1 1 / 0 1 0 2 n o Seas
Fairfield Halls, Croydon
Cadogan Hall, London www.lmp.org
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Photo © Benjamin Ealovega
Welcome
to the LMP’s 2010/11 season at Fairfield Halls, Croydon and London’s Cadogan Hall.
O
ur new Music Director, Gérard Korsten, and I have thoroughly enjoyed putting together this year’s concerts and we hope you enjoy them too. The message from a recent survey was that you wanted to hear some new repertoire, so we’ve definitely been more adventurous than in recent years. However we’ve chosen very carefully so that every programme contains familiar pieces as well as something you will enjoy discovering. The LMP has been the resident orchestra of Croydon since 1989 and has grown some deep roots in the community. We reach thousands of people through our education and community work in the borough every year and are truly a world-class orchestra, right on your doorstep! We are very fortunate to have the generous support of Croydon Council, who for over 20 years have had the vision and commitment to support us and realise the value of having live orchestral music in the borough, and I would like to thank them very much. Enjoy this season of concerts – and don’t forget to let us know what you think as the season goes on. imon Funnell S Managing Director
Pre-Concert Conversations – free to ticket holders Before every concert, at 6.30pm, the LMP’s Managing Director, Simon Funnell, hosts a lively pre-concert conversation with conductors, soloists and LMP musicians. Whether you are new to classical music, or just want to know more, these conversations are the ideal way to get closer to the music and the musicians; and give you a chance to ask questions too. 2
www.lmp.org
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Introduction
Photo © Benjamin Ealovega
Gérard Korsten
I
am very delighted to present to you my first season as the LMP’s new Music Director. In this first year, I will be conducting one concert in London’s Cadogan Hall, celebrating the Juno Award for Best Orchestral recording that we won earlier in 2010, and three concerts in Croydon. For the other concerts in the season, the LMP is joined by some fantastic guest conductors, such as Joseph Swensen and Howard Shelley, no strangers to Croydon’s superb concert hall. The LMP has always been a champion of new upcoming talent, and I am delighted that we are able to showcase some absolutely outstanding young soloists this season. In our opening concert we are joined by Maximilian Hornung, who at 21 was appointed as the youngest ever Principal Cello of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
We’ve chosen our programmes very carefully this year to include both familiar and less well-known pieces and soloists. However, every single piece that we have chosen has been designed to be rewarding and enjoyable. Every concert will excite and surprise you and I give you my word on that – that’s the Gérard Guarantee! I am very much looking forward to my first year with the orchestra and to meeting many of you during the season.
Free tickets for under-18s If you would like to bring one or more children to our concerts, free tickets are available for under-18s if you purchase at least one full price ticket. This offer is subject to availability. For more details visit www.lmp.org
www.lmp.org
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I
was born in South Africa, the son of one of that country’s most famous tenors, Gé Korsten, who was renowned as both an opera singer and a popular singer – a cross between Pavarotti and Sinatra! I started playing the violin when I was nine and was initially told to give up as I had no talent! This made me want to work even harder and I persevered. I played in youth orchestras and chamber groups, and I discovered the pure joy of making music with other people. After a few years I started conducting as well, whilst at the same time studying the violin, and I knew this was what I wanted to
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do. On a trip to America I heard a recording of Maria Callas singing the famous aria ‘Casta Diva’ and I was mesmerised by her voice. Her heart and soul were in her singing and for me those are the most important things about music. It’s not about how much you know about Mozart or that you know all about the instruments in an orchestra. Enjoyment of music is much more important and that’s what I love about conducting the London Mozart Players. Every time I work with them it feels a bit like a family. The orchestra has been going strong for over 60 years and many musicians have
www.lmp.org
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Saturday 9 October
7.30pm
RAVEL Le Tombeau de Couperin SCHUMANN Cello Concerto MOZART Serenade No. 9, K320 Posthorn Saturday 13 November
7.30pm
STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Suite MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25, K503 Serenade No. 1 BRAHMS Saturday 14 May
7.30pm
Photo © Benjamin Ealovega
HAYDN Symphony No. 103 Drumroll Oboe Concerto R. STRAUSS ELGAR Serenade for Strings MOZART Symphony No. 35, K385 Haffner
“It’s not how much you know about music, enjoyment is much more important”
changed, but ‘something’ has stayed from the very beginning. Not only are they great musicians, they also clearly enjoy making music and this is something that shines through in the concerts. I am sure we will build on this in the years to come. The three concerts I am conducting in Croydon this season are a great way to hear some fantastic music. I am working with some wonderful soloists, some of whom are at the start of their careers. Young cellist Maximilian Hornung joins us for the October concert. Another rising star is pianist
Francesco Piemontesi, who is currently a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist. This scheme has launched the careers of artists such as cellist Natalie Clein and violinist Jennifer Pike. Francesco will be playing one of Mozart’s greatest piano concertos at the concert in November. For the last concert of the season in May, oboist François Leleux joins us for Richard Strauss’s Oboe Concerto. The Times recently called François ‘a star act’ and I am thrilled this great musician will make his Croydon debut with the LMP.
