Southern Sinfonia - Lighting up 2013

 By Chris Billingham 

2013 has been a very special year for Southern Sinfonia. We have taken part in many educational projects, received amazing reviews and witnessed incredible musicians performing an array of thought-provoking and challenging pieces. The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on these events and share some of the images associated with them. 

One of the first events of the year was a fascinating 
Café Concert with Sasha Calin (oboe) and Simon Lane (piano). With the support of our friends at Gardner Leader, Southern Sinfonia is able to provide unique lunchtime events in Newbury's wonderful venue, The Corn Exchange. As well as Sasha and Simon, 2013 Café Concerts also included a range of performances including a fascinating insight into violins from maker Phillip Brown and violinist Theresa Caudle, a stunning performance from Southern Sinfonia Leader Alexander Hohenthal and pianist Sally Goodworth, the educational and inspirational recorder ensemble The Flautadors, and a winter jazz performance from bassist Chris Hill, pianist Dave Newton and singer Heather Cairncross, as well as the always fascinating Dr Jill White who introduced performances from the stars of the Newbury Older Musician of the Year: 

This year our bi-annual Newbury Older Musician of the Year competion was held in June, at the stunning West Woodhay Garden Show. The competition was fierce but pianist Alan Fantom was our winner (with runner-up clarinettist Philip Shirtcliff), delivering mesmerising performances that had every judge impressed. The older musicians weren't the only ones given an opportunity to shine this year, with last year's stars of our Newbury Young Musician of the Year competition giving performances in our October concert, 'The romance of Brahms meets Britain's Britten': 

 

The concert featured powerful performances of Brahms' Fourth Symphony and Tragic Overture, as well as our young stars dazzling the audience with movements from Britten's piano and violin concertos. This concert was a personal favourite of mine, being only slightly eclipsed by June's 'Magical Mendelssohn and More!' which also took place in St Nicolas Church. The orchestra performed with Downe House Junior Choral and two local actors... Arguably, this concert is memorable for me because I was one of those actors! 

                                                                 

Downe House Junior Choral and I weren't the only performers with whom Southern Sinfonia performed this year. A number of other concerts with talented individuals and societies also took place, including, amongst others, the City of Bath Bach Choir, Exeter Festival Chorus, the Old Royal Naval College Chapel Choir, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Henley Choral Society, Southern Voices, Romsey Choral Society, Windsor & Eton Choral Society and Newbury Choral Society.

With renowned conductors including David Hill, Howard Goodall and Ralph Allwood, the concerts took place in a number of spectacular venues including St. Nicolas Church, The Lighthouse, Poole, Southwell Minster, Winchester Cathedral, Wells Cathedral and the School Hall at Eton College. We performed to large audiences and received wonderful feedback:

Education is always at the heart of Southern Sinfonia's work.. Amongst many events in 2013, our touring education project 'On Dover Tracks' saw Luke Daniels (melodeon) and John Dipper (fiddle) joined by musicians from around the country. Together they created 12 contemporary folk songs with composer Anna Rice. These songs celebrated the historical and cultural history of the many drove roads in Wiltshire and West Berkshire. As well as this, Helen Fitzgerald (cello), Richard Smith (violin) Bruce Wilson (viola) and Katie Neaves (violin) also entertained and inspired the many children who watched their recital as part of the Portsmouth Music Hub. 

In the wider musical world, 2013 has celebrated a number of anniversaries of many great composers. These include Wagner, Verdi and Britten, the last of whom we remembered in our October concert (above).
We at Southern Sinfonia attended some wonderful concerts too, including The Proms 2013, the Sao Paolo Symphony Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall, the Music for Youth Schools Prom and much more. 

Next year looks set to be just as busy; events include our Newbury Young Musician of the Year competition and a Café Concert season to look forward to. It includes Winds Exposed, an insight into the work of our wind principals, and a thrilling recital from one of the country's most exciting young pianists, James Sherlock. Southern Sinfonia will also join Bath Choral Society in the beautiful setting of Bath Abbey for a performance of Mozart's Mass in C minor and Pangbourne Choral Society for Mendelssohn's Elijah. 

