LPO Tune In newsletter – Spring/Summer 2023

YEARS OF THE LPO

RICHARD STRAUSS SONGS & ORCHESTRAL WORKS

Klaus Tennstedt conductor

Jessye Norman soprano LPO-0122

Released January 2022

JUROWSKI CONDUCTS

STRAVINSKY

VOL. 1

Vladimir Jurowski conductor

Angharad Lyddon mezzo-soprano LPO-0123

Released July 2022

TIPPETT

THE MIDSUMMER MARRIAGE

COMPLETE OPERA IN THREE ACTS (3CD BOX SET)

Edward Gardner conductor

London Philharmonic Choir | ENO Chorus LPO-0124

PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS

JAMES MACMILLAN CHRISTMAS ORATORIO

Mark Elder conductor

Lucy Crowe soprano

Roderick Williams baritone London Philharmonic Choir LPO-0125

Released November 2022

JUROWSKI CONDUCTS

STRAVINSKY VOL. 2

Vladimir Jurowski conductor LPO-0126

for release April 2023

Released September 2022 COMING

LPO CORPORATE CIRCLE

PREFERRED PARTNERS

Gusbourne

WELCOME

Welcome to the Spring 2023 edition of the LPO newsletter, Tune In It’s been a fantastic start to the season, with Ed’s performances of Gurrelieder and A Child of Our Time, Karina’s Beethoven 3 and Vladimir’s Mahler 9 particular stand-outs for me. The Orchestra has also enjoyed returning to more familiar touring patterns, with highly successful concerts in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. It’s been great to see audiences at our residencies in Brighton, Eastbourne and Saffron Walden continue to return postCovid, and we look forward to building on our relationships in these areas in the coming months.

As I mentioned in the last edition, this is our 90th anniversary season, and we can now share photos of the wonderful birthday cake that Bake Off star Jürgen Krauss presented to the Orchestra in Brighton (page 4). As we face the challenges of the current economic and funding climate, it’s a good time to be reminded of the amazing achievements of this orchestra over its 90 years: with support, goodwill, and of course our exceptional musicians, we have always found a way to thrive. If you are keen to help, the best thing you can do at the moment is buy tickets, come to concerts and encourage friends to do the same. On page 8 you can read about our 90th Birthday Appeal, which celebrates memories of the last 90 years – and find out how you can help us build towards our centenary!

This season also marks the 18th anniversary of our Foyle Future Firsts programme, developing the next generations of professional musicians.

EDITOR Rachel Williams rachel.williams@lpo.org.uk

PUBLISHER London Philharmonic Orchestra

PRINTER John Good Ltd

COVER IMAGE

LPO 90th Birthday Appeal © JMG Studio

DAVID BURKE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

It’s testament to the scheme that 88% of past participants are now working professionally as musicians, with 25% holding professional orchestral positions in the UK or Europe. That figure may be rising further, with two recent new appointments to the Orchestra who have both come through the scheme: Martin Wray and Claudia Tarrant-Matthews – read more on page 10, and meet Martin on page 16.

It’s exciting to be able to share more details about two projects we have recently announced this spring. Gavin Bryar’s Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet is an exceptionally moving piece, and it will be especially poignant to perform it at St John’s Waterloo this January – read more on page 5.

Similarly, Bill Barclay’s telling of the story of the Chevalier de Saint-Georges is one that should be much more widely heard, and we are delighted to bring the production over from the US for its UK premiere in March (page 6).

In this edition we also hear from our beloved London Philharmonic Choir. The Choir plays a pivotal part in the Orchestra’s season, particularly given Ed Gardner’s passion for choral music, and this spring they join with the London Chinese Philharmonic Choir for Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion. Turn to page 9 to read how members are finding the experience, and how any keen choral singers can get involved with the LPC.

There are so many great concerts coming up in the second half of this season: all the details are on pages 13–15. We hope to see many of you there – and for those that like to plan ahead, we look forward to sharing details of our 2023/24 season with you later this spring. Stay tuned!

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While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, we cannot accept liability for any statement or error contained herein. © 2023 London Philharmonic Orchestra.

The paper used for printing this magazine has been sourced from responsibly managed forests, certified in accordance with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). It is manufactured to the ISO 14001 international standard, minimising negative impacts on the environment and is manufactured from pulp that has been bleached without the use of chlorine compounds using oxygen (elemental chlorine free), which are considered harmful to the environment.

LPO NEWS

AUTUMN/WINTER ROUNDUP

A 90TH BIRTHDAY SHOWSTOPPER

The first concert of this season at Brighton Dome, on 22 October, was a real treat – not only were we joined by Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis and violinist Augustin Hadelich for a thrilling concert of Sibelius and Beethoven, but we also had a star baker of a guest: Jürgen Krauss, semi-finalist in The Great British Bake Off 2021, who is also a Brighton resident, trombone player and regular LPO concert-goer at Brighton Dome. To celebrate the Orchestra’s 90th birthday, Jürgen baked an amazing two-tiered creation with five lines made out of dark ganache running through it, imitating a musical stave. The raspberry flavour paid tribute to our pink logo and the outside was decorated with musical instruments. Jürgen presented the cake on stage alongside Board Vice-President and Co-Principal Horn Mark Vines, before a rousing orchestral rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’. We also recently welcomed Jürgen as a guest on our podcast, LPO Offstage, in Episode 55: ‘LPO Superfans’. Find it on your favourite podcast app or at lpo.org.uk/podcast

LPO CONDUCTING FELLOWSHIP

We’ll shortly be announcing the inaugural participants on our new LPO Conducting Fellowship, who will join us from September 2023. This flagship programme will support the development of future world-class conductors, offering an intensive opportunity to work closely with the Orchestra to two outstanding early-career conductors from backgrounds currently under-represented in the profession.

We believe that talent is indiscriminate, yet people from certain backgrounds continue to be under-represented in the orchestral sector. Through the LPO Conducting Fellowship we aim to promote diversity and inclusivity in classical music as a whole, to lead eventually to a sector that is more reflective of the wider population. We invited applications from conductors from historically under-represented communities in terms of gender identity, race, socioeconomic background, neurodiversity, disability or any other under-represented group, with a goal of providing artistic and professional development experiences at the highest level of excellence.

FIND OUT MORE lpo.org.uk/conductingfellowship

NEW ON THE LPO LABEL

The latest release on the LPO Label is James MacMillan’s Christmas Oratorio, recorded live at the work’s UK premiere in December 2021 and released in November 2022 (LPO-0125). Conducted by Mark Elder with the London Philharmonic Choir, soprano Lucy Crowe and baritone Roderick Williams, the Christmas Oratorio embraces a Scots Gaelic lullaby, English poetry and Bible passages, deftly woven together by MacMillan in his trademark expressive and immediate language, reflecting both his Scottish roots and his deeply-held Catholic faith. The recording received a rare 5-star review from The Times, with reviewer Geoff Brown praising it as ‘the most rousing musical present on offer … Elder, the orchestra and the superb choir – all of them seem on fire.’ Colin Anderson agreed, writing in his ‘Colin’s Column’ blog: ‘This superb performance is all-round impressive, with the LPO in magnificent form, the performers galvanised by Mark Elder’s inspiring conducting’. The recording, along with all LPO Label releases, is available to stream or download via all the usual platforms, or on CD from all good retailers. Scan the QR code to listen or find out more.