www.lmp.org
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Photo © Eric Richmond
“ I love Fairfield for its fine acoustic and its welcoming audience”
Wednesday 16 March
7.30pm
Idomeneo Overture MOZART RAVEL Mother Goose Suite SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 2 FAURÉ Masques et Bergamasques Triple Concerto BEETHOVEN
H
oward Shelley has been working with the LMP for over 30 years and his concerts go down a storm in Fairfield. Howard has many great memories of performing in Fairfield, because of its fine acoustic, the welcoming audience and the care taken of visiting artists by the staff. His favourite moment so far has been the LMP’s 60th Birthday Concert, which he conducted in 2009: “great soloists, lovely repertoire and a party thoroughly deserved by this worldclass orchestra whose residency has been such a great success in Croydon”. For this concert Howard is joined by cellist Timothy Hugh and violinist Tasmin Little, another Fairfield favourite, for Beethoven’s
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magnificent Triple Concerto. Howard conducts the concert and plays piano in two pieces. If he was forced to, would he choose the piano or conducting? “I would go for conducting, though it is a difficult choice – both are very rewarding but also very challenging in different ways. I have this conviction that an orchestra performing at the highest level is one of the greatest things that humans get together to do in such numbers. The individual and corporate skill involved is quite extraordinary. To be at the head of such a group, directing beautiful and inspired music, is the most wonderful experience and honour. As a pianist one spends one’s life trying to recreate the sounds and different timbres of an orchestra, so why not go for the real thing?”
www.lmp.org
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Photo © Benjamin Ealovega
“ The musical conversation can be so inspiring and great fun!”
T
he LMP has a great new Principal Flute, Juliette Bausor. We wanted you to hear her beautiful playing, so she is one of our soloists this season. She performs Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp together with Catrin Finch. We asked Juliette if having a fellow soloist makes it easier or harder to play a concerto? “I suppose one might expect the answer to this question to be that playing as an individual soloist gives you such freedom to express yourself that it is the more liberating and effective way to perform. However, when playing with a great duo partner like Catrin, who plays so beautifully and responsively, it is possible to create something completely unique, spontaneous and special... The role of soloist becomes much more a role of chamber musician and the musical conversation between the two of you can be so inspiring and great fun!” Like many flautists, Juliette’s inspiration to play the flute was Sir James Galway: “I was about four or five years old and ‘The Man with the Golden Flute’ was always on the radio and television; I was completely captivated by the gorgeous sound and the shiny instrument too! My mum is a flute teacher and I think would have probably preferred me to play something Saturday 11 December else but I was very determined that I wanted to be a flute player! The physical nature of playing the flute is so closely related to the human voice that it feels like you are singing through the instrument.”
