Earlier this year, we opened applications to our Emerging Artists Scheme, working with emerging and early career artists from a range of genres and backgrounds. We’re delighted to announce the artists who will be taking part in 2024/25, and you can read more about them and their plans for the coming year below.
This scheme is generously supported by by the Jeremy Howarth Foundation.
THE PORTRAIT PLAYERS
We are called The Portrait Players because we curate programmes which present portraits of both historical and fictional characters, offering the audience an alternative listening perspective to music played on period instruments.
We are really excited about the opportunity to perform at Stoller Hall and grow our audience. As we enter our second year as an ensemble we will hugely benefit from the experience and guidance of the staff for our upcoming projects, including a song cycle commission!
THE LYONS MOUTH
As for our name, we all trained in ensemble singing at the University of York, and the name is a hark back to the Jack Lyons Concert Hall in the music department there, where we did many of our first momentous performances.
“We are so excited to be a part of the Stoller Hall Emerging Artists Scheme this year. To be given a platform at such a prestigious venue, and the license and support to freely create, is such an invaluable opportunity for any ensemble or artist at their outset. We hope to use this as a chance to experiment with our medium of solo voices, and find new ways to connect with a new audience.”
THE AKIKO QUARTET
We found that other Saxophone Quartets have links with Greek mythology, but we felt it was fitting to find our own identity and character in the music that we play and that’s how we came across Akiko. The name Akiko comes from the Japanese word for Light or bright child (when given as a name for someone). When we first suggested it, among others, this was the name that stuck. We all love to create, perform and find joy in music and believe that music brings light into our lives especially when there are many issues that the world is facing at the moment, so Akiko seems very apt.
The Stoller Hall Emerging Artists scheme will open doors to new opportunities Akiko wouldn’t have been able to think of doing without the help provided such as commissioning and recording new Saxophone repertoire. We want to show off how versatile and amazing this instrument is and with the Saxophone being relatively modern, we would love to continue the legacy of this wonderful instrument in chamber music and add to the rather limited repertoire already available. With professional as well as financial help, we believe this scheme can help us do this and build a great platform to continue to go forward in the future.
VULVA VOCE
Our name, Vulva Voce, symbolises the empowerment of women’s voices from across history. It’s celebrates that we play music created by women and underrepresented composers, including our own original material and specially commissioned works.
Vulva Voce are so honoured to have been chosen as participants in the Emerging Artists Scheme for 2024-25. As early career artists, we know how valuable it is to learn as much as possible about the business side of the arts, as well as developing ourselves as players. The mentoring and connections we hope to gain from the scheme will help us to keep building on our knowledge and ultimately to bring music by women to as many diverse audiences as possible.
RYLAN GLEAVE
It’s lovely to be returning to Manchester as a Chetham’s alumni, and I’m thrilled to be coming back with a set of varied and eclectic musical experiences that inform the art I now make. I’ve worked hard to find my voice, and I’m hoping that the Stoller Hall’s Emerging Artist Scheme will help me find my feet as a solo performer blending genre and disciplines.
PERFORMANCES IN OUR 2024/25 SEASON
Keep an eye out for these artists performing in concerts across our 24/25 season!
On Tuesday 30 April, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) returns to the Stoller Hall on Tuesday 30 April for a very special concert featuring brand new and reimagined jazz works. We caught up with the NYJO team to find out a bit more about the event and the music.
Can you tell us a little more about NYJO? How did it start and what kind of projects does the orchestra focus on?
The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) is a registered charity, whose mission is to nurture and develop young jazz musicians, and inspire audiences across the UK, through engaging participation projects and impactful live performances.
Founded in 1965, NYJO has grown from a single jazz orchestra to a multifaceted organisation that is committed to supporting musicians of all styles and standards – whether they want to become the next emerging artist or simply play for fun.
We work in close collaboration with renowned artists and likeminded partners to deliver projects that respond to local community needs and create an inclusive learning environment which centres the voices of young people.
Members of NYJO in performance
How many players will be involved in the concert on 30 April?
For this programme, Nikki Yeoh & NYJO Present: Speechmik X-Ploration, celebrated composer and pianist, Nikki Yeoh is joined on stage by a 19-piece ensemble of NYJO musicians. The expanded line-up for this performance, including strings and woodwind, shows Yeoh and NYJO re-examining the textural and stylistic boundaries of large ensemble jazz in contemporary UK society.
