LPO Tune In newsletter – Autumn/Winter 2012

– ISSUE THREE – – AUTUMN / WINTER 2012 –

the lpo at 80

summer 2012 roundup

Backstage

– 04 –

– 06 –

– 16 –

Lyndon Jenkins on the early days of Beecham's London Philharmonic Orchestra

From the Diamond Jubilee to the Olympic anthems – a memorable summer for the LPO

Meet violinist Ilyoung Chae, the Orchestra’s newest member

Principal Partners

New recordings on the LPO Label All recordings available on CD and from iTunes thames diamond jubilee pageant: the official CD David parry conductor £9.99

Principal Supporters

LPO-0063 (May 2012)

vladimir jurowski conducts tchaikovsky symphonies 4 & 5 £10.99 LPO-0064 (September 2012)

paavo berglund conducts sibelius symphonies 5 & 6 / The Swan of tuonela £9.99 LPO-0065 (September 2012)

Corporate Members AREVA UK British American Business Destination Québec – UK Hermes Fund Managers

mark-anthony turnage orchestral works vol. 3 vladimir jurowski, marin alsop and MARKUS STENZ conductors Christian TETZLAFF violin michael collins clarinet LAWRENCE POWER viola £9.99 LPO-0066 (available October 2012)

Browse the full catalogue and sign up for updates at lpo.org.uk/recordings All recordings available from lpo.org.uk/shop, the London Philharmonic Orchestra Box Office (020 7840 4242, Monday–Friday 10am–5pm), all good CD outlets, and the Royal Festival Hall shop.

Downloads available from iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and classicsonline.com.

Pritchard Englefield Appleyard & Trew LLP Berkeley Law Charles Russell Lazard Leventis Overseas Lisa Bolgar Smith and Felix Appelbe of Ambrose Appelbe

Preferred Partners Heineken Villa Maria Lindt

In-Kind Support Google Grants Sella/ Tilley’s Sweets

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tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

WELCOME

W

elcome to the Autumn 2012 edition of the London Philharmonic Orchestra's newsletter, Tune In. This October represents a special landmark for the Orchestra, as we celebrate our 80th anniversary. The evening of 7 October 1932 saw the opening of a new chapter in London’s musical life, as the city gained an orchestra to act as a counterpart to the illustrious Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics. To critical acclaim, Sir Thomas Beecham conducted his brand new London Philharmonic Orchestra in its first concert at the Queen’s Hall. In the leading article overleaf, Lyndon Jenkins reflects on the eventful and sometimes turbulent early years of the Orchestra under its charismatic founder.

The 'big event' this season is the launch of Southbank Centre's year-long festival based on Alex Ross’s book The Rest Is Noise, which charts the course of classical music through the 20th century (see page 9). The LPO is Principal Creative Partner of The Rest Is Noise and throughout 2013 will give over 30 concerts as part of the festival, beginning with Richard Strauss in January and concluding with John Adams’s El Niño in December. But in the meantime, our 2012/13 season opens at Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday 26 September with excerpts from Richard Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten and Zemlinsky’s one-act opera A Florentine Tragedy. Throughout the season Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Vladimir Jurowski will present rarely heard treasures by Miaskovsky, Schoenberg, Nono, Zimmermann, Shchedrin, Grisey and musical theatre master Kurt Weill (The Threepenny Opera, 2 March 2013), as well as three concerts based around the theme of War and Peace (3–5 October 2012) – one each with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Russian National Orchestra and one concert featuring the two Editor Rachel Williams Publisher London Philharmonic Orchestra Printer Graphic Impressions

Timothy Walker © Patrick Harrison

Cover photo The Shard © colinbaldwinphotography.com

– Timothy walker – Chief Executive and Artistic Director

orchestras together. The Orchestra also continues to champion new music, giving the UK première of Australian composer Carl Vine’s Second Piano Concerto with Piers Lane under Vassily Sinaisky on 17 October 2012.

Later in the season, Principal Guest Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts two concerts of Haydn and Richard Strauss (21 & 24 November 2012); Marin Alsop focuses on the 20th-century American musical landscape with Dvořák, Gershwin and Copland (20–23 February 2013); and Sir Mark Elder conducts Elgar's magnificent choral work The Dream of Gerontius with the London Philharmonic Choir (26 January 2013).

Throughout the season we also welcome back many much-loved regular artists including Christoph Eschenbach, Osmo Vänskä, Sarah Connolly, Kurt Masur, Christian Tetzlaff and Garrick Ohlsson.

This summer has certainly been a memorable one for the Orchestra. In this issue of Tune In we look back at a busy few months,

Contents the lpo at 80 04 summer 2012 roundup 06 new & noteworthy 08 cd news 10 reaching out: lpo in the community 11 lpo people: victoria sharp 12 autumn Concert listings 13–15 Backstage: ilyoung chae 16 – 03 –

from the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June to the launch of London's Shard skyscraper, and the first ever orchestral concert in the Courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts.

Away from the concert limelight, we hear first-hand from a participant about two new and rewarding projects that have brought London Philharmonic Orchestra players, homeless people and disabled adults together (page 11). Elsewhere we meet Victoria Sharp, the new Chair of the Orchestra's Board of Directors (page 12), and violinist Ilyoung Chae – the Orchestra's newest member – who features in our 'Backstage' interview.

If you haven't already got a copy of our 2012/13 season brochure, do pick one up next time you're at Royal Festival Hall, email admin@lpo.org.uk or call us on 020 7840 4242 to request one. In the meantime, turn to page 13 for full listings for the autumn, or browse the entire season at lpo.org.uk.

I do hope you'll be able to join us this season whether in London, elsewhere in the UK, or further afield. Our audiences, Friends and supporters are crucial to our work, and only with your help will the Orchestra continue to thrive over the next eight decades and beyond.

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While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, we cannot accept liability for any statement or error contained herein. © 2012 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.

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

1932–2012

the london philharmonic orchestra at 80 In October 1932, the London Philharmonic Orchestra gave its first ever performance. Lyndon Jenkins reflects on the fledgling Orchestra's early days under its charismatic founder, Sir Thomas Beecham

T

he occasion of the inaugural appearance of the London Philharmonic Orchestra under its founder Sir Thomas Beecham on 7 October 1932 at London’s Queen’s Hall has passed into legend.

After an unprecedented number (for Beecham) of rehearsals, ‘Come along’, he said to his young leader Paul Beard, ‘Let’s show ‘em what we can do.’ They did, and success was immediate. As the overture ended, excited concertgoers drummed on the floor with their feet, and they greeted each new piece with torrents of applause. When the players returned after the interval, Beecham’s reappearance was the signal for an ovation that continued for several minutes. Ernest Newman, London’s senior music critic, gave his verdict in the Sunday Times: ‘Sir Thomas Beecham’s new orchestra began its operations on Friday night … Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture had an air about it of “You Londoners want to hear what an orchestra should sound like? Well, just listen to this.” The demonstration was certainly complete enough. Nothing so electrifying has been heard in a London concert room for years. The tone was magnificent, the precision perfect, the reading a miracle of fire and beauty.’

