What Makes a Good Conductor?

By Richard Brewer

This week sees the 91^st birthday of Sir Neville Marriner. That’s ninety-one, yes you did read it right, and still as active as ever. In light of this remarkable achievement, I am writing this week about what makes a good conductor and speculating as to why so many have had such successful and long careers.

It is no myth that a good conductor can make an unbelievable difference to an orchestra. But before we delve into specific conductors, I would like to clarify just what I mean by a “good” conductor. Everyone will have differing opinions on what makes a good conductor; so much so, that the attributes a conductor has may make one person see them as a good conductor, and another as completely awful. Every opinion we have is subjective, especially on a subject such as music. It still astounds me that two people can walk into a concert hall to hear a performance and they can walk out with totally differing opinions of what they just heard. Despite sitting in the same position, hearing exactly the same performance, they still feel differently about what they just heard.

Anyway, back to what I actually aimed to write this blog about…

Our own patron, Sir Roger Norrington, celebrated his 81^st birthday a month ago; granted, he is still 10 years younger than Sir Neville, but it is still an incredible feat. I had a conversation with one of our players after a rehearsal with Sir Roger in March. I asked her how the rehearsal went and her reply was just brilliant:

“The rehearsal was fantastic. It amazes me that Roger still manages to bring something new and fresh to the orchestra whenever he conducts. I’m not even sure what he does, but he works magic and everyone around him reacts in such a special way.”

I think this is fascinating to hear; to think that an 81 year old can still bring a fresh outlook on a piece of music more than 200 years old is astonishing. He has always been an innovator, thinking outside the box with his unconventional musical views in the eyes of the western world (interestingly, he of course would say they were conventional).

With these two legends of the conducting world still going so strongly at the ages they are, it begs the question – is conducting the healthiest profession? There have been many greats who have lived well into their 80s and 90s over the past century; Leopold Stokowski (95), Arturo Toscanini (90) and Sir Adrian Boult (94) to name but a few. It has been said on numerous occasions that conductors are healthy due to the amount of physical effort involved; conducting Mahler's 8th symphony, for example, means 80 minutes of arm waving, baton flicking and body swaying.Not only do they use physical effort, a lot of mental preparation is required in the lead up to a concert; conductors spend hours searching through scores, meticulously marking in notes. It really is a full body workout that rivals some you would see in a gym...!

To finish though, I would like to focus very briefly on Leonard Bernstein, who lived until his 72^nd year (granted, not quite the 91 of Sir Neville but still a fair age). If I could go back in time to watch a concert in which he was conducting, I would without a hesitation. I find him fascinating. My favourite conducting video of his on youtube, though, is one where he actually doesn’t conduct with his hands at all…enjoy!

This is actually the last blog I will write for Southern Sinfonia, as I am off to pastures new. Thank you all for taking the time to read my musings over the past 8 months; I hope you have enjoyed at least one of them!

Have you got a favourite conductor? Or even a favourite recording by a specific conductor? Get in touch via our website, Facebook or Twitter page.

Mozart and Mr Jones – A weekend of Concerts in Contrasting Settings

Rehearsals for last week's concert 

 By Chris Billingham 

As many of you know a week ago today Southern Sinfonia performed with up and coming soprano Sarah-Jane Lewis and our Patron Sir Roger Norrington. The concert took place at St. Nicolas Church in Newbury and was without a doubt, a fantastic way to start the weekend. The orchestra played both Mozart and Beethoven beautifully and Sarah-Jane Lewis stunned the packed crowd with her fantastic voice. As stated in the Newbury Weekly News, “the applause was rapturous with many cheering and stamping”.

A weekend of live music continued with a trip to Birmingham on Saturday to see American rock band Counting Crows at the city’s 02 Academy. Whilst this evening juxtaposed Friday in a number of ways (a little louder perhaps!) it was an equally thrilling concert with every instrument complimenting each other and playing in a harmony that matches the musicianship needed in an orchestra. Whilst the genres were different, for me the performances sat together in terms of excitement and spectacle.

