LPO Tune In newsletter – Spring/Summer 2021

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SPRING 2021 STREAMED CONCERTS

LPO OFFSTAGE

BACKSTAGE

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A new season of LPO concerts streamed from the Southbank Centre this spring

Our new podcast, delving into life behind the scenes at the LPO

Meet LPO bassoonist Gareth Newman

LATEST ON THE LPO LABEL PENDERECKI

PRINCIPAL PARTNER

OrchLab Project Partner

Horn Concerto | Adagio for Strings Threnody | Violin Concerto No. 1 KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI

VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 1 THRENODY HORN CONCERTO ADAGIO FOR STRING ORCHESTRA KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI conductor MICHAŁ DWORZYŃSKI conductor BARNABÁS KELEMEN violin RADOVAN VLATKOVIĆ horn LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Krzysztof Penderecki | Michał Dworzyński conductors Radovan Vlatković horn Barnabás Kelemen violin

PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS

£9.99 | LPO-0116 | Released February 2020

RICHARD STRAUSS Symphonia Domestica

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade Zubin Mehta conductor £9.99 | LPO-0117 Released March 2020

SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No. 11 (The Year 1905) Vladimir Jurowski conductor £9.99 | LPO-0118 Released September 2020

The Victoria Wood Foundation

VLADIMIR MARTYNOV

The Victoria Wood Foundation

Utopia

The Victoria Wood Foundation

Vladimir Jurowski conductor Jun Hong Loh violin London Philharmonic Choir

The Victoria Wood Foundation

£14.99 | LPO-0120 Released November 2020

The Victoria Wood Foundation

The Victoria Wood Foundation

LPO CORPORATE CIRCLE

SIR ADRIAN BOULT: A MUSICAL LEGACY 5CD BOX SET Sir Adrian Boult conductor £34.99 | LPO-0119 5CD box set released December 2020.

Volumes 1 & 5 available individually to download or stream.

Our CDs are available from all good outlets, and all releases are available to download or stream online via Spotify, Apple Music, Primephonic, Idagio and others.

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TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

WELCOME

A

s I write this in mid-March, we are halfway through one of the strangest concert seasons one could ever imagine. This week the Orchestra has been working with conductor Enrique Mazzola at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, rehearsing and performing two superb programmes covering Dvořák, Haydn, Sibelius and Missy Mazzoli.

As usual, they sound fantastic. There is just one critical thing missing – you.

We have been talking about the collective experience that is concert-going. It’s not just the applause at the end of a concert (which, of course, is very special), but having 2,700 people in a full Royal Festival Hall listening as one; holding their breath; embarking on both an individual and a collective emotional journey. It will still be a while before we can enjoy live music together, but it is in sight.

Earlier this month we were delighted to be able to announce a second series of streamed concerts with Marquee TV for you to enjoy at home, wherever you are in the world (details overleaf). It feels so exciting to be back working with conductors including Mazzola, Sir Mark Elder, Robin Ticciati and Fabien Gabel.

The first concert, ‘The New World’, is broadcast on 24 March and we will be sharing a new concert every Wednesday until 9 June, all available free of charge for seven days on Marquee TV. Together with filming company Intersection (formerly Silent Studios), we have worked hard to present these concerts to make them as interesting and engaging as possible, and hope that they will continue to offer moments of light during the difficult months.

Editor Rachel Williams: rachel.williams@lpo.org.uk Publisher London Philharmonic Orchestra Printer Impress Cover photograph Silent Studios/Intersection © James Wicks

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, we cannot accept liability for any statement or error contained herein. © 2021 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.

Continuing the theme of optimism, we are thrilled that the Orchestra will be back at Glyndebourne this summer, the 2021 Festival timings boding well with the Government’s ‘roadmap’. The Festival opens on 20 May, and throughout the summer we will perform Janáček’s Kát’a Kabanová, Rossini’s Il turco in Italia, Verdi’s Luisa Miller, and a semi-staging of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde , as well as three orchestral concert performances with Glyndebourne Music Director Robin Ticciati (see page 6). Look out, too, for further concerts with the Orchestra to be announced over the summer as we make the most of the rediscovered joy of playing to live audiences.

I want to share a heartfelt thanks for all of the support you have given to help keep the

Orchestra playing during the last twelve months. It has been truly humbling and a measure of how much our fantastic musicians have meant to people over the years, and continue to mean to you. This has inspired this year’s Annual Appeal – ‘Music With Meaning’. We are asking you to share with us the story of a piece of music that holds special meaning for you and, if you feel able, to make a donation that will help us create more special moments and memories-to-be in the future: read more on pages 12–13.

Finally, it is in the spirit of ‘looking back to look forward’ that I would like to to add a note about Vladimir Jurowski, our Principal Conductor, whose tenure comes to an end this summer after 14 glorious years. I personally, as I’m sure many of you do, treasure so many special musical memories from Vladimir’s concerts with us over the years. This has not been the fitting celebratory final season that any of us would have wanted. However, as Vladimir steps into the role of Conductor Emeritus, we have many exciting plans going forward – including a belated and muchanticipated Götterdämmerung – and whilst you may not be able to join us at the Royal Festival Hall this spring, I do hope you may be able to join us for Vladimir’s final LPO concert as Principal Conductor, which is being planned to take place in South Kensington towards the end of the summer. More news on this to come! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Tune In, and that you enjoy our spring concerts on Marquee TV. Once again, thank you for your continued support of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

CONTENTS

STAY CONNECTED

– DAVID BURKE – Chief Executive

SPRING 2021 STREAMED CONCERTS 04-05 NEW & NOTEWORTHY 06-07 EDUCATION & COMMUNITY 08 LPO OFFSTAGE PODCAST 09 LPO PEOPLE 10 LONDON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR 11 ANNUAL APPEAL 2021 12–13 15 YEARS OF THE LPO LABEL 14–15 BACKSTAGE: GARETH NEWMAN 16 lpo.org.uk – 03 –

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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER twitter.com/LPOrchestra

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FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK tiktok.com/lporchestra

TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

LPO CONCERTS

SPRING 2021 SEASON WITH MARQUEE TV

View from the trombone section: the LPO in rehearsal at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with Enrique Mazzola, March 2021

F

ollowing our accclaimed series of streamed concerts broadcast from the Royal Festival Hall in the autumn, and a break over the winter forced by the pandemic restrictions, we were overjoyed to return to the Southbank Centre at the beginning of March to begin filming a new series of full-length concerts which will be available to watch on Marquee TV this spring.

