BPO Newsletter Autumn 2023

Autumn 2023

Friends of the Philharmonic From the Chair Dear Friends So, the first newsletter of the season. We were really excited to kick off the season with such a well-attended concert. The following concerts of Moondog and Winter Solstice are coming up and reflect the vibrancy of Joanna’s programming for the rest of the year. We are also very pleased to announce that we have launched a beautiful new website. I hope you agree it fits with the ambitions of the orchestra and will help us to build new audiences for Brighton’s only professional symphony orchestra.

We are in a very lucky situation to be confident to spend some of this money doing exactly what we should be doing, which is programming exciting large scale symphonic concerts, attracting diverse audiences. Usually it takes £200,000 every year in donations from our patrons, friends and legacies to keep us going; we need to double this to support our costs for the special Centenary celebrations. We’ll be telling you more about our exciting fundraising plans soon.

We are now planning our much-anticipated Centenary season in 2025. Artistic conversations are well underway, and we want to make this a fitting celebration of this major milestone for our wonderful orchestra. Our ambitious season will cost an ambitious amount of money. But the orchestra is in a favourable place thanks to extremely generous legacies over the last few years.

We are very grateful to you and all our supporters, and we hope you will continue to champion the BPO in our endeavours to build in these difficult times. The board and I hope you enjoy the forthcoming concerts and we look forward to seeing you there.

From the Music Director As the summer turns to misty autumn, we’re all thrilled to be back in business again.

We had a terrific opening concert on October 8th, when Minnesota-born Clark Rundell made his debut with the BPO in an exhilarating programme of American 20th century classics.

Clark is an old friend – we have worked to together for more than twenty years – and I’m delighted to report the BPO players all want him back! They loved his laconic wit and warmth: I promise to book him again.

So what’s in store? I write about BPO’s big jazz collaboration coming up in Pick of the Programme below; and do join us for our next Friends Event on 30th November, where I’ll be partnering our much-loved principal cello Peter Adams. Peter will bring a programme of Saint-Saëns, Fauré and Villa Lobos, and he’s such a great talker we’ll hear lots of great stories about the orchestra.

Peter has selected his ‘Desert Island Discs’ over the page.

I’m delighted that so many young people were at our concert in October: building audiences for the future is our mission, and I thank you for your generous support.

Joanna MacGregor CBE Music Director

Jonathan Brigden Chair

Music Director’s Pick of the Programme

BPO’s big jazz collaboration on November 12th

Since André Previn and the LSO in the 1960s, orchestras have occasionally collaborated with jazz musicians, in a joyful stepping-away from purely notated music.

BPO steps into that tradition on November 12th by playing a witty suite of pieces by one of the most original and exciting musicians of the 20th century. Moondog – real name Louis Hardin, from Kansas – hit New York in the 1950s and influenced everybody from Stravinsky and Leonard Bernstein to Allen Ginsberg and Elvis Costello. By the time of his death aged 83 in 1999, Moondog had written more than 80 symphonies, 300 rounds, countless organ and piano works, scores for brass bands and string orchestras, and five books called The Art of the Canon.

His compositions have been sung by women as varied as Julie Andrews and Janis Joplin.

I first encountered Moondog – in person – at the Southbank Meltdown Festival in the 1990s, and I knew I would love to orchestrate his wonderful pieces. My Sidewalk Dances suite was first played by Britten Sinfonia then the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and both times this wonderful gang of jazz

musicians collaborated with the orchestras: the stellar, and now legendary saxophonist Andy Sheppard, drummer Seb Rochford and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra. Moondog’s pieces – all with snappy titles like Singlefoot, Dog Trot and Good for Goodie – are funny, upbeat and haunting, and the suite finishes with a massive 25-part canon, outdoing even Bach’s audacity.

So how is this different for the orchestral players? Well, the suite is notated – they have orchestral parts in front of them – and I’ll be conducting and playing. But they’ll also be listening and interacting with jazz musicians, improvising a little bit, playing whistles and shakers, and even singing (shhh…they don’t know that yet. But if the Budapest Festival Orchestra can do this at the Proms, I’m sure we can do it in the Dome). So do come and enjoy an evening of very classy – and exhilarating – playing.