Thank you to everyone who has, over the course of this year, performed at a concert, took part in an educational programme, read this blog or attended one of our many concerts. We can't wait to see what 2014 brings. Before that, however, we want to wish you a...

Happy New Year from Southern Sinfonia! 

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

By Julia Hudson 

With Christmas around the corner, we’ve been travelling all over the South of England with performances of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Handel’s Judas Maccabeus and much more. We’ve been carol singing, shopping and consuming a healthy amount of mulled wine (although this year I highly recommend mulled cider as an alternative…). Caught up in the whirl of present-buying, tree decorating and social gatherings, and with every politician’s Christmas card portraying themselves, rather than remembering why they’re sending them in the first place, music fortunately gives us a moment to sit and reflect on what Christmas is all about, whatever your religious leanings or otherwise.

 

I have been particularly busy this year carol singing at various venues around London and Berkshire, and have been amazed by the welcome and response we have received. When else would you see five men propping up a bar, joining in with “O TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY” at the tops of their voices? The traditional format of Nine Lessons and Carols, seen everywhere from parish churches to cathedrals, to me embodies the spirit of Christmas. To this end, I’ve been conducting a wonderfully enthusiastic and well-meaning church choir in Wiltshire, my family’s home, whose sole annual performance is at the carol service. After a surprisingly encouraging rendition of Rutter’s ‘What Sweeter Music’ last weekend, I discovered that a few key members have been holding additional rehearsals up to four times a week – if that isn’t the Christmas spirit, I don’t know what is.

Attending a particularly lovely Southern Sinfonia performance last week of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, with the Windsor and Eton Choral Society in Eton’s beautiful school hall, I felt this again. Not as conventional or as well-known as Handel’s Messiah or the classic Christmas carols, the audience still felt drawn together and unified by the story; with no need for a programme, “there were shepherds in the fields” immediately signposts you (like a star, perhaps), familiarising yourself with the story while allowing you to explore the new music.

Finally, since this wouldn’t be a blog post without giving you a comprehensive account of my free time, my choir spent a day recently at a school which was running a carol composition competition. We sang through all the entries (much fantastically joyous sightreading…) voted for our winners and performed them in a concert at the end of the day. With an age range of 10-18, the standard was wonderfully high – I certainly wasn’t composing for four-part double choir in Latin, aged 10, though you may have been – and there was a huge variety of styles. A few of the younger children focussed on more obvious aspects of the Christmas tradition “Best of all, are the presents underneath [the tree]”, but what struck me even amongst these young musicians was the overriding sense of thoughtfulness and spirituality which pervaded the majority of the pieces. In styles reminiscent of Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre and Bob Chilcott, the tuneful shapes woven by the students created dreamy and pensive musical pictures.

So, as I depart for a few days of Christmassy cheer, let me leave you with some advice for a thoughtful musical moment in your festive celebrations:

• Try and spare time to watch Carols from King’s. Christmas Eve, 6.15pm. An hour and a bit of stunning Christmas music, which I was lucky enough to attend one year. Perfection.

• Seek out the following carols: Howells ‘A Spotless Rose’, Cornelius ‘The Three Kings’, Tavener ‘God is With Us’, Tchaikovsky ‘Crown of Thorns’. My highly subjective shortlist of gorgeous choral music.

• Purchase those lovely crackers which have a whistle as the gift. Find seven friends and a handy conductor. Good luck!

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Seasonal Selections from Southern Sinfonia

By Julia Hudson 

We’re getting into the festive spirit here in the office, and we wanted to share our Christmassy music choices with you – be prepared for some surprises! 

Julia Hudson, Assistant General Manager 

As a singer, I have to try and narrow down beautiful choral pieces I’m lucky enough to sing every year. 

Cornelius ‘The Three Kings’ - Christmas is the time I secretly really wish I was a baritone, and this is one of the reasons why. A stunning solo line tells the journey of the Magi, above the chorale Von Himmel hoch ('How brightly shines the morning star'). It was originally composed as a solo song, and the version with which we are now familiar was made by Elgar's friend and collaborator, the organist Ivor Atkins. 