The one unavoidable contrast that was apparent however was the venues, one a parish church built in the 16th century and one a music venue built in the 1970’s and recently renovated to hold concerts and act as a nightclub. Arguably both of these buildings are perfect for the concerts they held but why is that? If it’s the performances that matter the most why is a concert venue so important?

American rock band Counting Crows

First and arguably foremost are logistical reasons; because of the way crowds commonly react to classical music (discussed in last weeks fantastic blog by Richard Brewer) they are less likely to disrupt a church building. At rock/pop concerts however a crowd is more likely to be on their feet and moving, actions that can be dangerous in historical buildings! 

Surroundings create a certain atmosphere and that atmosphere can often lend itself to the pieces being performed. An example of this could be seen on Friday night, the captivating images of both the crucifixion and miracles of Christ featured on the stained glass windows reflecting the dramatic themes of Beethoven’s Aria: Ah, Perfido! Whilst the themes in the piece (the despair of a woman abandoned by a Greek hero) aren’t necessarily religious, the intense images created by the music become amplified when surrounded by dramatic images. In the same vein the sing along chorus of Counting Crows hit Mr Jones matches the atmosphere created by an audience of silhouettes directed to spotlights on the stage singing lyrics such as “Smilin' in the bright lights, Comin' through in stereo, When everybody loves you, You can never be lonely”. 

This connection between music venues and their impact on the music being performed doesn’t mean that certain genres have to be tied to certain venues. It also doesn’t mean that venues can’t be both. Brixton 02 Academy and Oxford Town Hall are two locations used for rock/pop concerts that I would love to see classical music performed in. The interiors of both buildings are incredibly striking and would compliment the power of Mozart and Beethoven brilliantly. It’s fantastic to see that classical music is already being performed in a number of venues that wouldn’t be seen as traditional venues for the genre. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment have taken ‘The Night Shift’ to a number of contemporary locations including pubs such as The George Tavern and The Vauxhall Green.  The Multi-Story Orchestra have also been true to their name and performed in a number of car parks throughout the country! 

There is definitely a place for venues to both compliment the atmosphere of the pieces being performed and be unique and create a new and existing experience for concert attendees. The only think that should never happen is when a venue distracts from the music for negative reasons (whether its being trapped in the mud at Glastonbury or bad acoustics distorting certain movements!). Luckily for me, both of last weekend’s venues and performers were on amazing form, creating a fantastic few days that will be hard to beat tomorrow and Sunday! 

The interiors of Brixton 02 Academy (left) and Oxford Town Hall (right) 

Southern Sinfonia’s next event is our café concert ‘Brass Unwrapped’ on Friday November 21st. A continuation of the popular 'Secrets of the Orchestra' series, this concert focuses on the convivial yet complex brass section. To find out more including ticket details please click here. 

You can also find out more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Clap, Rustle, Cough, Sneeze....and repeat?

By Richard Brewer

Last week, conductor Marin Alsop was on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4. She was fascinating to listen to, and had some really interesting choices of music – not just classical! I urge you to listen to it online if you haven't already.

One point she made really stuck out to me, about the etiquette of audiences at classical concerts. It's a heavily discussed topic, sometimes discussed in the form of a 'tut' and a disapproving look from an audience member, or  discussed in long newspaper articles online. Where the belief that we must sit up straight, arms folded, in complete silence and not make any sort of noise at all during a concert began, I do not know. What is interesting, however, is the difference in audience etiquette between different concerts; it is extremely dependant on many aspects of a concert, for example the venue, the repertoire and also the age of audience members.

I still vividly remember my first ever live classical concert. I was 16, and it was in Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, which really is a lovely venue. The Hallé orchestra were playing, with Sir Mark Elder conducting Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no. 2 and Rachmaninov Symphony no. 2 (what a start to my classical concert career, by the way!). I went with my best friend and his dad, and came away following one of the best concerts of my life with a list of 5 unwritten rules for attending a concert...