Joanna MacGregor

My musical life has been very diverse. I had an early start playing for the ballet, quickly followed by music of the 17th century for viol, then seven years in a young and very keen piano trio. After this followed fifteen years in The Bochmann String Quartet, and over twenty years as principal of the English String Orchestra, Brighton Philharmonic and the Oxford Philharmonic. I’ve toured many times playing jazz with Nigel Kennedy, and featured on the soundtrack in lots of films and recordings, classical and pop.

Meet Peter Adams next month when he will be joining Joanna MacGregor in a short performance at our forthcoming Friends’ event on the 30th November 2023.

Peter Adams’ Desert Island choices Our principal cello shares the works he couldn’t live without if he was stranded on a desert island.

I know that as soon as I submit this list, I will think of even more pieces I should have included. However, here goes; Bach St Matthew Passion I have so many wonderful memories of playing continuo and viola da gamba in this piece. Number after number is pure magic, and to be the storyteller in partnership with the Evangelist is tremendously exciting.

Beethoven Symphony No. 9 This piece is a huge journey from start to finish, from the little germs of the opening bars through to the triumphant last movement with all its hope and wishes for untied peoples and humanity. All nine symphonies are special in their own way, but this is a monumental masterpiece of Western art that will last forever. It is full of truly magical moments, far too many to list but the filigree violin writing over the woodwind choral and the pizzicato waltz in the slow movement is almost too beautiful to bare. It’s extremely moving both to play and to listen to.

Elgar Symphony No. 1 This was a hard choice because there were other contenders for this spot; Shostakovich’s 5th, Rachmaninov’s 2nd and Tchaikovsky’s 6th to name a few. But Elgar holds a special place in my heart. I had many years with The English String Orchestra based at the foot of The Malvern Hills, and my wife Emily and I connected over this piece in rehearsal and performance. It’s a superbly romantic masterpiece of English music.

Brahms Piano Trio in B major Op 8 Chamber music has always been my first love. As a rule, and rules are often to be broken, I find orchestral music wows an audience by throwing the music out towards them, but chamber music draws an audience into the world being created on the stage, and hopefully if you do your job right, they experience the music more like you the performer experiences it a conversation between all the voices present. All Brahms chamber music is phenomenal; this piece is spectacular.

Leonard Cohen Dance Me To The End Of Love What a song! What an emotive voice and what lyrics.

So I asked for a 6th choice as it was too hard to narrow down. And for my final request, I could have picked some Amy Winehouse, a Dvorak symphony, a raga from Ravi Shankar or a ballad from Lady Gaga, but it’s got to be more from the absolute master. The composer who covers the whole gamut of human emotions, describes the human condition in all its depths and heights but somehow always gives us hope; Beethoven and his late String Quartet Opus 132 in a minor.

I don’t think I was ever able to play this piece in my years in the quartet without feeling a huge sense of wonder and totally overpowering emotion. It rightly leaves audiences speechless.

So my book is The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

I’ve read it a couple of times and know I haven’t understood anywhere near all of its complexities.

My luxury item would I guess be my cello. It’s been my musical voice for so long I would miss it too much. But if that’s a bit predictable and not allowed, I would request a pizza oven as I’m sure there would be wood to fire it, but I’d need a lifetime supply of flour, passata and mozzarella too!

Short Ride in a Fast Machine

Clark Rundell conductor Joanna MacGregor piano Ruth Rogers leader

Sunday 8 October Brighton Dome

Sunday 8 October Brighton Dome Photos: Sarah Hickson

Clark Rundell conductor Joanna MacGregor piano

Short Ride in a “MacGregor and the BPO have an eclectic and varied programme ahead of them this season, and if they continue on this form, the season promises to be a great success.”

Nick Boston, writing for his Classical Notes blog

From the press: “We were privileged to have internationally acclaimed American conductor Clark Rundell. Tall, charismatic and good-natured, he won us over with his expressive conducting style.”

“And we listen to the comforting and familiar tuneful melodies of the Gershwin that some of us may have grown up with. Joanna knows the music by heart – she’s sparkling, confident, enjoying the piece.”