I would also choose D. Lavinio Virgili ‘Ninna Nanna Gesu Bambino’ - A little-known but beautiful carol with another gorgeous baritone solo, this Italian piece is a lullaby, rocking Jesus to sleep. 

Drew Steanson, Joint winner, Newbury Young Musician of the Year 2012 

I would choose Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, because Bach is just amazing and that piece is fantastic! You can catch Southern Sinfonia performing it for the second time this week with the Bath Minerva Choir in St Swithin’s Church, Bath. 

Kay Lawrence, Managing Director 

Kay has chosen a traditional yet beautiful carol – ‘Es ist ein Ros entsprungen’ (1599, Anonymous). An often-used Christmas text, it tells of the ‘spotless rose’, which represents Mary, or Jesus. ‘Its fairest bud unfolds to light/Amid the cold, cold winter/And in the dark midnight’. Its simple beauty means that it is a tune used in everything from Brahms chorale preludes to the film ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’ (2009).  

Appropriately for this year given the composer’s sad death last month, Kay has also chosen a modern carol, Tavener’s ‘The Lamb’. Written for four part unaccompanied choir, the piece is a setting of the poem of the same name by William Blake. Bitonal in places and with an interesting interplay between the parts, this is indicative of Tavener’s work, described by John Rutter as capable of bringing “an audience to a deep silence." 

Chris Billingham, Social Media 

Using the same text, ‘Es ist ein Ros entsprungen’, ‘A Spotless Rose’ (Herbert Howells) is a piece that has always reminded me of Christmas, especially the beautiful spiritual side. For unaccompanied choir, the gentle rocking rhythms evoke a sense of tranquillity. 

James Chater, Intern 

I have chosen Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G Minor Op. 6 No. 8, particularly the third and sixth movements, which are extremely peaceful. I played it at a Christmas concert at school and it was the only one during which it snowed; very atmospheric! 

The third movement begins at 4’45 in this recording. To me, this piece sounds like how Christmas probably was in the 17th Century - a lot more simple and a great deal less commercialised. It speaks to me of the real spirit of Christmas. Also, Holst’s ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’. again the simplicity thing; Holst's setting, "Cranham", is a hymn tune setting of the poem by Christina Rosetti. The hymn is titled after Cranham, Gloucestershire and was written for the English Hymnal of 1906. 

Natasha Wilson, Projects Manager and Southern Sinfonia oboe and cor anglais player 

[To demonstrate our team working closely in harmony…] 

I guess one of my favourites [also!] is the Corelli Concerto Grosso in G Minor Op. 6 No. 8 or the "Christmas Concerto". This evokes many childhood Christmas memories. I was always envious of school friends who got to play this at our school carol services in Salisbury Cathedral as it is a string piece, therefore no oboes! My favourite movements include the third movement, Adagio-Allegro-Adagio and the sixth movement, Pastorale ad lib; Largo. 

Emmanuel Bach, Joint winner, Newbury Young Musician of the Year 2012 

There are two pieces, popular especially at Christmas, that I particularly enjoy. One is a choral work by the American composer Morten Lauridsen, called 'O Magnum Mysterium'. It is an exceptionally beautiful and moving piece of music. 

The other is Corelli's 'Christmas' Concerto… 

[OK, this is getting silly now!] 

…I Iove the tranquil thoughtfulness of the Adagio, and the elegant dance and lightness of the Pastorale, juxtaposed with the sheer vitality of the fast sections, with their solo-tutti dialogues. It's wonderful music, and also a piece that I've enjoyed playing. 