For Vladimir Jurowski fans who enjoyed the first volume of ‘Jurowski conducts Stravinsky’ on the LPO Label in 2022, keep an eye out for Volume 2, coming in April 2023 (LPO-0126). It features Stravinsky’s ballet music for The Fairy’s Kiss, alongside the movements he orchestrated from Tchaikovsky’s great fairytale ballet The Sleeping Beauty

THE LPO CONDUCTING FELLOWSHIP IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY PATRICIA HAITINK WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM GINI AND RICHARD GABBERTAS.

NEW WEBSITE

If you haven’t checked it out yet, our new LPO website at lpo.org.uk is well worth a visit. Easier to nagivate, with a smart new look and plenty of extra content to read, watch and listen, we hope you enjoy browsing!

Jürgen’s LPO masterpiece, and presenting his cake on stage at Brighton Dome with LPO Vice-President and Co-Principal Horn Mark Vines

LUCY CROWE RODERICK WILLIAMS baritone

JAMES MACMILLAN CHRISTMAS ORATORIO

AUTUMN/WINTER ROUNDUP

BEHIND THE SCENES IN EASTBOURNE

The LPO has performed at Eastbourne’s Congress Theatre since its opening in 1963 and been resident there since 1996, and through this partnership and our longstanding residencies in Brighton and at Glyndebourne, we’re committed to deepening our relationships with local communities on the south coast.

At our most recent Eastbourne concert on 11 December, we welcomed 35 young musicians from Create Music, the music hub lead for Brighton and East Sussex, which offers high-quality, inclusive music and arts education to people of all ages. They watched the morning’s rehearsal and met the soloist, 16-year-old British violinist Leia Zhu, as well as LPO Principal Tuba Lee Tsarmaklis and viola player Kate Leek, with the chance to ask them questions about life as professional musicians. The participants were full of praise following the experience:

‘The rehearsal was amazing – it’s so different from how we rehearse in our orchestra. We stop and start a lot but they played long chunks. The Q&A was really interesting.’ – Phoebe

‘I’ve never heard a soloist before – it sounded amazing. I’m doing A Level Music and listen to a lot of music but it’s so different hearing it live from watching something on YouTube.’ – Daniel

It was fantastic to welcome these young musicians and share with them a glimpse behind the scenes, and with plans for future local Rising Talent and schools’ projects in the pipeline, we look forward to lots more collaboration with talented young musicians in Eastbourne and the surrounding areas.

FIND OUT MORE createmusic.org.uk lpo.org.uk/eastbourne

JESUS’ BLOOD COMES HOME TO WATERLOO

In 1970, just down the road from the Royal Festival Hall towards Elephant and Castle, a filmmaker called Alan Power captured the sound of a homeless man singing a short, hymn-like song to himself. That sound recording became the basis of Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet, the best-known, Mercury Prize-nominated work by British composer Gavin Bryars (above), who this January celebrates his 80th birthday.

On Wednesday 11 January, as part of our year-long series ‘A place to call home’, the LPO gives two performances of Jesus’ Blood at St John’s Church in Waterloo, just round the corner from where Power first captured the man’s song. From 1984–2003 the crypt of St John’s was used as a homeless centre, and serving the homeless is still central to its mission.

A public performance at 6.30pm will be an immersive, contemplative event offering an opportunity to step out of London’s rush hour for a moment of reflection. This will be followed by a Q&A with the composer and other contributors around the topical issues raised by the work. Another performance will take place earlier in the day with an invited audience consisting of members of the homeless community groups supported by St John’s – this will be a relaxed event with lunch provided. Euchar Gravina, Artistic Director of St John’s Waterloo, says: ‘Our desire is to be a church that serves everyone. So we are delighted to host the LPO, which also calls Waterloo its home, and look forward to these performances which celebrate a community too often left out from cultural institutions, but who belong here and are part of our story too.’

Reflecting on Jesus’ Blood’s genesis and the reasons behind its enduring appeal, composer Gavin Bryars explains: ‘When I first played Alan’s tape at home, I found that the man’s singing was in tune with my piano, and I improvised a simple accompaniment. I took the tape to Leicester Polytechnic, where I was working in the Fine Art department, and copied the loop onto a reel of tape, thinking about perhaps adding an orchestrated accompaniment. The door of the recording room opened on to one of the painting studios and I left the tape copying, with the door open, while I went to have a cup of coffee. When I came back, I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued. People were moving about much more slowly than usual and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping.

I was puzzled, until I realised that the tape was still playing and that they had been overcome by the old man’s singing. This convinced me of the emotional power of the music and of the possibilities offered by adding a simple orchestral accompaniment that respected the homeless man’s nobility and simple faith. Although he died before he could hear what I had done with his singing, the piece remains as an eloquent, but understated testimony to his spirit and optimism.’

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY TIOC FOUNDATION

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

A STORY BURSTING TO BE TOLD: THE CHEVALIER

GLYNDEBOURNE 2023

As our 2022/23 concert season draws to a close in May, the Orchestra are looking forward to returning for their annual summer residency at Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Between May and August we’ll perform in productions of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites and Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress with Glyndebourne Music Director Robin Ticciati; Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream under Dalia Stasevska; and Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore under Ben Gernon. Public booking opens in March 2023.

MORE DETAILS AND BOOKING glyndebourne.com

Alongside his incredible musical talents, The Chevalier was an acclaimed fencer, a general of Europe’s first Black regiment and an active campaigner for the abolishment of slavery.

Conductor Matthew Kofi Waldren, violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason and the LPO are joined by four actors, including Chukwudi Iwuji (left) as the Chevalier. Familiar to many as Zander in BBC’s The Split, Chukwudi is also an Associate Artist for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He says: ‘I’m so thrilled to be performing this wonderful project with one of the world’s best orchestras. Joseph Bologne’s star is rightfully rising again and this vehicle is an important step toward much-needed equity in classical music and culture.’ Writer

was Director of Music at Shakespeare’s Globe from

as the centrepiece of an ongoing campaign to address the historic marginalisation of people of colour in classical music. ‘I have produced and told many stories about the power of music, but never have I heard a tale more powerful, more sorely neglected, more critical to our global dialogue, than that of Chevalier de Saint-Georges’, he says. ‘I couldn’t believe that we as a culture had forgotten this man and his contributions to the abolishment of slavery and to the development of classical music – he’s scrubbed from history for essentially no compelling reason other than he’s Black. Working to dismantle systemic racism in classical music is, and will continue to be challenging work on many fronts. I have therefore spent my greatest labour on crafting a commercial powerhouse play that cannot be ignored, that will entertain as it educates, and that will inspire generations of musicians from all walks of life.’

describes

Interweaving dramatic scenes with musical excerpts, Barclay ’s work blends Bologne’s compositions and those of Mozart and other contemporaries with a fascinating dive into history, juxtaposing the turbulent period of the French Revolution with today’s social and political unrest. The performances are at Snape Maltings, Suffolk, on Sunday 19 March and St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on Tuesday 21 March 2023. Tickets are priced from £10.

