Issuu

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Here was a total consonance rare in concerto partnerships between Julia Fischer and her LPO colleagues. THE ARTS DESK, SEPTEMBER 2019

JULIA FISCHER

KEEP ON TRUCKING

BACKSTAGE

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Exploring Mozart’s Violin Concertos with this spring’s Artist-in-Residence

Join the LPO truck and its crew on the road to Turkey

Meet the first female member of our Double Bass section, Laura Murphy

LATEST ON THE LPO LABEL VLADIMIR MARTYNOV

PRINCIPAL PARTNER

OrchLab Project Partner

Utopia

Vladimir Jurowski conductor Jun Hong Loh violin London Philharmonic Choir £14.99 | LPO-0120 Released November 2020

SIR ADRIAN BOULT A MUSICAL LEGACY

PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS

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.

PROKOFIEV

Alexander Nevsky Kurt Masur conductor Sarah Walker mezzo-soprano London Philharmonic Choir Digital-only release: available via Spotify, Apple Music, Idagio and others. LPO-D913 | Released July 2021 The Victoria Wood Foundation

MAHLER

The Victoria Wood Foundation

Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of a Thousand) Vladimir Jurowski conductor with Judith Howarth, Anne Schwanewilms, Sofia Fomina, Michaela Selinger, Patricia Bardon, Barry Banks, Stephen Gadd, Matthew Rose, London Philharmonic Choir, London Symphony Chorus, Choir of Clare College Cambridge, Tiffin Boys’ Choir £9.99 | LPO-0121 Released September 2021

STRAUSS

Five Songs; Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme; Salome (excerpts) Klaus Tennstedt conductor Jessye Norman soprano £9.99 | LPO-0122 Coming Release date 21 January 2022 soon

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

The Victoria Wood Foundation

LPO CORPORATE CIRCLE freuds Sunshine Berenberg Bloomberg Carter-Ruck French Chamber of Commerce Lazard Russo-British Chamber of Commerce Walpole Allianz Musical Insurance

PREFERRED PARTNERS Lidl Lindt & Sprüngli Ltd OneWelbeck Steinway

IN-KIND SPONSOR Google Inc

TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2022 –

WELCOME

t has been wonderful to see so many of you at our concerts again this season and to hear how you have kept in touch and followed our streamed concerts during the past months, but also to see the sheer exhilaration you have felt once again hearing the Orchestra live in full force. It has certainly been a fantastic start to the season, and to Edward Gardner’s tenure with the LPO. It was great to see such chemistry between Ed and the Orchestra, and – from The Midsummer Marriage, Symphonie fantastique and Bluebeard’s Castle to a sublime interpretation of Sibelius’s Second Symphony – a real statement of intent and direction of what we can expect in the coming years. It was also a thrill to witness Karina Canellakis’s first concerts as Principal Guest Conductor, and we eagerly await her return in the New Year. There’s plenty more to look forward to in the spring, including Julia Fischer’s Artist-in-Residency, performing the Mozart Violin Concertos – more over the page. It has been wonderful this autumn, after 18 months with no international travel, to finally resume touring with the Orchestra. September was a milestone as we ventured out of the UK for the first time since December 2019, travelling to Bucharest for the Enescu Festival. In October we were privileged to open the new Presidential Symphony Hall in Ankara, Turkey, followed by a concert in Istanbul. November saw a hugely successful German tour with our new Principal Conductor Edward Gardner and pianist Jan Lisiecki, receiving unanimous rave reviews in the German press. With seven concerts in eight days, the tour was a real feat for musicians and staff alike – it’s easy to forget how much goes on behind the scenes to get an orchestra and their Editor Rachel Williams: rachel.williams@lpo.org.uk Publisher London Philharmonic Orchestra Printer Conquest Litho Cover photograph Julia Fischer © Uwe Arens While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, we cannot accept liability for any statement or error contained herein. © 2022 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.

instruments onto a concert stage abroad, but in this issue we share a glimpse into life on the road with our Transport team – read all about their drive to Turkey on pages 8–9. Transport Manager Damian and his team also featured in a recent episode of our ‘LPO Offstage’ podcast. If you haven’t listened yet, do check it out for an entertaining and fascinating behind-the-scenes peek into LPO life: more on page 6. This autumn we have also immensely appreciated being able to get back to face-toface workshops and education projects. We resumed activity with our Foyle Future Firsts, LPO Young Composers and LPO Junior Artists (see page 12), and enjoyed joining up once more with service users from Crisis, and disabled adults through our OrchLab project,

with whom we enjoyed a celebratory Festival Day on 8 December (see page 6). Possibly most exciting though (and certainly the most excited audience) was when we welcomed 4,000 students aged 7–11 to the Royal Festival Hall for our BrightSparks schools’ concerts, many for their first orchestral experience. Few of us had seen or heard a response like that for some time! It was wonderful too to welcome back families for our FUNharmonics family concert in November – read more on page 5. Of course, some people are still cautious about sitting in a concert hall, or are unable to travel to the Royal Festival Hall, and we are delighted to able to continue our streaming partnership with Marquee TV. Those of you that have been to a concert recently will, I hope, have felt the energy of a new, younger audience, too, and if you feel able to help us in our work reaching out to these new audiences, please do consider donating to our 2021/22 Annual Appeal (page 7). Finally, on pages 10–11 you will find a tribute to Bernard Haitink, LPO Principal Conductor 1967–79, who died on 21 October 2021. Haitink enjoyed a relationship with the Orchestra that spanned over five decades, both on the concert platform and at Glyndebourne: one of the great partnerships in London’s musical history. He presided over some of the LPO’s most memorable and exciting years and exceptional musical moments. His passing gave us a moment to pause and reflect on the immense heritage of this Orchestra – one that I, Elena, Ed and the team look to build on with great respect. We hope you can join us in 2022, whether at our concerts or streaming our performances at home. Thank you for your support of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

CONTENTS

STAY CONNECTED

– DAVID BURKE – Chief Executive

NEW & NOTEWORTHY 04-06 LPO ANNUAL APPEAL 2022 07 KEEP ON TRUCKING 08-09 BERNARD HAITINK 1929-2021 10-11 LPO PEOPLE 12 CONCERT LISTINGS 13-15 BACKSTAGE: LAURA MURPHY 16

WATCH & SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE youtube.com/londonphilharmonicorchestra

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LPO NEWS

NEW & NOTEWORTHY JULIA FISCHER: ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

GLYNDEBOURNE 2022 This summer’s Glyndebourne Festival will run from 21 May–28 August 2022. Opening the Festival in May is The Wreckers by the pioneering feminist English composer Ethel Smyth (1858–1944). A powerful psychodrama set on the Cornish coast, The Wreckers will be the first Festival performance of an opera by a female composer, and will be conducted by Glyndebourne Music Director Robin Ticciati with the LPO. Other productions with the LPO this summer are Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in a revival of Michael Grandage’s five-star production, conducted by Giancarlo Andretta and Nicholas Carter; Puccini’s La bohème under Jordan de Souza; and a Poulenc double-bill of La voix humaine and Les Mamelles de Tirésias, again conducted by Robin Ticciati. Public booking opens on Sunday 6 March.