We will continue offering our concerts free of charge to watch or the first seven days, after which they will remain available to Marquee subscribers. These concerts will be streamed every Wednesday evening at 8pm (UK time) from 24 March through to 9 June.

Details of the first concerts are on the opposite page, and information about subsequent programmes and artists will be revealed later in the spring.

The 2021 season opened at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall with a programme fittingly titled ‘The New World’: Haydn’s Symphony No. 49 (La Passione) and Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony with charismatic Italian maestro Enrique Mazzola (streamed on 24 March). Mazzola joined the LPO for a second concert, ‘Towards Freedom’, featuring American composer Missy Mazzoli’s haunting These Worlds In Us alongside Sibelius’s stirring Finlandia and his Symphony No. 1 (streamed 31 March). In ‘London Calling’ (streamed 7 April), young up-and-coming British conductor Ben Gernon conducts London-born composer Samuel ColeridgeTaylor’s Ballade for Orchestra, alongside works by two other composers with links to the capital: Haydn and Mendelssohn.

Moving from the Queen Elizabeth Hall back to its Royal Festival Hall home for the first time this year, the Orchestra will be joined by

lpo.org.uk – 04 –

star cellist Steven Isserlis and conductor Sir Mark Elder to perform Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, in ‘Bohemian Rhapsodies’: a programme that also includes Dvořák’s The Wild Dove and Janáček’s Jealousy (streamed 14 April). On 21 April Robin Ticciati conducts a programme that pairs Sibelius’s Symphony No. 7 with Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Concerto, featuring superb Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin. Bringing April to a close is Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu, who, under conductor Fabien Gabel, will perform Ravel’s brilliant, jazz-influenced Piano Concerto in G, in a French-themed programme that also includes Ravel’s Mother Goose suite and Offenbach’s Gaîté Parisienne ballet suite (streamed 28 April). We will be sharing details of May and June’s concerts in due course, and we also look forward to announcing details of Vladimir Jurowski’s final farewell as Principal Conductor.

For these spring concerts we are delighted to continue our partnership with Marquee TV, following the success of our collaboration in the autumn during which over 70,000 viewers watched our 13 concerts. We also continue our partnership with Intersection (formerly Silent Studios), who showcased their imaginative filming techniques in the autumn season and who will work with the LPO’s audio recording partners, K&A Productions.

Of course, plans are being made to welcome audiences back into the Royal Festival Hall as early as safely possible, dependent on UK Government guidelines, and we hope to share details with you very soon.

In the meantime, we hope you will be able to join us on Marquee TV this spring!

OUR SPRING SEASON ON MARQUEE TV marquee.tv/series/lpo

Stage photo © Mark Templeton – Vision desk photo © Fabio Sarlo

Vision Mixer’s view of Sibelius’s Finlandia

IN THE STREAM OF LIFE SPRING 2021 CONCERT SEASON WITH MARQUEE TV THE NEW WORLD WEDNESDAY 24 MARCH 2021 8PM

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODIES WEDNESDAY 14 APRIL 2021 8PM

Dvořák Symphony No. 9 (From the New World)* Haydn Symphony No. 49 (La Passione)

Janáček Jealousy Dvořák The Wild Dove Dvořák Cello Concerto

Enrique Mazzola conductor Generously supported by an anonymous donor *Presented as part of the 2021 China-UK International Music Festival 由伦敦爱乐乐团为中英国际音乐节特别录制

TOWARDS FREEDOM WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH 2021 8PM Missy Mazzoli These Worlds In Us Sibelius Finlandia Sibelius Symphony No. 1

Mark Elder conductor Steven Isserlis cello

THE EMPEROR CONCERTO WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL 2021 8PM Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) Sibelius Symphony No. 7 Robin Ticciati conductor Denis Kozhukhin piano

Enrique Mazzola conductor Concert supported by the

LONDON CALLING WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 8PM Haydn Symphony No. 30 (Alleluia) Coleridge-Taylor Ballade for Orchestra Mendelssohn Symphony No. 1

LA VIE PARISIENNE WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL 2021 8PM Ravel Mother Goose: Suite Ravel Piano Concerto in G Offenbach Gaîté Parisienne: Ballet Suite Fabien Gabel conductor Alexandra Dariescu piano

Ben Gernon conductor

Each concert will be available via marquee.tv for 7 days for free, no registration required.

To access the full season please subscribe to Marquee TV and enjoy the LPO collection together with the world’s best opera, dance, theatre and ideas.

Details of how to subscribe and start your free trial at marquee.tv/freetrial

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TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

LPO NEWS

NEW & NOTEWORTHY GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL 2021

AWARDS & NOMINATIONS

Our colleagues at Glyndebourne have announced that their annual opera festival will go ahead this summer, with adaptations to ensure the show can go on even if social distancing is still in place. The LPO has been Resident Orchestra at Glyndebourne since 1964, and the Festival is an annual highlight for musicians and opera-lovers alike.

