Orchestra of the City

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The programme for tonight’s concert is now available to view online. 

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Meet Our Soloist: Matthew Sackman (horn)

We are delighted to introduce Matthew Sackman, orchestra member and horn soloist for Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings. We catch up as we head into concert week:

Tell us a bit about your musical background: I've been very lucky to have had a very musical family: both my parents studied music at university, my Dad later becoming a school music teacher, university lecturer and composer. My sister went to Guildhall to study the Cello. So it was always hoped that I would go into Computing. I started playing the Horn at the age of 9 and slowly progressed - often slower than I could have given the criminally small amount of practise I used to do. Of course it was entirely deliberate to ensure my inner musical voice developed and matured sufficiently: one cannot rush these things. At university, my playing rather tailed off as I engrossed myself in computers and it wasn't really until I was in full PhD procrastination mode that I started practising again (now for more than 10 minutes at a time) and taking lessons. With the PhD successfully abandoned and my inner musical voice much more mature, I started taking the Horn far more seriously, very encouraged by the high standard of amateur music making in London. What is your favourite piece to play? I like pieces that are challenging. In private practise I tend to work on a lot of technical exercises, and I think this may overlap with my tastes generally. Pieces like the Schoenberg Chamber Symphony 1, the Strauss late Wind pieces (Happy Workshop and Invalid Workshop), Webern  Passacaglia  Opus 1, much of Stravinsky, I like both playing and listening to. I do also enjoy much of Haydn's writing for Horn: some of the symphonies can be dull for the Horn, but many are superb and his writing for Horn is much more interesting than almost everything by Mozart; there are some real gems in there. Also obviously the Bach Brandenburg 1 and the crazy Horn parts by Zelenka are fun, but the futher back you go the less likely it is that those parts would have been played on anything terribly similar to a modern Horn. Do you have any pre-performance rituals? Yes, but I'm afraid they're mainly classified. The main ones though are to make sure you know where you're going, when you're meant to be there, and that you have the right instrument, clothing and music with you. After that, it's more minor details: your hand goes in the big end, and you blow down the small end. That sort of thing. If the horn section were an animal what would it be? This is by far the hardest of these questions. Some sort of mutant combination between a Dragon and a Lion. Both have their delicate side (see Wizard of Oz and Shrek) and are perhaps more fragile than is assumed. But they know how to roar! What is your favourite thing about being a member of Orchestra of the City? I like the balance of the orchestra very much: it does take itself seriously and it works hard but not to the detriment of having some fun. It has a good relaxed and friendly atmosphere which I think everyone appreciates. Why should people come to see this concert?

Well Alexei is sounding awesome in the Britten, so that on its own is a great reason. Whilst the Horn generally gets a lot of really great moments in orchestral writing, there are very few great solo works beyond the four Mozart concerti, the two Strauss, and the Shostakovich Cello Concerto. The Britten is both a wonderful piece in its own right, and has some great writing for the Horn. It's not that often performed either so this is a great chance to hear it. With the rest of the programme, it's nice to hear the orchestra play a programme which is a little smaller than usual: no enormous Mahler, Rachmaninov or Shostakovich here this time, which might just benefit St James!

Come and join Matthew and Orchestra of the City on 26th November! You can save 20% by booking in advance online. Just click here! http://bit.ly/1PuT0oU

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Meet Our Soloist: Ivana Gavrić (Piano)

We are delighted to welcome pianist Ivana Gavrić to perform Grieg’s ever-popular Piano Concerto with us on Thursday 8th October. We check in with Ivana in the final run up to the concert:

Tell us a bit about your musical background; why did you become a pianist?

Music was always around when I was little: my mother is a pianist, so I would listen to her practice and I would love going to the opera and ballet to hear her friends perform. I especially loved going backstage afterwards to see how it all worked behind the scenes. I initially wanted to become an opera singer, but I started with the piano, and never got around to switching!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

There are a few. Playing at Wigmore Hall for the first time was definitely one of the most memorable concerts. I was so excited afterwards I didn't sleep for days! I am also incredibly honoured to have been awarded 'Newcomer of the Year' by BBC Music Magazine in 2011, especially as the disc in question started as a very humble project - a demo CD! Last year I had the chance to play Mozart K271 with the Trondheim Soloists without a conductor. It was the best chamber music experience I have had.

