Tune in – SPRING / SUMMER 2017 –
LPO people
backstage
What led you to choose the bassoon? I always fancied playing the oboe; however, when I was 11 the music centre that my mother worked for had a number of new bassoons delivered and she brought one home for me to try. I couldn’t put it down from then on: the sound and the varied characters the bassoon can convey had me hooked – although the instrument was a good few inches taller than me for many years! I’d listen to the bassoon variation in Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra over and over again, and just loved how expressive the upper register of the instrument could be. What have been the highlights of your career so far? There are many moments that will stay with me forever: performing the solo bassoon part in Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante alongside Maxim Vengerov while I was studying at the Royal Academy was a very special moment. And, of course, the day I joined the LPO: I’d loved getting to know the Orchestra and playing in several exceptional concerts prior to joining, so being offered the Principal position was an extremely proud moment for me. Over the last year playing in amazing halls on tour with the LPO such as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Vienna Musikverein and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam has been an incredible experience.
Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration alongside Mozart’s Requiem under Nathalie Stutzmann (also at Royal Festival Hall) on 25 March – the bassoon parts in Mozart are very satisfying to play. I’m also looking forward to a tour to my favourite city (after London!), New York, at the end of February.
– Jonathan davies – Jonathan joined the Orchestra in September 2016 as Principal Bassoon. We chatted to him about his first season with the Orchestra, and life on and off stage. Since joining, what have you found out about the Orchestra? The LPO is a welcoming, supportive and hardworking orchestra. It’s also very open-minded when it comes to repertoire and new ideas, and this creates a real air of excitement. I feel extremely lucky to be joining its talented, friendly wind section. This summer will also be my first Glyndebourne season, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing how that all works! Which LPO concerts are you most looking forward to in the rest of the 2016/17 season? There’s so much exciting repertoire coming up over the next six months that it’s hard to single a programme out! I’m particularly looking forward to playing Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15 with Vladimir Jurowski on 22 February at Royal Festival Hall, and
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If you could meet any composer, living or dead, who would it be? Since playing his Fifth Symphony with my youth orchestra, I’ve always had a great interest in Shostakovich; especially how his music reflects the difficulties he was facing in Russia at that time. I recently read a novel by Julian Barnes, The Noise of Time, about Shostakovich’s life and his relationship with Stalin, which I couldn’t put down. As a bassoonist, I also think Stravinsky would be particularly interesting to meet! What kind of music do you enjoy listening to when you’re not working? Nowadays I spend most of my spare time listening to the repertoire coming up with the Orchestra over the next few weeks. Otherwise I love listening to a wide range of music and discovering lesser-known artists: current favourites include Shura, Mura Masa and The Lumineers when I need a boost to clean my flat or battle my way through the Underground! The Tallest Man on Earth, Johnny Flynn and Joni Mitchell all help me to switch off after a busy day of rehearsing or travelling. What else do you like to do for fun? When I’m not working I like to escape London and enjoy country walks around England or back home in South Wales. I love spending the day wandering around one of London’s many galleries or museums, the Natural History Museum being a regular haunt. With coffee being an integral part of my survival, I also love discovering new coffee shops or catching up with friends in a quiet pub. Jonathan on Twitter @JonyD1
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Jonathan Davies © Aiga Photography
Welcome to the LPO, Jonathan! First things first: what part did music play in your life growing up? I was lucky to grow up in a musical family – both my parents studied at music college and worked as professional musicians (Mum on the clarinet and Dad the trombone), and my sister also studied the flute, so I’ve been surrounded by instruments and music for as long as I can remember. I always knew that music would play a fundamental part in my future (despite a brief wish to become a vet!). I was fortunate enough to gain a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, so I moved to London at the age of 18 to pursue my dream.