After the Berlioz, Mozart’s Prague Symphony and Delius’s Brigg Fair, Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben ended the concert in triumph.

Everyone sat back in anticipation of a never-ending stream of large-scale masterpieces worthy of such a fine body of instrumentalists and its charismatic chief.

Not a bit of it: within a few weeks Beecham was offering music from Bizet’s The Fair Maid

seasons that Beecham was running at Covent of Perth and his favourite Rossini overtures, Garden. As the Royal Opera House’s chief he which soon had the critics tut-tutting about conducted much of the repertoire himself, time being wasted in the preparation of what though alternating later Ring cycles with they regarded as light-hearted trifles. Even Wilhelm Furtwängler. And so it went on.

Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini drew Although the personnel had enormous frowns, though to Beecham’s handling of it loyalty towards their founder, players we owe a vivid pen-portrait from the critic inevitably came and went. An early casualty Neville Cardus: ‘His gestures, his sudden was leader Paul Beard: ‘I felt that just one doublings-up, the ferocity of his left fist, the more Wagner day at Covent Garden, ten in dartings and swishings of his baton, seemed the morning until midnight, would be the to bring the hell-fire section of the music death of me,’ he admitted. visually before us. Incidentally,’ added Cardus, Plenty of recording work was essential if unable to resist an analogy from the sport the Orchestra was to be kept afloat: ‘Dear upon which he was a noted authority, ‘he Mr Batten’, Beecham wrote to their recording achieved the best square-cut since Charles producer at one critical moment, ‘When your Macartney, the incomparable Australian directors next assemble for such base batsman.’ purposes as finance, perhaps they might Beecham went his own way, of course. append their august signatures to a small Despite the wealthy backing he had been able scrap of paper in my favour.’ The LPO also to attract, he knew it was going to be difficult recorded with many other conductors: for the LPO to pay its way; its schedule would everybody wanted to make records be heavy. The distinguished violist with them, and no fewer than Lionel Tertis, brought in to 18 (led by Koussevitzky, advise the players on string Fritz Busch and tone – 'Do what you like with He had only to mount Weingartner, even Edward Elgar) did them,” Beecham concurred, the rostrum and an during this period. But only “BOIL THEM if you like!"' – Beecham seemed to secure described a typical LPO exhilarating current the finest quality. ‘I simply working day as ‘Three was turned on with full get the best players, and let hours’ morning rehearsal; force ... them play,’ was his own three hours’ afternoon explanation of the recording session; two-and-aconsistently high standard of half hours’ evening concert’. the LPO’s performances; he During the summers from 1933 didn’t mention his own easy way of onwards he might have adjusted the endearing himself to his players by last to ‘up to six hours’ evening performance’, devastating and often outrageous wit, which because by then the LPO was playing was certainly part of it. When it came to the additionally for the international opera

lpo.org.uk – 04 –

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

Beecham and his trademark cigar in action at a rehearsal in Abbey Road Studios during the 1930s

music, however, the players were unanimous: he had only to mount the rostrum and an exhilarating current was turned on with full force, the first down-beat producing an electrically charged atmosphere that inspired and compelled them to give of their best.

In 1936, Beecham and the Orchestra toured Germany: parts of one of their concerts recorded by an early tape process can still be heard (featured on the LPO Label CD The Formative Years, LPO-0040). The players also enjoyed lavish hospitality, which sometimes meant they were not at their best at rehearsal next morning. Beecham well understood this, and it only needed one of his elegantly-phrased rebukes such as – 'Gentlemen, I find that a nice discrimination between the sharps and the flats greatly aids the effect of this piece' – to put the matter right. The tour was a huge success, but only three years later the very existence of the Orchestra was threatened by the prospect of war. Liquidation was in sight when a group of players resolved to try to maintain the Orchestra as a self-governing concern.

Beecham immediately offered his help. The combined effort of keeping the LPO going and running the Royal Opera for seven years had taken its toll on his energies but, despite

orders from his doctor to rest for a year, he resumed his position as conductor-in-chief and restored public confidence in the Orchestra by appearing regularly at its head.

It was a time of national emergency. ‘I heard there was an emergency,’ he said, ‘so I emerged.’

Between 1 October and the end of 1939 Beecham and the Orchestra gave no fewer than 22 concerts, half of them in London and the rest in towns as far apart as Brighton and Blackpool, with Swansea, Bristol, Leicester and Liverpool among those in between.

Cheltenham heard the LPO twice in one day when two entirely different programmes were given in an afternoon and evening; and, unlikely as it would seem today, concerts were given on the same day in Croydon and London.

Gramophone sessions slotted in between concert appearances and travelling built up a bank of recordings that could be released at intervals when Beecham’s departure could no longer be delayed, so helping to secure the Orchestra’s future.

'The contribution that Sir Thomas Beecham made during the early days of the London Philharmonic Orchestra was unique, and the highest point will only be reached when he returns … the combination of lpo.org.uk – 05 –

Beecham’s artistic genius and the new and strong organisation created in his absence will bring the Orchestra to unknown levels.'

So wrote Thomas Russell, formerly a viola player in the LPO and subsequently its general manager, in April 1944 in his book Philharmonic Decade, an admirably balanced account of the Orchestra’s formative period and its struggle for survival during the war years. Unhappily, things did not work out as Russell hoped. Beecham did indeed return, in October 1944, and immediately swept the Orchestra into a month-long 18-concert tour of Britain. Everywhere his revitalising presence had a tonic effect on players and audiences alike. At an early rehearsal, conducting with his customary vigour, he stabbed his baton through his hand and had to go to hospital for the splinters to be removed, returning quite unperturbed to conduct with one arm in a sling.

But Russell was naïve to imagine that Beecham would be content for long. All his life the conductor had been accustomed to giving the orders himself, and a self-governing regime running an orchestra that he had founded was not to his taste at all. Besides, the London Philharmonic Orchestra to which he had returned was not the equivalent of the one with which he had achieved such brilliant results five years earlier: much of its personnel had changed and the new line-up was hardly an ensemble brought up in his own image. He nevertheless continued the association for 18 months, conducting the length and breadth of the UK and making some distinguished recordings.

There was even a visit to France and Belgium, in November 1945, where in Brussels The Queen of the Belgians attended the concert in the Palais-des-Beaux-Arts. By then, however, the inevitable end was in sight.

Declaring that he was ‘not a tail to be wagged by any dog’ Beecham went off to form another orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, which was fully operational by the end of 1946. An all-Sibelius programme at the Royal Albert Hall on 15 December 1945 was the occasion of his last concert with the LPO, and he never appeared on its rostrum again.

Lyndon Jenkins is the author of Beecham and the music of Delius (Ashgate, 2005).

