Violinist Pekka Kuusisto talks to Britten Sinfonia about his blowtorch skills and cephalopod ambitions.

Posted on February 13, 2012 by elsieburke

Britten Sinfonia welcomes back the violinist Pekka Kuusisto as rehearsals begin for the Concentric Paths tour with composer, pianist and conductor Thomas Adès.  Pekka has worked with Britten Sinfonia a number of times before but ahead of this tour they asked him a few questions to help us all get to know him better!    What has been the highlight of your career so far? Playing [...]

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Meet Violinist Henning Kraggerud

Posted on September 13, 2011 by katievickers

Violinist Henning Kraggerud joins Britten Sinfonia as both director and soloist in the opening concert of their 2011/12 season at Southbank Centre on Friday 7 October. Berio’s Duos for 2 violins and the London premiere of Piers Tattersall’s Kreisler l’entre deux guerres rub shoulders with Mozart’s Violin Concerto K.218 and Mahler’s stunning arrangement of Schubert’s [...]

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Pianist Angela Hewitt talks about her forthcoming recitals

Posted on March 28, 2011 by katievickers

There are two chances to catch Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt at Southbank Centre. Tomorrow’s International Piano Series recital includes a Bach Partita, Beethoven’s Eroica Variations and Brahms’ Handel Variations.  Angela writes: “My programme pairs two suites of the Baroque period with two of the greatest masterpieces ever written in variation form. It is well known that Beethoven played a lot [...]

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“One of classical music’s wrens” – Mark Padmore on Gerald Finzi

Posted on February 7, 2011 by katievickers

“Birds with striking plumage usually have horrible voices and it is the dull brown birds that sing beautifully – contrast the magpie with the wren… I want to make a case for taking the time to get to know a composer whose song is quiet and subtle.” Read more from tenor Mark Padmore on the [...]

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Soprano Barbara Hannigan looks the part for Ligeti

Posted on November 23, 2010 by katievickers

Versatility can take many forms in the career of an international opera singer – and in the case of Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan it involves changing from evening dress to PVC and fishnets mid-concert to mark a move from Mozart arias to Ligeti’s tour de force Mysteries of the Macabre. Watch the video here  of [...]

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James MacMillan’s new oboe concerto: a personal view from Nicholas Daniel

Posted on October 14, 2010 by katievickers

On Monday 18 October oboist Nicholas Daniel will give the London premiere of  James MacMillan’s new oboe concerto at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Here Nicholas Daniel gives a personal view of the piece and how it was developed. ‘Sometimes important new pieces emerge after a long ‘courtship’ with a composer, sometimes they come out of the blue. With [...]

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Get to know oboist Nicholas Daniel

Posted on October 5, 2010 by katievickers

Oboist Nicholas Daniel talks about his career, loves and memories ahead of his concert with Britten Sinfonia on 18 October, when he will premiere James MacMillan’s Oboe Concerto. You’ve been with Britten Sinfonia since its formation, what is your favourite memory from the concert platform? It has to be premiering John Tavener’s Kaleidoscopes. That piece has something [...]

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