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World of art:
Amazing... This Britten Sinfonia
Gwen Herat from the Royal Festival Hall, London
Shoulder to shoulder with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the
Britten Sinfonia is simply amazing.
They are not a group of great and established artistes but an
ensemble that keeps discovering emerging musicians. Its acclaimed cycle
of works of great composers receives glowing reviews and adoration of
the audiences wherever they perform.
Among them leader, Paul Lewis' touch of the keyboard sends ripples of
blazing and passionate genius. I was completely mesmerized into shivers
of ardour.
When at South bank Centre, Britten Sinfonia appear to prefer the
Queen Elizabeth Hall or the Royal Festival Hall.
Paul Lewis is unique in that he takes us into the world or Mozart
most of the time and explore the many elements of this great composer
that we may have missed sometime or the other. Not that Mozart be
explored but the passion with which Lewis caress his scores on the
keyboard leaves one breathless, wanting to discover more and more.
British pianist, Paul Lewis is hugely celebrated for his considered
and profound interpretations of the Viennese classics as testified by
his award-winning Schubert Sonata series and Beethoven sonata cycle. In
his Royal Festival recital debut as conductor, he performed Mozart and
Beethoven alongside which are two examples of overwhelming Romanticism.
i.e. Schumann's Fantasia in C and Liszt's Byronic Volles of d 'Obermann.
British Sinfonia is rated for the quality of its programs and
performances with an intelligent approach to concert scheduling that is
centred around the development of its players. It is one of Europe's
most celebrated and innovative chamber orchestras.
Britten Sinfonia has its residences in Cambridge, Norwich, Birmingham
and Krakow with a major concert series at London's South bank Centre and
Wigmore Hall.
The orchestra also performs in many of Europe's finest concert halls
and festivals that include invitations from the BBC Proms, Latitude,
City of London Festival and even from Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Madrid's
Auditorio National, Glyndebourne and London's Barbican Centre. The group
enjoys a blossoming international profile. One of its recent highlights
being an acclaimed tour of South America.
They are scheduled to perform in The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and
Mexico this year, and later United States and Canada. It has released
many discs. On its own label, Britton Sinfonia has released Songs of the
Sky in collaboration with Signum Classics.
The Orchestra has received many awards among which The Gramophone
Award 2008, Arts and Business International Award and the prestigious
Royal Philharmonic Society Ensemble Award.
Beside these, members of the group have received individual awards
for their own outstanding contribution in the field of classical music.
Jacqueline Shave, lead-violinist/director is one of UK's leading
violinists who is a valuable member of the Britten Sinfonia. Creative
Learning much is done behind the scene for Britten Sinfonia by its
Creative Learning Director, Sophie Dunn with much dedication. She grooms
them on their individual talent depending on what instrument they wish
to advance on.
The creative program spends 70 days a year working towards this
schedule. By which aim to inspire the audiences both in concert halls as
well as in the music community with much joy and stimulus of live music.
They are also aware that some people feel daunted by the prospect of
attending classical concerts and hence try to make the experience
transparent and informative through these creative learning.
Discovering talent from three to six years old kids and inspiring
them to write song-cycle lead the way for great future talent which
Britten Sinfonia put on right track.
They find children more adaptable to picking notes and producing
melodies in their minds which later would lead them to scoring. Their
inspiration pay dividends when summers later when the pride on the faces
of pupils who exclude from mainstream school for challenging behaviour.
They succeed not only in composing some wonderful pieces of music but
perform them to public and demonstrate that music projects such as these
can be transformational, even life-changing when the cream surface and
find a place in Britten Sinfonia or even the London Philharmonic
Orchestra.
So much so for Britten Sinfonia. I was thrilled that this Chamber
Orchestra taught me something I missed during my keyboard training and
recall what my teacher, Glenice Range said.......I will never make
concert pianist.
She was right. I never had the patience to practise.
The resident/touring orchestra of Britten Sinfonia
Director/Pianist - Paul Lewis
Violin 1
Jacqueline Shave, Thomas Gould, Magnus Johnson, Fioan McCapra,
Beatrix Lovejoy, Katherene Shave, Martin Gwlyni-Jones.
Violin 2
Miranda Dale, Jo Godden, Judith Kelly, Marcus Broome, Anna Bradly.
Viola
Clare Finnimore, Rachel Byrt, Duncun Furgesn, Rebecca Lowe.
Cello
Caroline Dearnly, Ben Chappell, Joy Hawley.
Double Bass
Stephen Williams, Ben Russell.
Flute
Katie Bedford, Sarah O' Flynn.
Oboe
Nichalus Daniel, Adrain Rowlands.
Clarinet
Joy Farrel, Tom Hutchinson
Bassoon
Sarah Burnett, Emma Harding.
Contra Bassoon
Jacqui Hayter
Horn
Stephen Bell, Tom Rumsby, Kira Dohert, Clare Moss.
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