[And just as I was contemplating a rethink of this entire blog post, our esteemed Leader lightens the tone…] 

Alexander Hohenthal, Leader, Southern Sinfonia 

It’s hard to pick just one! I could say all the carols we sing with our children from 1st December when the family is in a jolly Advent mood. For the quieter, maybe slightly melancholic moments I gravitate towards "God rest ye merry gentlemen"...by Mr. Bean

(Performance begins at 0.40)

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"Something to say and a story to tell" - our Young Musicians share their experiences

By Chris Billingham 

One of the reasons I am so proud to be connected to Southern Sinfonia is our commitment to nurturing young musicians and helping them develop their musicality. This is achieved through numerous education projects and the Newbury Young Musician of the Year competition, which is now open once more and accepting applications for the 2014 competition. The competition is for musicians aged 15-19 living or studying within 30 miles of Newbury Town Hall. First prize is a substantial cheque and the chance to play with Southern Sinfonia; the winners of the most recent competition, Drew Steanson and Emmanuel Bach, recently experienced this thrill when they performed in our October concert ‘The romance of Brahms meets Britain’s Britten’. 

Drew and Emmanuel mesmerised the audience with the first movement of Britten’s Piano Concerto and second movement of his Violin Concerto respectively. As many readers will know, these pieces are not particularly easy to perform, the constant tempo changes and pace requiring concentration and synchronicity with the orchestra. 

So why would any young musician take this on? Perhaps it’s because, as Drew explains, the opportunity to perform with an orchestra allows you new experiences and ultimately to learn new skills; “When the orchestra is there, you have to follow them as much as they are following you and that’s always difficult and challenging.” 

Opportunities to put these skills into practice are not as available to young musicians as they should be, especially with the suggested reduction of music lessons in schools. As Emmanuel explains, “music is so essential to one’s development because it encompasses a lot of skills that one might not have the chance to develop, and it’s something that can help develop so much. It’s about playing together, it’s about interactivity”. His thoughts are echoed by Drew: “certainly, everyone should be given an opportunity in an ideal world to play a classical instrument and engage with arts, there’s a focus on academia and getting the best grades, but that leaves out the enjoyment of classical music.” 

It is this enjoyment of classical music that has led to Southern Sinfonia ensuring that a concert performance is part of the prize for Newbury Young Musician of the Year. Competitions are a fantastic way to showcase skills and progress your career but they cannot compare to a concert. Drew feels that when auditioning or taking part in competitions, a performer is “playing for someone who is checking you’re getting it right, whereas to have the opportunity to play in a concert with Southern Sinfonia is really valuable. Music is for people; in competitions one is often put up, you’re compared to fellow musicians and students, whereas in a concert the audience is there just to hear how you play and hear your enjoyment of the playing, not what you can do, not what you can’t do.” In addition, as Emmanuel explains, his “highlight of the evening would actually be bringing those pieces to an audience who might not have heard them before and might not hear them that often again”. 

To make a connection with an audience, the performer has to give a performance of which to be proud. Emmanuel would advise young musicians to “learn the concerto as well as possible but, more than that, learn all the music, don’t just learn your part in exclusion. Really feel that your part is in a dialogue with what the orchestra are doing; not separate, it’s all connected and that’s very different to working on a solo piece. Really get a feel for that dialogue, be yourself and find out what you want to say based on what the composer has written. It’s about understanding the music, understanding the meaning and knowing how you can best bring that meaning to life to the audience through the performance. Ultimately it’s about having something to say and a story to tell”. 


Southern Sinfonia can’t wait to find out what stories this year’s entrants want to tell; it is so rewarding for us to see such passion in young performers. It’s also great to know that Drew and Emmanuel took so much from their recent performances with the orchestra, with Drew stating; “I don’t think many students around the world get an opportunity to play with an orchestra as fine as that” and Emmanuel suggesting that “it would be a great pleasure to work with the orchestra again” as they made him feel that he “was one of them and part of what they do”. 

You can see Drew perform on Saturday, 7th December in St Nicolas Church, Newbury as part of the MacMillan Charity Concert. Emmanuel will be giving a lunchtime recital at Queen Anne's School, in Caversham, Reading on Friday 7th March at 1pm. He will also be performing a recital in St Michael's Church on the Northgate, in Oxford (Monday 10th March, 1pm) and performing Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Surrey Mozart Players, at the Electric Theatre, Guildford on Saturday 29th March, 7.30pm. 

To find out more about this year's Newbury Young Musician of the Year, click here. 

For more details about our work please visit our website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages! 

To donate to the Southern Sinfonia Typhoon Haiyan appeal and help save lives, please click here.