I am so pleased to be back with Oxford Sinfonia for its concert in St Mary the Virgin, Oxford on Saturday 28 June at 7.30pm. It’s a really exciting programme for a summer evening opening with Smetana’s brilliant overture to The Bartered Bride followed by Dvorak’s Cello Concerto. We are delighted to welcome cellist Gerard
The Munster Trust ended its 2025 year of applications and auditions with a tribute to Charles Alexander, who has retired as Chair of the Trust after 10 years of exceptional service. Trustees, former trustees, Executive Director Julia Desbruslais and Operations Assistant Hannah McDonald gathered on 2 June in Covent Garden for a celebratory meal to
After a week of excellent performances at the Bromsgrove International Musicians Competition, congratulations to Madeleine Brown (piano) on her success in winning the competition and to Iohan Coman (violin) and Jamie Cochrane (piano) for their success in reaching the final. Madeleine Brown studied the piano with Helen Krizos at Chetham’s School of Music before reading
It is great to be back in Bromsgrove for the 2025 International Musicians Competition. As in past years, we have a strong entry selected from the first video round with more than 20 fine performers playing for a place in the semifinal from 10.00am on Friday 30 May in Routh Concert Hall at Bromsgrove School.
I am looking forward to my next concert with the Radcliffe Orchestra on Saturday 15th March at 7.30pm in the Tingewick Hall at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The progamme is a really exiting one with Glinka’s Overture Ruslan and Ludmila and Resphigi’s gorgeous The Fountains of Rome for the full orchestra. We have
On Saturday, 8 February, I had a wonderful evening as Adjudicator of the Woking Young Musician Competition, an event that has been held annually since 1979 as part of the Woking Music Festival, founded nearly 100 years ago. Eight finalists were selected from a large entry that performed at the Festival in the autumn and
Sam Rosenthal, viola It’s been a remarkable week! The 14th Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition has been taking place at The Glasshouse in Newcastle and I have had the pleasure of chairing the jury in a festival of events which has also involved the Cecial Aronowitz Viola Competition for players aged 18 and under, concerts
I recently found myself reflecting on a constant theme in my life – that of teaching the oboe and especially within the conservatoire sector. It is remarkable to think that I was appointed to teach the Oboe at the Royal Academy of Music in April 1984 and thus can look back on 40 years in
On 31 August, Robin Ireland put on a wonderful concert in St Andrew’s Church in Sheffield to celebrate his 70th birthday. Involving many friends and colleagues from his days in the Lindsay Quartet, from his work at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and his long career as a chamber musician, the concert included a great mix works
This year’s York Wind Chamber Music course at the University of York from 4 – 10 August proved to be another most enjoyable week. Under the guidance of Course Directors, Richard Ingham and Suzie Palmer, another remarkable group of musicians gathered to take on the sheer pace of events – a minimum of three sessions