As well as performances of four operas, this year the Orchestra will also take centre-stage in a series of concerts conducted by Robin Ticciati, in his eighth season as Glyndebourne Music Director. On 10 & 15 June, Ticciati and the LPO present a programme of English music by Purcell, Vaughan Williams and Harrison Birtwistle, before the Glyndebourne premiere of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. The second programme, to be performed on 2 July, pairs songs by Mahler and music by French Baroque composer Rebel with Dvořák’s glorious Symphony No. 8. Each concert will be wrapped in the full Festival experience – including a long dining interval in which to enjoy Glyndebourne’s restaurants or gardens.

The 2021 opera season opens on 20 May with a new production of Janáček’s Kát’a Kabanová, in which Robin Ticciati conducts the LPO and an impressive cast led by Czech soprano Kateřina Knĕžíková. The 2021 Festival also sees Glyndebourne’s first ever production of Verdi’s early masterpiece Luisa Miller, with conductor Enrique Mazzola and the LPO. The third new production of the 2021 season is Rossini’s comedy Il turco in Italia, in which the LPO will be conducted by Giancarlo Andretta, making his Glyndebourne debut.

In a change to the original plans, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde will be presented in five semi-staged concert performances, with the LPO seated on the stage, to do justice to the opera’s epic score. Robin Ticciati will once again conduct the Orchestra and an impressive cast that includes New Zealand tenor Simon O’Neill and Finnish soprano Miina-Liisa Värelä as the doomed lovers.

The season is completed with a revival of Mozart’s Così fan tutte with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

The Glyndebourne Festival 2021 runs from 20 May–29 August 2021. Priority booking for Glyndebourne Members is open from late March, and public booking will open in April.

It’s been a great boost to our musicians and staff to receive several awards and nominations recognising our work over the past year. On New Year’s Eve we were delighted to be recognised in the Digital Classical Music Awards 2020, which were streamed on YouTube. The LPO was one of two runners-up for Orchestra of the Year, receiving particular praise for our social media content, as well as our new ‘LPO Offstage’ podcast (see page 9). Our award-winning recognition came as part of our collaboration with VOpera for the virtual production of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, which won the award for ‘Best Lockdown Project’. The production was also chosen by The Arts Desk in its ‘Best of 2020: Opera’ roundup and by The Observer in ‘Fiona Maddocks’s 10 Best Classical Music of 2020’, as well as Broadway World’s ‘2020 Year in Review: Gary Naylor’s Best of Theatre’.

Following last summer’s extraordinary season of outdoor concerts and socially-distanced opera at our Glyndebourne summer home, this documentary was produced by the Glyndebourne team to capture the unique challenges they overcame and to tell the behind-the-scenes story of their battle to get back to live performance. Directed by Karl Dixon and edited by Dave Fricker, the 50-minute film is a celebration of the spirit and determination that ensured the show could go on. It was originally broadcast on Sky Arts and is still available for Sky Arts subscribers.

MORE INFORMATION

sky.com/watch/channel/sky-arts

Our performance of Ravi Shankar’s opera Sukanya at the Royal Festival Hall on 15 January 2020 won Best Production at this year’s Eastern Eye Arts, Culture & Theatre Awards (ACTAs), which were established in 2016 to highlight and celebrate British Asian achievements within the creative industries. Premiered by the LPO in 2017 with the Royal Opera House and Curve Leicester, and revived to celebrate Shankar’s 100th anniversary in 2020, Sukanya was a collaboration between dancers, Indian musicians, opera singers and the LPO, realised under the masterful eye of conductor David Murphy and directed by Suba Das. FULL LIST OF WINNERS actas.co.uk

‘GLYNDEBOURNE: NO ORDINARY SUMMER’

glyndebourne.com/festival

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Glyndebourne © Richard Hubert Smith

In the Market for Love: last summer’s adaptation of Offenbach’s Mesdames de la Halle in the Glyndebourne gardens

TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

LPO NEWS

NEW & NOTEWORTHY EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED: CHANGE OF DATE FOR LPO GALA 2021 After a year of unpredictability, the LPO invites you to Expect the Unexpected for the Gala 2021. As such, please take note of the event’s new date: Wednesday 14 July 2021!

The Gala is an incomparable opportunity to bring together friends and supporters of the LPO – longstanding and new – to celebrate the Orchestra’s achievements of the last year and to look forward to a brighter future. Never has this felt more pertinent than as we emerge from this challenging time.

Following the release of the Government ‘roadmap’, the Gala has been postponed to July to give us the best possible opportunity of going ahead safely with a fantastic and celebratory in-person event in the stunning setting of Whitehall’s Banqueting House.

We hope that many of you will be able to join us for this wonderful event which will raise much-needed funds for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. For more information, please contact gala@lpo.org.uk

GAME AWARDS 2020

NEW CD RELEASES

During the second half of 2020 the Orchestra recorded two studio albums for the Decca label, with soprano Lise Davidsen and tenor Freddie De Tommaso.

Lise Davidsen’s Beethoven, Wagner, Verdi was released on 26 March and is the second studio album for the Norwegian soprano.

Recorded with the LPO and Sir Mark Elder, it features some of the great operatic heroines from German and Italian repertoire: Verdi’s Leonora from La forza del destino; Cherubini’s Medea, reprising Lise’s 2017 Wexford debut; and Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, revealing a flair for verismo.

A new signing for Decca, 27-year-old British-Italian tenor Freddie De Tommaso is one of the most exciting lyrico spinto tenors to emerge in recent years. His new album, Passione, pays homage to his great hero Franco Corelli, and was recorded by the LPO with Venetian-born conductor Renato Balsadonna. Passione will be released on 9 April.