7.30pm
MARSH Symphony No. 7 La Chasse MOZART Concerto for Flute and Harp, K299 PURCELL Suite from Dido and Aeneas BEETHOVEN Romance No. 2 WEBER Symphony No. 1 www.lmp.org
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Saturday 19 February BARTÓK ˇ DVORÁK
7.30pm
Romanian Dances Violin Concerto PIAZZOLLA Melody in A minor & Tango MOZART Symphony No. 36, K425 Linz
“ Playing with the LMP is like playing with friends”
M
any years ago the LMP organised ‘Rehearsals from Scratch’, where amateur musicians could join the LMP for a rehearsal and play alongside the professionals. One day a young girl turned up with her violin and was seated next to LMP Leader David Juritz. It was immediately clear she had talent. The girl was called Chloë Hanslip and has since become an internationally acclaimed soloist. She has worked with the LMP many times; does she have a favourite moment? “I think it’s impossible to pick out one particular favourite moment! I always love playing with the LMP as they are not only all wonderful musicians but wonderful people and it always feels like I am playing with friends.”
Photo © Benjamin Ealovega
This concert she plays Dvoˇrák’s Violin Concerto. Chloë shares her thoughts on this incredible piece: “The Dvoˇrák is such an amazing concerto – it is a truly emotive work with gorgeous lyrical moments and some fairly fiendish passages! I think this is what makes it such a firm favourite with audiences everywhere – it just has everything you could want from a concerto.”
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For this concert Chloë is joined by conductor Joseph Wolfe, a promising new name. He conducts a lively programme of Bartók’s Romanian Dances, Piazzolla’s sweeping tango music and Mozart’s Linz Symphony. www.lmp.org
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Photo © Gabriel Quintana
Wednesday 19 January
7.30pm
KODÁLY Dances of Galanta RODRIGO Concierto de Aranjuez MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3 Scottish
“it’s an extraordinary experience, ...a kind of miracle”
J
aime Martín makes his conducting debut with the LMP this season. A formidable flautist, he has years of experience playing in some of the best orchestras in Europe, including the LMP. Does this make it easier for him to conduct? “I think that after 20 years of playing in orchestras I’m starting to know what happens inside; it’s an extraordinary experience, a kind of miracle where everybody follows each other without realising who is starting. Of course, the great part of the leading comes from the conductor, but the musicians in the orchestra have to make the sounds, have to inspire and be inspired at the same time. I have learnt that orchestra musicians love music and their experience is invaluable.”
For this concert Jaime is joined by Young Musician of the Year finalist Jadran Duncumb, who will be playing one of the most famous works for classical guitar: Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez. How does Jaime feel about conducting such a famous Spanish work? “The guitar is a very important part of Spanish music and culture, mainly played on its own or accompanying a singer or flamenco dancer. When we think of a guitar concerto, we think of Concierto de Aranjuez, a beautiful piece of music to listen to and incredibly difficult to play, a real challenge for any guitarist. Most people in the audience will probably be singing (hopefully not too loudly!) the tune of the second movement while we perform it.”
www.lmp.org
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J
oseph Swensen has been a guest conductor with the LMP a number of times in recent years. For this concert he has chosen an American-themed programme that features some true classical masterworks. Dvoˇrák’s New World Symphony is one of the most popular symphonies ever written, and Barber’s Violin Concerto is also a frequently played piece. Its lush melodies have made it a favourite with audiences around the world. Joseph Swensen trained as a violinist and we wondered if this experience makes a difference in conducting a violin concerto:
“I’ve always described myself as a musician who conducts, plays the violin, or composes (rather than as a conductor, violinist or composer) so for me, ideally, the input I give as a conductor is not that different than if I were the soloist. And perhaps my experience as a violinist makes it possible to be more sympathetic and helpful in this repertoire. Of course, it is a great help if one has a genuine appreciation for one’s soloist and in this case he is one of my favourite violinists, Thomas Bowes, with whom I recently recorded this work for Signum Records.”