Adding to Yeoh’s awe-inspiring compositions, the show features moving visuals, specially designed by Bret Syfert, which accompany and build on the music being played on stage – creating a transfixing atmosphere that must be experienced live.
How did Nikki Yeoh first get involved?
Nikki Yeoh’s seminal multimedia work promotes a message of unity and plurality, which remains poignant today. Over a quarter of a century after it was first commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and Bath Festival in 1997. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, NYJO asked Yeoh to rearrange the piece and invited her to tour it around the country with our young musicians – bringing new life into the work.
Inspired by the music of Hermeto Pascoal and his experiments with speech, Yeoh uses an original poem as the central motif. Through the piece the poem is repeated 6 times, in 6 different languages, each masterfully accompanied by Yeoh on piano. The cadence, melodies and rhythms of each interpretation compose a rich tapestry of language and sound on which the ensemble builds, to create an ever-expanding sonic narrative.
NYJO will also be performing a brand-new work as part of the concert. Can you tell us a little more about that?
Complementing this re-interpretation of ‘Speechmik’ is a brand-new companion piece, ‘Nucleus’, especially commissioned by NYJO and dedicated to legendary UK trumpet player and educator, Ian Carr, who was a major influence in Yeoh’s musical upbringing, as well as a driving force in progressive UK jazz, fronting the jazz-rock band of the same name.
The second half of the show features 5 new arrangements of Carr’s music by 5 NYJO musicians (Rianna Henriques, Andrew Chen, Asha Parkinson, Flori Maunders, and Tom Hardy), who have each picked their favourite of the late trumpeter’s songs to be played by the NYJO ensemble.
What you do hope audiences will take away from the concert?
We hope audiences enjoy this special show, which brings together the best of the past, present, and future of UK Jazz (in the form of the late Ian Carr, Nikki Yeoh, and 19 young emerging professional musicians). Besides the exceptional sonic experience, Bret Syfert’s audiovisual journey throughout the performance makes for a truly unforgettable experience.
A month on from Manchester Harp Festival, we’re taking a quick look back over some of the fantastic events and recitals that took place during the two days.
From the Manchester Harp Competition to a range of live concerts, demonstrations and even a harp being built live on stage – this was a weekend to remember!
Harp-e being demonstrated on stage
Awards for the Manchester Harp Festival being given out
Chetham’s Music Director Tom Redmond congratulates all of the competitors
The atrium featured both Harp-E and Salvi’s Harps to see and try out
Testing out the levers on a Salvi Harp
A busy day in our atrium as the festival gets underway
These harps were decorated by students at nearby Withington Girls School
A quick conferring moment for the competition judges, who judged the final of both the Open and Advanced classes throughout the morning and early afternoon.
A full ensemble of harps performing in our Friday night Opening recital
The logistics of harp moving – we’re grateful to the Chetham’s, Stoller and Salvi teams who all made sure that harps were in the right places at the right times.
As Manchester Song Festival gets closer, you can find all about the great events on offer here – but don’t just take our word for it. Both regional and national news outlets have been delving into some of the events on offer, and we’ve listed just a couple below to get you in the mood for a full weekend celebrating all things vocal.
“live performance from three incredible artists as well as a chance for local singers to participate and learn from vocal professionals.”
Theatre Weekly’s article covers the full spread of events on offer, including details of the performances by Saturday and Sunday night headliners Mark Padmore and Hera Hyesang Park.
Come with open minds – and to hear stuff that you’ve never heard before and you’re never going to hear again!”
Earlier this month, Mag North interviewed Manchester Song Festival headliner Cleveland Watkiss (performing on Friday 1 March) about how he got started with VocalSuite, his improvised acapella mix of voice and technology, as well as what else he gets up to in the music world.
“I’ve always been interested in using my voice in different ways, it has such as vast scope and ability to attach itself to different aspects of music and sound”
Go even deeper into how VocalSuite was created in this interview with Cleveland Watkiss from Quays Life.
We’re delighted to be able to announce just some of the experts joining us for Manchester Song Festival’s day of workshops and events here at The Stoller Hall on Saturday 2 March, running from 10am right into the evening. We’ll be updating this page as more workshops are announced.
Find out more about the Manchester Song Festival, including headline performances, here.
CARRIE SIMONE BIRMINGHAM
Carrie is a hearing-impaired alt-rock singer-song writer, vocal teacher, voice and hearing sciences researcher, and BAPAM approved vocal rehabilitation coach. She runs a private singing school, Pro Vox based in Liverpool over-seeing a team of 4 singing teachers. She also recently joined the team at the Arden School of Theatre Manchester as a Singing Lecturer, since recently being part of the Leeds Conservatoire Popular Vocals teaching team for five years.