SUNDAY 19 MARCH stmartin-in-the-fields.org TUESDAY 21 MARCH brittenpearsarts.org

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY VICTORIA ROBEY OBE

2023 BRIGHTON MARATHON: TEAM LPO!

On Sunday 2 April – the day after our last Brighton Dome concert of the season –a team of LPO musicians and staff will take on the Brighton Marathon and 10K, raising money for local good causes in Brighton. The team includes Principal Piccolo Stewart McIlwham, horn player Martin Hobbs, Librarian Martin Sargeson, Digital Creative Greg Felton and former Glyndebourne & Projects Manager Fabio Sarlo. Keep an eye on our social media (details on page 3) to find out how to support our runners or make a donation.

Chukwudi Iwuji © Laretta Houston –Glyndebourne © Sam Stephenson

and director Bill Barclay, who

2012–19,

The Chevalier

Chukwudi Iwuji & Bill Barclay

LPO NEWS

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

LPO ‘FEEL THE RHYTHM’ GALA 2023

RISING TALENT PARTICIPANTS 2022/23

We’re delighted to introduce our new cohorts of talented musicians who are spending this season with the LPO as participants in our Rising Talent programmes. It’s great to welcome them to the LPO family!

LPO JUNIOR ARTISTS

LPO Junior Artists is our orchestral experience programme for talented young musicians from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras. It is open to exceptional players of orchestral instruments aged 15–19 and minimum Grade 8 standard. This season we’re delighted to be working with Teagan Craggs, Dahlia Radji, Shaina Vadher, Daniel Pengelly, Charlie Golder, Rhea Jo, Alex Rowsell Ryan & Haniya Glazebrook.

THE LPO JUNIOR ARTISTS PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION, TIOC FOUNDATION AND THE VICTORIA WOOD FOUNDATION.

It is with great pleasure we invite you to ‘Feel the Rhythm’ at our LPO Gala on Tuesday 9 May. This season’s Gala will take place in the resplendent Grand Hall of Battersea Arts Centre (below), launchpad of trailblazing theatre and home of ground-breaking political, social and cultural history. We are delighted to present a Gala unlike any other, embracing the ever-changing patterns in time that shape music, life and the wider world. We invite guests to immerse themselves in the diverse rhythms of our programme, taking you on a journey through styles, eras and artforms, for an evening sure to delight and surprise.

Our 2023 Gala is the ideal setting to gather the valued friends and supporters of the LPO to celebrate the achievements of the past year and pledge support for our bright future. Each year the Gala raises vital funds for the Orchestra’s work and so we hope to make 2023 a landmark year to support our exciting upcoming plans and projects. We look forward to welcoming as many of the LPO family as possible for what promises to be a spectacular round off to our 90th anniversary season. For more information please email gala@lpo.org.uk or call Katurah Morrish, Development Events Manager, on 020 7840 4207.

FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS

Our annual Foyle Future Firsts programme bridges the transition between education and the professional platform for outstanding orchestral musicians at the start of their careers. It’s designed to nurture and develop talented orchestral players, forming the base for future appointments to the London Philharmonic Orchestra and other world-class orchestras and ensembles. This year the programme turns 18 – read more on page 10. This year we welcome Vera Beumer, Caroline Heard, Lukas Bowen, Tabitha Selley, Thea Sayer, Christopher Vettraino, Méline Le Calvez, Bruce Parris, Millie Lihoreau, Emily Ashby, Gemma Riley, Alexander Miller, Iain Clarke, Nicolette Chin & Elliott Gaston-Ross.

THE FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE FOYLE FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE BARBARA WHATMORE CHARITABLE TRUST AND THE THRIPLOW CHARITABLE TRUST.

LPO YOUNG COMPOSERS

The LPO Young Composers programme aims to find and support the progression of talented orchestral composers. Working under the mentorship of our Composer-in-Residence, Brett Dean, they will spend the season with the LPO and compose a new work to be performed at our Debut Sounds concert on 13 July. Welcome to our 2022/23 Young Composers Jakob Bragg, Philip Dutton, Zakiya Leeming, Matt London & Tayla-Leigh Payne.

THE LPO YOUNG COMPOSERS PROGRAMME 2022/23 IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY ALLIANZ MUSICAL INSURANCE, THE ERNST VON SIEMENS MUSIC FOUNDATION, THE GARRICK CHARITABLE TRUST AND THE VAUGHAN WILLIAMS FOUNDATION.

MORE ABOUT OUR RISING TALENT PROGRAMMES: lpo.org.uk/risingtalent

Allianz Music Insurance is delighted to be supporting the 2022/23 LPO Young Composers programme, which aims to find and support the progression of talented orchestral composers. We’re the UK’s No. 1 musical instrument insurer, insuring over 70,000 musicians from beginners to internationally renowned artists, and we understand the music industry and the challenges it faces. All of us at Allianz Musical Insurance are committed to supporting the future of the music industry. This new partnership with LPO is a further extension of our support following the donations we made during the pandemic and our ongoing work with our chosen partners who provide support and development opportunities to musicians in the UK. We’re excited to follow the progression of the Young Composers and can’t wait to hear their compositions!

Battersea Arts Centre © James Allan

Celebrating 90 years & counting

Formed with a bold purpose: to rival the greatest orchestras in the world, this year the London Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates its 90th birthday.

In 1961 we were the first British orchestra to tour to Australia.

In 1987, with a commitment to sharing orchestral music with as wide and diverse an audience as possible, we established our Education and Community programme.

In September 2021, Edward Gardner took to the podium for his first concert as Principal Conductor.

“ I fell in love with my husband, 38 years ago, at an LPO concert featuring Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony in White Rock, Hastings.”

LPO audience member

“ My first ever LPO concert was in July 1953: The opening Ruslan&Ludmilla overture thrilled me! A fan for life.”

LPO supporter

“ The first time I ever picked up a horn I was 5 years old, attending an LPO Have a Go Session. It’s now my instrument and I’m an LPO Junior Artist.”

LPO Junior Artist 2022/23

In 2021, thrilled to be reunited with live audiences, we gave London’s first performance of Tippett’s The Midsummer Marriage in 17 years.