GLYNDEBOURNE ENCORE Julia Fischer, LPO Artist-in-Residence Spring 2022

maginative, insightful and with a sound to die for, Julia Fischer is a byword for everything that’s most inspiring and captivating in 21st-century violin playing. Mozart is at the centre of her musical universe, although, as she puts it, each of Mozart’s violin concertos is like ‘a new world’ in its own right. This spring she joins the LPO as Artist-in-Residence to explore those worlds afresh, partnering with conductor Thomas Søndergård and the Orchestra to celebrate the fantasy, exuberance and sheer joy of Mozart’s masterpieces. The series begins on Wednesday 2 February, when Mozart’s Violin Concertos Nos. 3 & 4 are paired with two orchestral tone-poems by Richard Strauss – one of the few composers who can match Mozart’s youthful high spirits – Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung. The journey continues on Friday 4 February, with Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 alongside the composer’s Overture to Die Entführung aus dem Serail and the sublime Sinfonia Concertante with viola virtuoso Nils Mönkemeyer, before Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche. Sunday 6 February sees a switch to a more intimate mood, as Julia performs as violinist and pianist in a chamber concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall alongside our talented LPO Principal players. String octet works by Shostakovich and Bruch feature, as well as Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2. On Saturday 12 February we return to the Royal Festival Hall as Julia performs Mozart’s First and Second Violin Concertos, directing the Orchestra from the violin, before she takes up the baton to conduct the LPO strings in Tchaikovsky’s homage to his idol Mozart, the glorious Serenade for Strings. The series culminates on 13 April with Julia’s performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto under conductor Vladimir Jurowski. And, as part of her residency, Julia will also take part in masterclasses and education activities across the season. ‘Here was a total consonance rare in concerto partnerships between Julia Fischer and her orchestral colleagues’, wrote The Arts Desk when Julia played with the LPO in 2019. The series promises to be unmissable – full concert details can be found on page 13–14. FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK ONLINE

New for 2022, Glyndebourne has launched a streaming service, ‘Glyndebourne Encore’, offering subscribers on-demand access to its back catalogue of world-class opera, as well as all future filmed productions. Glyndebourne Artistic Director Stephen Langridge said: ‘Last summer’s digital festival highlighted the huge appetite for Glyndebourne opera all around the world. Glyndebourne Encore is a response to that audience demand and will offer the chance to watch our productions in full whenever you choose. But that’s not all. Every month we’ll be delving deep into an individual opera to offer revealing insights and interviews to help people get the most out of every opera.’ Past Glyndebourne productions available to watch now include Giulio Cesare, Saul, Billy Budd, Così fan tutte, Die Zauberflöte, Vanessa, Rusalka, Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro, with further additions scheduled for later in the year. A Glyndebourne Encore subscription will also give access to the company’s future performances, including those from the 2022 Festival, and to a number of audio recordings from the Glyndebourne label. FIND OUT MORE glyndebourne.com

lpo.org.uk

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TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2022 –

LPO NEWS

NEW & NOTEWORTHY FANTASTIQUE!

November 2021 saw our first BrightSparks schools concerts and FUNharmonics family concert at the Royal Festival Hall since 2019. It was great to welcome back our youngest audiences, who experienced the colourful world of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique brought to life by presenter Rachel Leach and conductor Michael Seal. We’re already looking forward to our next FUNharmonics family concert on Sunday 13 February, when Michael and the Orchestra will be joined by presenter Polly Ives to tell the story of Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants, based on the book by Giles Andreae and Korky Paul. Suitable for ages 5+ and with free pre-concert activities from 10am, the concert is on sale now: see page 13.

Full of energy, passion and fun. Presenter was brilliant!

Brilliant! What an amazing way to make the beauty and complexity of Philharmonic music accessible to all. PARENTS AT FUNHARMONICS, NOVEMBER 2021

RPS AWARD FOR VOPERA VOpera’s virtual lockdown production of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges, performed by the LPO and broadcast in November 2020, won the Opera and Music Theatre category at the 2021 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards. The winners were announced on 1 November in a ceremony at Wigmore Hall, in which the judging panel said: ‘This digital production burst out of nowhere, courtesy of the newly-formed company VOpera. It’s a spectacular creation that generated welcome employment for a raft of housebound talent, sublimely supported by an ensemble of London Philharmonic players. It lifted spirits and wittily spoke to current times.’ This is the latest in a stream of awards for the production, which was directed by Rachael Hewer, produced by Tamzin Aitken and conducted by Lee Reynolds: it previously won the Opera category of the 2021 South Bank Sky Arts Awards and a 2020 Digital Classical Music Award. FIND OUT MORE vopera20.com

NEW ON THE LPO LABEL The newest release on our own LPO Label is a disc of works by Richard Strauss. The late American soprano Jessye Norman is the star at the heart of this live performance from the LPO archives, recorded in May 1986 at the Royal Festival Hall under the baton of then-Principal Conductor Klaus Tennstedt. Norman brings her warmth to this tender and personal collection of five Strauss songs, while the blistering final scene from Salome shows her at her most powerful and dazzling. Completing the disc is Strauss’s suite Le bourgeois gentilhomme. The CD album is released on 21 January, priced £9.99, with single tracks Wiegenlied, Cäcilie and the ‘Courante’ from Le bourgeois gentilhomme available now for digital download or streaming via Spotify, Apple Music, Idagio and others. FIND OUT MORE OR BUY ONLINE lpo.org.uk/recordings

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CHANEL FUND FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS & CULTURE In Autumn/Winter 2020 we announced our new partnership with the CHANEL Fund for Women in the Arts and Culture, supporting the LPO’s continuing work with female conductors, composers and artists. The partnership is now in its second season and the LPO recently welcomed the winner of La Maestra competition, Rebecca Tong, for mentoring sessions supported by the CHANEL Fund for Women in the Arts and Culture. La Maestra is an international competition for women conductors aimed at addressing gender disparity in the industry. Rebecca Tong was invited to spend three days with the London Philharmonic Orchestra for a varied programme of activity, joining us for Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis’s rehearsals and concert in December. Rebecca observed rehearsals and received mentoring sessions from the Orchestra’s Chief Executive David Burke and Artistic Director Elena Dubinets, and was invited to attend the culminating concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 1 December. Afterwards, Rebecca said of the experience: ‘I really enjoyed working with Karina; it’s really good to see her rehearse and I learned a lot from her relationship with the Orchestra. As a young conductor at the beginning of my career, this is an important aspect: to assist and learn from the experience and perspective of an established and more experienced conductor.’ Later in the year we will be joined by Stephanie Childress, the second prize winner of La Maestra, and Lina González-Granados, the third prize winner, for mentoring sessions with the LPO. Stephanie will join Principal Conductor Edward Gardner and Lina will join Conductor Emeritus Vladimir Jurowski. The CHANEL Fund for Women in the Arts and Culture is supporting four LPO concerts across the 2021/22 season that showcase female conductors, composers and artists. Performances include The Kingdom of Silence by Russian composer Victoria Borisova-Ollas, UK premieres of work from composers Missy Mazzoli and Rebecca Saunders, and Julia Fischer directing the Orchestra for Mozart’s First and Second Violin Concertos. For more concert details see pages 13–15.