Alongside teaching and assessing Carrie is part of the multi-disciplinary voice clinic team at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospital Trust ENT department assisting professional voice users undergoing speech-language therapy and singing rehabilitation.
Since completing her MA in Vocal Pedagogy with Voice Study Centre she is now a 4th year part time PhD student at the School of Music, University of Leeds.
As a performer she has fronted acoustic and rock band line-ups performing across the UK at diverse function events and receiving airplay on radio and underground festivals with original music written with her unsigned grunge-rock band between 2015-2020.
Carrie will be leading our Vocal Health workshop at 11.30am.
JONATHAN AINSCOUGH
Jonathan Ainscough trained at Manchester University and the Royal Northern College of Music, and now works as a director, writer and performer across the UK and beyond, encompassing theatre in all its forms, from opera to plays. Recent projects have included: writing and directing a new play about Benjamin Britten for the Royal Opera House; performing in the Olivier-Award-winning Showstopper! The Improvised Musical in the West End and on tour; and conducting acclaimed homelessness charity Streetwise Opera’s ‘Re:Sound’ programme of original operas at The Bridgewater Hall and the Royal Festival Hall.
Jonathan will be leading our ‘Acting Through Song’ workshop at 2pm, ‘Introduction to Musical Theatre’ workshop at 3.30pm and ‘Introduction to Opera’ workshop at 6pm.
BETHANY MORAN
Bethany Moran is a Soprano, holistic vocal guide and yoga instructor. An alumni of Chethams School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music. She began yoga to support her mental and physical wellbeing to support a career as an operatic soprano. She now combines the two worlds and uses her yoga practice to approach the voice through an embodied holistic lens.
Bethany will be leading our Yoga session at 10am.
Liam Frost
Liam Frost is a solo artist from Prestwich in North Manchester who writes and performs folk pop. Frost began his musical career at the age of 15, performing at the Akoustik Anarkhy nights at The Star and Garter. He began by experimenting with punk bands before moving towards a folk direction and going solo in 2003 at the age of 20.
Frost has often been referred to as a troubadour and was described as “the UK’s answer to Bright Eyes” by Elbow’s Guy Garvey. He has also performed several times at The Stoller Hall, as a special guest with Badly Drawn Boy in 2023 and Thea Gilmore in 2024.
Liam will be leading our Songwriting Workshop 10am – 4pm.
MARGARET MCDONALD
International mezzo-soprano Margaret McDonald invites you all to discover her fascinating world of synaesthesia, where music meets visuals in an extraordinary blend.
For the first time ever, Maggie will give a public recital using new technology, to demonstrate her neuro- divergency of reading music, words, and numbers in colour, and seeing and feeling sounds in shapes and textures.
She will share her experiences and insights on how music and synaesthesia interact, and how it has enhanced her life. With the aid of computer programmes you will be able to see what she “sees” as she sings a selection of pieces accompanied by David Jones at the piano.
Music Psychologist, Jane Ginsborg will discuss the science behind the condition, and Adrian Horn will be developing and controlling the multimedia aspect of this intriguing performance.
‘A Synaesthete Sings’ takes place 5pm – 6.30pm
AWEN BLANDFORD
Awen, a Welsh musician immersed in the vibrant arts culture of Wales, grew up surrounded by traditional music, dance, and song intertwined with the Welsh language. A classically trained cellist, she honed her skills at the RNCM and has collaborated with a diverse array of artists and bands, spanning alternative rock to folk genres. Awen’s passion lies in playing traditional music from the British Isles and beyond, a commitment she extends to her teaching and Music Therapy endeavours, where she shares these influences with others.
Awen will be leading Introduction to Folk at 5pm, as well as leading our Terra Musica family performances on Sunday 3 March.
NIKKI ALLAN
Nicki holds a first class degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music from Leeds College of Music and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Huddersfield University and was awarded the coveted title of Vocalist of the Year in 2010 for her contribution to Jazz in the Yorkshire and Humber regions.
