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Performance, Page 9

Orpheus in the round

Professor of Music Jeanice Brooks made a field trip to hear one of her favorite operas: Last week I went along with some of my Southampton Music colleagues to see Claudio Monteverdi's Orfeo. Composed in 1607, it's the earliest opera that is regularly staged today. It's a piece I completely adore, and though I teach it both in first year music history and in a specialised module on Monteverdi for second and third years, I've had only a few chances to see it in the theatre. Continue reading →

On the way to Grade 1

Catherine Underhill (year 3) gives us a mid-year update on MuSoc's new project, in which Music students are being sponsored to achieve ABRSM grade 1 in a brand-new instrument: The Grade One-a-thon is going very well so far and some big steps forward have been made! First of all, the Music Department generously lent us enough money to purchase one copy per candidate for us all to have before the Christmas period. Continue reading →

Best in the UK for Music research

Just after term ended, the results of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 were announced, and we are delighted that Southampton has been ranked as the top Music department in the UK for its research in musicology and ethnomusicology, composition and performance.  90% of our work was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent, with 68% achieving the very highest world-leading standard. Continue reading →

Cramer at Chawton

Pianist Harry Matthews (year 2) tells us about the most recent Music department concert at Chawton House Library: Last Tuesday, I went with Professor David Owen Norris, Laurence McNaughton and Manikka Marchant to provide a night of Georgian piano music at Chawton House Library. The concert was performed on an early 19th-century Stodart Patent Compensating Grand piano. Continue reading →

Performance roundup

A few more items from the last month in performance: We were really chuffed to read this wonderful blog post from London Sinfonietta violinist extraordinaire David Alberman, who joined Southampton staff and students for the world premiere of Michael Finnissy's new work, Remembrance Day. This year jazz and pop students from the department of Music and MuSoc - the student music society - are putting on a series of nights at our partner live music venue, Talking Heads. Continue reading →

Places of Remembrance

Among the activities during last month's Remembrance Day premiere weekend was a composition workshop with guests from the world-leading new music vocal ensemble, EXAUDI.  Mate Szigeti describes the pieces he and fellow postgraduate composers created: The rite of remembrance is always connected with a place. We remember at festive dinner tables, we remember in churches, as we do in public spaces designated for this purpose. Continue reading →

Last month in jazz and pop

Our head of jazz and pop performance, Thomas Seltz, reports on October events: 30 October: In the first of four events organised in partnership between MuSoc (the Student Union Music Society) and the Music Department, the new generation of entertainers took to the stage of Talking Heads and delighted the crowds with their beautiful songs and youthful energy. On 24 October, the jazz performance class had a visit from Tim Garland. Continue reading →

Venus in Galway

Natalie Davies, who finished her BA Honours Music degree last summer, had operatic dreams come true over the summer: In May 2014, I was lucky enough to be accompanied by Erin Headley and Elizabeth Kenny on the lirone and theorbo respectively, whilst singing early music duets in a concert with my duet partner, Leila Zanette, at the University of Southampton. Continue reading →

Extending theorbo players from the inside

Head of Early Music Liz Kenny has been getting out of her comfort zone, playing very new music for a very old instrument:  I use my instrument the theorbo – the largest of the lute family with an extra long neck – for many things: annoying people on crowded tube trains, confusing airlines, accompanying students, demonstrating continuo harmonies, playing with singers and baroque ensembles . . . and so on. Continue reading →

Grade One-a-thon – getting started!

Catherine Underhill (year 3) is organising a new activity through the student Music Society:  You’re probably thinking: what on earth is a Grade One-a-thon? Well, it’s what it says on the tin - a chance for anyone to get involved, learn a new instrument and ultimately reach grade one standard within a short time. Just before the summer holidays began, I was speaking to a few friends in my year group about setting this up as a Music Society project. Continue reading →

Remembering the Great War

On 16th November, we are mounting the world premiere of a new work by Michael Finnissy, concerned with themes of war and remembrance in commemoration of the onset of WWI.  Lecturer in Composition Ben Oliver will conduct:  As the conductor of new music group Workers Union Ensemble I am fortunate to conduct around five to ten world premiere performances each year. I absolutely love learning and rehearsing new repertoire; it is such a joy to explore a new score with fellow musicians. Continue reading →