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LPO NEWS

NEW & NOTEWORTHY CONTINUED ORCHLAB FESTIVAL DAY

SAVE THE DATE: LPO GALA 2022

orchlab.org

We are delighted to be looking ahead to the summer with our plans for the next LPO Gala. The annual celebratory event will take place on Monday 9 May 2022, in the stunning setting of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Hall. We are looking forward to our first Gala in this beautiful space as we celebrate the revitalisation of live music and look forward to a thriving future. This Gala is a vital opportunity to come together to share the collective joy of live performance with the LPO family and support the Orchestra’s work. We hope that many of you will be able to join us for this fantastic evening. Further details will be released soon, but if you have any questions or for more information please contact gala@lpo.org.uk or call Scott Tucker, Development Events Manager, on 020 7840 4207.

ORCHLAB IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY JTI AND CO-DELIVERED BY DRAKE MUSIC, LEADERS IN MUSIC, DISABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY.

FIND OUT MORE

OrchLab is an LPO-run project founded on collaboration and inclusivity, sharing the wonder of music with disabled adults through the sound of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the accessible music technology of Drake Music. Using recorded samples, assistive technology, iPad apps and traditional percussion instruments, participants create music with members of the LPO inspired by the Orchestra’s live recordings. In this way, they immerse themselves in the Orchestra’s music while making it their own. OrchLab also includes the development of brandnew accessible instruments, which we design and build in response to our participants’ access needs. We also share I really like how resources on the OrchLab website to allow our inclusive everyone was music-making to reach a wider audience. 8 December saw the inaugural OrchLab Festival Day included and made to at our home in London’s Southbank Centre (with a Zoom feel part of it, and no link for those unable to attend in person). A celebration of one was left behind. accessible music-making with disabled adults, the day ORCHLAB PARTICIPANT included participatory music sessions, relaxed performances and accessible instrument demonstrations, and showcased the creativity of OrchLab participants.

lpo.org.uk/gala

LPO OFFSTAGE PODCAST

OrchLab guests watch the London Philharmonic Orchestra rehearse in the Royal Festival Hall

GLOBAL GOOD AWARD FOR ORCHLAB In the last issue of Tune In we shared the news of OrchLab’s nomination for the 2021 Global Good Awards. The LPO and JTI were delighted to win the joint Bronze award in the Community Partnerships category, announced at the awards ceremony on 22 September. Established in 2015, the Global Good Awards recognise and reward organisations of all kinds that are making strides towards a better world. globalgoodawards.co.uk

ORCHLAB SOUNDMAKERS In the autumn we launched OrchLab Soundmakers, a collection of playable online instruments and samplers designed for use by disabled adults. Developed in partnership with Drake Music, leaders in music, disability and technology, the Soundmakers include online instruments that can be used just like any musical instrument to create melodies or rhythms, and samplers that allow the user to create their own soundscapes by layering up musical samples played by LPO musicians. orchlab.org/soundmakers

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Our award-winning podcast, ‘LPO Offstage’, is now in its third series. Hosted by presenter and saxophonist YolanDa Brown, the weekly podcast brings listeners closer than ever to the world of orchestral music. Episodes in Series 3 include insights into sharing a desk as a string player, the role of the Orchestra’s Librarians, an insider view of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, and a look at how streamed concerts come together for broadcast. On 23 November we held an exclusive event at Henry Wood Hall for LPO supporters, featuring a live recording of the LPO podcast on the subject of the LPO Label and the world of orchestral recordings, with YolanDa in conversation with Principal Piccolo Stewart McIlwham, Second Violin Fiona Higham and Recordings Consultant Matthew Freeman. Listen out for this episode, coming soon! You can find LPO Offstage free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Acast, or wherever you listen. lpo.org.uk/podcast

LPO ANNUAL APPEAL 2022

OPEN THE DOORS WE ARE ALL REDISCOVERING THE JOY OF LIVE MUSIC From the roar of appreciation as the baton is lowered; the goosebumps of a beautiful solo to the visceral power of the full orchestra. This shared experience creates a unique energy.

NOW, AFTER SUCH A LONG WAIT, WE ARE THROWING OPEN THE DOORS TO OUR CONCERTS We believe passionately that everyone should have the opportunity to experience them and we are committed to reaching as many people as we can.

TO THE DONATE TO ‘OPEN THE DOORS’ AND HELP US TO CONNECT NEW AUDIENCES WITH WHAT WE DO BY MAKING TICKETS ACCESSIBLE Your gift will enable us to offer affordable tickets to those who may not otherwise attend a concert. It will help us to touch more people and to share the wonder of a live musical experience with the classical music lovers of today and tomorrow.

HELP US OPEN THE DOORS TO MORE PEOPLE, AND SHARE THE MUSIC YOU LOVE. DONATE ONLINE AT LPO.ORG.UK/OPENTHEDOORS, OR CALL THE INDIVIDUAL GIVING TEAM ON 020 7840 4212 OR 020 7840 4225. THANK YOU.

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LPO TOURS

KEEP ON TRUCKING On 29 October a planeload of LPO players departed Heathrow for the four-hour flight to Turkey, for two concerts in Ankara and Istanbul. But almost a week earlier, LPO Transport Manager Damian and his colleague Benji loaded up the LPO truck with instruments and embarked on their long journey across Europe by road and sea. Here’s their on-the-road diary ... schedules and sailing times dramatically, which makes it difficult to plan.

Saturday 23 October

Benji and I are legally required to rest for 24 hours prior to departure for Turkey. The journey will take five days, including a 16-hour ferry crossing. Still had no confirmation of the ferry from Italy to Greece, which possibly means driving through Serbia and Bulgaria. This is notoriously problematic for freight. It’s also a route I’m not familiar with. Worried now.