1964.

2011 saw us record the national anthems for the London 2012 Olympic Games!

In 2016 LPO Junior Artists was launched, a programme offering young musicians from under-represented backgrounds a pathway into the music profession.

of the

Brighton and Eastbourne.

We became a resident orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in

PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

COMMUNITY & COLLABORATION

2022/23 is a particularly exciting season for the London Philharmonic Choir, with several large-scale works and exciting collaborations in store. LPC soprano Katie Stuffelbeam tells us more ...

As an American in London, singing with the London Philharmonic Choir over the last seven years has been a lifeline, bringing me joy, catharsis and meaning. We all come together on Mondays and Wednesdays and surrender our voices in service of the music. Under the guidance of our Artistic Director, Neville Creed, we strive for excellence, often culminating in performances for thousands at the Southbank Centre or the Royal Albert Hall.

This year we have a particularly full schedule under the baton of Edward Gardner, who has programmed several exciting large-scale choral works in the LPO’s 2022/23 season – we’re singing everything from Berlioz and Schoenberg to Janáček and Tan Dun. For some of the larger works we’re also combining forces with other choirs including the London Adventist Chorale, London Chinese Philharmonic Choir, London Symphony Chorus and London Youth Choir. This is a relatively rare experience for us, and one that we’ve found to be an enriching and welcome challenge!

As I write, we’re preparing for our performance with the LPO and Ed Gardner of Tippett’s A Child of Our Time (26 November 2022), a joint venture with the London Adventist Chorale. Sometimes referred to as a ‘pacifist oratorio’, this work continues to deliver a poignant message about experiences of refugees and asylum seekers – unfortunately as relevant today as it was in 1939, when Tippett began the work. While we’re no longer facing WWII and the Holocaust, today we have the war in Ukraine, horrible conditions at Manston in Kent, and thousands of people risking everything to cross the Channel, just to name a few of the current atrocities taking place.

On Lunar New Year (22 January 2023) we will give the UK premiere of Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion with the LPO and the London Chinese Philharmonic Choir. Conducted by the composer himself, this

is an exciting work based on the philosophical teachings of Buddha. Bo Wang, co-founder of the LCPC, has graciously and patiently been teaching us the Chinese pronunciation, going so far as to make his coaching available online for all of our members. He has also directed some inspiring and uplifting joint rehearsals – the experience has been a treat! One LPC soprano, Emma, said: ‘It’s been a really refreshing experience ... Bo brought real passion to the piece. There is a sense of community when the two choirs are rehearsing together – more mixed, less cliquey. I think people can be more themselves with this music.’ While Shelley, a LCPC member, said: ‘I think it’s brilliant. The Chinese isn’t easy, even for us, and the LPC singers are managing it brilliantly! Every time the ladies next to me are singing, I can hear every word of the language. I really hope we have this opportunity to work together again.’

Bo Wang explained how important this particular piece, and the coming together of the two choirs, is for the greater UK Chinese community. The LCPC itself is a diverse choir, with members of British, Chinese,

Malaysian and Singaporean nationalities. And not only is this UK premiere taking place on Lunar New Year, but for Wang, the work’s importance lies also in sharing the message of Buddha’s philosophy of Zen, healing and love – all values of which we, and the world we live in, desperately need reminding.

We began rehearsing Buddha Passion in September, alternating with the Tippett and Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust, which we perform on 4 February. The nature of this mixed rehearsal schedule has allowed us the time necessary to begin to internalise some of the more challenging aspects of both the Buddha Passion and A Child of Our Time. Both pieces create space for us to step back and contemplate where we find ourselves today and what we can each do to strive for peace. We hope you enjoy these performances and the rest of the excellent LPO 2022/23 season!

We are an inclusive and social choir, and always welcome prospective new members. If you’re interested in joining us, please consider booking a Discovery Rehearsal, where you can sit in and sing with us. For more information visit lpc.org.uk/join-us

A glimpse of the challenges posed by Tan Dun’s score

LCPC co-founder and Artistic Director Bo Wang

LPO EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS AT 18

In many ways, our teenage years can be our most musically enriched. For those lucky enough to be able to access musical opportunities through school or local youth ensembles, there are orchestras, chamber groups and choirs to throw ourselves into. Those who go on to study music in higher education can access a wealth of opportunities thanks to university societies or music conservatoire training on offer. However, what happens after aspiring professional musicians can no longer access those structures? Many find themselves at sea, unsure of where to start with carving out a career as a musician. Performance opportunities become harder to come by and the realities of the cost of music lessons are suddenly much starker. This is why the London Philharmonic Orchestra founded its Foyle Future Firsts annual development programme 18 years ago. For musicians sitting in that strange liminal space between higher education and the world of work, the scheme offers an opportunity to equip individuals with the tools they need to thrive as they embark on an orchestral career. The LPO is incredibly grateful to the Foyle Foundation for its flagship support of the scheme since its inception.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES

Since the scheme was launched, roughly 280 musicians have ascended through its

ranks, many of whom have gone on to take up posts in leading orchestras in the UK and Europe, including many in the LPO itself. ‘Name an orchestra or opera company in the UK and there’ll be a former Foyle Future Firsts participant in its ranks,’ says Talia Lash, LPO Education and Community Director. This isn’t just speculation: it’s fact. In anticipation of its anniversary celebrations, the LPO did some research into its alumni. They found that 88% are now working professionally as musicians, with 25% holding professional orchestral positions in the UK or Europe.

The year-long programme is an apprenticeship for budding orchestral musicians, offering lessons with the LPO principals and the ability to play side-by-side with LPO players in rehearsals, take part in performances, enjoy free tickets to concerts, get involved with education and community programmes and engage in professional development workshops. These unique opportunities are the next step for those leaving higher education. ‘People might have played in conservatoire orchestras, but this is something else,’ says Talia. ‘They are trained in a real-world environment.’

TAILORED TRAINING

Playing alongside LPO members in full rehearsals is an experience that allows participants to get to know repertoire and learn about how professional orchestras rehearse under different conductors.

For bassoonist Patrick Bolton, who was part of the 2019/20 intake of the programme, these rehearsals were invaluable. ‘Having studied with the Orchestra’s Principal Bassoon, it was particularly useful to be able to see everything he had taught me put into action in rehearsals,’ he says. ‘It was also a really welcoming atmosphere, which has made a huge difference to how comfortable I feel on stage, in rehearsals and backstage.’

These lessons with principal musicians are also said to be one of the most valuable aspects of the programme. ‘They work on whatever is most needed at that stage of their careers, and are given tailored personal attention to their playing,’ says Talia. What’s even more beneficial is that often these relationships continue beyond the scheme. ‘The musicians and their mentors will often encounter each other again. The LPO principals take them under their wing and if there’s an opportunity for them to perform with the Orchestra, they’ll make that happen.’