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

lpo news

summer 2012 roundup

the shard launch: 5 July 2012

GLYNDEBOURNE 2012 Every summer the Orchestra leaves London's muggy skies and and the sticky Tube crush behind and escapes to the Sussex countryside, where it accompanies the annual Glyndebourne Festival Opera season. It has been Resident Symphony Orchestra there for almost 50 seasons, and this year the Orchestra performed four operas: Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen with LPO Principal Conductor and Glyndebourne Music Director Vladimir Jurowski; Rossini's La Cenerentola with James Gaffigan; Puccini’s La bohème with Kirill Karabits; and a double-bill of Ravel’s L’heure espagnole and L’enfant et les sortilèges with Kazushi Ono. This year, The Cunning Little Vixen was also streamed live by the Guardian for opera-lovers worldwide to enjoy free of charge.

Public booking for the 2013 Glyndebourne season will open in March 2013. Early access to tickets is available for corporate and individual supporters of the LPO. FIND OUT MORE glyndebourne.com www.lpo.org.uk/support_the_lpo/glyndebourne.html

‘This is, quite simply, one of the great operatic performances ... James Gaffigan's conducting is thrilling in its precision and control.’ 

tim ashley, the guardian [la cenerentola]

‘Vladimir Jurowski led the LPO in a rapturous account of the score ... if you want to hear why I love this composer so much, just listen to how this orchestra plays him under this conductor.’

Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH.com [the cunning little vixen]

‘Kazushi Ono’s rarefied conducting and the LPO’s ravishing playing caught the moment to perfection.’

barry millington, evening standard [ravel double-bill]

Concert listings and booking information on page 13 – 06 –

FIND OUT MORE the-shard.com

olympic gala concert with beijing symphony orchestra On 29 July, during the opening weekend of the London 2012 Olympics, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra collaborated to present a joint Gala Concert at Royal Festival Hall. Players from the two orchestras joined side-by-side to perform two works by renowned Chinese composers – including Tang Jianping's Sacred Fire 2008, which was premièred by the Beijing Symphony Orchestra at the 2008 Olympic Games – alongside Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with its magnificant finale celebrating the brotherhood and unity of mankind, the 'Ode to Joy'.

Glyndebourne © Bill Cooper – The Shard © AVR London

The Cunning Little Vixen, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, June 2012

On 5 July, the Orchestra was invited to perform at the launch of London's newest and tallest skyscraper, The Shard. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and soaring to 1016ft high, the structure is the tallest building in Western Europe. Described as a 'vertical city', it houses 95 floors of offices, restaurants, hotels, apartments and the capital's highest viewing gallery.

At the evening launch event, which followed a reception attended by HRH The Duke of York and Qatari dignitaries, members of the Orchestra performed Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man and the finale of Stravinsky’s The Firebird, synchronised with a spectacular laser display that illuminated landmarks across the city.

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

A wall map tracks the progress of the recordings

olympic anthems

singin' in the rain: the thames Diamond jubilee pageant After months of preparation and anticipation, Sunday 3 June, the day of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant, finally dawned – not with the glorious sunshine everyone had hoped for, but with ominous black clouds and a forecast of nonstop downpours. The Orchestra, along with the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir, was aboard The Symphony at the rear of the procession, entertaining the crowds and the Royal Family as the thousand-boat flotilla made its stately journey down the Thames. Despite the bleak weather, spirits remained high and thousands of well-wishers on the banks cheered on the Orchestra and Choir, conducted by David Parry and Thomas Blunt, as they performed a rousing selection of music by British and Commonwealth composers reflecting the landmarks they passed en route.

See page 10 for more details of the Official Pageant CD, recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and released on the LPO Label.

Pageant © Roanna Gibson

music in the courtyard: the lpo at the royal academy of arts On 1 September, the Orchestra gave the first ever orchestral concert in the Courtyard of London's Royal Academy of Arts. The outdoor concert featured French music chosen to complement the Royal Academy's current exhibition, From Paris: A Taste For Impressionism, and starred soprano Danielle de Niese and violinist Simone Lamsma, with conductor Fabien Gabel. The concert was streamed live by the Guardian and is available to watch online free of charge until 15 September. The concert was generously supported by JTI. watch online until 15 september www.guardian.co.uk/classical

Concert listings and booking information on page 13 – 07 –

Back in May 2011, the Orchestra recorded each one of the world's 205 national anthems in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic medal ceremonies. This summer the results were finally heard, every time a gold medallist mounted the podium. The anthems were recorded at Abbey Road Studios in a six-day marathon involving 15,000 sheets of music, 51 recording hours and 970 takes! Whether they will all greet a medal winner is unlikely – 140 countries have never heard their own anthem at an Olympic medal ceremony – but the anthems were also all played at the start of the Games to welcome athletes to the Olympic Village.

tours & festivals As well as the exciting events in London and the 2012 Glyndebourne season, the Orchestra also travelled to several major international festivals over the summer. At Germany's Rheingau Festival in July, the Orchestra performed music by Dvořák and Tchaikovsky under conductor Eivind Gullberg Jensen with cellist Daniel Müller-Schott.

On 18 August the Orchestra appeared at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, with a programme of Weber, Mahler and Tchaikovsky with Vladimir Jurowski. The Prom was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, and on BBC Four television the following week.

At the end of August the Orchestra travelled to Grafenegg Festival in Austria. This annual open-air festival takes place in the beautiful grounds of Grafenegg Castle, where guests can enjoy a picnic during the concert – fortunately there is a 'standby' covered auditorium on the same site, just in case!

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

LPO news

new and noteworthy 2012 GALA

lpo governance update At the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Annual General Meeting in May 2012, the Orchestra's shareholders – who are all playing members – voted to update the governance structure of the Board. As a result, five more places have been created on the Board for voluntary non-executive directors who will bring external skills, support and advice. The Chairman of the Board will be a non-executive, and we are delighted that Victoria Sharp has been appointed to the position – meet Victoria on page 12. The head of the Players' Committee, currently Principal Piccolo Stewart McIlwham, will take the title of President. This decision in effect merges the governance Board with the Trustees of the London Philharmonic Trust, a sister charity that had a predominantly fundraising objective.

In today's highly competitive and increasingly business-focused climate, the shareholders felt that updating the structure in this way would enable the Orchestra to access specialist skills offered by additional non-executives, as well as the support that they can bring to the Orchestra both directly and through their extended networks. This will help secure the Orchestra's long-term future as a stable, transparent and forwardlooking organisation.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2012 Gala took place on 27 June in the magnificent surroundings of London’s historic Banqueting House. The black-tie event was held in the presence of the Orchestra’s Patron, HRH The Duke of Kent KG, who joined us to help celebrate the Orchestra’s 80th Anniversary Season. Guests were treated to a Champagne Taittinger reception, a formal dinner accompanied by Villa Maria wines, and a performance of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 by the exciting young pianist Behzod Abduraimov conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.