Damian with the LPO truck

Friday 22 October 2021

48 hours before we depart the UK, Benji and I attend the Turkish Consulate in London to obtain our visas. Meanwhile, the return ferry from our Spain tour earlier this week has been cancelled due to bad weather in the Bay of Biscay, so the LPO truck will have to transit by road all the way back to the UK. It left yesterday and returns late this evening to the Royal Festival Hall, driven by my colleagues Stephen and Jez. Laura (LPO Stage Manager), the team and myself crossload with instruments needed for the Turkey concerts. The truck returns to our depot in South London at 2300. I’ve had no confirmation yet of our reservation from Harbour Shipping for our ferry from Ancona (Italy) to Igoumenitsa (Greece) on Wednesday. This is making me anxious. I was unable to get a place on the Tuesday night crossing, which would have been preferable. The pandemic has affected

which has finally been confirmed! It departs Italy for Greece at 1930 on Wednesday. Breathe a sigh of relief.

Tuesday 26 October 0930 Depart Chamonix to drive through

the Mont Blanc Tunnel. This is one of my favourite routes, as we cross through the highest part of the Alps and the scenery is always nothing short of spectacular. Snowcapped mountains and an electric blue sky completely surround us. Simply stunning.

Sunday 24 October

The truck, Benji and I depart from our depot, headed for the Eurotunnel. First we stop at an Inland Border Facility to get our carnet (temporary import/export licence) stamped out of the UK, now we’re no longer in the EU. After an hour of waiting for paperwork to be completed, we continue onwards to the Eurotunnel and join the truck queue. We wait for a further two hours before boarding the freight train to Calais, where we’ll stop at a hotel for the night and start a fresh 21-hour shift tomorrow morning. Still no word regarding our Italy/Greece ferry.

Monday 25 October 0530 Breakfast in the hotel and depart

Calais. Drive south to Chamonix, where we’re due to cross through the Mont Blanc Tunnel into Italy tomorrow morning. Arrive at the hotel and enjoy a ‘Raclette’ supper (the famous Swiss cheese and potato dish), which is delicious. We also receive news regarding our ferry,

2000

lpo.org.uk – 08 –

2200

Traffic has been slow and we arrive at our hotel just outside the port of Ancona. We just manage to make it to dinner in the restaurant. The hotel room has an almost swimming pool-sized bath, so time for a hot soak with a glass of wine before bed.

Wednesday 27 October 0800 Bad news. Receive a phone call from

our agent at Harbour Shipping. There are ferry issues. We had been booked on the 1930 ferry, but it has been rescheduled as a slow one, with a journey time of just over 22 hours. This would dramatically alter our itinerary

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LPO TOURS

KEEP ON TRUCKING and possibly put us a day behind. It also affects the rendezvous timings with our Greek and Turkish fixers at the borders. I request a place on an earlier ferry but am warned that there are no guarantees. It feels like we’re close, yet so far.

1200

Harbour Shipping have managed to book us on the 1315 ANEK Super-fast Ferry. There was a last-minute cancellation, and we got it! However we have just over an hour to check in and board before sailing. Circumstances like this are always difficult to navigate in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and you’re unsure of the exact process, where to go, who to speak to and how the system works. You get shouted at, a lot! Blood pressure begins to rise … what if we don’t make Ankara in time? This could potentially alter the entire schedule and even make us miss the load-in and rehearsal, and worst-case scenario, the concert. Fortunately, the port is only ten minutes away from our hotel; we manage to bypass the queue, check in and board with 15 minutes to spare. The ferry is busy, but a welcome beer on the deck whilst departing the port of Ancona calms the nerves and restores a little balance! Now for a 16-hour journey heading southeast across the Adriatic Sea.

Thursday 28 October 0630 Arrive at Igoumenitsa in Greece

slightly early. It’s been a smooth crossing and we watched the sunrise over Corfu as we ate breakfast. Driving off the ferry, freight drivers are directed to an area for Covid-19 testing. We’re given the all-clear and begin the long drive to the Greek/Turkish border. The view is beautiful as we drive along the Aegean coastline with Greek islands in the distance. It’s 22 degrees and the sun is shining, but we have a ten-hour drive and don’t know how long it will take to cross the border – we’ve been warned by our cargo agent of 12km truck queues.

1600

I am contacted by Keramidas, our agent on the Greek side, and informed that there is a truck queue, but it’s ‘only’ about 6km. He wants to meet us at a disused service station just off the highway and escort us past the queue along a back road.

1800 We find the service station and park up.

Keramidas arrives, and after a short introduction he instructs us to follow him in his car. We drive along a dusty track at pace, enter the border through a back gate with about ten other trucks and pull in, about three trucks from the front. He enters customs with our passports, carnet, permits, truck details and other documentation to present to the Greek customs officials. We wait.

1930

Keramidas exits the customs office looking concerned and asks me to go with him. There is a massive problem. The customs officials at Folkestone (where we stamped our carnet out of the UK) have missed a stamp on the front. Without this, we cannot exit Turkey once we’re in. Keramidas manages to resolve this temporarily: we’ll be allowed to continue on our way but we will have to send the carnet back to Folkestone so that our truck, along with Benji and me, can exit the Turkish border. Otherwise, we’re stuck. We call our cargo agent in London and our Turkish fixer (who is patiently waiting over the border). All that matters now is that we’re allowed to enter Turkey for the concerts. We pass through Greek customs who ask us to open the back of the truck to examine a few items. They seem satisfied and wave us on. We now meet Onur , our Turkish agent, who collects the paperwork once again and enters the Turkish customs office. We sit for another hour and half. Eventually Onur reemerges with a Turkish customs official who wants to examine the truck and its contents, only this time more thoroughly. He wants all the side cabinets open, the back door down and several instrument flight cases open to look inside. I’m always nervous at this point. If they find something amiss or not listed on the carnet, they have the power to impound the truck and its cargo, and possibly impose heavy fines. It only takes one customs official having a bad day to jeopardise an entire concert! He asks us to close all the truck doors, says ‘OK’, and waves us forward. We’re in! After a total of four hours at the border we depart for our hotel in Tekirda, which is still a two-hour drive away.

surrounded by low bridges. Some are only 3.2m high. We stop next to a police barricade and try to ask directions. They don’t speak English. Fortunately, a lady stops to ask us if we need help. She translates what the police are saying. It appears we are only about 3km away, but due to the bridges and all the diversions, we must go a special route. We write down the directions and set off once again. We’re pulled over by the police within ten minutes, telling us to turn around. My tachograph flashes to warn me I have 15 minutes left before I must stop. We try to explain where we are going, and he allows us to pass. We eventually find a car park next to the concert hall but are unsure if it’s the right one. Still not having heard from the promoters, we make the decision that we should park anyway and resolve any issues tomorrow. We take a taxi to our hotel and get there just after the Orchestra have arrived, having departed London just a few hours earlier! We join the rest of the Stage & Transport Team for dinner: superb Turkish meze.