THE BROADER PICTURE

However, there’s much more to being a professional working musician than just playing your instrument. The LPO realises

Foyle Future Firsts

© Benjamin Ealovega –Patrick Bolton © Olivia Da Costa Photo

This season, our industry-leading Foyle Future Firsts programme turns 18. Earlier this year, Freya Parr met LPO Education & Community Director Talia Lash to find out more about the scheme and some of the talented musicians who’ve passed through its ranks over the last 18 years.

Bassoonist and 2019/20 Foyle Future First Patrick Bolton

The 2022/23 Foyle Future Firsts

this, offering workshops on freelance finances, wellbeing, and communication skills. Talia says this is one of the aspects of the scheme that has evolved since its early days in response to the changing work climate for musicians. ‘Certain parts of the scheme, like sitting in on rehearsals and performances, have been there throughout, but our professional development work, mock auditions and sectional rehearsals are newer. In the last few years, we’ve also connected the project to our Junior Artists programmes and projects for younger musicians.’ This is all part of the LPO’s aim to create a pipeline of talent, with musicians growing through its ranks.

LPO JUNIOR ARTISTS

The Junior Artists programme is a year-long scheme for teenage musicians from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras. The FFF cohort is invited to play with the Junior Artists in their concert performance at the Royal Festival Hall and discuss their experiences of conservatoire or further study. ‘They are such good role models for the younger musicians,’ says Talia. ‘We run “Overture” projects, which are orchestral experience days for young musicians between 11 and 14, and we bring together these young musicians and LPO players to connect generations of musicians and show the younger ones that orchestral music is an art form that is still alive and relevant.’

The FFF scheme also runs alongside the LPO’s Young Composers programme, with LPO and FFF musicians performing new works by the composers. This creates a mutually beneficial relationship, with the FFF musicians experiencing what it’s like to bring a new piece to life and the composers able to have their music staged and workshopped by top musicians. With these talent development schemes, the LPO has created a network of talented young people from the next generation of music-making. In fact, one of the Junior Artists from the LPO’s very first intake, double bassist Thea Sayer, is now a member of the 2022/23 FFF scheme, showing that this pipeline of talent is working successfully.

ABILITY AND SUITABILITY

While some of the LPO’s other schemes are only open to those from certain

backgrounds, FFF is based almost exclusively on a musician’s practical skills. They simply need to be over the age of 18 and want to be a professional orchestral musician. They don’t need to have gone to a conservatoire but have to play at a level that means going into the profession is possible and achievable. ‘We don’t just look at playing ability though,’ says Talia. ‘We also consider who would benefit most from the scheme.’ The 300–350 applications they receive each year are whittled down to 16 or 17 successful candidates.

Inevitably though, there are so many more who would benefit from a scheme like this, particularly when you consider the impending cost-of-living crisis and tightening of purse strings in education around the country. Schemes like Foyle Future Firsts rely on there being a stream of talented musicians coming up through music hubs, schools and higher education. The newly released National Plan for Music Education highlights the need for children to have access to instruments and opportunities to play alongside others, stating that by 2024, every young person in England will have access to regular musical activities outside of school. ‘I just hope the funding is there to back it up, because this has been released at the same time as there are cuts to higher education,’ says Talia. ‘The FFF musicians have been playing for years and you can’t overstate the importance of music education in schools and access to music hubs in giving young musicians an opportunity to take part in group music-making. These players don’t just show up overnight – they’re like athletes.’

EXPERIENCE AND CONTACTS

Both athletes and musicians have faced unprecedented challenges over the last few years, with young musicians hit particularly hard by the impact of Covid. Inevitably this had a knock-on effect for the scheme, much of which is based on being in a room with professional musicians and learning about rehearsal and performance etiquette first-hand. ‘All those learning opportunities disappeared overnight,’ says Talia. Although the LPO did what it could in terms of virtual workshops and socially distanced activities, they recognised that it wasn’t a normal year. ‘We realised we didn’t want to say goodbye to the 2020/21 cohort and and send them off into an industry that had ground to a halt.

We asked our funders if we could keep them on for another year so we could continue to support them through that difficult time.’

When the participants’ time on the programme is up, it’s usually not the last time the LPO will see them. ‘They often come back to play in the Orchestra as extras, and will keep in touch with mentors and each other,’ says Talia. ‘They socialise a lot together and some have even gone on to live together. It’s a great community that enables real friendships to develop.’

As the Foyle Future Firsts scheme comes of age, it’s clear that its musicians have done the same. At a time when freelance working can feel unstable and the prospect of trying to carve out an orchestral career seems daunting, opportunities like Foyle Future Firsts are more valuable than ever. With real-world experience, these young musicians can leave behind those postuniversity jitters and enter the world of professional music-making with contacts, skills and confidence.

MORE ABOUT FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS lpo.org.uk/education/foyle-future-firsts

THE FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE FOYLE FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE BARBARA WHATMORE CHARITABLE TRUST AND THE THRIPLOW CHARITABLE TRUST.

A version of this article originally appeared in the September 2022 issue of Music Teacher. The full article can be read at musicteachermagazine.co.uk

Foyle Future Firsts in rehearsal with LPO Composer-in-Residence Brett Dean, January 2022

LPO PEOPLE

PLAYER & STAFF NEWS

NEW MEMBERS

We’re delighted to welcome Annemarie Federle as Principal Horn from January 2023. Annemarie was winner of the BBC Young Musician Brass category in 2020, and in April 2022, aged just 20, she stepped in at the last minute as the soloist in Knussen’s Horn Concerto with the Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, receiving stellar reviews for her ‘astonishingly assured’ performance (The Guardian). We’re thrilled to have her on board! We also recently welcomed two new string players, both former participants on our Foyle Future Firsts programme. In September Martin Wray joined the Viola section – meet him in our ‘Backstage’ feature on page 16. We also welcomed Claudia Tarrant-Matthews to the Second Violin section in December.

FAREWELLS

This autumn we said goodbye to three members of the Orchestra’s string section. David Quiggle, Principal Viola since 2017, moved to Cologne to take up a professorship at the music school there. Fellow violist Ting-Ru Lai also moved on to pursue her chamber playing, and Pei-Jee Ng, Co-Principal Cello since 2015, left to take up the position of Principal Cello at the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. David and Ting will be much missed, as their colleague, fellow viola player Kate Leek writes:

‘So here we are in Stuttgart in late November at the end of a fantastic tour, with the opportunity for an early Christmas party in our favourite bar, ‘Die Note’. But with someone missing – Father Christmas! David Quiggle stole the fancy dress show last time we were here, with the most authentic version anyone had ever encountered. David is someone who loves telling stories, has a great sense of humour, loves good food and singing karaoke on tour, and seems to have an interest in just about everything. During the first Covid lockdown, David arranged ‘Stand by Me’ for the extended viola section to play and record, including our two Junior Artists at the time, culminating in over 2 million views on social media. We will all miss David’s wonderful musicianship and playing – he has the ability to float the most sublime viola solos above the orchestra – a true poet on the viola. ‘Ting, too, was a lovely colleague to have. With an extraordinary facility to play anything, she could step up at the last minute and play any solo with that beautiful sound of hers –I’ll never forget her viola d’amore solos in Janáček’s Kát’a Kabanová at Glyndebourne. With her artistic eye, she redesigned the interior of her new house, and being also a keen gardener, she impressively successfully grew many of the flowers for her wedding day.’