We are hugely grateful to all our donors and guests for their generous contributions: the income raised to date stands at over £93,000, all of which will go directly towards supporting the work of the Orchestra. more information www.lpo.org.uk/support_us/gala.html

new assistant conductors The Orchestra has appointed three new Assistant Conductors for 2012/13, who will assist Vladimir Jurowski throughout the season. These three positions are generously supported by an anonymous donor.

Gerry Cornelius made his UK début at the Almeida Opera Festival. He has gone on to conduct many of the country’s leading orchestras, ensembles, opera and ballet companies, including Welsh National Opera, English National Ballet, the BBC Concert Orchestra and The Opera Group.

He has also conducted at Spitalfields Festival, as well as in Europe and Asia.

Jeremy Bines studied at Cambridge University and the National Opera Studio. He is currently Chorus Master at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, where he works regularly with Vladimir Jurowski. He recently conducted eight performances of La bohème for Glyndebourne on Tour.

Ilyich Rivas was born in Venezuela. Still aged only 19, he has worked as Assistant Conductor at Aldeburgh and has conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Latvian Symphony, Mexico City Philharmonic, Bilkent Symphony (Turkey), Lebanese Philharmonic and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic orchestras.

next funharmonics family concert That's All Folk!

Sunday 21 October 12 noon–1.00pm Royal Festival Hall If you've never been to an LPO FUNharmonics Family Concert, you're missing out!

The concerts are presented by CBeebies’s Chris Jarvis and are just an hour long, offering fast-paced, fun introductions to the Orchestra.

Make a day of it with free pre-and post-concert activities for all the family: have a go on an orchestral instrument; become part of the Human Orchestra; or join the festival atmosphere with post-concert performances.

See page 13 for details of 21 October.

SUNDAY 21ST OCTOBER 2012

12PM – 1PM

ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL

funharmonics family concert

Nicholas Collon

Chris Jarvis

~ CONDUCTOR ~

Child Adult

~ PRESENTER~

£5 – £9 £10 – £18

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA TICKET OFFICE

BO NOOK W

BRAHMS Hungarian Dances BARTÓK Romanian Folk Dances BERIO Azerbaijan Love Songs LYADOV Russian Folk Songs GRIEG March of the Trolls BILL WHELAN Riverdance

020 7840 4242 ~ lpo.org.uk Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm ~ No transaction fee ~

more information

Gerry Cornelius, Jeremy Bines and Ilyich Rivas

www.lpo.org.uk/education/family.html

Concert listings and booking information on page 13 – 08 –

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

endowment fast track

Staff news

Thanks to a grant from Arts Council England’s Catalyst Endowment Programme, the Orchestra will be raising funds over the next three years to create a fund that will finance innovative collaborations with our partner venues. Part of a drive to encourage philanthropy, Catalyst will allow the Orchestra to access £1 in public funding for an endowment for every £1 in new donations received from generous individual, corporate and trust supporters, up to a total of £1million.

Interest drawn from the endowment will allow the Orchestra to collaborate with venues and artists to produce innovative and exciting work that builds on more traditional performance models to attract new audiences. We will keep you updated on how to get involved, but for more information about Catalyst and to find out how your generous gift can be matched pound for pound, please contact Nick Jackman, Development Director, on 020 7840 4211.

It's been a busy few months in the LPO office, with several new faces joining the team.

In March, Alexandra Clarke joined the Education & Community department as Education Manager. In our Development department, Sarah Fletcher took over the role of Development & Finance Officer and will be looking after the LPO Friends. Do come and say hello to her in the Friends' Bar at Royal Festival Hall concerts! Helen Searl also recently joined the team as Corporate Relations Manager, and Katherine Hattersley took over the role of Charitable Giving Manager. The Marketing team welcomed Mia Roberts as Marketing Manager, Libby Northcote-Green as Marketing Co-ordinator and Claire Lampon as Marketing Intern.

Publications Manager Rachel Fryer has become Rachel Williams following her recent marriage. Roanna Gibson (Concerts Director) left to begin her maternity leave at the beginning of September. Ruth Sansom (Artistic Administrator) has kindly agreed to step up to cover Roanna's duties as Head of Department while she is on leave. We also welcome Barbara Palczynski, who has joined the Concerts department as Glyndebourne & Projects Administrator for the same period.

more information

a mini adventure In support of Team GB in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics, the London Philharmonic Orchestra was invited by MINI to create a rousing rendition of the National Anthem using just MINI horns, as part of a series of 'MINI Team GB adventures'. The MINI Orchestra was made up of nine of the Orchestra's musicians, conducted by bassoonist Gareth Newman. watch the video http://youtu.be/ik9AtJQXaHQ

lpo.org.uk/support_us/individual .html

the rest is noise In 2007 Alex Ross, classical music critic of The New Yorker, wrote the seminal book The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century. It has since gone on to sell over 250,000 copies and win literary prizes around the world.

Throughout 2013, Southbank Centre will bring the book alive with nearly 100 concerts, performances, films, talks and debates charting the course of classical music through the 20th century. The London Philharmonic Orchestra is the major partner in the festival and throughout 2013 will perform over 30 concerts – from Elgar to Stravinsky; Debussy to Weill; Copland to Varèse – exploring the rich, exhilarating and sometimes controversial compositions that have changed the way we listen forever. The Orchestra opens the festival on 19 January 2013 with an all-Strauss programme including the final scene of Salome – the opera whose première in 1906 is the 'year zero' moment of Ross's book. Tickets for LPO concerts up to May 2013 are on sale now: see page 14 for booking details. more information southbankcentre.co.uk/therestisnoise

Concert listings and booking information on page 13 – 09 –

find an admin contact lpo.org.uk/contact/staff.html

martin Höhmann Martin Höhmann has stepped down from his position as President, and formerly Chairman, of the Orchestra. He will remain on the Board but felt that, after seven years, it was time to focus on his playing and family commitments.

The Orchestra sincerely thanks Martin for the commitment and dedication he has shown during his Chairmanship and looks forward to his continued presence as a supportive colleague and valued member of the First Violin section.

ilyoung chae A warm welcome to our newest member, Ilyoung Chae, who joined the First Violin section in August. Ilyoung was previously a participant on the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Foyle Future Firsts orchestral training programme. Turn to the back page to read her 'Backstage' interview.

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

lpo recordings

cd news ravi shankar: world premiÈre

Mark-anthony turnage MaMbo, blues aND TaraNTella riffs aND refraiNs | TexaN TeNebrae oN opeNeD GrouND | lullaby for HaNs vladiMir jurowski, Marin alsop and Markus stenZ conductors lawrenCe power viola MiChael Collins clarinet Christian tetZlaFF violin london philharMoniC orChestra

latest releases on the lpo label The Orchestra's own LPO Label, established in 2005, has now grown to boast almost 70 releases, made up of live, studio and archive recordings. Spring and summer 2012 saw a flurry of new additions: in April we released Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with conductor Christoph Eschenbach and the London Philharmonic Choir, recorded live in concert at Royal Festival Hall in 2008 (LPO-0061). Tim Ashley of the Guardian praised the performance's 'fire and commitment', and Time Out described it as 'moving and often thrilling'.

