The Borletti-Buitoni Trust concert is on 4 May 2012. This article was written for the concert programme. In an increasingly hectic musical world, in which young musicians need to promote themselves as well as practise and perform, the Borletti-Buitoni Trust (BBT) has for nearly a decade offered a supportive shoulder to young international talent. The… [Read more…]
April 26, 2012
This news story was originally written for Londonist.com. The full line-up for the London 2012 Festival, the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad, was announced this morning. From 21 June to 9 September, London will be the focus of an unparalleled programme of music, theatre, film comedy, exhibitions, art and outdoor events. In short, this is… [Read more…]
March 23, 2012
This piece was originally written for Independent blogs. There was a similar blog post on the Guardian today too. World music. To some it’s a long-defunct marketing invention, a crude catch-all for bringing global folk styles – and numerous dodgy attempts at fusion – under one pointless umbrella. Questioning the validity of the term is… [Read more…]
March 19, 2012
Pizza Express Jazz Club is not what you’d call a spacious venue. Tables and chairs take up a lot of room and the stage area is tight to say the least. So it is a marvel that the Dean Street Club manages to squeeze two grand pianos into the club each year for its annual… [Read more…]
March 14, 2012
This article was originally written for Londonist.com. Ask a Londoner to name a jazz venue in town and chances are the answer will come in the form of a certain Soho joint with an unforgettable name and a cool sign. Open since 1959, Ronnie Scott’s is, by a long stretch, the most renowned jazz club… [Read more…]
February 23, 2012
This post was originally written for the Independent blogs. London’s classical music scene is changing before our eyes. Over the last five to ten years a whole host of ambitious start-ups have emerged across the capital. Ensembles like the Aurora Orchestra and the London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO) are stuffed with talented young players and perform… [Read more…]
February 22, 2012
This post was originally written for Londonist.com. The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) yesterday announced that it will perform the first of three concerts at a stage on Trafalgar Square on Saturday 12 May (at 6.30pm) in what looks like a publicity coup for the Barbican-based orchestra. The free concert, which will be conducted by the LSO’s… [Read more…]
February 15, 2012
This review was originally written for Londonist.com. The simplicity of the raw materials of flamenco – guitar, throaty singing, hand percussion and, of course, dance – makes it the perfect subject for artistic innovation, whether with choreography, theatre or cross-cultural collaboration. And it is that spirit that brings Spain’s finest cultural export to Sadler’s Wells… [Read more…]
February 8, 2012
Two important events for British folk music in two days! Last night — in an intimate loft space in Covent Garden – saw the launch of the Nest Collective, a new group run by Sam Lee that aims to pull together London’s folk music promotions into something like a coherent set of events. Meanwhile, tonight is… [Read more…]
February 6, 2012
The young Israeli pianist David Greilsammer played the 100 Club last week as part of the Limelight classical series at the venue. He was promoting his first CD on Sony Classical, Baroque Conversations, which juxtaposes Rameau, Couperin and JS Bach with music by contemporary composers such as Lachenmann. A thinking pianist, Greilsammer is a passionate… [Read more…]
April 27, 2012
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