Pei-Jee’s colleague, Principal Cello Kristina Blaumane, writes: ‘Pei-Jee has been one of the most regarded musicians in our orchestra. A brilliant cellist with a rich, beautiful sound, generous musicality and technical ability without limits, he could have been a star in any orchestra in the world, and we were lucky to have him for eight years. Pei-Jee knew the role of co-principal so well and was supportive at every step, yet was also able to rise to the occasion, often sitting in the principal seat. It is a hard job, one that needs confidence, decisiveness and conviction, often taking the lead for the inner divisi lines, yet being supportive and attentive to your principal. I can say without a doubt that Pei-Jee was an ideal desk partner and co-principal, and our chemistry at the desk was unique. I do believe that a musician’s personality and character is reflected in their playing, and Pei-Jee’s warmth and generosity as a person contributes to his sensitive chamber-like playing style. I will miss Pei-Jee enormously – his positive energy, his humour, his distinctive laugh that one can hear at the other end of the building, his impersonations of different foreign accents (including attempting my Latvian accent), and most importantly his passionate and generous musicianship in our section. Although we part ways as colleagues, I know that our friendship will remain.’

FREDDIE JACKSON

We were all heartbroken by the sudden death of our Deputy Stage Manager Freddie Jackson in October. Andrew Chenery, Orchestra Personnel Manager, recalls: ‘Freddie had a massive positive energy, always looking for the best in the people he worked with and the challenges we faced as a team. He had a wonderful sense of humour and would, without fail, make us all laugh and brighten the mood when things were tough. Freddie was a problem-solver; a wonderful addition to the LPO On-the-Road team, and nothing was too much trouble for him. Before he joined the LPO Freddie had worked for all the major London orchestras, having particular connections with ENO and NYO. The whole orchestral community has been devasted by his passing.’

Our thoughts are with Freddie’s family and his partner Laura, LPO Stage & Operations Manager. A suitable tribute to Freddie will be planned in due course.

BACKSTAGE NEWS

In November we we said goodbye to Fabio Sarlo, Glyndebourne & Projects Manager. Madeleine Ridout joined us in December to take over the position – Maddie was formerly LPO Orchestra & Auditions Co-ordinator, and we’re delighted to welcome her back to the LPO family!

In September we welcomed Lowri Davies as Education & Community Project Manager, after Rebecca Parslow left to embark on an adventure to Australia. Lowri joined us from Voices Foundation, a charity that supports singing in schools. We also welcomed Education & Community Co-ordinator Hannah Smith in December – Hannah recently completed a masters in Modern and Contemporary Literature and Culture at the University of St Andrews.

In November we said farewell to Marketing Manager Mairi Warren Congratulations to Sophie Harvey, who has been promoted to Marketing Manager, and welcome to new Marketing Co-ordinator Hayley Kim, who joined us in November – Hayley was previously Digital and Content Manager at the Auckland Arts Festival.

Pei-Jee Ng © Kaupo Kikkas

LPO SPRING 2023

CONCERT LISTINGS

SOUTHBANK CENTRE

Unless otherwise stated:

Standard prices £14–£46 Premium seats £65

LPO Ticket Office

020 7840 4242 (Mon–Fri 10am–5pm) lpo.org.uk

*Booking fees apply: £3.50 online, £4 telephone

Southbank Centre Ticket Office 020 3879 9555 | southbankcentre.co.uk

*Booking fees apply: £3.50 online, £4 telephone. No transaction fees for in-person bookings, Southbank Centre Members and Supporters Circles.

Unless otherwise stated, all Southbank Centre concerts are at the Royal Festival Hall and start at 7.30pm.

Friday 13 January 2023

Miloš plays Rodrigo Copland El Salón México David Bruce The Peacock Pavane (world premiere)

Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez Gabriela Ortiz Antrópolis Falla The Three-Cornered Hat: Suites 1 & 2 Karen Kamensek conductor Miloš Karadaglić guitar

Wednesday 18 January 2023

Rachmaninoff’s First Brett Dean Amphitheatre Kinan Azmeh Clarinet Concerto (UK premiere)

Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 1 Enrique Mazzola conductor Kinan Azmeh clarinet

Generously supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts and The London Community Foundation

10.00pm

| Post-concert performance

Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall

Syrian clarinettist/composer Kinan Azmeh performs his own music alongside musicians from the LPO.

Tickets £20, or £10 when also booking for the main 7.30pm concert

Sunday 22 January 2023

Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion

Tan Dun Buddha Passion (UK premiere)

Tan Dun conductor

Sen Guo soprano/indigenous female singer Huiling Zhu mezzo-soprano Kang Wang tenor

Shenyang bass-baritone Batubagen indigenous male singer/ Dunhuang xiqin

Yining Chen pipa/dancer London Philharmonic Choir London Chinese Philharmonic Choir

Wednesday 25 January 2023 | Three Britons

Coleridge-Taylor Solemn Prelude (London premiere)

Tippett Piano Concerto Elgar Symphony No. 1 Edward Gardner conductor Steven Osborne piano

Saturday 28 January 2023

Spirits of Delight

Mendelssohn The Fair Melusina Overture Schumann Piano Concerto Elgar Symphony No. 2 Edward Gardner conductor Víkingur Ólafsson piano

Generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE Please note change of programme to previously advertised

Sunday 29 January 2023 | 12 noon

FUNharmonics Family Concert: The Colour Monster

Rebecca Tong conductor Lucy Hollins presenter

Join the LPO to help untangle the Colour Monster’s messy emotions through the wonder of orchestral music. Inspired by the gorgeous book by Anna Llenas, published by Templar Books, this interactive concert will explore music that is sad, happy, angry, calm and more. A joyful first concert experience recommended for children aged 5+.

Join in the free pre-concert foyer activities from 10am–12noon (concert ticket-holders only).

