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Katie Lowe Wins the 2017 Elizabeth Connell Prize

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2017 Elizabeth Connell Prize Winner Announced

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Katie Lowe (c) Zohar Izenberg

KATIE LOWE from England Cheshire born 31 year old English soprano Katie Lowe has won the 4th annual Elizabeth Connell Prize for aspiring Dramatic Sopranos held in Sydney Australia on 16 September. Ms Lowe receives $30,000 and an audition at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London. The Finalists were chosen from live auditions held in London, New York, Zurich, Paris and Melbourne and competed over 3 rounds in Sydney for the prize. Ms Lowe sang the “Immolation Scene” from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung and “Suicidio” from La Gioconda by Ponchiello in the Final Round.

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ITINÉRAIRE BAROQUE 2017: TON KOOPMAN TALKS TO COLIN CLARKE

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Ton Koopman Talks to Colin Clarke

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Ton Koopman performing at his 2017 Itinéraire Baroque festival

I met Ton Koopman in his lovely home near Verteillac, France. Koopman’s festival, Itinéraire Baroque, had finished the night before; arriving at the house, there was a palpably convivial atmosphere, with artists featured in the festival relaxing alongside Koopman and his friends and family. The interview itself took place in a lovely, peaceful space away from the hubbub.

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A Riveting Kokoschka’s Doll from Sir John Tomlinson and Counterpoise

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The Art of Love: Alma Mahler’s Life and Music: Zemlinsky, Alma Mahler, Gustav Mahler, Anton von Webern, D. Matthews.  Arranged by David Matthews (‘Erntelied’ co-arranged with Colin Matthews), with linking texts by Barry Millington. Rozanna Madylus (mezzo-soprano). Counterpoise ensemble: Fenella Humphreys (violin), Deborah Calland (trumpet), Kyle Horch (saxophone/clarinet), Iain Farrington (piano).

Kokoschka’s Doll: John Casken (composer), Sir John Tomlinson (bass), Counterpoise ensemble (as above), text by John Casken and Barry Millington.  Cheltenham Music Festival, 9.7.2017.

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ANGELA BROWNRIDGE IN CONVERSATION WITH ROBERT BEATTIE

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Angela Brownridge in Conversation with Robert Beattie

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Angela Brownridge

Angela Brownridge is one of the UK’s leading concert pianists.  She has won rave reviews for her interpretations, being compared to giants of the piano such as Solomon, Cherkassky and Bolet.  She was a child prodigy giving her first public recital at the age of 6 and her first concerto performance when she was 10 years old. She has performed with many of the world’s leading conductors and orchestras and she has an impressive and varied discography which includes the complete piano works of Barber and Gershwin.  I spoke to her about her musical background and training, the pianists and artists whom she most admires, her love of jazz and improvisation, her view of piano competitions and her recording plans for the future.

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PIANIST KIRILL GERSTEIN IN CONVERSATION WITH GEOFFREY NEWMAN

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Kirill Gerstein talks to Geoffrey Newman

Kirill Gerstein © Marco Borggreve
Kirill Gerstein © Marco Borggreve

Kirill Gerstein has become an increasingly esteemed visitor to North American and European concert halls, moving quite a distance from his original Gilmore Young Artist’s Award in 2002, his debut recording for Oehms Classics, and the initial intrigue over his jazz training. Gerstein was awarded the coveted Gilmore Artist Award in 2010 and subsequently produced an enviable string of CD’s for the German company Myrios, virtually all of which have received strong acclaim. These include the Brahms Viola Sonatas with Tabea Zimmermann, the 1879 version of the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto, the Liszt Sonata, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. His recording of Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes has just been released.

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IN MEMORIAM LOUIS FRÉMAUX (1921-2017)

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Louis Frémaux (13 August 1921 – 20 March 2017) – an obituary by Rob Barnett

LF As ever, the bare bones of any person’s life tell us but a small part of the individual’s story and heritage. Louis Frémaux is no different in that respect. That said we need to lay them out:
– Born in Aire-sur-la-Lys, Pas-de-Calais, France in 1921 and he studied at the Valenciennes Conservatoire.
– War service in the Resistance and then as a Foreign Legion Captain in the French armed forces in Vietnam (1945-46)
– Resumed his war-interrupted studies, this time at the Paris Conservatoire with Louis Fourestier where he took first prize in conducting in 1952.

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