FIND OUT MORE, OR BUY OR DOWNLOAD THE ALBUMS: LISE DAVIDSEN LiseDavidsen.lnk.to/PreOrderSo FREDDIE DE TOMMASO FDT.lnk.to/PassioneSo

WATCH THE SHOW

January saw the release on the BIS label of a new album by Swedish-born guitarist Jacob Kellermann, featuring Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside works by Albéniz, de Falla, Francisco Coll and Pete Harden.

Geoff Brown of The Times reviewed the album, declaring: ‘I leapt for joy at the heat radiating from Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, very smartly accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the conductor Christian Karlsen, clearly wearing sombreros.’

thegameawards.com

jacobkellermann.com/music

The annual Game Awards honour developers, artists, content creators and everyone else involved in the worldwide gaming industry.

The 2020 Awards took place on 10 December and were streamed across the globe live from studios in Los Angeles, Tokyo and London.

As part of the show, the London Philharmonic Orchestra was invited to perform a Super Mario medley in celebration of the series’s 35th anniversary. The Orchestra, conducted by Lorne Balfe, performed a medley of video game themes, the performance receiving an incredible 83 million live streams. The show is still available to watch online:

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ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL REFURBISHMENT During the winter and spring closure, the Southbank Centre team has been carrying out essential maintenance work on the Royal Festival Hall stage, which is expected to be completed in March. We will be streaming our first three concerts in late March (see pages 4–5) from the Queen Elizabeth Hall before returning to our RFH home in April.

To celebrate the reopening, the Southbank Centre is inviting audience members to keep hold of the memories that matter by naming a seat in the Royal Festival Hall. Your message will be engraved on the seat for 10 years, with options starting from £100. Find out more on the Southbank Centre website, email nameaseat@southbankcentre.co.uk or call 020 7921 0801.

FIND OUT MORE southbankcentre.co.uk/support-us/donate/name-seat

LPO ON TIKTOK The Orchestra’s digital reach continues to grow, with over 133 million streams during the year across Spotify and Apple Music alone, and almost 600,000 followers across our social media channels. Earlier this year we launched our new channel on the video app TikTok, and have been inspiring and entertaining with performance clips, tips from our musicians and plenty of fun! Find and follow us @LPOrchestra

TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

LPO NEWS

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY STAYING CONNECTED WITH SCHOOLS

Presenter Rachel Leach brings Haydn’s ‘Clock’ Symphony to life with an LPO performance in ‘Repertoire Unlocked’

This year has posed many challenges for our school communities. In a normal year, the LPO performs a series of concerts at the Southbank Centre specifically devised for schools’ audiences, known as our BrightSparks series. These sell-out performances range from introductory orchestral concerts for primary school children, to complex musical analysis seminars for those studying music at A Level. While live performances with audiences haven’t been possible, and with school life so disrupted, we have sought ways to stay connected with our schools’ audiences, offering free materials suitable for in-school, home or blended learning.

For secondary school students, we have created a new series called Repertoire Unlocked: a collection of videos and accompanying written resources that explore pieces on music exam syllabuses in depth. Each video includes a presenter breaking down the piece, discussing its historical context, musical features and aspects of performance, with illustrative extracts and a full performance by the LPO. While a recorded performance cannot replace the live concert experience for our young audiences, the video format enables on-screen graphics and text annotations to enhance learning about the music, bringing the pieces to life in a way that students can access at home or in school. Highlights include an exploration of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, performed by LPO Principal Clarinet Benjamin Mellefont, and an insight into Haydn’s ‘Clock’ Symphony.

For our primary school audiences, we are planning a special film for Key Stage 1 (5–7-year-olds), based on the charming book Elephants in the Custard by Samuel Langley-Swain and Jemma Banks. The book explores the timely idea of talking about our worries with our loved ones, and the film will tell the story through interactive presentation including an audience participation song, and music performed by a brass quintet from the Orchestra. The film will also be available for families to enjoy together. For older primary school children, we plan to create additional digital learning resources featuring performances by LPO musicians, with accompanying materials for teachers.

Visit the Repertoire Unlocked page on our website or Youtube channel to view our secondary school video resources:

CRISIS CREATES In December we ran our annual creative project in partnership with homelessness charity Crisis, generously funded by JTI. ‘Crisis Creates’ uses the musical expertise of the LPO to offer creative performance opportunities and training to adults who have experienced, or are at risk of, homelessness.

It aims to enhance the participants’ wellbeing and confidence through self-expression, learning skills and putting them into practice.

This year’s project was delivered over Zoom, led by workshop leader Aga Serugo-Lugo with alumni Foyle Future First musicians Jane Lindsay (cello) and Jude Carlton (percussion).

Eight Crisis members took part, each accessing the online sessions from their temporary COVID-19 accommodation. Over the week we used video footage of the LPO – filmed by Marquee TV during our Autumn 2020 Royal Festival Hall season – to explore Beethoven’s symphonies, with the overarching theme of ‘triumph over adversity’. The groups created their own songs inspired by ‘Ode to Joy’, and spoken-word pieces using extracts from Symphony No. 5. They also devised choreographed movement using Symphony No. 7, creating their own storylines to go along with this.

Even though the online project was a new experience for the group, it was met with overwhelming positivity by all involved.

One participant shared their feedback:

Doing these sessions ...

You can live again.

I can laugh. I can smile.

I can just enjoy life for what it is and love myself more.

It was beautiful: really, really beautiful.

CRISIS CREATES PARTICIPANT, DECEMBER 2020

lpo.org.uk/education/repertoire-unlocked youtube.com/londonphilharmonicorchestra

BRIGHT SPARKS IS SUPPORTED BY THE CANDIDE TRUST, GILL & GARF COLLINS, DUNARD FUND, MR & MRS PHILIP KAN AND GILL & JULIAN SIMMONDS.

lpo.org.uk/education – 08 –

CRISIS CREATES IS PART OF LPO TRANSFORM, OUR STRAND OF WORK WITH ADULTS WITH COMPLEX LIVES. SUPPORTED BY JTI.

TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

LPO BEHIND THE SCENES

LPO OFFSTAGE PODCAST Last autumn we launched our new podcast, ‘LPO Offstage’.

In it we’ve thrown open our doors (digitally speaking) for a series of behind-the-scenes insights and personal stories from our players, delving deep into the world of life as an orchestral musician.

W

e’ve been talking a lot about our new podcast recently, but you may be wondering – what exactly is a podcast? Simply put: it’s an audio programme, just like talk radio, but you can subscribe to a show on your smartphone or computer and listen to it whenever you like.

Our new podcast, LPO Offstage, is hosted

by MOBO Award-winning saxophonist and broadcaster YolanDa Brown (below). In each episode YolanDa chats with two or three different members of the Orchestra about life on and off the concert stage. We released the first 12 episodes in the autumn, covering a range of topics such as the ups and downs of touring, instrument mishaps, and working with different conductors. A mix of musical insight and backstage gossip, the conversations have been illuminating to say the least, and it’s fair to say we all learned a lot, including tales of brutal conductor takedowns (all names redacted, of course ...), why you might want to pour water over your double bass, the importance of an Emergency

LPO Offstage presenter YolanDa Brown

great comments from listeners, a couple of which are below.

Is there a topic you’d like us to cover in a future podcast episode? Let us know at admin@lpo.org.uk or via our social media channels (see page 3). You can find LPO Offstage on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast, or wherever you listen, and join in the conversation on social media using #OffstagePod. FIND OUT MORE lpo.org.uk/podcast

Sandwich, and plenty more. The podcast also takes a closer look at some particular orchestral works, with two episodes in the first series taking a deep dive into Thank you for a truly Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony and Sibelius’s wonderful insight into the Fifth, in which the musicians discuss frankly the challenges and joys of rehearsing and various aspects of the working performing these particular works. and ‘social’ life in the LPO. It has LPO Offstage continues in 2021 with been a true pleasure hearing all 12 more episodes released weekly each the wonderful stories and Thursday: topics up for discussion include the musicians’ feelings on playing music by living musical matters you have to composers, routes into the orchestral industry, negotiate before a single and what it’s like to record film and video note is played! game music.

YolanDa Brown, who is a regular presenter on BBC Radio 2 and Radio 4, and has her own I just wanted to say show on Jazz FM, said, ‘Being a musician myself, it’s lovely to speak to the players how much I love the LPO artist to artist. We laugh together, podcast! I’ve wanted to play in reminisce plenty and dream about the a professional orchestra when I’m older future post-COVID. The chat is insightful for ages but I haven’t had any proper about the inner workings of an in-person rehearsals in so long I almost orchestra, and will definitely take the forgot how much fun it is. Listening to audience into some of the anecdotes from backstage.’ your stories reminds me why As well as being highly commended in I’m working so hard, so the 2020 Digital Classical Music Awards, thank you!

LPO Offstage was chosen by The Sunday Times in its ‘Pick of the Best Podcasts’ for 2020 and The Observer’s ‘The Week in Audio’ roundup, and we’ve also been receiving lots of lpo.org.uk/podcast – 09 –

TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

LPO NEWS

LPO PEOPLE WELCOME

IN THE OFFICE

In January we welcomed Emma Oldfield to the position of No. 3 Second Violin. Since graduating from the Royal College of Music in 2018, Emma has built up a varied freelance career and has worked with orchestras including the Philharmonia, Hallé, Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic and Britten Sinfonia. She also regularly guest-leads the Copenhagen Philharmonic, where she was appointed on a short-term contract as 2nd Concertmaster prior to her appointment at the LPO. MEET OUR MEMBERS lpo.org.uk/players

LPO YOUNG TALENT UPDATE The 2020/21 LPO Young Composers – Robin Haigh, Sun Keting, Geoffrey King, Paweł Malinowski and Alexander Tay – have been working closely with Composer Mentor Brett Dean in a series of seminars to develop ideas for their pieces in preparation for the Debut Sounds premiere concert in June. Additionally, ‘Composer Lab’ provided a rare opportunity to work with a small group of LPO players and hear their initial sketches, experiment with ideas, and receive immediate feedback – a very useful insight into the process of realising new work with professional players.

In February we waved farewell to Orchestra and Auditions Manager Hannah Verkerk, who relocated back to her native Australia, and Development Assistant Lewis Hammond, who moved on to a new position at the Royal Opera House. Later in the spring we said goodbye to Website Manager Rachel Smith, who left in March to take up a new role with an e-commerce business, and in May we bid farewell to Corporate Relations Manager Christina McNeill, who moves on to a new position in recruitment for the fundraising and charity sector. Box Office Manager Megan Macarte decided not to return after her maternity leave: we are very grateful to Alice Harvey for covering the post while she was on leave.

FIND A STAFF MEMBER lpo.org.uk/about/staff

JOBS AT THE LPO lpo.org.uk/jobs

lpo.org.uk/youngcomposers

THE 2020/21 LPO YOUNG COMPOSERS PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE ADAM MICKIEWICZ INSTITUTE AS PART OF THE POLSKA MUSIC PROGRAMME, THE RVW TRUST, THE LECHE TRUST AND THE GARRICK CHARITABLE TRUST.

Congratulations to our Digital Creative, Greg Felton, who received a Special Commendation in the Association of British Orchestra (ABO)’s Orchestra Manager of the Year Awards, recognising the innovative and high-quality LPO digital content he has created and overseen during the past year.