She has an impressive career portfolio that combines teaching with Session work and Performing and has worked all over the world as a Professional Vocalist and Jazz pianist. Credits include Glastonbury, Ronnie Scotts, the Leeds 02 Academy, Many Jazz Festivals, Gigs, Radio broadcasts and Television work. Session work includes commissions for major label Sony, Cunard various indie labels as well as numerous commercial projects. Nicki has worked for many years as a Singing teacher, Vocal coach, External examiner and choir director teaching at Leeds College of Music, Hull University and is currently Vocal tutor and Creative Multi-specialist at The Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. She has successfully co-ordinated and ran workshops, Summer schools and Choirs over the years, including the Leeds College of Music Gospel Choir, Jazz leeds Choir and Organist and Choir director of St. Benedicts Parish, Leeds.
Nikki will be leading Introduction to Jazz at 2pm.
LINE HILTON
Many singers and performers experience vocal, mental and physical health issues at some point in their careers. Drawing on a diverse pool of training, experiences and skills that includes nursing, performance, singing and education Line Hilton, loves nothing more than to help performers improve their vocal and physical health and wellbeing and overcome mindset blocks so they can go out and perform and create to their heart’s content. She takes a functional approach to vocal training, hypnotherapy to free the mind, and health and wellbeing coaching to build an individual’s resilience.
The Performing Arts industry needs to raise it’s standards for vocal, mental and physical health and wellbeing. Line’s mission is to help raise this awareness and to educate performers and the industry of easy and effective ways to do this.
In her private practice Line works with signed and developing artists and professional voice users. Line also trains singers to become singing teachers at BAST Training, is a BAPAM Educational Trainer, on the multi- disciplinary team of Voice Care Centre, an advisor for Vocology in Practice and regular industry and HE guest speaker and lecturer on the topics of performing arts medicine, mindset and voice care.
Line will be leading our Vocal Anxiety and performance workshop at 4pm.
THE RNCM SONGSTERS
The RNCM Songsters are a specially selected group of students at the RNCM; singers and pianists who are passionate and excel in the performance of art song.
They perform in bespoke and innovative recital programmes of song at events within the college, and externally at various other musical organisations and venues. They have performed for many music societies across the United Kingdom, as well as a number of leading festivals of song, including Leeds Lieder and Manchester Song Festival.
In 2019 they collaborated with pianist David Owen Norris on a recording project of the art songs of Arthur Sullivan. As part of their training, they get to work with visiting tutors specialising in art song repertoire, including Julius Drake, Roderick WIlliams, Richard Stokes, Alice Coote, and David Owen Norris. The Artistic Director of RNCM Songsters is Jonathan Fisher.
The RNCM Songsters appears by kind permission of the RNCM.
The RNCM Songsters will be closing out the day of events with a performance at 6pm.
“Not only is Tom a fabulous fiddler and great singer, he defies gravity by performing them at the same time, whilst exuding oodles of winsome charm” – Steve Tilston
“One of the greatest violinists I’ve ever heard and by far the biggest influence in my music. A true master” – Seth Lakeman
On Friday 2 February, veteran UK folk fiddle-player and singer Tom McConville joins forces with pianist/accordianist/multi-instrumental Michael Biggins (who previously appeared here in September 2023 with The Canny Band) for a night of spell-binding tunes, great music and humour in the Carole Nash Hall.
We caught up with Tom about what he’s most looking forward to and what audiences can expect from their performance.
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself, and how you got started playing with Michael Biggins?
I started playing Fiddle dance tunes interspersed with classical violin when I was six years old at my fathers pub in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This gave me the greatest gift for any performance which is immediate contact with people.
I first heard Michael about five years ago and apart from his virtuoso musicianship, I realised that he would be the perfect accompanist for my violin and singing tunes. It has been said that Michael and I sound more than two during a performance!
You’re planning to play music from a wide range of styles and genres – how do you go about picking the music for a concert like this?
After playing for many years we have a huge repertoire of material and choosing numbers is very easy. These range from fast dance tunes to traditional and contemporary songs and most importantly involving our audience.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the show?
We always want people to enjoy the sense of fun and participate in the concert whether they are singing, toe-tapping or laughing out loud!
Find out more about Tom and Michael’s concert and book your tickets here.
The Manchester Harp Festival (Friday 19 – Saturday 20 January) is just around the corner and we’re delighted to announce our finalists for the both the open and advanced competitions.
We had many performances submitted for our first round and our judges enjoyed each and every one of them. Thank you so much to everyone who entered and shared your love of music and of the harp with us.