Wednesday 20 April
7.30pm
COPLAND Appalachian Spring Suite BARBER Violin Concerto ˇ DVORÁK Symphony No. 9 From the New World
Photo © Eric Richmond
“ It is a great help to have genuine appreciation for one’s soloist”
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“ Rachmaninov’s only true successor”
Monday 18 October
7.30pm
MOZART Serenade No. 8, K286 Notturno SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 1 ANDRÉ MATHIEU Concertino No. 2 (London première) MOZART Serenade No. 9, K320 Posthorn
T
he LMP returns to Cadogan Hall this October with a concert of firsts! Music Director Gérard Korsten conducts the LMP in their first London concert together and Concertino No. 2 by Canadian composer André Mathieu receives its London première. In January 2009 the LMP was joined by Canadian pianist Alain Lefèvre for a recording of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Mathieu’s Concertino No. 2. The disc won the prestigious Canadian Juno Award in April 2010 giving us a perfect reason for a celebratory concert in Cadogan Hall.
Alain Lefèvre has been championing the work of André Mathieu for many years now: “I believe that I fell in love with Mathieu’s music most likely for the same reasons Rachmaninov did when he first heard the child prodigy, seeing in him his “only true successor”. His pure romanticism and genius spoke to me from the very start, when I discovered his Prélude romantique aged fifteen”.
Alain is also looking forward to performing in London: “Performing in London is always a special pleasure and privilege for me. But this concert in Cadogan Hall will take on a profound meaning, since with the LMP and Gérard Korsten, we will be writing a new page in the history of Canadian music, as it will be the London première of Mathieu’s Concertino No. 2, composed when he was just 5½ years old!” This concert is sponsored by CGI. With approximately 31,000 professionals serving clients around the world, CGI is a leading IT and business process services provider focused on helping clients achieve results.
www.lmp.org
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Concerts Photo © Benjamin Ealovega
Saturday 9 October
Conductor Cello
Gérard Korsten Maximilian Hornung
Saturday 13 November
7.30pm
STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Suite MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25, K503 BRAHMS Serenade No. 1 Conductor Piano
Fairfield
7.30pm
RAVEL Le Tombeau de Couperin Cello Concerto SCHUMANN MOZART Serenade No. 9, K320 Posthorn
Gérard Korsten Francesco Piemontesi
Saturday 11 December
7.30pm
MARSH Symphony No. 7 La Chasse MOZART Concerto for Flute and Harp, K299 PURCELL Suite from Dido and Aeneas BEETHOVEN Romance No. 2 WEBER Symphony No. 1 Conductor Flute Harp Violin
David Stern Juliette Bausor Catrin Finch David Juritz
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Wednesday 19 January
7.30pm
KODÁLY Dances of Galanta RODRIGO Concierto de Aranjuez MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3 Scottish Conductor Guitar
Jaime Martín Jadran Duncumb
Saturday 19 February
7.30pm
Romanian Dances Violin Concerto PIAZZOLLA Melody in A minor & Tango MOZART Symphony No. 36, K425 Linz BARTÓK ˇ DVORÁK
Conductor Violin
Joseph Wolfe Chloë Hanslip
Wednesday 16 March
7.30pm
Conductor/piano Howard Shelley Tasmin Little Violin Cello Timothy Hugh
7.30pm
COPLAND Appalachian Spring Suite BARBER Violin Concerto ˇ DVORÁK Symphony No. 9 From the New World Conductor Violin
Joseph Swensen Thomas Bowes
Saturday 14 May
7.30pm
HAYDN Symphony No. 103 Drumroll R. STRAUSS Oboe Concerto Serenade for Strings ELGAR MOZART Symphony No. 35, K385 Haffner Conductor Oboe
MOZART Idomeneo Overture RAVEL Mother Goose Suite SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 2 FAURÉ Masques et Bergamasques BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto
For Fairfield booking information please see overleaf.