May 2012 saw two releases: Dvořák's moving, griefstricken Stabat Mater, conducted by Neeme Järvi and again featuring the London Philharmonic Choir (LPO-0062); and Indian sitar legend Ravi Shankar's first Symphony (LPO-0060; see right). Of the Dvořák Stabat Mater disc, Musical Toronto wrote 'The London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir are at once expansive and taut under conductor Neeme Järvi. The soloists – soprano Janice Watson, mezzo Dagmar Pecková, tenor Peter Auty and bass Peter Rose – are exceptional.’

We released two albums in September 2012: Tchaikovsky's Symphonies 4 & 5 under Vladimir Jurowski, recorded live at Royal Festival Hall in 2011; and Sibelius's Symphonies 5 & 6 and The Swan of Tuonela under Paavo Berglund – a tribute to the Finnish conductor who died earlier this year and who will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Sibelius interpreters.

Plans for the autumn include a third volume of orchestral music by the Orchestra's former Composer in Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage, including the world première of Mambo, Blues and Tarantella with violinist Christian Tetzlaff; The Mozart Question, based on Michael Morpurgo's thought-provoking children's book (both October 2012); and Brahms's Symphonies 1 & 3 with former LPO Principal Conductor Klaus Tennstedt, due for release in November. browse all recordings and buy online

May 2012 saw the release of a live recording capturing the world première of Indian sitar legend Ravi Shankar's first Symphony (LPO0060). This is the composer's first full-length work conceived for a Western symphony orchestra, and was premièred by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall in July 2010. The recording, conducted by David Murphy and featuring Shankar's daughter Anoushka on sitar, was described by Andy Gill of the Independent as 'a resounding triumph', and was a Featured Album on the iTunes homepage during April.

'the hobbit' film soundtrack As well as all the summer's festivals and concerts, the Orchestra has once again been busy in the recording studio. This summer it has been recording Howard Shore's soundtrack to the new film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the prequel to The Lord of the Rings films – on whose soundtrack the LPO also featured. Like the LOTR trilogy, The Hobbit is directed by Peter Jackson and stars Elijah Wood as Frodo, Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins. It is due for release in the UK in December.

video game heroes 2

lpo.org.uk/recordings

thames diamond jubilee: the official CD It may have been a washout, but the Orchestra had a great time on The Symphony barge, performing as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant back in June. You can now enjoy the music from the pageant – minus the rain – with our official CD of all the works performed on the day (LPO-0063). Highlights include Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs and Holst's 'Jupiter' from The Planets, as well as the James Bond Theme, played by the Orchestra as it passed the MI6 building (and the LPO's offices) at Vauxhall. The CD is available from the LPO Box Office, from Amazon, and our own website, and to download from iTunes.

If you enjoyed the Orchestra's Video Game Heroes concert in September 2011 and the subsequent CD album (left), you'll be happy to hear that we've been recording a second volume. The studio sessions took place in July and the album will be released in November.

At the time of writing, the tracklist is still being confirmed, but the CD is expected to include music from Final Fantasy, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect 3, Halo, Legend of Zelda: Dragon Roost Island, Little Big Planet, and many others.

www.lpo.org.uk/jubilee

Browse our full catalogue of recordings, listen to samples, and buy online at lpo.org.uk/recordings – 10 –

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

education & community

reaching out: new communities

E

arlier this year, the London Philharmonic Orchestra launched two new projects as part of a collaboration between the LPO, the Royal Academy of Arts, Crisis homeless charity and Leonard Cheshire Disability. The two projects – involving homeless people in conjunction with Crisis, and disabled adults through Leonard Cheshire Disability – were made possible by generous funding from JTI, which supports all four organisations.

As a completely new area of work for the LPO musicians involved, the projects offered them a chance to build some new skills as well as sharing their joy of music with two enthusiastic and receptive groups of participants. Katie Bicknell (flute) reflects on her experiences:

Photo © Jeff Hubbard

I

am so lucky – to play music every day, to travel the world and work with amazing people. Over the last few months I've been working with people who aren’t so lucky.

I was part of an LPO team working on a pilot project with Leonard Cheshire Disability at three of their care centres for physically disabled adults. We were all touched by how involved everyone was, and how we all became one orchestra, united by the music we had created. The sheer pleasure and enjoyment experienced by the participants was so evident at our final performance at Southbank Centre on 25 June.

Tina Pinder, our workshop leader, was brilliant at assessing the needs of each performer and allowing them to participate at whatever level they were comfortable with.

Something as simple as tuning a guitar or ukulele to a chord is incredibly empowering and we were able to include everyone in some way, no matter what his or her disability.

There was real energy and warmth at each of the centres. We were made to feel so welcome by the staff and I was deeply moved by how affected the participants were when we played them pieces that triggered memories.

To bring such enjoyment to people who struggle with day-to-day life is an incredible gift for us musicians.

Another project in which I've recently been involved was at the Crisis Skylight Centre in London’s Commercial Street. The centre helps homeless and vulnerably housed people, through training and workshops, to gain

Katie Bicknell (left) and participants in the Crisis Skylight project

qualifications leading to employment. It has an excellent café providing opportunities for catering (I can highly recommend the frittata if you are at that end of town!), an opticians, and studios for music and art.

The aim of the Crisis project was to explore music-making between orchestral musicians and Crisis members – people who are homeless or have recently experienced homelessness. Taking Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet for inspiration, we spent a week creating a new suite of music based on Prokofiev’s distinctive melodies, and shared this in a collective performance at Crisis’s Skylight Centre.

As I leave the centre after the performance, the rain is torrential and I wonder where the people I have met over the past week will shelter tonight. I’m swept into the usual grey sea of suits and laptop bags and golfing umbrellas, but my head is still ringing from the last jubilant piece of our workshop.

Music transcends boundaries of class and background and mental health. It touches everyone emotionally in its own special way; individual problems are forgotten, if only for a brief moment.

Before embarking on this project I was apprehensive. I have often felt uncomfortable when encountering people living on the streets; held my breath when walking through a subway with the inevitable sleeping

bag, giving the bedraggled man a wide berth, though sometimes dropping a few coins into his hand – which we are all told is the wrong thing to do. So how do we make a difference?

I learnt this week that by sharing our talent we could nurture the creative potential of others, bringing a huge amount of joy not only to the participants but also our audience.

The group of members on the project were kind, gentle, generous, intelligent and perfectly normal. Well, apart from a few eccentric personalities, but every orchestra has those! They had strong musical ideas and such enthusiasm that we could have composed a piece as long as Wagner’s Ring Cycle! Any one of us could end up in a situation like theirs, through a wrong turn in life or a devastating family breakdown.

I have never been so profoundly affected by a project. Those members, those wonderful people, have changed my perspectives and deeply moved me. I will never again look away in disgust, or ignore ,or judge. I am emotionally exhausted, but I feel an overriding sense of hope that our music has touched their lives.