Our finalists and the times you can catch them performing are:
Open Competition
Molly Hartley 9:00-9:10
Natasha Burns 9:20-9:30
Gloria Suen 9:40- 9:50:
Jane Sun 10:00-10:10
Melicia Huang 10:20-10:30
Advanced competition
11:00-11:20: Heather Brooks
11:30-11:50: Ruth Lee
12:00- 12:20: Lucia Foti
12:30-12:50: Defne Anar
1:00- 1:20: Katie Lo Sin Yan
Anyone with a Full Festival ticket or a Saturday day ticket can enjoy these performances, which will take place in The Stoller Hall auditorium. We’ll also have a range of other workshops, performances, harp displays and more taking place throughout the day
We are excited to be launching the second edition of our Emerging Artists Scheme – a project working with emerging and early career artists from a range of genres and backgrounds including jazz, classical and folk.
From January 2024 to September 2025, The Stoller Hall will offer development opportunities for up to six early-career musicians (individuals or groups). This includes a live performance as part of our Rush Hour concerts series, and advice sessions with a range of arts industry professionals.
We are inviting applications to the scheme from musicians who want to perform live and build their audiences, and to develop marketing, fundraising and management skills to support their own work.
Please read through the application details in the document below to find out more about the scheme and about how to submit an expression of interest, before filling out the application form.
“As a recent graduate, the Stoller Hall Emerging Artist scheme has been an excellent support and provided me with brilliant performance opportunities and industry contacts. I would highly recommend it to any musician or ensemble.” – Emerging Artist Phoebe Rayner
Please submit your expression of interest, along with the completed application and monitoring forms (if you are a group, please submit one per member) by 9am on Monday 22 January 2024 via email to Fran Healey, Creative and Commercial Director at The Stoller Hall and Chetham’s: stolleradmin@chethams.com.
This January, we host the Manchester Harp Festival, featuring world-class performances, workshops, meet the artist events, children’s activities and an exciting competition for harpists of all abilities. We’re delighted to welcome performers and workshop leaders from across the harp world. You can find out more about who is performing, and when you can see them, below.
There will also be demonstrations of Harp•E, super sleek electro-acoustic instruments, which won the Red Dot Design Award and are played by both classical and experimental musicians on the world’s biggest stages.
The festival is generously sponsored by Salvi Music, London, who will be exhibiting their beautiful collection of both Salvi and Lyon & Healy harps for you to try out throughout the day.
ABOUT ANNELEEN LENAERTS
Belgian harpist Anneleen Lenaerts is one of the leading soloists of her instrument. In December 2010 she was appointed Principal Harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic.
As a soloist Anneleen has performed with the Symphony Orchestra of Bavarian Radio, the Mozarteum Orchestra, Bruckner Orchestra Linz, the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, the Polish National Radio Orchestra, the Brussels Philharmonic, and the National Orchestra of Belgium amongst others.
Anneleen Lenaerts has made her solo debut at venues such as the Wigmore Hall in London, Carnegie Hall New York, Berliner Philharmonie, Salle Gaveau in Paris, Großes Festspielhaus in Salzburg, Bozar in Brussels and in festivals such as Rheingau Musik Festival, Dresden Musikfestspiele, Lockenhaus festival, Moritzburg Festival and Aspen Music Festival. Solo appearances have been recorded by various stations including BBC 3, Radio France Musique and Deutschlandfunk.
From an early age Anneleen started winning an impressive amount of prizes at international harp competitions: 23 prizes between 1997 and 2009. The “Grand Prix International Lily Laskine, where she won the first prize in 2005 and the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, where she was both a prizewinner and winner of the Audience Prize, are particularly outstanding. After the success of recording 3 harp concertos (by Glière, Rodrigo and Jongen) with the Brussels Philharmonic for Warner Classics and a CD with works by Schumann & Schubert with clarinetist Dionysis Grammenos, Anneleen signed an exclusive recording artist contract with Warner Classics . 2019 saw the release of a new recording with works by Nino Rota with the Brussels Philharmonic, Adrien Perruchon and Emmanuel Pahud and won an Opus Klassik, after being nominated in 4 different categories. Her previous solo album on Aliud Records comprises twelve transcriptions of some of the most popular piano pieces by Chopin and Liszt. In the same year she also received the “Flemish Community Honours” by the Government of Flanders for her outstanding contributions to society. Anneleen Lenaerts started playing harp with Lieve Robbroeckx. She continued her studies at the Conservatories of Brussels and Paris in 2008 and gained her Harp Master degree with highest distinction. She completed through the “Cours de perfectionnement” at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris with Isabelle Perrin. Besides harp Anneleen studied harmony, counterpoint and fugue at the Brussels Conservatory. Anneleen teaches at the University of Maastricht (NL) and is a Faculty Member of the Aspen Music Festival (USA)
Anneleen Laenarts will be performing a headlining recital on Saturday 20 January, 7.30pm.