“The orchestra played with the tenderness and restraint that defined the piece and gave us a moment to breathe…”

“The BPO relished the rhythms, and the solos when they came were stylish, with a particularly louche turn from Principal Trumpet John Ellwood in the central Adagio, matched

by Leader Ruth Rogers’ cheeky solo later in that same movement. MacGregor was clearly in her element here and enjoying herself, with dramatic virtuosic chase sequences, a particularly jazzy interlude in the opening movement, and thrilling cartoon filigree in the finale. Yet she also gave us poignant delicacy when alongside divided cellos in the second movement.”

Nick Boston, writing for his Classical Notes blog

Janet Lawrence, writing for National World

Fast Machine Jonathan Strange retires from the orchestra after 48 years

One of the BPO’s longest serving musicians, violinist Jonathan Strange, has retired from the orchestra after an incredible 48 years of service.

Joining the orchestra for his first concert on 27th September 1975, Jonathan recalls that the main work was Beethoven’s Eroica, conducted by John Carewe who served as Music Director between 19741986. Jonathan remembers his time fondly.

‘In those days, the orchestra was made up of a lot of players from the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and not as many freelancers. The leader was Charles Taylor, distinguished former leader at Covent Garden. Extra rehearsals in London the day before were unheard of!’

The next concert that season was conducted by Simon Rattle, with the great Gina Bachauer giving one of her final performances as a soloist that December.

The season finale was on a sunny Easter Day with Paul Tortelier playing the Elgar cello concerto.

Whilst Jonathan became busy with other commitments shortly after, he returned regularly from 1982 onwards, right up until his final concert earlier this year. In total he performed in over 300 BPO concerts, with over 260 of those performances being at Brighton Dome.

General Manager Guy Morley presented Jonathan with a gift after Sunday’s concert, in celebration of his phenomenal career, and unparalleled dedication to the BPO. He commented, ‘There are very few musicians who have given the service and skill that Jonathan has for the BPO. He is one of a kind: a constant and regular musician with the Phil for over a generation. In recent seasons he has helped guide the next generation of players into the orchestra providing the vital link though his experience, warmth and kindness. We are sad that he is retiring but so grateful for his stewardship and the role that he has played for us.’

Springboard Festival The BPO is continuing its support of the Springboard Festival, celebrating its centenary in 2024. The festival provides a friendly and supportive platform for musicians and actors who want to hone their performance skills. People of all ages sign up to play a musical instrument, act or sing in front of an appreciative audience, and to receive invaluable feedback from a professional adjudicator.

The BPO will be providing a season ticket and a backstage pass to two lucky winners, to be announced during the Festival in March.

Visit www.springboardfestival.co.uk for more information.

Meet our new Operations Manager: Gill Davies

Congratulations to BPO violinist Eliette Harris Eliette, aged 26, was crowned winner of the Sussex Young Musician of the Year competition earlier this summer after she performed Bartok Rhapsody No 1 with her accompanist Soo-Hong Park (piano).

Born and raised in Brighton, Eliette first asked to play the violin after seeing a busker performing in the Lanes. She studied with Yossi Zivoni during her undergraduate years, and later with Krzysztof Śmietana at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she held a scholarship. Alongside the BPO, Eliette has performed with the Manchester Camerata, the BBC Philharmonic and the Southbank Sinfonia.

Partnership with Create Music The BPO is proud to be a partner of Create Music, the music education hub servicing East Sussex. As part of our partnership, students from Brighton & East Sussex Youth Orchestra (BESYO) were invited to watch the Bernstein West Side Story rehearsal, ahead of their own concert of the same work later this term.

BESYO cellist Sara commented: ‘The orchestra sounded amazing. They play completely together like one person. It’s so inspiring.’ Simon Smith from Create Music added that it was, ‘lovely to see so many youngsters in the audience’, after a higher than average number of families made use of the £1 children’s tickets available at all of our Brighton Dome concerts.

We asked our new Operations Manager Gill Davies to tell you four things you might not know about her.

1: My favourite composer is… Richard Strauss. As a horn-player, it’s hard not to choose him. I had the opportunity to perform his monumental Alpine Symphony, that follows a day on a mountain from sunrise to sunset, back in 1997 with the Northern Junior Philharmonic. We hired Wager tubas, played with the same mouthpiece as a horn but with a deeper and brasher tone. It was an unforgettable moment to be able to pick up an instrument I’d never seen before and be able to play it immediately! Rachmaninov comes a close second, and playing principal horn in his Symphony no. 2 conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier with the Chethams’ Symphony Orchestra was a real highlight of my horn-playing years.