Saturday 30 October: Concert Day! At last, a day off for Benji and me. After a fantastic concert under Robin Ticciati in the Presidential Symphony Hall in Ankara – finishing with an epic Brahms 4 – the truck is loaded up by LPO Stage Managers Laura and Stephen. Stephen departs Ankara in the truck at 2330 for the overnight drive to Istanbul, ready for tomorrow’s rehearsal and concert. Benji and I will fly with the Orchestra to Istanbul before taking over for the long drive back to London. Who knows what the return journey will have in store...? WANT TO READ MORE? JOIN US ON TWITTER, INSTAGRAM OR TIKTOK TO FOLLOW OUR NEXT TOUR JOURNEY.

Friday 29 October 2000 We arrive on the outskirts of Ankara.

It’s a public holiday in Turkey and extremely busy. Police are enforcing diversion routes and we’re completely lost. There are underpasses everywhere (our truck is 3.8m tall) and we’re

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Benji and Damian celebrate their arrival in Ankara

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LPO PEOPLE

BERNARD HAITINK 1929–2021 21 October 2021 saw the end of an LPO era, with the sad passing of Bernard Haitink, Principal Conductor from 1967–79. Some former and current members of the Orchestra share their memories of this most distinguished of conductors, known as much for his modesty and humility as for his superlative musicianship. Bernard exceeded my highest expectations when I first played for him. The two main works were Mahler’s First Symphony and Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’. He had a remarkable combination of solidity and artistic flexibility. You felt you could trust him and this brought out the best in all of us. He knew what he wanted and was able to convey it in a collegial manner, but there was no doubt that he was going to get what he wanted! He had great warmth and a quiet sense of humour. I remember at one rehearsal the violins played a passage with great schmaltz. He stopped and said, ‘Please – I am only Dutch!’. As I moved towards conducting, Bernard allowed me to attend his rehearsals in Amsterdam and to meet and answer questions which showed he was an absolute ‘natural’. He was most supportive after I left the LPO and would encourage me if he liked one of my broadcasts. I feel privileged to have known and worked with him and only wish he could have enjoyed a longer retirement.

I was Leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra during the first nine years of Bernard Haitink’s tenure with the Christopher Seaman, LPO Principal Timpanist 1964–6 LPO, until my appointment as Leader of the New York Philharmonic. With these two orchestras I was privileged to work with the greatest conductors of the second half of the 20th century, and if I were to make a list as to who constantly produced the highest level of uniform orchestral energy and respect, Haitink would without question be first on my list. He received, through his powerful yet modest personality, a clarity and atmosphere of total respect from all the musicians as he expected and received our very best efforts. Rehearsals were free of lectures as he had complete trust in our instrumental level. I missed him very much when I left the LPO – his honesty, modesty, loyalty, friendship and sense of humour – but most of all I missed playing the great literature with him. Rodney Friend, LPO Leader 1964–76

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LPO PEOPLE

BERNARD HAITINK 1929–2021 My very first concerts as a new member of the LPO were with Haitink; they were two Proms concerts, one was Ein Heldenleben; the other Shostakovich 10. I recall feeling slightly anxious – having been used to life in the provinces, I was suddenly playing in a world-famous venue, in a big-time orchestra, with a renowned conductor. Starting the Symphony, any angst I had was quickly dispelled by Haitink’s benign smile. I sensed he knew what I was going through; indeed he had a unique ability to make everyone feel essential, and above all needed. He was one of my absolute favourites.

I first played for Bernard in 1967 and count myself extremely fortunate to have known and worked with him for over 50 years. Our relationship, professional and personal, matured slowly. It deepened through my time as LPO Chair and moved to a new level during the Southbank Centre residency negotiations, at the end of which he agreed to become the Orchestra’s President. Bernard’s musical integrity and generosity of spirit is well documented; less publicly celebrated were his kindness, warmth and generous support for individuals away from the podium, something I experienced at first hand.

Thomas Eisner, 1st Violin 1986–present

David Marcou, 2nd Violin, Chairman, twice Interim Managing Director, then Deputy Managing Director 1967–95

I was the youngest and least experienced member of the LPO when I joined it, and could feel Bernard’s support through the ether as I learned the repertoire. Playing for him was akin to making chamber music, with everything going up so many levels as he became excited or, in more reflective music, took himself to some other celestial place. It was also the Orchestra’s joy to support him at Glyndebourne as he moved into and developed his work in opera. It was a privilege to be a very tiny part in what he achieved in life.

I was in the LPO when Bernard Haitink’s LPO career began in the BBC’s Maida Vale’s Studio No. 1, where the young Dutchman conjured an insightful recording of Bruckner’s Third Symphony with the entire Orchestra breaking into spontaneous applause after the red light went out. Within a few months he was approached to become the next Principal Conductor, and during the following 12 years he transformed the Orchestra’s reputation, with subsequent years at Glyndebourne confirming it before finally becoming its most distinguished guest conductor.

Patrick Garvey, 2nd Horn 1973–85

Michael Boyle, 2nd Bassoon 1962–89

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LPO NEWS

LPO PEOPLE NEW TALENT PARTICIPANTS 2021/22

TONY BYRNE

ORCHESTRA UPDATES

After over a year of disruption caused by the pandemic, it’s been wonderful to be able to welcome the new cohorts of composers and instrumentalists to our talent development programmes this season. In September we welcomed our five LPO Young Composers for 2021/22: Rafael Marino Arcaro, Conrad Asman, Alex Ho, Yun-ho Jeong and Angela Elizabeth Slater. During the year the composers will take part in seminars and workshops with Composer Mentor and LPO Composer-in-Residence Brett Dean. The programme will culminate in a public performance of the five new works by LPO members and Foyle Future Firsts at this year’s Debut Sounds concert on 14 July 2022 at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

We were saddened to learn of the death of former LPO Co-Principal Viola Tony Byrne on 2 December 2021, following a long illness. Tony joined the Orchestra in 1974 and played as CoPrincipal for many years before stepping down to become a member of the section in 2006, and eventually retiring in 2010. His colleague and friend, LPO violist Kate Leek, writes: ‘“There’s only one Tony Byrne!” A familiar chant from the back of Bus 3 on tour, which he always acknowledged with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. We have lost one of the loveliest and most generous-spirited of colleagues. He was passionate about the music, loved playing chamber music, and practised every spare moment on his beautiful old Italian viola. His wife Christine once said that he felt guilty if he didn’t practise on Christmas Day! Tony was a proud Irishman who loved walking, whether this was at home exploring the South Downs and lanes of East Sussex, or on tour when he would walk for miles exploring, usually at twice the pace of anyone else. Being of a chatty disposition, he will also be fondly remembered for the many entertaining and enthusiastic tours of the opera house at Glyndebourne he gave for the Orchestra’s supporters over the years. Countless tributes from friends and colleagues all agree that Tony was fun, kind, warm-hearted and welcoming towards everybody, with a wicked sense of humour. He had an infinite capacity for friendship and an ability to make everybody feel better about themselves. Truly – “There’s only one Tony Byrne!”’ LPO Leader Pieter Schoeman added: ‘Tony was a gentleman. He was also one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. During those early years when I started playing with the LPO, he very quickly became one of my best friends. Some of my favourite moments were the meals we had after concerts on tour, because Tony had the ability to always lift my spirits with his humour.’ Our thoughts are with Tony’s widow Christine and his wider family, friends and colleagues.