1. Do not cough, or sneeze, or blow your nose during the performance
2. Do not whisper to anyone around you
3. Do not hum the tune, however recognisable or lovely it is
4. Sit still at all times
5. Finally, and most importantly, do NOT under ANY circumstances clap between movements

I learnt the hard way, by doing just about all of these 5 things and getting more than 5 surly looks, quiet 'tuts' and a lot of head turns during the concert. As a first timer, it was a very odd experience. To think that I had to literally sit there silent and motionless for nearly two hours was a daunting task, but I went with it and have done ever since – all because of the unwritten rules. This is the case for pretty much all classical music concerts I have been to in the past 5 or 6 years since then, except for a few very special ones...

The BBC proms. Without doubt, in my mind, one of the most special music festivals worldwide. What an amazing 2 months it is; everyone coming together to watch some of the world's best orchestras blow us away with brilliant performances of the best-loved classics, along with some genre-setting world premieres. The audience at the proms are a special breed. Some sit there asleep, some read, some lie down, some cough, some sneeze, they do it all. The most noteworthy thing they all do (and I'm being extremely general here) is clap between movements. If they hear a rousing, loud movement of a symphony, they respond in the way they see fit – they clap. And why shouldn't they?! 

The other day I was chatting to our patron, Sir Roger Norrington (who conducts an evening of Mozart and Beethoven with Southern Sinfonia next Friday) who noted that he absolutely loves the audience to respond in the way they want to after hearing a wonderful movement. It almost feels unnatural to sit there silently after hearing something as rousing as the final moments of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's fourth symphony. Marin Alsop was also a firm believer in clapping after a movement if the situation merits it, stating that in Beethoven's time they would even clap mid-movement if a phrase was good! 

I'm not in anyway suggesting we should begin to clap in the middle of a movement if there is a really special moment (so please don't do that when you come to our concert next week)! I am also not meriting an outbreak of applause at the end of the slow movement of Mahler's fifth symphony, either, because that would just be awful. I also do know how annoying it can be when people make lots of noise, and I'm not suggesting we all hum along to every tune in the piece. What I do think, though, is that we should feel more relaxed during concerts; we are there for pleasure, after all. 

So, next Friday, when you are sat there in the second half listening to the mighty Beethoven's Eighth Symphony, remember this blog. Remember that if you feel like clapping at the end of a rousing movement, by all means, go for it. On the other hand, of course, if you want to stay silent, do it!

There shouldn't be such a set of unwritten rules for behaviour at a classical concert. Live classical music should be what you make of it. You can react in the way you want to, it affects people in numerous different ways, and that is a hugely powerful asset. Let's not go too mad, though; we don't want to see our beloved performers walk off stage like Michael McIntyre did in a recent gig, after a lady consistently talked and made loud noises all the way through - I'm not sure Sir Roger would approve of that! 

Click here to find out more about next Friday's concert in St. Nicolas, Newbury. There are still tickets available and it really is an evening not to be missed! You can also find out more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

A New Team Member and a New Season

By Richard Brewer

Hello and welcome to the first blog of our exciting 25^th Anniversary season! I am the new intern here at Southern Sinfonia, and I am thrilled to be writing the first entry in the blog at the start of a very special, celebratory year.  

Firstly, let me give you a few facts I'd tell you if we were on a first date...I recently graduated this summer from the University of Sheffield with a degree in Music, and now I'm hoping to begin a career in the big wide world of arts management. I am a first study flautist, and have a big interest in Shostakovich – writing a 15,000 word thesis on his String Quartets Nos. 8 and 15 last year. Aside from the musical world, I am a keen, if somewhat average, cricketer. If any of you are cricket fans, please come over and find me at one of our concerts this season! The way English cricket is going, however, it might be a short and depressing chat. Nevertheless, I'm tall and approachable so come and introduce yourself regardless of whether you like cricket! 