Congratulations too to former LPO Chief Executive and Artistic Director Timothy Walker, who received a Special Award in recognition of his leadership of the LPO and service to the ABO Board.

The LPO Junior Artists programme is ever-more valuable as the pandemic continues to disrupt the musical education of young players. Much of the activity has taken place digitally, with participants working regularly with LPO mentors to study orchestral excerpts, gain insights into the working lives of professional musicians, and understand how the LPO management functions ‘behind the scenes’. lpo.org.uk/juniorartists

THE 2020/21 LPO JUNIOR ARTISTS PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE VICTORIA WOOD FOUNDATION AND THE RADCLIFFE TRUST.

CONGRATULATIONS

abo.org.uk LPO Junior Artists workshop, October 2020

lpo.org.uk/futurefirsts

THE 2020/21 FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE FOYLE FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE BARBARA WHATMORE CHARITABLE TRUST, THE FIDELIO CHARITABLE TRUST & THE IDLEWILD TRUST.

In collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music, LPO musicians worked with senior students to offer advice on the professional orchestral audition process. Following preparatory discussion sessions, ‘mock auditions’ took place via Zoom and proved very useful in terms of enabling students to practice auditioning in front of an LPO panel and receive constructive feedback.

lpo.org.uk/about – 10 –

Greg Felton & Timothy Walker

Timothy Walker © Chris Blott

The Foyle Future Firsts have been involved in online discussion sessions with LPO players, with helpful hints and tips being shared on topics such as audition preparation, platform etiquette and performance anxiety. Between lockdowns, the FFFs were able to come together to play chamber music and work on orchestral repertoire in sectional rehearsals alongside LPO players.

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LONDON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

LPC LIFE

Like all of us, the London Philharmonic Choir has faced many new challenges during the last year. Yet the Choir has found ways to continue singing, socialising and even welcoming new members. Choir Manager Bethea Hanson-Jones tells us more about life in the LPC ...

L

ockdown has been an unprecedented challenge for choirs all over the UK. Thinking back to early 2020, as the London Philharmonic Choir started rehearsing for the last time on 9 March, no member could have predicted that it would be over a year until they would sing together again. Over that year the Choir has been a valuable lifeline for our members, adapting to the circumstances to bring choral life into the online world.

Although every member will have their own joining story, there are common reasons as to why we chose the LPC. I joined not only because the Choir came with an excellent reputation, but at my ‘Discovery’ taster rehearsal, I felt welcomed as part of the Choir family. The LPC opens up the opportunity to play a part in concerts that are artistically excellent, at outstanding venues with artists and conductors who push the boundaries of classical music. After a concert there is a buzz backstage and a sense of achievement that,

for me, can’t be found anywhere else. It gives members a chance to escape the pressures of their day-to-day lives and regularly do something that they are passionate about with people who have become firm friends.

Even in normal times, auditioning for a choir can be daunting, particularly if you haven’t sung for some time. Even so, throughout lockdown the LPC has been continuing to welcome a steady influx of new members. Rehearsals and concerts, previously the backbone of our week, may have been suspended, but behind the scenes we have been working hard to arrange alternatives.

Although it can be challenging to achieve the same choral effect over Zoom, the membership team have risen to the challenge, arranging regular workshops with Neville Creed (Artistic Director) to keep us all singing.

This has also allowed prospective new members to come along and see what we do despite the restrictions around meeting in person. The audition process has also moved

online, albeit with a few adaptions. Now, rather than singing around a piano, auditions for prospective new members are in a Zoom breakout room with Neville by his piano, visible and audible on your screen. All the standard scales, arpeggios and aural tests will happen as they would have done before, but sight-reading has to be unaccompanied – so that is just a bit more tricky than it would be live. Neville does understand the difficulty though, and will encourage you to do your best.

As with all choirs, it’s not just about the business, with our ‘extra-curricular’ postconcert dinners and drinks playing an important part of membership. Although we have been unable to partake in our normal programme of social events, online quizzes, wine tastings and weekly chats have made sure we have all been able to keep in contact with each other whilst having a bit of fun.

Now that the vaccine rollout is in progress, we are hopeful that we may be able to sing together before the end of the year, and we are really looking forward to being a part of Edward Gardner’s first concerts as LPO Principal Conductor in the autumn.

The Choir usually rehearses on two nights each week (generally Monday and Wednesday) at a central London venue.

There is no annual subscription for members.

If you are interested in attending a Discovery workshop or arranging an audition, or would just like more information, please contact us: details at lpc.org.uk/join-us Bethea Hanson-Jones Choir Manager, London Philharmonic Choir

Cheers! Choir members and friends enjoy a guided wine tasting evening via Zoom, run by Choir member Erica Tomlinson of Through the Grapevine: grapevinetastings.co.uk

lpc.org.uk – 11 –

ANN UAL APPE AL 20 21

MUSIC WITH MEANING S U P PO RT U S A S W E C R E ATE A N D C ELEB R ATE Music is powerful. It can move, excite and inspire us, creating moments fixed in time and memories to last a lifetime.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the arts world into crisis but with your support we will prevail and we will welcome you back to live performances to share the wonder of music, in person, once more.

Until we can enjoy live performances together again, we want to celebrate past musical moments that have a special meaning to you, in the knowledge that these times will come again.

Tell us about a moment of joy or a memory of being moved or transported by music.

Whether your moment is an LPO performance from years ago, a recording which has a special place in your heart or a more recent experience with any orchestra, we want to hear from you, the LPO family.

We need your support now to ensure that we can continue to create new musical moments and memories. A gift from you will help sustain the LPO, securing the future of the Orchestra and allowing us to make more moments that matter.

matter t a h t s t n e m o m Sharing

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We want to share these stories among us so that we can collectively celebrate the power of music and the special memories it creates as we anticipate the magical moments that will come again.