Last year you released a recording of Grieg Piano Works on the Champs Hill Label to critical acclaim and are now preparing to perform his Piano Concerto with Orchestra of the City. You’re clearly a fan! What is it about Grieg that draws you to his music?

I was always very fond of Grieg - I remember saying to my teacher when I was 11 or 12 that he was my favourite composer. He writes good tunes! I have realised, first in my exploration of works by Janáček and now Grieg, that I am drawn to composers who use folk music in their works, and I enjoy discovering how they tried to create their own respective national voice. Grieg is excellent at evoking the sense of space in the Norwegian landscape.

What works (Grieg or otherwise) would you most like to perform that you haven’t yet had chance to?

 Beethoven's Fourth Concerto.

What goes through your mind right before you step on stage for a performance?

From the banal to the profound, but mainly 'let's get on with it' and 'try not to fall over'.

Why should people come to see this concert?

Because it will be fabulous, of course!

Come and join Ivana and Orchestra of the City on 8th October! You can save 20% by booking in advance online. Just click here! http://bit.ly/1UWxDBQ

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Happy Birthday Mahler! We are playing his 4th Symphony on Friday, Come join us! 20% off on the door ticket prices can be bought on this link - http://bit.ly/1eWMA3J

Posted by Orchestra of the City on Tuesday, 7 July 2015

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Mendelssohn Violin Concerto & Mahler Symphony No. 4

Click here to read the full programme for Friday’s concert. 

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Meet Our Soloist: Nathalie Chalkley (soprano)

We catch up with soprano Nathalie Chalkley who will be joining us us for Mahler’s Fourth Symphony on Friday 10th July.

Tell us a bit about your musical background. When did you first realise you wanted to be a singer?

As a child I always loved singing. At age 5 I was cast as the singing cuckoo in the school play and it developed from that, really. It took a while for me to admit that I wanted it to be more than a hobby. It was only when I started uni I focused on it as a profession rather than just something I enjoyed.

Which musician most inspires you?

Lots of musicians inspire me. In terms of singers, I love the tone of Ella Fitzgerald’s voice, the rhythmic playfulness of Anita O’Day, the facility of Beverly Sills and the commitment of Susan Gritton.

What do you do when you’re not singing?

Spending time with my friends and family is my favourite thing to do. I also love any sport, particularly cycling, running, swimming and dancing. I teach children with special needs and am learning Danish for my part-time move there next year.

What goes through your mind right before you step on stage for a performance?

It depends on the concert. I try to concentrate on the music and how I can share this with the audience. I think about what the composer and librettist are trying to express.  I try to concentrate on my breath to keep me calm and centred.

Do you have any pre-performance rituals?

I warm up my body and voice in the same routine before I sing. Other than this, I run the text through my mind to try and get in to character.

Why should people come to see this concert?

Mahler is a genius and the orchestra are sounding fab!

Want to hear Nathalie? Come join us on 10th July - save 20% by booking online in advance: http://bit.ly/1eWMA3J

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Meet our soloist: Amarins Wierdsma (violin)

We catch up with one of our soloists Amarins Wierdsma ahead of our 10th July concert....

Tell us a little about your musical background.

When I was 2 I started playing the Violin. My mother is a clarinetist and my father was a choir conductor, pianist and composer. We went to hear a performance the 4 year old son of a friend of the family. When we got home I immediately asked my parents if I would be allowed to play the violin. My mom answered that I was not old enough yet. For the next few months I played in the sandbox and pretended to play the violin and kept asking if I was perhaps old enough today… After about half a year of nagging, my mom decided to try and find me a teacher. Luckily she found somebody who taught me for 3 years with the Suzuki Method.

Which musician most inspires you?

I think many different musicians have inspired me in different ways. Playing together with great musicians is a great way to be inspired because you learn so much from the way they work and the feeling of playing together with them. When I was younger a great inspiration was Janine Jansen. She studied with the same teacher as I did from age 5-18 and she would come and perform with my teacher's string ensemble as well. She is still an enormous inspiration. I admire her stage presence and total commitment to the music.

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

I spend time with friends, go swimming, or read. I also LOVE going to movies but I hardly have time anymore!!