With this being Southern Sinfonia's 25^th Anniversary season, our first major concert is “Classical Celebration”. Held on 31^st October in the beautiful St Nicolas Church in Newbury, the evening will contain an eclectic mix of Mozart and Beethoven. We are thrilled that our patron, Sir Roger Norrington, will be conducting some wonderful music. Fresh from his two outstanding performances at the BBC Proms this year, Sir Roger will be joined by winner of the Hampshire Singer of the Year 2013 – Sarah-Jane Lewis. It promises to be a fantastic evening of music and tickets are selling fast, so get yours soon! 

You don't have to wait until 31^st October to see some brilliant music, however. Our Cafe Concert series begins on Friday 26^th September with “one of the greatest up and coming young piano talents in the music world”, Martin James Bartlett. This year's winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year, Martin will providing a wonderful repertoire including Bach, Liszt and Prokofiev. Looking further into the Autumn (uh-oh, depressing...think sunshine), Friday 17^th October sees the Villiers Quartet, our Quartet in residence, visit the Corn Exchange. Their programme promises to give a thrilling lunch hour for the audience members, including works by Delius, Britten and Bridge, as well as a multimedia performance of Chris Roe's 'Jetez!'. 

These concerts will be my first taste of Southern Sinfonia, and I am thrilled to be given the chance to work with such a diverse and exciting orchestra. Live classical music is something that I absolutely love, and feel everyone should experience. Over the summer I attended a number of the BBC Proms (as a Prommer, of course, as I'm still pretending to be a student). I really do love the atmosphere both in the Royal Albert Hall, and outside on the steps as the queue grows along with the anticipation for the evening's concert. A particular highlight for me was the performance of Mahler Symphony No. 5. The work is one of my favourite Mahler symphonies (along with 2, 6, 8 and 9, if you're interested!). Standing in the middle of a very warm, packed-out arena, I was completely transfixed from start to end. As the final chord of the powerful, sublime fourth movement died away, I looked around and saw nearly everyone staring intently, not making a sound. Everyone in the audience that night was mesmerised by what they saw and heard, and that is why live classical music is such a wonderful thing. 

@bbcproms

With this in mind, I can't wait for my first taster of Southern Sinfonia, and what an opening concert it will be! I look forward to meeting lots of you there on October 31^st as Sir Roger brings the baton down on Mozart and Beethoven. 

You can find more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more images and information! 

Another supercalifragilisticexpialidocious year - BBC Proms launch 2014

By Julia Hudson 

As I’m sure our readership is aware by now, we are fond of the Proms here at the Southern Sinfonia offices. Once we discovered we could make it from Berkshire desk (via Paddington, and that deceptively long walk from South Kensington tube) to take our seats in time for a 7.30pm kick off, there was no stopping us. We are pleased and proud to see our beloved Patron Sir Roger Norrington will be at the helm of two Proms this summer; on 26^th July he will conduct his Zurich Chamber Orchestra in a St John Passion, with a cast of singers led by legendary James Gilchrist, and 3^rd September finds him as Honorary Conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, performing, Beethoven, Dvořák and Berlioz. As if this wasn’t enough, our wonderful Musical Director David Hill will be conducting his BBC Singers on 13^th August in a late-night Steve Reich Prom with Endymion. Intriguingly, all three concerts have been featured in the Proms’ ‘handpicked list’ of Classical for Starters; concerts to choose if you are new to classical music. 

In contrast to these varied yet comforting choices, there are of course the attention-grabbers; much to our surprise we loved the Urban Classic Prom last year, but this year Laura Mvula is joined by Paloma Faith, Rufus Wainwright and the Pet Shop Boys. The Pet Shop Boys are premiering their homage to Alan Turing, the pioneering computer scientist and World War II codebreaker prosecuted for homosexuality who received a posthumous royal pardon this year. Neil Tennant describes the work as “very different from anything else we’ve ever done”, and this 40-minute work ‘A Man From the Future’ will combine orchestra, electronic instruments, a chorus and narrator. Other notably ‘different’ Proms include a BBC Sport Prom, hosted by Gabby Logan, a CBeebies Prom, which prompted Roger Wright at the launch to describe the season (his last) as ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’, and a War Horse Prom involving Gareth Malone and his Military Wives Choir.