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who ha s Alz 20/21 my Grandma.’, Inês, LPO Foyle Future First 20 to Rigoletto

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nna Clyne’s liness A g in y la p O P L e ‘ Th The otherworld Prince of Clouds. !’ Peter & Lucy gle of it made us tin

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PLEASE DONATE IF YOU CAN AND SHARE A MOMENT THAT HAS BEEN SPECIAL TO YOU. A GIFT OF ANY SIZE WILL HELP US WEATHER THIS STORM.

Visit lpo.org.uk/musicwithmeaning to donate, to share your moment and to read more.

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TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2021 –

LPO LABEL

15 YEARS OF THE LPO LABEL In 2005 the London Philharmonic Orchestra launched its own record label. Fifteen years on, it boasts over 100 releases and last year received over 130 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music.

We look back at ten highlights from the catalogue.

Shostakovich Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5, conducted by Kurt Masur Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, 31 Jan–3 Feb 2004 Released May 2005 (LPO-0001)

Marin Alsop conducts MacMillan, Adès & Higdon, with Colin Currie (percussion) Recorded live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, 30 Jan 2006 and the Royal Festival Hall, 15 Dec 2007 Released Oct 2008 (LPO-0035)

The one that began it all ...

In May 2005 we launched the new LPO Label with four discs conducted by former Principal Conductors Kurt Masur, Klaus Tennstedt and Bernard Haitink, and then-Principal Guest Conductor Vladimir Jurowski.

Masur’s survey of these two Shostakovich symphonies was hailed by The Independent as ‘an auspicious first release in what one hopes will be a fruitful ongoing series from the LPO’.

These live recordings of three modern classics reflect the LPO’s continuous commitment to contemporary composers, with two breakthrough works by British composers plus one by American composer Jennifer Higdon. In 2020 this recording of Higdon’s Percussion Concerto – capturing the European premiere performance given by the LPO, Colin Currie and Marin Alsop – was among the 25 recordings added to the USA Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry, deemed among the year’s most culturally or historically important recordings.

‘The best possible advert for new classical music.’

Financial Times, 1 November 2008

Brahms Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall on 25 May & 27 Sep 2008 Released Feb 2010 (LPO-0043)

Holst: The Planets, conducted

by Vladimir Jurowski Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, 22 May 2009 Released Oct 2010 (LPO-0047) This disc is one of the LPO Label’s most popular titles – it was streamed over 100,000 times last year – and it’s not hard to see why. The work’s colourful orchestration and memorable melodies ensure its ongoing popularity, but this recording stands apart – in the words of The Telegraph reviewer: ‘Brisk tempos and a brilliant, brassy sound distinguish this version … hats off to the energy and commitment of the LPO players.’

Vladimir Jurowski became the LPO’s Principal Conductor in 2007, following four seasons as Principal Guest Conductor.

This CD captures two impassioned live performances and received critical acclaim including BBC Music Magazine’s ‘Disc of the Month’ and BBC Radio 3’s ‘Building a Library’ recommendation, with International Record Review observing that ‘the Jurowski/LPO marriage abundantly exudes that rare joy in corporate music-making all too seldom encountered in this day and age.’ This release launched what would become Jurowski’s complete Brahms symphony cycle on the LPO Label, highly acclaimed by critics and listeners alike and re-issued as a collector’s edition LP vinyl box set in 2014.

lpo.org.uk/recordings – 14 –

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Mahler Symphony No. 2, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski with the LPC, Adriana Kucerová & Christianne Stotijn Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, 25 & 26 Sep 2009 Released May 2011 (LPO-0054)

Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant – The Official CD, conducted by David Parry Recorded at Henry Wood Hall, 7 & 8 Mar 2012 Released May 2012 (LPO-0063) Summer 2012 was a golden moment for London as the country prepared to host the 2012 Olympic Games and a mood of celebration and pride swept the nation. In June, the LPO performed on a barge as part of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant flotilla on the River Thames, televised worldwide. This selection of music by British and Commonwealth composers evokes ceremonial events and occasions, as well as familiar landmarks along the Thames.

It includes works by Elgar, Holst, Walton, Coates and Gilbert & Sullivan, as well as the James Bond and Chariots of Fire themes.

Jurowski quickly established a reputation for his Mahler interpretations with the LPO. Recorded live in concert with the London Philharmonic Choir, this was his first Mahler disc on the LPO Label and was hailed by listeners and press alike, with plaudits including Gramophone’s CD of the Month as well as its Critics’ Choice for 2011 and its ‘10 Essential Mahler Recordings’ in 2013.

Tchaikovsky Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, 19 Mar & 4 May 2011 Released Sep 2012 (LPO-0064)

The Genius of Film Music 1980s–2000s, conducted by Dirk Brossé.

Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, 29 Nov 2013 Released Oct 2018 (LPO-0110) The LPO has been the orchestra of choice for recording film soundtracks for over 50 years, and in November 2013 film composer and conductor Dirk Brossé joined the Orchestra in a live concert at the Royal Festival Hall celebrating the unique sound of Hollywood. The resulting disc captured some of the memorable and best loved musical moments in film history, from John Williams’s iconic scores to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, to Ennio Morricone’s sublime Gabriel’s Oboe, Hans Zimmer’s unforgettable Gladiator and beyond. It remains one of the bestsellers and most streamed titles on the label.

Following the success of his Mahler interpretations with the LPO, Jurowski turned his hand to the works of his fellow Russian, Tchaikovsky, and the result was something very special. The Sunday Times chose this disc as one of their ‘Top 10 Classical CDs of 2012’, and Gramophone as their Recording of the Month.