What goes through your mind just before you step onto the stage? Do you have any pre-performance rituals?

I guess this really depends on the concert and at what stage I am with the piece. It also depends on the audience and the vibe of the concert hall. I usually try to relax and think about bringing the music alive as best as possible.

What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened to you during a performance?

When I was young we did a concert where there was a huge screen in the background. During one of the pieces there was constantly somebody swimming past on the screen. It was really strange and very distracting! We also did a concert a few months ago in the Netherlands in the ‘Keukenhof’ a huge tourist tulip park. It was very very windy and we had to play outside. My music was blowing away like crazy and my bow as well! A friend had to come on stage and hold all my music the entire time. My pianist also had to have her music held onto! It was crazy but so funny in the end!

Why should people come to this concert?

To hear some amazing music! And because you never know what crazy things might happen! :)

Come join us on July 10th 7:30pm at St James Piccadilly.

Buy advance tickets on the link below, saving 20% off on-the-door prices!

http://bit.ly/1eWMA3J

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Read up on all the music we’ll be playing in our concert at St. James’s, Piccadilly on Thursday evening. 

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Meet our Conductor: Chris Hopkins

We get to know Chris Hopkins, Conductor and Soloist for our 23rd April Concert...

Tell us a bit about you…when did you first become involved in music?

When I was 3 I started having violin lessons with my aunty Fiona, herself a wonderful Musician and inspiration, but despite her best efforts, she soon relented and to everyone's relief taught me piano instead (I went back to the violin when I'd grown up a bit) and I haven’t been able to do anything else since.

In this concert we get to see you as both pianist and conductor - which is your favourite role?

Oo tricky, I love both roles really. I'm excited about directing from the piano as it gives me a chance to join in: it feels more like a beefed up piano quartet than a 'solo' part. Our aim as an orchestra is always to be playing large-scale chamber music and I hope the Beethoven will be a good example of that.

What pieces would you most like to conduct/play that you haven’t yet had the chance to?

Well there's so much that's on the list, and if course the joy of music is that it just gets longer and longer. Walton's 1st Symphony has been up there for a while, York Bowen piano concertos (a British Rachmaninoff?), Mahler symphonies (we're tackling number 4 in the next concert). A concert of Bernstein, Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue) and Rachmaninoff would be fun when our piggy bank is full, as well as plenty of others. No doubt you'll see as many of them in next year's programmes as I can get away with.

You are in your seventh year as Musical Director of Orchestra of the City - what has been your highlight so far?

With so many lovely concerts and wonderful soloists it's hard to pick any one out. The real joy is that nearly every concert feels like a new highlight, such is the exciting direction the orchestra is and has been going in the last few years. We're lucky to have a mixture of long-standing fantastic players and new, also fantastic, players that mean both the identity and the quality of the ensemble are constantly improving. Coming back to Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony in December was particularly satisfying having been in the first programme I conducted back in 2009, it was quite a different experience second time round

After the interval you always introduce the second half to the audience - why do you think this is important?

We're always keen to get rid of as many barriers between performers and audience as possible, and we do our best to encourage new audiences to our concerts, quite often people who have never been to an orchestral concert before. The aim of the talks is twofold really then, both to give us a chance to say thanks for coming, and come again please, as well as hopefully either giving someone who doesn't know the second half music something to hang onto during the ride, or perhaps just refreshing the memories of those that do with a new idea or two. There is a certain amount of formality in concert, which I think is important both to focus the audiences ears and to frame the art and the performance itself, but I also think it's important that we remember that this musical experience is a shared one between players and listeners: that the concert requires input from both sides, so it helps to start on the same page.

How do you unwind after a successful concert?

In the pub of course, whether successful our not! It's a chance to relax and digest the concert with friends in the orchestra before the inevitable soreness in the morning.

If Orchestra of the City was an animal, what would it be?

This has gone a bit Blind Date... I'm going to say a coral reef (does that count?). It is made up of many different creatures that all do different things but come together to make something beautiful.

Why should people come to see Orchestra of the City on the 23 April?

Because it's AWESOME

Want to join us on the 23rd of April. Click here to buy. Get 20% off on the door prices just £12/£8 or £15/£10 on the door tickets http://bit.ly/1c4d7dX

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