Adults £16–24, children £8–12*

Saturday 4 February 2023

The Damnation of Faust

Berlioz The Damnation of Faust

Edward Gardner conductor

Karen Cargill Marguerite

David Junghoon Kim Faust

Christopher Purves Méphistophélès

Jonathan Lemalu Brander

London Philharmonic Choir

Members of the London Symphony Chorus London Youth Choir

Friday 10 February 2023

My Homeland

Glinka Overture, Ruslan and Ludmilla Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2

Smetana Má Vlast (movements 1–4)

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor Kirill Gerstein piano

Friday 17 February 2023

Ehnes plays Brahms

Missy Mazzoli Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) Brahms Violin Concerto Dvořák Symphony No. 9 (From the New World)

Kevin John Edusei conductor James Ehnes violin

6.00pm | Free pre-concert event

Royal Festival Hall

LPO Showcase: LPO Junior Artists

In this free performance, the talented teenage musicians of the Junior Artists programme perform alongside London Philharmonic Orchestra members conducted by Gabriella Teychenné.

Wednesday 22 February 2023

Adès conducts Adès

Sibelius Prelude and Suite No. 1 from The Tempest

Thomas Adès The Tempest Symphony (UK premiere)

Thomas Adès Inferno Suite

Tchaikovsky Francesca da Rimini

Thomas Adès conductor

LPO SPRING 2023

CONCERT LISTINGS

Saturday 25 February 2023

From Paris with Love

Ravel Pavane pour une infante défunte Chausson Poème de l’amour et de la mer Franck Symphony in D minor

Bertrand de Billy conductor Danielle de Niese soprano

Generously supported by Mrs Aline Foriel-Destezet

Saturday 4 March 2023

Gardner conducts Rachmaninoff

George Benjamin Sudden Time Grieg Piano Concerto Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances

Edward Gardner conductor Leif Ove Andsnes piano

Wednesday 15 March 2023

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Beethoven Coriolan Overture Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Karina Canellakis conductor Daniil Trifonov piano

Generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE

Saturday 18 March 2023

Tears and Laughter

Victoria Vita Polevá Nova (world premiere)

Elena Langer The Dong with a Luminous Nose (world premiere) Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

Andrey Boreyko conductor Kristina Blaumane cello* London Philharmonic Choir

*Chair supported by Bianca & Stuart Roden

Saturday 25 March 2023

A House of Call

Heiner Goebbels A House of Call (UK premiere)

Vimbayi Kaziboni conductor

Performed with kind permission of Ensemble Modern

Friday 31 March 2023

Heroes and Heroines

Tania León Stride (UK premiere)

Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 Sibelius Symphony No. 2*

Dima Slobodeniouk conductor Beatrice Rana piano

*Please note change of programme to previously advertised

Wednesday 19 April 2023

War and Peace

Ustvolskaya Symphonic Poem No. 1 Hindemith Violin Concerto Prokofiev Symphony No. 6

Vladimir Jurowski conductor Gil Shaham violin

6.00pm | Free pre-concert event

Royal Festival Hall

LPO Showcase: Crisis Creates

Members of Crisis – all adults who have experienced homelessness – perform original music they have devised with LPO musicians and a workshop leader during a week-long creative project.

Saturday 22 April 2023

Don Quixote Rides Again Telemann Suite for Orchestra: Burlesque de Quixotte Ravel Don Quichotte à Dulcinée Ibert Quatre chansons de Don Quichotte R Strauss Don Quixote

Vladimir Jurowski conductor Ludovic Tézier baritone Kristina Blaumane cello*

*Chair supported by Bianca & Stuart Roden

Wednesday 26 April 2023

Mahler’s Fifth

Brett Dean In spe contra spem (world premiere)*

Mahler Symphony No. 5

Edward Gardner conductor Emma Bell soprano Elsa Dreisig soprano

*Commissioned by the LPO with the generous support of The Boltini Trust

Generously supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts and The London Community Foundation

Saturday 29 April 2023

Music from the Shadows

Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1 Thomas Larcher Symphony No. 2 (Kenotaph)

Mahler Adagio from Symphony No. 10 Klaus Mäkelä conductor Julian Rachlin violin

Saturday 6 May 2023

Hymn of the Forests

Dvořák Four Slavonic Dances

Bartók Violin Concerto No. 1 Janáček Glagolitic Mass

Edward Gardner conductor

Alina Ibragimova violin Sara Jakubiak soprano Madeleine Shaw mezzo-soprano Toby Spence tenor Matthew Rose bass Catherine Edwards organ London Philharmonic Choir

Generously supported by the LPO International Board of Governors

Saturday 13 May 2023 | 12 noon

FUNharmonics Family Concert: Before the Firebird

Michael Seal conductor Paul Rissmann presenter Catrine Kirkman soprano Massed choir of young singers from the Royal Borough of Greenwich Paul Rissmann Before the Firebird Stravinsky The Firebird Suite (short extracts)

The traditional story of the Firebird tells of a Prince, a magical bird, and their battle to defeat an evil sorcerer and release 13 captive sisters. But just how did these brave sisters end up under King Katschei’s spell in the first place? Composer Paul Rissmann and librettist Hazel Gould’s new prequel to the story may have the answer. Join us for some compelling storytelling and fantastic new participatory music, inspired by Stravinsky’s original masterpiece.

Suitable only for children aged seven and above.

Join in the free pre-concert foyer activities from 10am–12noon (concert ticket-holders only).

Adults £16–24, children £8–12*

LPO.ORG.UK

SPRING 2023

CONCERT LISTINGS

AROUND THE UK

Wednesday 11 January 2023 | 6.30pm

St John’s Church Waterloo, SE1 8TY stjohnswaterloo.org | 020 7633 9819

Gavin Bryars Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet

See page 5

Generously supported by TIOC Foundation

Sunday 15 January 2023 | 3.00pm

Congress Theatre, Eastbourne eastbournetheatres.co.uk | 01323 412000

Falla The Three-Cornered Hat: Suite No. 1 David Bruce The Peacock Pavane Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez Bizet Carmen Suites Nos. 1 & 2 Bizet Farandole from L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2

Karen Kamensek conductor Miloš Karadaglić guitar

Saturday 11 February 2023 | 7.30pm

Brighton Dome Concert Hall brightondome.org | 01273 709709

Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet: Fantasy Overture

Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Gergely Madaras conductor Zlatomir Fung cello*

*LPO Alexandra Jupin Award recipient: an annual award for an artist making their debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Sunday 12 February 2023 | 3.00pm

Congress Theatre, Eastbourne Programme as 11 February, Brighton

Saturday 18 February 2023 | 7.30pm

Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham trch.co.uk | 0115 989 5555

Missy Mazzoli Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)

Brahms Violin Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 6

Kevin John Edusei conductor James Ehnes violin

Sunday 19 March 2023 | 7.30pm

Snape Maltings, Suffolk brittenpearsarts.org | 01728 687110

Bill Barclay The Chevalier Matthew Kofi Waldren conductor

Braimah Kanneh-Mason violin

Chukwudi Iwuji actor (Joseph Bologne)

Merrit Janson actor (Marie Antoinette)

David Joseph actor (W A Mozart)