© John Wright

So far, so accessible, different, and novel. However, as Tom Service excellently put it in the Guardian, “it’s the genuine novelties I’m looking forward to, the 32 premieres of one stripe or another, including music by Simon Holt (27 July), Gabriel Prokofiev (29 July), Helen Grime (9 August), and Jörg Widmann (two pieces played by the Cleveland Orchestra on 7 and 8 September). Most intriguing of all is Benedict Mason’s Meld on 16 August, a piece whose mechanics are remaining as secret as possible beforehand, but which promises to confound "what we think of as an orchestra, of a concert, and even of music itself", as the brochure has it.” The season is also studded with performances marking the 80th birthdays of our greatest composers, Peter Maxwell Davies and Harrison Birtwistle, as well as many other anniversaries. As Roger Wright says, “Sir Roger (80 this year) will, like Sir Andrew Davis (70), Donald Runnicles (60) and

Edward Gardner (40), conduct two Proms and it is a thrill to welcome back Sir Neville Marriner in his 90th-birthday year, with the orchestra he founded, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, alongside its new Music Director, Joshua Bell.”

However, in my view, one of the most important developments this year has rather gone unnoticed. As one tiny part of Roger Wright’s legacy, this year all the Proms will be on iPlayer, there is a dedicated Proms button on the BBC iPlayer Radio app, six interactive BBC iWonder guides, and the addition of BBC Playlister, where music lovers can build playlists of their favourite presenters’ recommended works from the season. Already used as part of the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage, this illustrates the unique ability of the Proms, to solidify listeners’ relationship with music beyond a single night’s acquaintance. As an appropriate nod to the commemoration of Alan Turing, this demonstrates that, without shouting about it or losing its heart, the Proms is consistently remaining at the forefront of the year’s musical calendar for a contemporary generation.

So, what implications does this launch have for Southern Sinfonia? It is undeniable that interaction is key to solidify support for large-scale projects and events; we are fortunate to have platforms such as this blog and our website and social media feeds. We also enjoy working with a huge number of artistic organisations, from choral societies to universities, all with their own supporters, so we are constantly meeting new friends. Secondly, it is clear from the 2014 Proms series that diversity and variety allows the joy of the festival to spread across generations; we support this ethos through our education work and Young and Older Musician of the Year competitions.  With our own anniversary next season, and a host of projects across musical spheres and ages in the planning, we look forward to sharing our own launch with you.

Before then we have a number of other exciting concerts on the horizon, including Café Concert with harpist Olivia Jageurs and actor Alex Knox (both pictured above) on Friday 20th June; click here to find out more about this event. 

The heats for our Newbury Young Musician of the Year Competition are currently being held so keep checking our website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates!

Sir Roger Norrington talks about the “number one gig in the world”

By Chris Billingham

Tomorrow evening will see the Royal Albert Hall fill with excitement and anticipation as some of the world’s finest classical musicians perform at the Last Night of the Proms, the conclusion to 2013’s BBC Proms. Marin Alsop will direct an evening beginning with a celebratory new work by Anna Clyne, going on to include a rare performance of Britten’s 1967 overture for chorus and orchestra ‘The Building of the House’ and of course concluding with the traditional and much-loved classics, including ‘Land of Hope and Glory’.

Southern Sinfonia’s Patron, Sir Roger Norrington, conducted the Last Night of the Proms in 2008. In an exclusive interview, he describes the event as “the number one gig in the world”, stating that it is exciting that it means “so many things to so many people”.

When asked about particular memories and highlights of the 2008 event, Sir Roger said that “conducting ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ was a wonderful feeling. Between those in the Royal Albert Hall, the thousands of people in the park and everyone watching worldwide – it’s the definitely the biggest choir I’ll ever have!”