2: Aside from music, my big passion is travel. I hitch-hiked to Morocco when I was 20 to raise money for charity (much to my parents’ horror) and I never looked back. I worked in marketing within the tourism industry for over two decades, and my work took me all over the world

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG (01273) 234801 | brightonphil.org.uk | mail@brightonphil.org.uk

from Australia to Fiji, Vietnam to California, and New Zealand to India. If I had to pick just one destination, it would have to be Thailand. You just can’t beat the food, scenery, culture and friendliness of the locals in the ’land of smiles’.

3: I didn’t enjoy sport at school – I was too busy with music! But I took up running in my late 30’s and have since completed two half marathons and numerous 10kms.

It is a great way of escapism with my headphones, and I can often be seen early in the morning circling Hove plinth on my usual seafront route.

4: I’ve lived in my current house in Hove for exactly a decade this month. I’m so proud to call Brighton and Hove home; the city has everything on your doorstep, and I can’t think of a more wonderful place to bring up my children, now nine and seven. They’re not learning instruments (yet) but following their own passions for drama, dance and football.

The beating heart of Brighton

3 December – 2.45pm Winter Solstice

Winter Season

Sibelius Symphony no. 2 and Arvo Pärt Spiegel im Speigel and Lamentate: our winter programme brings together two great composers in a concert of meditative, snowy beauty and drama.

15 December – 6 & 8pm 31 December – 2.45pm Charles Dickens’ New Year’s Eve A Christmas Carol Viennese Gala Christmas arrives early with two festive Out with the old and in with the new: performances of Charles Dickens’ what better way to celebrate, than classic A Christmas Carol with with soprano, Ellie Laugharne at the acclaimed actor Pip Torrens and the BPO’s sparkling Viennese concert on BPO Brass Quintet.

New Year’s Eve? Performances at St George’s, Kemptown Tickets from £13 available via the Brighton Dome Ticket Office brightondome.org brightonphil.org.uk

Orchestral Chair Sponsorship We are very grateful to all of you who support our orchestral chairs, offering sponsorship directly related to our esteemed section leaders. This is a vital income stream for us, and a chance for you to feel a closer connection to the players that are the ‘beating heart’ of the BPO. We still have a number of seats available for sponsorship this season, including co-leader Nicky Sweeney who some of you heard perform at our event in September. Other open seats currently include percussion, harp, oboe, French horn and bassoon. Sponsorship typically starts from £1000 per seat, and includes a mention in all of our programmes, as well as invitations to our dedicated Patrons and Sponsors events including our four annual post-concert receptions. Sponsorship can also be dedicated to the memory of a loved one, or offered anonymously.

If you are interested to find out more, please contact Gill Davies on gill.davies@brightonphil.org.uk.

Nicky Sweeney

Winter Season Friends Event

Our next Friends’ event will be on Thursday 30th November, as we gear up to our winter season of concerts throughout December. BPO’s Music Director Joanna MacGregor will give a preview of the forthcoming concerts, and will be joined by principal cellist Peter Adams for a short performance.

Date: 30th November 2023 Time: 6:00pm- 8:00pm Venue: Brighton Unitarian Church, New Road, Brighton, BN1 1UF Please RSVP by Friday 17th November, either by scanning the QR code, or emailing administrator@brightonphil.org.uk.

Brighton Festival Chorus

Our friends at the Brighton Festival Chorus are joined this November by the London Mozart Players and Brighton Festival Youth Choir at All Saints in Hove.

The programme’s first half is formed of beautiful, calming, meditative works by female composers including Clara Schumann’s only set of Choral Songs, Drei gemischte Chöre and Ukrainian composer Natalia Tsupryk’s A Quiet Night: a musical expression of solidarity with the people of Ukraine. The concert concludes with the uplifting Puccini’s Messa di Gloria; written early in his life as a farewell to his association with sacred music, the mass is operatic in style and described as, ‘full of colour, vitality and musical surprises’.

Saturday 25 November, 7.30pm All Saints Church, Hove, BN3 3QE Conductor: James Morgan Tenor: Thomas Elwin Baritone: Andrew Rupp Tickets: £32, £26, £20.

Students and under 16s half price. ticketsource.co.uk Telephone bookings: 0333 666 3366