Ever wondered what a conductor actually does? Me too...
Last year I collaborated with the Open University and Future Learn in the creation of a MOOC aimed at explaining what a music score is, and how it works. This free online course aimed at music lovers who don't have much formal training is running again from 18th July.
You can view some of the videos from this course here on YouTube. Numbers 8, 9 & 10 are the most interesting!
Applications are now open for our series of external conducting courses in 2016/17. You can apply here for masterclasses in November and February. Following it's hugely successful debut last year, we are again running our course for Music Educators - 3 short courses and an additional e-learning element from October to February.
Last week we were delighted to have the eminent British composer, Colin Matthews, with us for a festival hosted by the RNCM and BBC Philharmonic. I conducted a programme with the RNCM New Ensemble which included two of Colin's virtuoso ensemble works: Contraflow & Hidden Variables
Great fun working with Manchester Camerata on a little tour of the East Midlands. Terrific project to take classical music to places it doesn't normally reach with Orchestras Live.
Two new CDs released this month: music of Adam Gorb featuring Manchester Camerata, Ensemble 10/10 and RNCM ensembles; and a recording by the virtuoso contemporary flautist Karin de Fleyt of a major new concerto by Paul Goodey.
"8 days, 30 events, 100 living North West composers. This is the largest, most intense focus on new music in Manchester, with over 50 new works performed at the RNCM, University of Manchester and venues across the city. The new music scene in the North West has never been as rich, as experimental, or as diverse. Sir Harrison Birtwistle is in residence for three days hearing 12 of his works performed. There’s electronics, opera, orchestras, chamber music, folk, pop – sometimes separate, sometimes combined. Come and discover this massive spectrum of original work, performed by musicians who live and breathe new music."
Delighted to have been a part of this, and in particular to have conducted "Panic" with the man himself.
I've been fortunate to work a few times with the utterly brilliant Toumani Diabate. One of the greatest artists alive today. Here's a couple of reviews from the Telegraph and the Glasgow Herald of our gig at the Celtic Connections Festival.
We now have a facebook page for RNCM Conducting. Like it and keep up to date with news from one of the world's top conducting programmes.
A fantastically busy Autumn is now over, with particular highlights being lots of Beethoven, Sibelius's 3rd & 5th symphonies in the run-up to his 150th anniversary in December, and a fabulous festival of Robert Saxton's music at the RNCM. It was also great to visit Stavanger for the first time and see their fast-developing conducting programme.
