansen | 20 October

International violinist, Janine Jansen will be joined by pianist Itamar Golan, at Wigmore Hall this Wednesday. Known for her fantastic interpretations of music ranging from Baroque to the present day, the duo will be playing pieces by Greig, Dubugnon, Messiaen and Ravel. This is sure to sell out, so get your tickets now as this is a must see.

Wigmore Hall, 20th October 7:30pm, tickets £15-30. Closest Tube Station: Bond Street.

For more information please go to http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/productions/janine-jansen-violin-itamar-golan-piano-28082

Mini Maestro Family Concert | 29 october

This is a great way to introduce your children to classical music! This interactive family event will give children the opportunity to listen to theLondon Musical Arts Orchestra play music from composers such as Beethoven, Mozart and Vivaldi. They will also get the chance to join in with the games, such as a musical treasure hunt, a fun-filled quiz, the chance to enjoy a ride on the orchestra side-car or play musical chairs. They may even get the chance to conduct the orchestra! So get down toSt Martins in the Fields for a feast of musical treats for all the family to enjoy.

St Martins in the Fields, 4:30pm, 29th October. Tickets are £8.50 for adults and £6.50 for children. Suitable for children aged between 4-12. Closest tube station: Charing Cross.

For more information please go to http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/jserv/concerts/view.jsp?id=3678

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet | 23 October

Award winning pianist, Jean-Efflam will be performing in the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre this Sunday. The programme includes pieces by Bartok, Haydn and Debussy, for which he has been given awards from both Gramophone andBBC Music Magazine.

23 October, 3pm, Southbank Centre at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets are from £10. Closest tube station: Waterloo.

For more information please go to http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/music/classical/tickets/jean-efflam-bavouzet-56866.

This month in Muso... Jennifer!

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:29:50 +0100

This month in Muso. None other than the LMM Award Holder, Jennifer Pike, dominating the front page. With the release of her new album, of violin sonatas by Franck, Debussy and Ravel, she gives an account of her thrilling music career. Discussed in the interview was Jennifer's achievements from her winning the BBC young musician competition at just 12 years old to her debut appearance at the Proms at the of age 15, and now having two albums released. Particular credit is given to her involvement with LMM's Bridge Project, being an inspirational figure to hundreds of young kids, teaching them to aim high and translating to them a love of classical music. And all at the age of 21!

Also in Muso this month, was the multi-talented composer, producer, pianist, Nils Frahm on his new album, Felt. Lauren Strain gets into detail about where the inspiration came from for his latest album and how his exploration into sound has affected the outcome of his new works. Muso also gives credit to the 13 recipients of the Women Make Music funding opportunity, which allows female composers the chance to prolong their music careers, getting the opportunity to compose for some very high profile events. LMM are very much in support of this and delighted to see that composer Charlotte Bray is one of the recipients of the funding opportunity as she recently worked with LMM, composing a piece for Jennifer Pike, Bridge Project students and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, premiered at the Royal Festival Hall in June.

lmm recommends | thursday 13 october

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:30:00 +0100

Royal College of Music | Thursday 13 October | Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall

This concert is dedicated to the London Philharmonic Orchestra's founder Sir Thomas Beecham in the 50th anniversary year of his death in 1961.From its monolithic opening theme – kick starting a cycle of inexorable momentum like a giant pendulum – to the breathless dash of its finale, Schubert’s Ninth offers one of the most riveting journeys of any symphony. No wonder it attracted the nickname ‘Great’. Even its gently undulating Andante is filled with suspense. If Yannick Nézet-Séguin wants to convey a sense of impassioned drama in this concert, he’s chosen the right piano concerto by Mozart, too: dark, tragic undertones haunt the Concerto No. 20, the piano eventually tearing into a furious finale whose dark storm clouds are only parted by the appearance of a radiant major key.