As well as leading from the podium, it will also be Marin Alsop’s responsibility to deliver the traditional ‘Last Night’ speech. When asked about his speaking duties, Sir Roger talked about how “nerve making” this particular section of the evening was. He explained: “it’s a big responsibility as you have to thank everyone for the whole of the Proms, the greatest music festival in the world”.

What is it that makes the festival so special? For Sir Roger it is largely about “the warmth of feeling coming off the audience, like an electric fire. They really are one of the best audiences in the world”. With this level of support from the crowd, Marin Alsop is sure to have a spectacular evening.

However, it has not come without its controversy, and tomorrow night will see history in the making as Alsop becomes the Last Night’s first female conductor. This been discussed in the press at great length, with musicians as varied as mezzo soprano Sarah Connolly and conductor Vasily Petrenko weighing in on the debate. However, Sir Roger says: “I think it’s great that a woman is conducting. She is a very good conductor and I will be watching with interest and enjoyment”.

And that is surely all that matters, the excitement and buzz that tomorrow’s event, and indeed the whole of the Proms, creates.

A member of our team is lucky enough to be attending tomorrow; look out for what she has to say about the evening very soon on our blog. Have you managed to get a ticket? What has been your Proms 2013 highlight? Southern Sinfonia loved the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of American Prom (Pictured Left).

Comment below to leave your thoughts or join in the discussions on our blog, Facebook and Twitter pages!

Speed Interview with Andrew Dickinson...

Andrew Dickinson, winner of the Hampshire Singing Competition, joins us on Friday 15 March for English Serenade, the first in our Concert Series for Spring 2013. We always like to get to know our soloists and were lucky enough to have caught Andrew for a quick interview. So here it is...

What has been your career highlight so far?

I've been really lucky and have had some wonderful experiences already as a soloist. The one that leaps out is probably a Messiah I did a couple of years ago in Berlin. The RSAMD (where I was studying at the time) provided the choir and soloists and we were accompanied by the UDK Orchestra. It was a spectacular venue and concert, but what really made it special was having so many good friends performing with me.

                         

How do you relax when you aren't performing?

Sleep is always a good way! I'm a huge cricket fan and during the summer months I try and fit in a few games when I can. I also run a music festival in my home town of Rainhill (Merseyside), so this tends to take up a lot of my down time! www.rainhillmusicfestival.com (excuse the plug!)

When/ where are you most happy?

I’m most happy when I’m a) on stage, b) on a cricket field, or c) having good food with friends. Not always necessarily in that order!

If you could travel back in time where would you go?

There's a YouTube video that I'm obsessed with, which is a live performance of La Forza Del Destino from Palermo in 1958, with Franco Corelli singing "O tu Che in Seno." It's some of the most wonderful singing I've ever heard, and that's on a very old recording instrument. I would probably travel back to that theatre and get the best seat in the house!

What is the most played piece of music in your Itunes/ CD collection?

This varies a lot as I now have a Spotify account, so the choice of what to listen to can be a bit overwhelming! I've been going through a Steve Reich phase recently, particularly his guitar music. I also always have time for Radiohead.

Other than English Serenade with Southern Sinfonia, what else have you got planned for 2013?

I've just finished playing Lenski in Eugene Onegin with Bury Court Opera and Southbank Sinfonia, and in April I start a fantastic project with Mahogany Opera. We are performing Britten's Church Parables at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, as well as Aldeburgh Festival, Southwark Cathedral and at Buxton Festival. They're fantastic pieces that are rarely performed in their entirety, or as a "triptych." After that I return to Glyndebourne as I'm involved in the revival of Billy Budd, before making my house debut as Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia on the Glyndebourne Tour.

Andrew Dickinson, winner of the Hampshire Singing Competition, performs Finzi's Dies Natalis with Southern Sinfonia on Friday 15 March 2013 at St. Lawrence Church, Hungerford. 

To find out more about our Concerts and Café Concerts in Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire and across the South, or our Education & Outreach programme, please visit the Southern Sinfonia website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Don't forget to subscribe and please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments for us below.