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, conducted by Yannick NézetSéguin, with Sarah Connolly & Toby Spence Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, 19 Feb 2011 Released Oct 2013 (LPO-0073)

Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5, conducted by Kurt Masur Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall, 24 & 27 Nov 2004 Released Mar 2019 (LPO-0112) Recorded live during his tenure as Principal Conductor (2000-07), this disc is one of the fruits of Kurt Masur’s 25-year relationship with the LPO. A pre-eminent interpreter of Beethoven, Masur conducted from memory, bringing to the performances a special energy and insight. The result is a mighty celebration and sense of rediscovering the drama and euphoria of two of Beethoven’s most radical and well-loved symphonies.

This recording captured an unforgettable concert at the Royal Festival Hall under the Orchestra’s then-Principal Guest Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. In the words of one critic, ‘When the paths of Maestro Nézet-Séguin, the LPO, Sarah Connolly and Toby Spence intersected with the wondrous music of Das Lied von der Erde, the result was a performance of great beauty and integrity.’ Classical Music Magazine awarded it a rare five stars, declaring ‘Glorious playing from the LPO ... a very special disc indeed.’ It was also chosen as Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice and one of its Classical Recordings of the Year 2013.

Do you agree with our highlights? Which LPO Label albums stand out for you? Let us know at admin@lpo.org.uk – 15 –

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LPO PEOPLE

BACKSTAGE

Which composers write particularly well for the bassoon, in your opinion?

Mozart, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Shostakovich all wrote marvellous bassoon parts: challenging and deeply satisfying to play. They all understood how to use the instrument to maximum expressive effect.

To play any of the Shostakovich or Tchaikovsky symphonies, Stravinsky’s ballets or his opera The Rake’s Progress, Verdi’s Requiem or Mozart’s late operas or piano concertos is bassoon heaven!

What have been the highlights of your time with the LPO? I’ll never forget my first concert as an official member: the Vienna Musikverein, Vladimir Jurowski, Ravel’s G major Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky 6 – two great bassoon pieces!

I’ve been very lucky to have been in the LPO for pretty well the whole of Vladimir’s tenure as Principal Conductor, and many of my highlights have been his concerts and his operas at Glyndebourne. Another unforgettable moment was Tchaikovsky 4 at the Sydney Opera House in 2009 – unknown to us, the hall’s management had put paper streamers on all the seats nearest the orchestra, and, after the very exciting finale, the audience erupted with applause and threw the paper streamers – within seconds

who has something to offer, and we must develop our instrumental gifts in order to maximise that unique quality. It gave me the confidence to win my first Principal position, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, and has been my guiding philosophy ever since.

What’s on your playlist or CD player at the moment?

I’m not sure if I’m unusual in this, but I don’t listen to much classical music at home.

My wife and I have spent our lives working in orchestras, and cannot listen without total critical attention, which makes it less than relaxing. Our usual stations are Radio 4 for drama – the news has become rather dispiriting of late – and Jazz Radio: especially big band music and great singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

– GARETH NEWMAN – Gareth has been the LPO’s Sub-Principal Bassoon since 2008.

He served for nine years on the Orchestra’s Board of Directors, including eight as Vice-President.

He is also a former Professor of Bassoon at London’s Royal Academy of Music. the stage was covered in them. The next day I was on a ferry in Sydney Harbour and struck up a conversation with a tourist, who told me that the previous evening he had heard one of the world’s finest orchestras in one of the world’s finest halls – he was gobsmacked when I told him I’d been there too ...

Who or what has most influenced you during your career?

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have worked with some wonderful colleagues, from whom I continue to learn on a daily basis. However, the single most important thing in my career was not a person, but going to play a recital in Florida in 1983 as part of a double reed festival. It made me realise that, though there will always be performers who can do things I cannot, each of us is an unique individual Newsletter published by the London Philharmonic Orchestra 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP Tel: 020 7840 4200 Fax: 020 7840 4201 Ticket Office: 020 7840 4242 lpo.org.uk

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How do you relax when you’re offstage, and how have you been occupying yourself during lockdown?

Lots of walking, preferably near the sea (I grew up on the beach in North Wales), and often with binoculars to hand for birdwatching. I also take the opportunity to play golf whenever possible. Not being able to travel is so strange when I’ve spent my whole life – both work and leisure – travelling constantly. The spring lockdown was easier because of the weather and the opportunity to do rather more work than usual on our allotment – it’s much harder now in the dark days of winter, though bassoon practice is always necessary!

Had you not been a professional musician, what might have you pursued as a career?

I read law at university before realising that music was what I wanted to do. Perhaps I would have earned more (probably a lot more), but to have spent my life in the orchestral world, despite its insecurities and difficulties, has been amazing. I was appointed to the LPO just before my 55th birthday, and it recently occurred to me that had I stayed in my very first job, in the Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon – where the conditions of employment are acknowledged to be excellent – I would have retired at 55 and thus missed out on the most rewarding 12 years of my working life.

Photograph © Benjamin Ealovega

What first drew you to the bassoon?

I tried the violin and found it much too hard, but when my parents took me to a concert at Bangor University at the age of eight I was intrigued by the sight (and sound) of this funny-looking instrument in the middle of the orchestra. My parents knew the bassoonist, but he pronounced me too small to begin learning. So a ritual was established over the next year or so – I was measured against the bassoon and finally deemed big enough at the grand age of nine, when he gave me my first lessons. Being the only bassoonist in North Wales gave me opportunities that I would never have had on another instrument, so I was encouraged to carry on ...

The bassoonist in question later emigrated to Norway, and suddenly contacted me a year or so ago – he’d been to an LPO concert at the Royal Festival Hall and seen my name in the programme – was I the same Gareth Newman from all those years ago?