Gautier Capuçon joined forces with his brother Renaud and the pianist Nicholas Angelich for a survey of the trios and sonatas for violin and cello by Brahms at Wigmore Hall. Their reviews were spectacular.
“This week’s three Brahms concerts by the Capuçon brothers and pianist Nicholas Angelich, have assertively flown the flag for chamber music, proving it can be every bit as memorable as its big-band sibling . . . . Gautier Capuçon’s full-blooded account of the F major Cello Sonata was spectacular . . . the collective sweep of the playing in these concerts was at times truly intoxicating”
GUARDIAN 18.02.10 * * * *
“The string-playing Capuçon brothers became one of classical music’s sensations of the past decade . . . the sheer fullness of the brother’s tone was part of the pleasure . . . the lovely spaciousness of the tempi.'
DAILY TELEGRAPH 18.02.10 * * * *
LEON McCAWLEY CELEBRATES MAJOR BIRTHDAYS OF CHOPIN AND BARBER IN HONG KONG, NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA
Immediately following his performance of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and Choral Fantasy with the RPO at the Barbican (“played
with commanding technical authority and a shining, enriched tone” George
Hall The Guardian) Leon flew to Hong Kong for a City Hall recital in the Arts Festival, before returning to his second RPO concert when he played Rachmaninov 2 in Ipswich. Then back to the airport for a flight to New York, where he once again plays Chopin and Barber at Lincoln Center and at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, where both he and Samuel Barber were students.
JOHN WILSON MAKES A TRIUMPHANT OPERATIC DEBUT
“Searing satire lies at the dark heart of a cracking carry-on”
***** The Guardian
“A blast of operetta bliss”
**** Daily Telegraph
Rave reviews have greeted Jo Davies’ “terrific” new production of the Gilbert & Sullivan “Ruddigore” at Opera North. Performances at the Grand Theatre, Leeds will be followed by a tour taking in the Lowry Centre Salford, Theatre Royal Newcastle and Theatre Royal Nottingham.
ANDREA QUINN RECORDS RAFF CHORAL WORKS
Fresh from issuing their second CD of orchestral works,Sterling have recorded the first CD of music for chorus and orchestra by Raff. The largest work is Die Tageszeiten, a four-movement 40 minute work for piano, chorus and orchestra. Andrea Quinn conducts the pianist Tra Nguyen, the Symphony Orchestra of Norrlands Opera and the Sångkraft Chamber Choir, 2007 winners of "Choir of the World".
CLAIRE MARTIN NAMED TOP VOCALIST OF 2009 IN THE BRITISH JAZZ AWARDS, THE MUCH-COVETED JAZZ OSCARS
Claire and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett are currently recording their Cy Coleman show, 'Witchcraft' for Linn Records - details of release date coming soon!
ROYAL STRING QUARTET NOMINATED FOR PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
It has just been announced that the Quartet’s much-acclaimed debut recording for Hyperion of the quartets of Szymanowski and Rozycki has been nominated in two categories for the Polish music industry’s recording prize Fryderyk 2010: Best Chamber Music Award and Best Recording of Polish Music. The Quartet has just returned to Warsaw following recording its next Hyperion discs at Potton Hall, a two CD set of the three quartets of the iconic Henryk Gorecki.
CHRISTIAN LINDBERG APPOINTED PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR OFSCANDINAVIA’S NEWEST ORCHESTRA
Just one month after conducting the Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra’s first ever concert, Christian Lindberg has signed a 5-year contract as principal conductor.At a time when other countries are slashing their cultural budgets, the Norwegian government has boldly bucked the trend to create an orchestra north of theArctic Circlewith a new concert hall opening in Bodø in 2014.Christian continues as principal conductor of both the Nordic Chamber Orchestra (whoseUKdebut was a highlight of this year’s City ofLondon Festival) and the Swedish Wind Ensemble and this autumn also includes conducting engagements inPoland,Latvia,Spain,TaiwanandBrazil.In his spare time he composes, practises the trombone 4 hours a day and runs marathons, as well as enjoying his country house on the Swedish archipelago with his wife and four children!
GLOBE-TROTTING MICHALA!
Just returned from concerts with the China National Symphony in Beijing and the Forbidden City, Michala Petri next premieres a concerto by Richard Harvey with the City Chamber Orchestra in Hong Kong and plays with Lars Hannibal in Seoul before returning to the Southern Orchestral Concert Society for two concertos in October and recitals in Oxford, Cambridge, Southampton and Maidenhead.December sees the duo playing at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York before Michala goes to the Berlin Philharmonie for the 10th anniversary concert of the Berlin Barok Solisten.Meanwhile OUR Recordings have followed Dialogue – East meets West with a recording of Michala’s 50th Anniversary Gala Concert and her recital disc Café Vienna.
GAUTIER CAPUÇON'S RUSSIAN SUCCESS
Geoffrey Norris writing in The Daily Telegraph has announced Gautier Capucon's new recording of Russian repertoire with the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, conducted by Valery Gergiev, as hisClassical CD of the Week:"Shining Star: young cellist Gautier Capuçon gives a performance of impressive stature."
NICOLAE MOLDOVEANU RECORDS COMPLETE SWAN LAKE
In the current financial climate it might be considered unusual for a major London orchestra to invest in a studio recording of a much loved ballet score that is already well represented in the catalogue but that is exactly what the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has done with their absolutely complete new recording of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, conducted by Nicolae Moldoveanu.
Recorded at Cadogan Hall last summer and due for a highly appropriate wintry release, it was produced by Anna Barry who said:
"Recording the complete Swan Lake ballet in sessions was always going to be a great pleasure, but it was made even more so by the conductor Nicolae Moldoveanu. I was slightly surprised to receive an email from him ahead of the sessions warning me that his tempi might be quite fast because of his Transylvanian vampire blood, but he turned out to have normal teeth and – obviously - a fantastic sense of humour. He brought the score to life for us all with his astute descriptions not only of the action on stage, but within the music itself, and he guided us through the work with consummate skill, conjuring up marvellous detail with brilliant, concentrated use of rehearsal. The recording shows the orchestra off wonderfully and is a great tribute to Nicolae’s energy, imagination and talent."
Immediately following his performance of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and Choral Fantasy with the RPO at the Barbican 
Geoffrey Norris writing in The Daily Telegraph has announced Gautier Capucon's new recording of Russian repertoire with the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, conducted by Valery Gergiev, as hisClassical CD of the Week:"Shining Star: young cellist Gautier Capuçon gives a performance of impressive stature."