In December we said goodbye to joint Principal Trumpet James Fountain, who becomes Principal Trumpet of the London Symphony Orchestra, and to Co-Principal Percussionist Henry Baldwin, who becomes Principal Percussionist at the Royal Opera House. We also said a fond farewell to Transport Manager Damian Davis, who moved to Sweden with his wife, LPO cellist Elisabeth Wiklander. We wish them both all the best as they prepare for the arrival of their first child, and look forward to welcoming Elisabeth back to the Orchestra after her maternity leave. We are very pleased to welcome Freddie Jackson as Assistant Stage Manager on a fixed-term basis from January through to the end of May.

lpo.org.uk/youngcomposers

THE LPO YOUNG COMPOSERS PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE GARRICK CHARITABLE TRUST, THE STANLEY PICKER TRUST, THE RVW TRUST, THE MARCHUS TRUST AND THE ERNEST VON SIEMENS MUSIC FOUNDATION.

As the pandemic prevented the 2020/21 Foyle Future Firsts cohort from taking full advantage of opportunities to work closely with the Orchestra last year, the 17 participants are continuing on the scheme throughout 2021/22. Additionally, some of the reserve participants from 2020/21 have become Foyle Future First Associate members, taking part in a selection of activity alongside the Foyle Future Firsts. We’re delighted to welcome them all to the LPO family. lpo.org.uk/futurefirsts

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.

We also welcomed our new LPO Junior Artists in the autumn. LPO Junior Artists is an annual orchestral experience programme for eight talented young musicians from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras. We are delighted to be working with the following talented musicians in 2021/22: Vivek Dinesh Ramanan, Oliver Simpson, Brooke Simpson, Elise Furber, Emily Burton, Amalia Beeko, Connor Huss and Sophie Warner. lpo.org.uk/juniorartists

THE LPO JUNIOR ARTISTS PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE VICTORIA WOOD FOUNDATION, THE RADCLIFFE TRUST AND THE D’OYLY CARTE CHARITABLE TRUST.

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IN THE OFFICE In the autumn we welcomed two new Development Assistants: Priya Radhakrishnan and Georgia Wiltshire. Priya will be working on the corporate and events side of our activities, and Georgia on our Individual Giving programme, particularly the Friends scheme. We also welcomed new Development Events Manager Scott Tucker, succeeding Vicky Moran, who left in November to take up the role of Development Events Manager at the Royal College of Music. The team also bade farewell to Development Assistant Izzy Keig, who left to take on a new role at the Whitechapel Gallery. In our Education team, Emily Moss, Education & Community Project Manager, left the LPO in October after nearly four years, to take on the role of Family Programme Manager at Opera North. Our Marketing team also saw some changes: in October we said goodbye to Alexandra Lloyd, who moved on after four years as Projects and Residencies Marketing Manager. We are delighted that Sophie Harvey has been promoted to Digital and Residencies Marketing Manager, and we welcomed new Marketing Assistant Kiera Lockard in October.

CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to LPO First Violinist Minn Majoe, who married viola player Martin Wray on 18 September at The Lanesborough Hotel, Knightsbridge.

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LPO SPRING 2022

CONCERT LISTINGS SOUTHBANK CENTRE Unless otherwise stated, standard prices £14–£46 Premium seats £65* London Philharmonic Orchestra Ticket Office 020 7840 4242 Mon–Fri 10am–5pm lpo.org.uk *Transaction fees: £3.50 online, £4.00 telephone Southbank Centre Ticket Office 020 3879 9555 southbankcentre.co.uk *Transaction fees: £3.50 online or telephone. No transaction fees for in-person bookings, Southbank Centre Members and Supporters Circles.

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

Friday 14 January 2022 | 7.30pm Soltani plays Shostakovich Barber Symphony No. 1 Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 Brahms Symphony No. 4 Marin Alsop conductor Kian Soltani cello Free pre-concert event: Foyle Future Firsts Royal Festival Hall | 6.00pm

Saturday 22 January 2022 | 7.30pm Poems of Ecstasy

Wednesday 9 February 2022 | 7.30pm Mahler’s First

Wagner Tristan und Isolde: Prelude & Liebestod Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand L Boulanger D’un soir triste Scriabin Symphony No. 4 (The Poem of Ecstasy)

Nielsen Helios Overture Brett Dean Viola Concerto Mahler Symphony No. 1

Karina Canellakis conductor Cédric Tiberghien piano Generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE.

Wednesday 26 January 2022 | 7.30pm Stormclouds and Spring Flowers Debussy Printemps (Symphonic Suite) Copland Clarinet Concerto Debussy Première rhapsodie Dvořák Symphony No. 7 Kazushi Ono conductor Andreas Ottensamer clarinet

Julia Fischer: Artist-in-Residence Wednesday 2 February 2022 | 7.30pm Julia Fischer plays Mozart: Straight out of Salzburg R Strauss Don Juan Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4 R Strauss Tod und Verklärung Thomas Søndergård conductor Julia Fischer violin

Elliott Gyger The Face of Nature Helen Gifford A plaint for lost worlds Brett Dean Pastoral Symphony

Friday 4 February 2022 | 7.30pm Julia Fischer plays Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante

Brett Dean conductor

Mozart Overture: Die Entführung aus dem Serail Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 Mozart Sinfonia Concertante R Strauss Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche

The LPO’s flagship Foyle Future First Development Programme bridges the transition between education and the professional platform for 17 exceptionally talented instrumentalists annually. In this performance, the Future Firsts take to the stage alongside LPO members under the baton of LPO Composer-in-Residence Brett Dean in a programme of contemporary music.