For more information and tickets, please visit http://shop.lpo.org.uk/performances/detail.asp?6581,63,0,0,0

Royal College of Music | Thursday 13 October | Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall

RCM Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, Paul Daniel conductor

The former Music Director of Opera North and English National Opera, Paul Daniel is celebrated around the world as one of the UK’s finest opera conductors. For his debut performance with the RCM Symphony Orchestra he presents a gloriously rich programme that explores the meeting point between operatic, sacred and symphonic music, taking us from Wagner’s luminosity to Bernstein’s exhilaration, via Stravinsky’s neoclassical poise.

For more information and tickets, please visit http://www.rcm.ac.uk/events/listings/details/?id=5935

authentic African Drumming Workshops

Trap Media honors the authentic integrity of West African musical arts by bringing the music of Africa to people of all ages. Trap Media shares its knowledge and appreciation of these traditions by celebrating these beautiful and ancient art forms with various audiences, through African Dance and African Drumming Workshops for all ages and abilities.

For more information and tickets, please visit http://www.trapmedia.com/african_drumming_workshops.htm

FUNharmonics - concerts for all the family

This year LPO have music for a rowdy elephant ballet, the exotic Indian jungle and the lush bohemian forests. The concerts are presented by CBeebies’ Chris Jarvis and are one-hour long (maximum) offering fast paced and fun introductions to music and the orchestra.

Nutcrackers! 23 October 2011, 12.00pm-1.00pm

The Jungle Book 19 February 2012, 12.00pm-1.00pm

The Cunning Little Vixen13 May 2012, 12.00pm-1.00pm

For more information and tickets, please visit http://www.lpo.co.uk/education/family.html

lmm recommends | friday 30 september

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:07:39 +0100

Exquisite Labyrinth | Friday 30 September - Sunday 2 October

This weekend the Southbank Centre is giving audiences the exciting opportunity to hear the music of one of the most pioneering composers, Pierre Boulez. The composer himself will be there to conduct one of his works with the Ensemble InterContemporain. Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich will be performing the majority of his piano works and finally the Manson Ensemble from the Royal Academy of Music will perform a selection of Boulez's works designed to explore the use of musical space. Leading experts will provide an insight to his music in a conference on the Saturday, which is definitely worth attending to gain a full appreciation of the music heard throughout the weekend. If you want to explore some exciting contemporary music these are definitely concerts to come to!

Events:

Friday – Royal Academy of Music Manson Ensemble

Saturday – London Sinfonietta and Exploring the Labyrinth

Sunday – Pierre-Laurent Aimard & Tamara Stefanovich

Tickets from £9 from the Southbank Centre

For tickets and more information, please visit http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/series/exquisite-labyrinth

Giants, Lyrics and Lions | Saturday 1 October

If you're looking for something exciting to do this weekend head down to the Wigmore Hall - become inspired by the stories behind the Wallace Collection and get composing! There will be a performance on the Wigmore Hall stage at the end of the day where these participating young artists will have the opportunity to showcase their songs written during the course of the day.

A Family Day in Partnership with Wigmore Hall. Saturday 1 October 2011 10am

Tickets: Adults £12, Children £8

For more information and tickets, please visit http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/productions/giants-lyrics-and-lions-28250

Fizzing Fireworks | Saturday 8 October

Join Olivia the Pig on the hunt for explosive music! Begin the day by taking part in the themed craft activities before attending this exciting concert, which includes Mozart’s La Nozze di Figaro, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.4 (Italian) and Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. A great introduction for children into the world of classical music and a fun day out for the whole family!

Saturday Spectacular Family Concert at the Southbank Sinfonia 8 October from 10.45am

Tickets: Adults £8, Children £6, Family of four £22

For more details and for tickets, please visit http://southbanksinfonia.co.uk/2011/10/08/?ec3_listing=events

Britten War Requiem - London Symphony Orchestra | Sunday 9 October

'I hope it will make people think a bit' Britten wrote, in a letter to his sister, after the premiere of his profound and evocative work. His War Requiem, written for the consecration of Coventry Cathedral, interweaves the war poetry of Wilfred Owen with Latin text. The London Symphony Orchestra are joined by the London Symphony Chorus and Eltham College Choir and soloists, Sabina Cvilak, Ian Bostridge and Simon Keenlyside. This really is a performance not to be missed - a truly profound work performed by some of today's leading artists which will certainly, as Britten intended, leave the audience 'thinking a bit.'