Wednesday 20 April
Gérard Korsten François Leleux
Cadogan Hall London
Monday 18 October
7.30pm
Mozart Serenade No. 8, K286 Notturno Piano Concerto No. 1 Shostakovich André Mathieu Concertino No. 2 Mozart Serenade No. 9, K320 Posthorn Conductor Piano Trumpet
Gérard Korsten Alain Lefèvre Paul Archibald
Tickets: £30, £25, £18, £10 Box Office: 020 7730 4500 or buy online at www.cadoganhall.com The box office is open for telephone bookings: Monday to Saturday from 10am to 8pm* Sunday from 3pm to 8pm (performance days only)* All telephone bookings are subject to a fee of £2.50 per transaction. *(unless other than advertised) www.lmp.org
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Booking Information
Subscription series
If you book 3 or more LMP concerts you are entitled to generous discounts:
Balcony
3-4 concerts: 10% 5-6 concerts: 15% 7-8 concerts: 20%
Upper Stalls
The booking fee of £2.25 per ticket is waived if you book a package of 4 or more concerts. Please note that there is no booking fee if paid in cash at the Box Office counter. There is also a charge of 70p applied to all transactions where postage of tickets is required.
Stalls
1-6
14 - 28
7 - 13
29 - 35
36 - 41
Front Stalls
If you would like to bring one or more children to our concerts, free tickets are available for under-18s if you purchase at least one full price ticket. This offer is subject to availability. For more details visit www.lmp.org.
Platform
Choir £29.50 £26.50
Family and Young Person Discounts
Groups and schools
£23.50
£16.00
£20.00
£10.00
Discounts are available for parties of 10 or more – please contact the Box Office for more information.
Getting to Fairfield Telephone bookings: Online bookings: In person:
020 8688 9291 www.fairfield.co.uk Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 1DG
Fairfield is situated in the centre of Croydon, close to the A23 and M25, and has an adjacent multi-storey car park. It is just minutes away from East Croydon station, Tramlink stops and various bus stops.
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Matters
Music
Photo © Benjamin Ealovega
E
ver wanted to know more about the music the LMP performs or about pieces in general? Then Music Matters would be a great place to start. Music Matters is a series of music talks at Fairfield Halls, illustrated with live and recorded music. It is an informal and friendly way to meet and chat with a wide range of speakers, including orchestral players, soloists, conductors and experts in many fields of music-making. “ We are all influenced by music in some way and these sessions have given our group enormous pleasure.”
“ Each evening at Music Matters is a joy and privilege as we learn from our musician speakers and increase our knowledge of conducting, orchestral instruments, and the pieces to be played at forthcoming concerts.” We meet on Tuesday evenings and terms run from October to December and January to March. If you would like to know more or to request an enrolment form, please contact the LMP office on 020 8686 1996 or email info@lmp.org.
Friends of the LMP
Have you considered supporting the LMP by becoming a Friend? Joining the LMP Friends is a great way to support the LMP and become a part of a very friendly group of people who share your love of music. We depend on the loyalty of our supporters to help us continue to present concerts and our award-winning programme of community and education work. In return, we offer wide-ranging benefits, including discounted tickets and free programmes for concerts in Fairfield, and opportunities to meet the musicians. For more information on the Friends of the LMP, please contact the LMP office on 020 8686 1996 or go to www.lmp.org www.lmp.org
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LMP Chairs Give the orchestra a leg up
T
he LMP is made up of 40 chairs and each one is occupied by one of our fantastic musicians. It goes without saying that the success of the LMP is down to the quality and passion of our players. For as little as £20 a month, you can sponsor an LMP chair and enjoy a special connection with the orchestra. Get to know your player as you see them perform and perhaps chat with them after concerts. Take a look at what goes on behind the scenes with exclusive access to rehearsals. See your name in our programmes alongside your chosen chair. Enjoy an annual reception for chair supporters and players.
By supporting an LMP chair – be it our Principal Flute or a member of the viola section – you will know that your donation is directly helping the orchestra, enabling us to perform concerts and carry out inspirational work in schools and in the community. You can even sponsor a chair in the office, perhaps our General Manager or Librarian. Whichever chair you choose, your donation will support a crucial part of the team and will give you a unique insight into the life of the LMP. For more information please contact Elinor Browne at the LMP office on 020 8686 1996 or email elinor@lmp.org.
London Mozart Players Suite 26, Suffolk House, College Road, Croydon CR0 1PE Tel: 020 8686 1996, Fax: 020 8686 2187 Email: info@lmp.org
www.lmp.org Registered in England No. 1870034 Registered Charity No. 290833
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Print: Cantate
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All details correct at time of going to press.
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