Wednesday 19 January 2022 | 7.30pm Raw Emotion, Endless Peace Victoria Borisova-Ollas The Kingdom of Silence Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

Thomas Søndergård conductor Julia Fischer violin Nils Mönkemeyer viola Sunday 6 February 2022 | 7.30pm Queen Elizabeth Hall (please note venue) Julia Fischer plays Chamber Music Shostakovich Two Pieces for String Octet Bruch Octet for Strings Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2 Julia Fischer violin & piano Soloists of the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Karina Canellakis conductor Christian Tetzlaff violin

Hannu Lintu conductor Lawrence Power viola Saturday 12 February 2022 | 7.30pm Julia Fischer plays Mozart: Adventures and Homages Mozart Violin Concerto No. 1 Mozart Violin Concerto No. 2 Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings Julia Fischer violin/director With the support of

Sunday 13 February 2022 | 12.00pm FUNharmonics Family Concert: Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants Michael Seal conductor Polly Ives presenter Join the London Philharmonic Orchestra as we tell the heroic story of Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants, based on the book by Giles Andreae and Korky Paul, with music by Paul Rissmann. There will be plenty of audience interaction throughout, plus added orchestral treats – a perfect first concert experience for all the family. Suitable for ages 5+. Join in the free pre-concert foyer activities from 10am–12pm (concert ticket-holders only). Adults £16–24, children £8–12 Saturday 19 February 2022 | 7.30pm Mozart’s Requiem Schubert Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished) Mozart Requiem Ádám Fischer conductor Soloists to be announced London Philharmonic Choir Please note change of programme from originally advertised.

Wednesday 23 February 2022 | 7.30pm Escape Velocity John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine Jimmy López Piano Concerto (Ephemerae) (world premiere) Kaija Saariaho Asteroid 4179: Toutatis R Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra Klaus Mäkelä conductor Javier Perianes piano

With the support of

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LPO SPRING 2022

CONCERT LISTINGS Saturday 26 February 2022 | 7.30pm From Russia with Love

Wednesday 30 March 2022 | 7.30pm Visions and Utterances

Friday 22 April 2022 | 7.30pm A Gala Evening with Renée Fleming

Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2

Four UK premieres: Missy Mazzoli River Rouge Transfiguration Rebecca Saunders to an utterance, for piano and orchestra Mason Bates Liquid Interface George Walker Sinfonia No. 5 (Visions)

Dvořák Othello Overture Verdi Ballet Music from Macbeth Verdi Willow Song & Ave Maria from Otello R Strauss Introduction, Moonlight & Finale from Capriccio

Klaus Mäkelä conductor Daniel Lozakovich violin Wednesday 9 March 2022 | 7.30pm Sheku Kanneh-Mason plays Shostakovich Judith Weir Forest Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2 Daniel Kidane Sirens Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

Edward Gardner conductor* Nicolas Hodges piano With the support of

*Position supported by Aud Jebsen

Edward Gardner conductor* Sheku Kanneh-Mason cello

Saturday 2 April 2022 | 7.30pm A German Requiem

*Position supported by Aud Jebsen.

L Boulanger Psalm 129 Messiaen Le tombeau resplendissant Brahms A German Requiem

Wednesday 16 March 2022 | 7.30pm Out of Italy Vaughan Williams Overture: The Wasps Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25, K503 R Strauss Aus Italien David Zinman conductor Richard Goode piano Saturday 19 March 2022 | 7.30pm Bryn Terfel sings Brahms Mendelssohn Overture: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Brahms Four Serious Songs, Op. 121 Schoenberg Pelleas und Melisande Edward Gardner conductor* Bryn Terfel bass-baritone Generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE.

*Position supported by Aud Jebsen Friday 25 March 2022 | 7.30pm Movie Legends Danny Elfman Alice in Wonderland Suite Danny Elfman Batman Suite Danny Elfman Percussion Concerto (world premiere) Howard Shore Lord of the Rings Symphony (excerpts) Ludwig Wicki conductor Colin Currie percussion London Philharmonic Choir

Edward Gardner conductor* Christiane Karg soprano Roderick Williams baritone London Philharmonic Choir *Position supported by Aud Jebsen Saturday 9 April 2022 | 7.30pm Mitsuko Uchida plays Beethoven Helmut Lachenmann Marche fatale (UK premiere) Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Bruckner Symphony No. 6 Vladimir Jurowski conductor Mitsuko Uchida piano

Julia Fischer: Artist-in-Residence Wednesday 13 April 2022 | 7.30pm Julia Fischer plays Elgar Elgar Violin Concerto Enescu Symphony No. 2 Vladimir Jurowski conductor Julia Fischer violin Free pre-concert event: LPO Junior Artists Royal Festival Hall | 6.00pm LPO Junior Artists is our annual orchestral experience programme for talented teenage instrumentalists from backgrounds that are currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras. This concert showcases the talent and achievement of our eight current LPO Junior Artists, performing alongside LPO musicians and Foyle Future Firsts.

Enrique Mazzola conductor Renée Fleming soprano Generously supported by Mrs Aline Foriel-Destezet.

Wednesday 27 April 2022 | 7.30pm War and Peace Britten Sinfonia da Requiem Brett Dean Cello Concerto (UK premiere) Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 5 Edward Gardner conductor* Alban Gerhardt cello Generously supported by The Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust.

*Position supported by Aud Jebsen Saturday 30 April 2022 | 7.30pm OK! A Celebration of Oliver Knussen Knussen Flourish with Fireworks Knussen Horn Concerto Knussen Whitman Settings Britten The Prince of the Pagodas: Suite Ravel Daphnis et Chloé: Suite No. 2 Edward Gardner conductor* Ben Goldscheider horn Sophie Bevan soprano Free pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall | 5.30pm Knussen Two Organa Gareth Moorcraft Reflections (After Orlando Gibbons) Louise Drewett The Transparent Building Knussen Songs and a Sea Interlude Edward Gardner conductor* In a collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music, Principal Conductor Edward Gardner presents a programme celebrating the work of composer Oliver Knussen and his former pupils and RAM alumni Louise Drewett and Gareth Moorcraft, in advance of the Knussen-focussed concert later in the evening. A combined LPO, Foyle Future First and Royal Academy of Music ensemble will perform. As part of this collaboration, additional events to celebrate the music of Oliver Knussen will take place at the Royal Academy of Music. Full details will be announced at a later date. *Position supported by Aud Jebsen

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LPO SPRING 2022

CONCERT LISTINGS Friday 6 May 2022 | 7.30pm The Song of the Earth Harrison Birtwistle Deep Time Mahler Das Lied von der Erde Edward Gardner conductor* Magdalena Kožená mezzo-soprano Andrew Staples tenor *Position supported by Aud Jebsen Thursday 14 July 2022 | 7.30pm Queen Elizabeth Hall (please note venue) LPO Debut Sounds Brett Dean conductor World premieres of five new works by this year’s LPO Young Composers, performed by an orchestra of LPO players and Foyle Future Firsts. Tickets £5, on sale from late spring 2022.