Bill Barclay actor (Choderlos de Laclos) Generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE

Tuesday 21 March 2023 | 7.30pm

St Martin-in-the-Fields, London WC2N 4JH stmartin-in-the-fields.org | 020 7766 1100

Programme as 19 March, Snape Maltings Generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE

Sunday 26 March 2023 | 3.00pm

Congress Theatre, Eastbourne

Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3

Patrick Hahn conductor Tom Borrow piano

Saturday 1 April 2023 | 7.30pm

Brighton Dome Concert Hall Tania León Stride

Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 Sibelius Symphony No. 2*

Dima Slobodeniouk conductor Beatrice Rana piano

*Please note change of programme to previously advertised

Sunday 16 April 2023 | 3.00pm

Congress Theatre, Eastbourne Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture Dvořák Violin Concerto Brahms Symphony No. 3 Chloé van Soeterstède conductor Tai Murray violin

Sunday 7 May 2023 | 7.00pm

Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Dvořák Four Slavonic Dances Bartók Violin Concerto No. 1 Mahler Symphony No. 5

Edward Gardner conductor Alina Ibragimova violin

INTERNATIONAL CONCERTS

Tuesday 28 February 2023 | 8.00pm

Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid

Dvořák Symphony No. 7 Elgar Enigma Variations

Edward Gardner conductor

Wednesday 1 March 2023 | 8.00pm

Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid George Benjamin Sudden Time Grieg Piano Concerto Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances

Edward Gardner conductor Leif Ove Andsnes piano

Thursday 2 March 2023 | 8.00pm

Auditorio de Zaragoza, Spain Programme as 1 March, Madrid

Wednesday 8 March 2023 | 8.00pm

Isarphilharmonie, Munich, Germany

Beethoven Coriolan Overture

Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Karina Canellakis conductor Daniil Trifonov piano

Thursday 9 March 2023 | 8.00pm

Isarphilharmonie, Munich, Germany

Beethoven Coriolan Overture Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Karina Canellakis conductor Daniil Trifonov piano

Friday 10 March 2023 | 8.00pm Konzerthaus, Freiburg, Germany

Beethoven Coriolan Overture Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Karina Canellakis conductor Sol Gabetta cello

Saturday 11 March 2023 | 8.00pm

Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany Programme as 9 March, Munich

Sunday 12 March 2023 | 8.00pm Philharmonie, Cologne, Germany Programme as 8 March, Munich

Monday 13 March 2023 | 8.00pm

Tonhalle, Düsseldorf, Germany

Beethoven Overture, The Creatures of Prometheus

Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Karina Canellakis conductor Daniil Trifonov piano

BACKSTAGE

How did you get started on the viola, and what drew you to the instrument?

Like many viola players, I started on the violin at primary school. Around 10 years later, having grown a lot taller, my teacher decided I should try the viola. I studied both instruments for a while, but ultimately never went back! The viola was well suited to my arm length – I’m 6ft 3in, and until that point I hadn’t realised how small a violin felt. Playing in an orchestra from a viola’s perspective was a new challenge, though. I’d always played the ‘big’ melodies on the violin, but was now confronted with a new role: one that’s predominantly harmonic but has to be ready to step forward at a moment’s notice. My teacher at college advised me to make the full switch, and by my final undergraduate year I’d pretty much gone full-time viola!

When did you decide you wanted to become a professional musician?

I knew from about 10 or 12 years old that I wanted to play professionally, but I couldn’t have had any idea how much of a journey it would be! I spent every school holiday on a course or tour with Essex Youth Orchestra, which I think was what ignited my love of orchestral playing –I remember feeling on top of the world after playing the violin solos in Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration in Brandenburg Dom in Berlin. When I was younger I’d come to watch the LPO with my parents at the Royal Festival Hall: I remember seeing Jurowski conducting Ligeti’s Atmosphères, segued straight into The Rite of Spring – it blew my mind! Those memories have all come flooding back, as we’ve just played The Rite of Spring again with the LPO this autumn.

What was your experience on the Future Firsts scheme like?

The scheme is a great way to get professional orchestral experience while also benefitting from lessons and advice from the members of your section. But at my first full rehearsal I was so nervous I had the ‘bow shakes’! I loved the experience, though, and was quickly made to feel like a regular. The LPO is an easy place to be, as everyone is so friendly – something that musicians all around London seem to agree on. During the year I began to become

MARTIN WRAY

Viola player Martin is one of the Orchestra’s newest members, having joined in September 2022. Martin was a member of the LPO Foyle Future Firsts programme in 2013/14, and has since built a successful career freelancing with orchestras around the UK, as well as a chamber musician and arranger.

more aware of the differences between a youth or music college orchestra and a professional symphony orchestra. The LPO players are so involved in the music, and you’ve no choice but to match their levels of energy and commitment. Without the scheme it would have taken many more years to become comfortable with orchestral technique and etiquette. I was fortunate to go on to work with the Orchestra as a freelance player for around eight years.

After that long journey, how did it feel to finally become a member of the LPO? I was so happy and relieved – it was never a big secret that I loved playing in this orchestra, and when a vacancy finally came around I applied straight away. My wife Minn, who is also a Foyle Future Firsts alumna, is in the First Violins – so I guess I married into the LPO in more ways than one!

Which LPO concerts are you most looking forward to this

spring?

I’m excited about Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony on 18 March. Not only is it just a great symphony to play, but it’s also a big viola excerpt for auditions. Sometimes we forget how great the melody is when we take it out of context, so I can’t wait to play it with the whole orchestra. Before that, though, on 22 January we’re giving the UK premiere of Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion, with Shenyang singing. I love Tan Dun’s music anyway, so giving a premiere of this big piece will be a thrilling one!

What are your interests outside work?

When the viola is in its case, I study Japanese. I was in a string quartet, called the Dulcinea Quartet, during college and the following few years, and we made many trips to Japan. Meeting people at our concerts all over the country, I developed an interest in the language and passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test a few years ago. Now, I make an effort to visit at least once a year. It’s a useful skill for LPO tours! I love to visit new places and experience the culture – I visited North Korea a few years ago, which was a very interesting experience! This December I’m very much looking forward to being back in Freiburg with the LPO. The city is beatiful all year round, but especially at Christmas. The hall is always packed too. Our concert there will be a special one – it’s with pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja, and I’ve heard that it sold out a long time ago!

What would be your advice to a young player hoping to follow in your footsteps?

If you know you want to be a musician then don’t hesitate to throw yourself in. Be at peace with the fact that the process of developing your musicianship will dominate your life. Develop a great technique but don’t let it dictate musical decisions. If you see your studies through all the way to the profession then you’ll come out the other side a better and more confident musician.

The violas are often the butt of orchestral jokes – but what’s the worst you’ve heard?

Q: What’s the difference between a pizza and a violist?

A: A pizza can feed a family of four [ouch!!]

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