I hope they feel luckier today. find out more www.lcdisability.org www.crisis.org.uk

Find out more about the LPO's Education and Community activities at lpo.org.uk/education – 11 –

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

LPO people

victoria sharp Introducing Victoria Sharp , the new Chair of the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Board of Directors exceptional, and the players take such pride in what they do. Every time I hear them, I'm just blown away by their musicianship and the way they coalesce on stage. There's also an incredible warmth among the players – it sounds clichéd, but it really does feel like a family. The Orchestra is also incredibly creative and daring in terms of repertoire, and is never content to play it safe: Tim Walker [Chief Executive and Artistic Director] and Vladimir Jurowski lead from the front in this, putting their heads together to come up with programmes that aren't just enlightening but actually enjoyable too! Just look at the recent Schnittke and Prokofiev festivals – I learnt so much about these composers, and discovered so many new pieces to fall in love with.

F

ollowing the recent restructure of the London Philharmonic Orchestra's governance (see page 8), Victoria Sharp has been appointed the new Chair of the Orchestra's Board of Directors. We met Victoria to find out more about what the Orchestra means to her.

Are you a musician yourself? What were your first experiences of music?

I grew up in a musical family and took up the piano when I was four. Later on I learnt to play the flute, sang in choirs, and dabbled on the organ. And in true teenage fashion I taught myself to play the guitar. Nowadays I just play the piano for fun when no-one's listening! I have three children who are all musical, so of course I sat through all their lessons and all their concerts as they were growing up, and learnt so much from them too.

Why did you choose to become involved in the LPO? What sets it apart from other orchestras?

Of course, every orchestra has its own distinct personality and culture, but I feel the LPO has something special. The standard of playing is

As a member of the Thomas Beecham Group of supporters, you sponsor a particular player’s chair (currently cellist Jonathan Ayling and flautist Sue Thomas). Why is this important to you?

For me, it's not only about supporting the Orchestra financially, but also about feeling connected to the players. Getting to know Jonathan and Sue has given me a new insight into the life of the Orchestra – it's been a real privilege to get to know them, to find out what makes them tick, and to appreciate the huge amount of hard work and commitment that the players give, day in, day out. Once you connect with one player, you feel more connected with the Orchestra as a whole, which has made it incredibly rewarding.

Are there any LPO concerts you're particularly You’re also Founder and Chief Executive of looking forward to in the new season?

London Music Masters, a music education Too many to choose from! I never miss an charity with which the LPO works closely. Can opportunity to see Yannick Nézet-Séguin you tell us more about that?

LMM came about as a way of helping to widen conduct: his enthusiasm and energy are always so uplifting – almost electric. He's access to music for children who may not conducting Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2 on otherwise have these opportunities, and of 21 November with Truls Mørk, which should course this fits in perfectly with the work of be a real treat. And the Sibelius Violin Concerto the LPO education department. LMM also is one of my all-time favourites, so I'll runs an awards scheme for exceptional definitely be there to hear Henning young artists at the start of their Kraggerud play it on 1 February. professional careers, and the LPO The standard of Christian Tetzlaff is one of my has been able to give these favourite violinists, so his two playing is exceptional, award-winners the chance to concerts of Mozart and Dvořák perform on stage with the and the players take (31 October and 2 November), Orchestra at schools' concerts, such pride in what should be fantastic. Further inspiring children and giving they do. ahead, I'm really excited about them role models to aspire to – The Rest Is Noise festival in 2013 something that's hugely important. [see page 9]. What a great idea, and Through LMM, players from the such creative programming. I can't wait!

Orchestra have visited local schools too, running workshops and getting to know the children. The impact on children of meeting london music masters www.londonmusicmasters.org the players in their jeans and T-shirts and realising that they are real, normal, people is supporting the LPO www.lpo.org.uk/support_us/beechamgroup.html hugely important in breaking down barriers and helping to negate some of the myths and stereotypes of classical music. lpo.org.uk – 12 –

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

London philharmonic orchestra

concert listings southbank centre Unless otherwise stated, standard prices £9–£39 Premium seats £65 London Philharmonic Orchestra Box Office (no booking fee) 020 7840 4242 Mon–Fri 10am–5pm lpo.org.uk Southbank Centre Box Office (booking fee applies) 0844 847 9920 Daily 9am–8pm southbankcentre.co.uk

JTI Friday Series is supported by

Wednesday 26 September 2012 | 7.30pm R Strauss Die Frau ohne Schatten (excerpts) Zemlinsky A Florentine Tragedy (One-act opera) (sung in German with English surtitles) Vladimir Jurowski conductor Heike Wessels Bianca Sergei Skorokhodov Guido Bardi Albert Dohmen Simone London Philharmonic Orchestra 6.15–6.45pm FREE pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall A discussion on the music of Zemlinsky with David Trendell, College Organist and Senior Lecturer in Music, King’s College London.

Saturday 29 September 2012 | 7.30pm Rodion Shchedrin Concerto for Orchestra No. 2 (The Chimes) Miaskovsky Silentium Denisov Bells in the Fog Rachmaninoff The Bells (Choral Symphony) Vladimir Jurowski conductor Tatiana Monogarova soprano Sergei Skorokhodov tenor Vladimir Chernov baritone London Philharmonic Orchestra London Philharmonic Choir London Symphony Chorus

Wednesday 3 – Friday 5 October 2012 War & PEace Vladimir Jurowski conducts three concerts featuring music written in response to World War II. Tickets £12–£45 (premium seats £65) Wednesday 3 October 2012 | 7.30pm Britten Sinfonia da Requiem Walton Viola Concerto Prokofiev War and Peace (excerpts) Vladimir Jurowski conductor Lawrence Power viola London Philharmonic Orchestra Part of Shell Classic International Series 6.15–6.45pm FREE pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall Tolstoy biographer Dr Rosamund Bartlett explores musical adaptations of Tolstoy’s works including the challenges faced by Prokofiev in his epic opera War and Peace.

Thursday 4 October 2012 | 7.30pm Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 6 Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 Vladimir Jurowski conductor Russian National Orchestra Part of Shell Classic International Series Friday 5 October 2012 | 7.30pm Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture Britten Lachrymae for viola and orchestra, Op. 48a Shostakovich Symphony No. 7 (Leningrad) Vladimir Jurowski conductor Lawrence Power viola London Philharmonic Orchestra Russian National Orchestra Part of Shell Classic International Series Friday 12 October 2012 | 7.30pm Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 (Classical) Elgar Cello Concerto Sibelius Symphony No. 2 Vassily Sinaisky conductor Sol Gabetta cello London Philharmonic Orchestra

Barlines – FREE post-concert event Clore Ballroom Floor, Royal Festival Hall Artists involved in the performance will discuss the evening’s programme.