AROUND THE UK

Saturday 12 March 2022 | 7.30pm Brighton Dome Concert Hall 01273 709709 | brightondome.org Daydreams and Fantasies Williams Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Rhymes Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams) Holly Mathieson conductor Martin James Bartlett violin Sunday 13 March 2022 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne 01323 412000 | eastbournetheatres.co.uk Daydreams and Fantasies

INTERNATIONAL CONCERTS Monday 30 May 2022 Kulturpalast, Dresden, Germany kulturpalast-dresden.de Thomas Adès The Tempest Suite Thomas Adès In Seven Days Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 Thomas Adès conductor Víkingur Ólafsson piano Wednesday 20 July 2022 Hong Kong City Hall

Williams Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Rhymes Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams)

Charles Kwong Pastoral – After we perish Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Elgar Enigma Variations

Holly Mathieson conductor Martin James Bartlett violin

Edward Gardner conductor Nicola Benedetti violin

Sunday 10 April 2022 | 7.00pm Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden 0845 548 7650 | saffronhall.com

Thursday 21 July 2022 Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Beethoven Overture, The Creatures of Prometheus Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Bruckner Symphony No. 6

Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Beethoven Overture, Fidelio Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Beethoven Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)

Vladimir Jurowski conductor Mitsuko Uchida piano

Edward Gardner conductor Nicola Benedetti violin

Matthew Coorey conductor Joanna MacGregor piano

Saturday 23 April 2022 | 7.30pm Brighton Dome Concert Hall 01273 709709 | brightondome.org Magical Tales

Sunday 16 January 2022 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne 01323 412000 | eastbournetheatres.co.uk Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony

Saturday 29 January 2022 | 7.30pm Brighton Dome Concert Hall 01273 709709 | brightondome.org Stormclouds and Spring Flowers Debussy Printemps (Symphonic Suite) Copland Clarinet Concerto Debussy Première rhapsodie Dvořák Symphony No. 7 Kazushi Ono conductor Andreas Ottensamer clarinet Sunday 20 February 2022 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne 01323 412000 | eastbournetheatres.co.uk Sheku Kanneh-Mason plays Shostakovich Mussorgsky Khovanschina: Introduction ‘Dawn of the Moscow River’ Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2 Borodin Symphony No. 2

Mussorgsky Night on a Bare Mountain Glazunov Concerto for Saxophone Ravel Ma mère l’Oye (complete ballet) Ravel Boléro Finnegan Downie Dear conductor Jess Gillam saxophone Sunday 24 April 2022 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne 01323 412000 | eastbournetheatres.co.uk Spirit of the City Coleridge-Taylor Ballade Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 2 (London) Tom Gauterin conductor Daniel Pioro violin

Jonathan Bloxham conductor Sheku Kanneh-Mason cello

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LPO PEOPLE

BACKSTAGE

Who or what have been the main influences on your career so far? I can trace back throughout my career to some key people who helped me along the way. Around the time I started playing the bass, Aled Marshman took over as manager of the Four Counties Youth Orchestra in North East Wales and quickly drafted in some professional orchestral players as tutors, whilst also restarting the previously-defunct North Wales Youth Orchestra. Here I met Richard Lewis, who was then a member of the LPO. He was (and still is) so passionate about orchestral music and was a really inspiring tutor. He nudged me to audition for the National Youth Orchestra of Wales when I was 18, which was a key moment in my development. Richard also guided me towards studying with Kevin Rundell (LPO Principal Double Bass) at the Guildhall for my Masters. Kevin has taught so many successful and well-established orchestral musicians, and learning with him was a real eye-opener – I so appreciated his patience, as I had a lot to learn, given the fact that I came from studying an academic music degree and didn’t have much experience. This didn’t seem to faze him though ... I think Kevin likes a challenge! During this time I played regularly with Sinfonia Cymru – I feel like I cut my teeth here, playing a lot of key repertoire and learning a lot from my now-LPO colleague Seb Pennar. I also trained further in Southbank Sinfonia and on the Hallé Leadership Scheme. I started my first job at the Liverpool Phil in 2018. The RLPO is a great orchestra full of

– LAURA MURPHY – Laura became the first female member of the Orchestra’s Double Bass section when she was appointed in February 2020. She previously enjoyed a successful freelance career before joining the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in 2018. wonderful musicians, and I was made up to be in a position so close to my home town of Wrexham. I think it meant a lot to my family too. What has joining the LPO meant to you? My appointment with the LPO has of course been the most recent defining moment of my career, for myriad reasons: the connections during my musical journey with current and past members of the double bass section; having freelanced with the Orchestra for years; and of course being the first female appointment in the section. It’s not something that has come easily, though I can say without a shadow of a doubt it was worth the graft. Not bad for a mediocre violinist from Wrexham!

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Can you tell us about your instrument? I play on a Northern English bass made by William Howarth in 1897. I am so fortunate to be the custodian of such a wonderful instrument, and the circumstances through which I came to find it were quite fortuitous. I had heard about the Howarth from Richard Lewis, who had suggested I keep an eye out as the owner – a member of the BBC Phil – would soon be reaching retirement. At the time I didn’t have the means to buy another instrument and quickly forgot about his suggestion. A year later I was living in Manchester, and a member of the Hallé mentioned in passing that the player in question was leaving the BBC Phil and I should give him a call and get a look at his bass – the very same one that Richard had mentioned the previous year! I didn’t waste any time and was the first person to see the instrument after he retired. I loved it so much I didn’t give it back (much to the annoyance of a few other players, I should think, who had been eyeing it up themselves!). If you look on the inside of the instrument, it seems to have been very well-loved by its previous owners too. One such person put a label inside, saying it was the ‘best bass he ever owned’. Hear hear! How do you unwind away from work? I love being in the countryside, so any chance I get to walk (or climb) up a mountain really clears my head. Obviously this can be difficult when working in London, so instead I tend to practise yoga, run, and go to the gym. Having grown up near the countryside, I sometimes find the city a bit cloying. Luckily I live not far from Lea Valley –a very special part of North London where you can actually see some horizon! Do you have any advice for young musicians hoping to pursue an orchestral career? From my personal experience, I would say that perseverance and adaptability are great characteristics to adopt. Follow your curiosity and get involved with the things that you’re passionate about. Take the rough with the smooth – every setback is a lesson to learn from. Lastly, have other interests outside of music to help bring a sense of perspective and ‘well-roundedness’.

How did you get started on the double bass? It’s a big instrument for a beginner! I played the piano and violin from a young age but it wasn’t until I was turning 16, and more adult-sized myself, that I picked up the double bass. We were lucky to have one bass at my school, and the person in the year above me who played it was leaving to go to sixth form college. I figured it couldn’t be THAT hard, and it was a pretty cool-sounding instrument ... so I picked it up and I just loved the depth and the grounded sound of the bass. Very soon my violin began to stay in its case more and more, much to the despair of my violin teacher!