Currently browsing author

Music@Southampton

RSS

Page 16

Chi Mei Ricercari – If cellos could talk

Tom Irvine (Senior Lecturer in Music) tells us about Michael Finnissy’s new piece, which had a sneak preview performance last week in preparation for the December premiere in Taiwan: I’ve been travelling to Taiwan for the department and university regularly since 2009. One of the things that has come of my visits is a partnership with the world-famous collection of fine string instruments held in Tainan (a beautiful and laid-back city in the island’s warm and sunny south). Continue reading →

Celebrating Britten

Jamie Harris (year 3) describes Music’s weird and wonderful day of folk music performance at Turner Sims in honour of Benjamin Britten: Benjamin Britten c. 1949 – photo Roland Haupt Last Saturday many of the pianists and singers from the University of Southampton collaborated on a project to perform the complete folk song arrangements by Benjamin Britten. The project was led by broadcaster and head of keyboard studies David Owen Norris. Continue reading →

Composing and conducting in Beijing

On completing his PhD at Southampton last year, composer George Holloway was awarded a grant for postdoctoral work in China.  One year in, he tells us how it has been going: Autumn, the best time of year in Beijing, is rapidly giving way to the icy chill of Winter.  I have my duck feather coat ready! Working with conductor Zhang Guoyong and Qingdao Symphony Orchestra. I’m in Beijing studying conducting at the Central Conservatory of Music. Continue reading →

Premiere of Loop Concerto for Improvising Pianist and Orchestra

Ben Oliver (Lecturer in Composition) tells us about the first performance of his new Piano Concerto: One of the highlights of my summer was conducting the Kent County Youth Orchestra and jazz pianist Ivo Neame in the September premiere of my new piano concerto, Loop Concerto. The manager of the orchestra, Geoff Dixon, approached me in 2012 to write a piece for the orchestra’s 50th Anniversary concert. Continue reading →

Cantum pulcriorem invenire

Postdoctoral researcher Gregorio Bevilacqua finished off the summer with an international conference on medieval music hosted at Southampton.  Here he looks back on the highlights: I was enjoying the first glimmers of British autumn when we welcomed delegates to Southampton for a three-day conference on the “Gothic” era in the history of Western music. Continue reading →