Wednesday 17 October 2012 | 7.30pm Beethoven Overture, Leonore No. 3 Carl Vine Piano Concerto No. 2 (UK première)* Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 Vassily Sinaisky conductor Piers Lane piano London Philharmonic Orchestra * Commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and London Philharmonic Orchestra with support from Garf and Gill Collins.

6.15–6.45pm FREE pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall Pianist Piers Lane discusses the UK première of Carl Vine’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

Saturday 20 October 2012 | 7.30pm Mendelssohn Overture, Ruy Blas Schumann Cello Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 7 Kurt Masur conductor Alban Gerhardt cello London Philharmonic Orchestra 6.30–7.30pm FREE pre-concert event 3rd Floor Function Room, Royal Festival Hall Would you like to become more involved with the Orchestra? Enjoy a drink and a talk by an LPO player, and share your enthusiasm with others whilst learning about ways to support the Orchestra. For more information and booking, contact Sarah Fletcher: sarah.fletcher@lpo.org.uk Sunday 21 October 2012 | 12.00pm 'That's All Folk!'

FUNharmonics Family Concert Programme to include: Brahms Hungarian Dances Bartók Romanian Folk Dances Berio Azerbaijan Love Song Lyadov Russian Folk Songs Grieg March of the Trolls Bill Whelan Riverdance Nicholas Collon conductor Chris Jarvis presenter London Philharmonic Orchestra Tickets £10–£18 adults, £5–£9 children Wednesday 24 October 2012 | 7.30pm Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 Bruckner Symphony No. 7 Stanisław Skrowaczewski conductor Hilary Hahn violin London Philharmonic Orchestra

www.lpo.org.uk/newseason – 13 –

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

London philharmonic orchestra

concert listings contd.

Friday 26 October 2012 | 7.30pm Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 Bruckner (arr. Skrowaczewski) Adagio from String Quintet in F Shostakovich Symphony No. 1 Stanisław Skrowaczewski conductor Garrick Ohlsson piano London Philharmonic Orchestra Wednesday 31 October 2012 | 7.30pm Sibelius Symphony No. 3 Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 Nielsen Symphony No. 6 (Sinfonia semplice) Osmo Vänskä conductor Christian Tetzlaff violin London Philharmonic Orchestra Friday 2 November 2012 | 7.30pm Nielsen Pan and Syrinx Dvořák Violin Concerto Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 3 Osmo Vänskä conductor Christian Tetzlaff violin London Philharmonic Orchestra Wednesday 14 November 2012 | 7.30pm Schumann Overture, The Bride of Messina Beethoven Triple Concerto Schumann Symphony No. 2 Christoph Eschenbach conductor Baiba Skride violin Daniel Müller-Schott cello Lars Vogt piano London Philharmonic Orchestra Wednesday 21 November 2012 | 7.30pm Haydn Symphony No. 44 (Trauer) Haydn Cello Concerto No. 2 R Strauss Don Quixote Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor Lawrence Power viola Truls Mørk cello London Philharmonic Orchestra Saturday 24 November 2012 | 7.30pm Haydn Nelson Mass R Strauss Ein Heldenleben Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor Sarah-Jane Brandon soprano Sarah Connolly mezzo soprano Robin Tritschler tenor Hanno Müller-Brachmann bass-baritone London Philharmonic Orchestra London Philharmonic Choir 6.15–6.45pm FREE pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall Yannick Nézet-Séguin looks in detail at Strauss’s epic work Ein Heldenleben.

Wednesday 28 November 2012 | 7.30pm Beethoven Overture, Fidelio Nono Julius Fučík Schoenberg Ode to Napoleon Bonaparte Schoenberg A Survivor from Warsaw Beethoven Symphony No. 5 Vladimir Jurowski conductor Robert Hayward narrator Annabel Arden director London Philharmonic Orchestra Gentlemen of the London Philharmonic Choir 6.15–6.45pm FREE pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall Composer and academic Silvina Milstein looks at the works of Nono and Schoenberg.

Barlines – FREE post-concert event Clore Ballroom Floor, Royal Festival Hall Artists involved in the performance will discuss the evening’s programme.

Saturday 1 December 2012 | 7.30pm Zimmermann Ecclesiastical Action, for two speakers, bass and orchestra (semi-staged) Brahms A German Requiem Vladimir Jurowski conductor Miah Persson soprano Dietrich Henschel bass-baritone Annabel Arden director London Philharmonic Orchestra London Philharmonic Choir Barlines – FREE post-concert event Clore Ballroom Floor, Royal Festival Hall Artists involved in the performance will discuss the evening’s programme.

Wednesday 12 December 2012 | 7.30pm Grisey Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil Mahler Symphony No. 5 Vladimir Jurowski conductor Allison Bell soprano London Philharmonic Orchestra 6.15–6.45pm FREE pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Composer in Residence Julian Anderson takes a look at the music of Gérard Grisey.

Friday 14 December 2012 | 7.30pm Brahms Tragic Overture WAGNER (arr. Henze) Wesendonck Lieder Bruckner Symphony No. 1 (1877 Linz edition) Vladimir Jurowski conductor Anna Larsson contralto

www.lpo.org.uk/newseason – 14 –

around the uk Sunday 7 October 2012 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne Box Office: 01323 412000 www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade Darrell Ang conductor Dimitri Mayboroda piano London Philharmonic Orchestra In co-operation with the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation

Saturday 13 October 2012 | 7.30pm Swansea Festival Brangwyn Hall, Swansea Box Office: 01792 475715 www.swanseafestival.org PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1 (Classical) MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto SIBELIUS Symphony No. 2 Vassily Sinaisky conductor Chloë Hanslip violin London Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday 14 October 2012 | 3.00pm Colston Hall, Bristol Box Office: 0117 922 3686 www.colstonhall.org Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 (Classical) Elgar Cello Concerto Sibelius Symphony No. 2 Vassily Sinaisky conductor Sol Gabetta cello London Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday 21 October 2012 | 2.30pm & 6.30pm Royal Albert Hall Box Office: 0845 401 5045 www.royalalberthall.com Disney Fantasia: Live in concert Keith Lockhart conductor London Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday 28 October 2012 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne Box Office: 01323 412000 www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No. 2 DvoŘák Symphony No. 8 Michael Seal conductor Jamie Walton cello London Philharmonic Orchestra

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

Saturday 3 November 2012 | 7.30pm Brighton Dome Box Office: 01273 709709 www.brightondome.org Nielsen Pan and Syrinx DvoŘák Violin Concerto Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 3 Osmo Vänskä conductor Christian Tetzlaff violin London Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday 11 November 2012 | 7.45pm International Wimbledon Music Festival Trinity Church, Wimbledon www.wimbledonmusicfestival.co.uk Mozart Serenade No. 10 in B-flat major (Gran Partita), K361 R Strauss Suite in B-flat major, Op. 4 R Strauss Serenade for 13 Winds, Op. 7 Robin O'Neill conductor Soloists of the London Philharmonic Orchestra Saturday 17 November 2012 | 7.30pm Bath Mozartfest The Forum, Bath Box Office: 01225 463 362 www.bathmozartfest.org.uk SCHUMANN Nachtlied, Op. 108 MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K491 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) Hannu Lintu conductor Angela Hewitt piano Bath Camerata London Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday 18 November | 7.30pm The Hexagon, Reading Box Office: 0118 960 6060 www.readingarts.com SIBELIUS Finlandia MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K491 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) Hannu Lintu conductor Angela Hewitt piano London Philharmonic Orchestra