Sunday 9 October 2011 at 7.30pm - Barbican Hall, London

Tickets from £10

For more information and tickets, please go to http://lso.co.uk/page/144/Barbican-Concerts/226

blog

Year 1 visit the London Philharmonic Orchestra

lmm recommends

Debussy: Painter of Dreams | LSO St.Lukes | 1 February | 8.00 pm

The Soldier's Tale | Wigmore Hall | 4 February | 11.00 am

Composition for screen showcase | Britten Theatre | 7 February | 7.30 pm

Pictures at an exhibition | Southbank Centre | 11 February | 4.00 pm

lmm recommends | Tuesday 24 January

From Blue to Joy | southbank centre

Music to Die For

London Symphony Orchestra | Michael Tilson Thomas

London Contemporary Orchestra workshops

This month in Muso... Agata & Jennifer!

lmm recommends | Monday 9 January

Family gamelan taster sessions – Southbank Centre, Gamelan Room

Spaghetti Western Orchestra – Southbank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall

A Cappella Workshop 1: Voice Camp with Swingle Singers – Kings Place, Hall Two

Come and sing: French song, Wigmore hall

RCM at the Royal Festival Hall

London Symphony Orchestra , Thomas Adès – Barbican Hall

LMM Recommends | Thursday 22 December

White | Southbank Centre

Dick Whittington | New Wimbledon Theatre

A Christmas Carol | Greenwich Playhouse

The Railway Children | Waterloo Station Theatre

Boxing Day Baroque by Candlelight, St Martin in the Fields | 26 December

'Buy a Bar' Commission is a Huge Success at Spitalfields Festival!

LMM Recommends | Friday 9 December

World Premiere of Martin Suckling’s Violin Concerto ‘de sol y grana’ | 12 December

Renée Fleming and London Philharmonic Orchestra | 14 December

Elias String Quartet | 16 December

Slava’s Snowshow | Royal Festival Hall

Matilda the Musical | Cambridge Theatre

Agata and Martin tell us about LCO workshops at Ashmole and Jessop - watch the video!

"These were perhaps the best workshops I've ever been involved in! It's totally fab that the first people to hear bits of the new piece were these children and I'm really impressed at the amount they managed to create in such a short space of time" - Martin Suckling

B2C at Westminster Music Library - watch our video!

This month in Music Teacher ... primary schools

21 factoids about de sol y grana

BBC music magazine - reviewed

Our Latest Bridge to the Community Event at King Solomon Academy!

A week in the life at LMM

LMM Recommends | Wednesday 19 October

LPO FUNharmonics Family Concert | 23 October

RCM Sparks Springboard: Film music for beginners | 23 and 24 October

Janine Jansen | 20 October

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet | 23 October

This month in Muso... Jennifer!

lmm recommends | thursday 13 october

Royal College of Music | Thursday 13 October | Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall

Royal College of Music | Thursday 13 October | Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall

authentic African Drumming Workshops

For more information and tickets, please visit http://www.trapmedia.com/african_drumming_workshops.htm

FUNharmonics - concerts for all the family

lmm recommends | friday 30 september

Exquisite Labyrinth | Friday 30 September - Sunday 2 October

Giants, Lyrics and Lions | Saturday 1 October

Fizzing Fireworks | Saturday 8 October

Britten War Requiem - London Symphony Orchestra | Sunday 9 October

^{London Symphony Orchestra , Thomas Adès – Barbican Hall}

RCM Spar k s Springboard: Film music for beginners | 23 and 24 October