INTERNATIONAL CONCERTS Saturday 15 December 2012 | 10.30pm Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid www.auditorionacional.mcu.es BRAHMS Tragic Overture MOZART Piano Concerto No. 17 in G, K453 BRUCKNER Symphony No. 1 (1877 Linz edition) Vladimir Jurowski conductor Nicholas Angelich piano London Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday 16 December 2012 | 7.30pm Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid www.auditorionacional.mcu.es BEETHOVEN Overture, Fidelio WAGNER (arr Henze) Wesendonck Lieder MAHLER Symphony No. 5 Vladimir Jurowski conductor Anna Larsson contralto London Philharmonic Orchestra Tuesday 18 December 2012 | 8.00pm Graf Zeppelin Haus, Friedrichshafen, Germany www.gzh.de SCHUMANN Overture, The Bride of Messina BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2 Christoph Eschenbach conductor Baiba Skride violin Daniel Müller-Schott cello Lars Vogt piano London Philharmonic Orchestra Wednesday 19 December 2012 | 8.00pm Konzerthaus, Freiburg, Germany www.konzerthaus.freiburg.de SCHUMANN Overture, The Bride of Messina BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 Christoph Eschenbach conductor Baiba Skride violin Daniel Müller-Schott cello London Philharmonic Orchestra Lars Vogt piano

Sunday 9 December 2012 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne Box Office: 01323 412000 www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk Brahms Tragic Overture Mozart Piano Concerto No. 17 in G, K453 Bruckner Symphony No. 1 (1877 Linz edition) Vladimir Jurowski conductor Alexandra Silocea piano London Philharmonic Orchestra

www.lpo.org.uk/newseason – 15 –

Thursday 20 December 2012 | 8.00pm Liederhalle, Stuttgart, Germany www.liederhalle-stuttgart.de SCHUMANN Overture, The Bride of Messina BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4 Christoph Eschenbach conductor Baiba Skride violin Daniel Müller-Schott cello Lars Vogt piano London Philharmonic Orchestra Friday 21 December 2012 | 8.00pm Congress Centrum, Hannover, Germany www.hcc.de SCHUMANN Overture, The Bride of Messina BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2 Christoph Eschenbach conductor Baiba Skride violin Daniel Müller-Schott cello Lars Vogt piano London Philharmonic Orchestra Saturday 22 December 2012 | 8.00pm Philharmonie, Essen, Germany www.philharmonie-essen.de SCHUMANN Overture, The Bride of Messina SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 Christoph Eschenbach conductor London Philharmonic Orchestra

tune in – autumn / winter 2012 –

LPO people

backstage

W

hat were your first experiences of music, and when did you begin learning the violin?

Apparently I was given my first violin when I was two, but it wasn’t until I was eight that I had my first lesson. I actually started the piano first, when I was only four, but I was always more keen on the sound of the violin (and I was fascinated by putting rosin on the bow for some reason!). I went to a normal primary school in my hometown in South Korea, but from the age of 10 I started flying to the capital, Seoul, for violin lessons.

Neither of my parents are professional musicians: my father is a doctor and my mother was a teacher. But they both love music, so I grew up listening to classical music and going to concerts. My younger sister is also a very talented cellist who's now studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School. We've just started working on the Brahms Double together, so maybe one day we'll get to perform it with an orchestra!

Why did you decide to move from South Korea to London?

When I was younger I loved playing the violin but didn’t know whether I had what it took to make it as a professional. When I was 11, I performed with an orchestra for the first time, and that's when people started telling me that I was talented, and several people suggested that I should think about going abroad for lessons. A year later, my mother took me to a summer music course in London, where I met the violinist Natasha Boyarsky.

She invited me to study with her at the Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK, so I moved to London that same year with my mother and younger sister. I'm very grateful to my mother, who has been so dedicated and made so many sacrifices for me, because there's no way I'd have had so many great opportunities if I hadn't come to the UK. Before getting your job in the LPO, you spent a year on the Orchestra's Foyle Future Firsts training programme. How did that prepare you for life as an orchestral player?

Looking back, I'm so glad that I decided to audition for Foyle Future Firsts back in June

Who are your favourite composers to play?

I don’t have one favourite composer – it changes all the time! – but I do love playing works by Prokofiev. A few years ago I spent a few weeks immersing myself in his music, and learnt most of his works for violin and piano over a short period. I started my London Philharmonic Orchestra trial in January this year, and one of the reasons I was so excited was because I had the chance to play in most of the Prokofiev Festival concerts with Vladimir Jurowski and get to know Prokofiev's orchestral works better too.

– ILYOUNG CHAE – 25-year-old Ilyoung is the newest member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Prior to her appointment to the First Violin section in August 2012, she was a participant on the LPO's Foyle Future Firsts programme for aspiring orchestral players.

2011. I was just about to graduate from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and I applied for the LPO scheme as it seemed like a great way to gain real on-the-job experience and get a taste of life as an orchestral musician. And of course that's what set me on the path to getting this job in one of the world’s leading orchestras. It was such a valuable experience to play alongside the LPO members in rehearsals. They were all really friendly, and so generous with their feedback and advice. I was also privileged to have some lessons with the Leader, Pieter Schoeman, and I also made the most of being able to attend LPO concerts for free throughout the year! I'm so grateful to have been part of the scheme.

I feel very lucky to be part of the LPO and I'm so excited about working with the Orchestra's amazing players and conductors in the future.

Newsletter published by the London Philharmonic Orchestra 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP Tel: 020 7840 4200 Fax: 020 7840 4201 Box Office: 020 7840 4242 lpo.org.uk

– 16 –

Which LPO concerts are you most looking forward to this season?

I'm really looking forward to all the concerts in the 2012/13 season – one of the most exciting things about my new job is getting to play something new and different every week!

But I'm especially looking forward to the concert of Mendelssohn, Schumann and Beethoven with Kurt Masur on 20 October 2012; the all-Strauss concert with Vladimir Jurowski on 19 January 2013; and Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring with Yannick Nézet-Séguin on 16 February 2013.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not playing the violin?

I recently started playing squash with my sister – we try to play together whenever she comes home from school at the weekends. To relax, I love watching films or sightreading chamber music with friends. We usually play for hours then cook something delicious together afterwards. It’s great fun to get to know new pieces of music and hang out with friends at the same time. I also love travelling, so I'm really looking forward to the LPO tours to Germany, Spain and the USA next season. meet the lpo players www.lpo.org.uk/about/whos_who.html