ABOUT HUW BOUCHER
Huw’s interest in music began when he started learning the piano at the age of 10. At 11 years old at the Junior Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, he began his harp studies with Kathryn Rees. With the addition of the flute Huw achieved ABRSM Grade 8 in all three instruments by his early teens. Huw won the National Eisteddfod from 2016-19 and in 2017 was also awarded the coveted Blue Ribbon with a £1000 scholarship. He was also a finalist on two occasions in the Gregynog National Young Musician with a £500 scholarship award. In 2018 Huw joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and performed with them in the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. In 2020 Huw was the only harpist in the Strings Finals in the BBC Young Musician competition, which was shown on national television. In 2021 Huw was awarded a full scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in addition to the prestigious ABRSM award to support his studies. At the Academy Huw studies with Skaila Kanga, Professor Emerita of Harp, as well as being part of a thriving harp department. In July 2022 Huw won the Silver Medal at the USA International Harp Competition in Bloomington, Indiana. He also won the Concerto Prize in the final stage.
Huw will be performing live on Saturday 20 January as well as hosting a Meet the Artist Open Forum. You can book a day ticket to attend here.
ABOUT RACHEL DENT
Rachel Dent began studying the harp with Dorothy Gilbertson of Harrogate before accepting a place at the Royal Northern College of Music in 1997, studying with Eira Lynn Jones. She graduated with an honours degree in June 2001. In 1999 she received the Dearden Award for Achievement and the United Kingdom Harp Association Award.
As a soloist, Rachel has performed at St Ann ‘s Church, Manchester , St Mary’s Church, Nantwich, Flixton House, Hull University , Emmanuel Church, Didsbury, and she has played Handel’s Harp Concerto with Sale Chamber Orchestra. She has also provided music for a scene in Granada Television’s production of “A & E” and for BBC “Songs of Praise”.
Rachel has given recitals as part of an organ and harp duo, performing in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Summer Recital Series 2001, the Bridgewater Hall as part of the Royal College of Organists Performer of the Year 2000 and other churches in Manchester.
Her freelance orchestral career includes working with the Hallé Orchestra, Manchester Camerata and Sinfonia ViVa. As a member of Chiron Duo (flute and harp), Rachel has performed in Manchester Town Hall, the East Riding of Yorkshire Recital Series, and for music in Granada Television’s “My Favourite Hymns” programme
Rachel will be hosting an ABRSM Masterclass on Saturday 20 January. You can book a day ticket to attend here.
About Esther Swift
Esther Swift explores ritual, connection, isolation, and the natural world in her performance with pedal harp and voice.
A prolific, boldly innovative Scottish harpist, composer and singer, Esther works across genres as diverse as classical chamber music, folk, jazz and free improvisation, and writes for ensembles large and small. Having studied at Edinburgh’s St Mary’s Music School and the Royal Northern College of Music, and received numerous prestigious commissions and featured in many international collaborations.
She has travelled to Vietnam, New Zealand, Malaysia, Mongolia, and beyond with her music, and shared international, music lead collaborations with musicians
and other artists around the world.
She has recently been commissioned by Celtic Connections, Chamber Music Scotland, Manchester Jazz festival and The Edwin Morgan Trust and performed internationally with her band Emergence Ensemble.
See Esther perform live in the Opening Recital on Friday 19 January. She will also be hosting an ensemble workshop and performance on Saturday 20 January. You can book a day ticket to attend here.
About Louise Thomson
(Image credit: Sara Porter)
A versatile and experienced musician, Louise’s playing has taken her to prestigious concert venues around the UK including the Royal Albert Hall, Cardiff’s St David’s Hall and the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. It has also given her the opportunity to perform with some of the country’s most respected ensembles: the Hallé Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra and Manchester Concert Orchestra. She has been invited to perform live on BBC Radio 3, and made her television debut performing live on BBC 1 for the Heaven and Earth show with soprano Katherine Jenkins.
Some of Thomson’s early notable successes included winning the Harp Finals at the world renowned Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales Competition in 2003 and performing as a Finalist in the London International Harp Competition in 2005. In April 2007 she was short-listed to audition for HRH The Prince of Wales for the position of Royal Harpist at Clarence House and performed for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at The Royal Variety Performance in the same year.
Louise was awarded a place at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester to study with Eira Lynn Jones. During this time Louise won the Ida Carroll String Prize for outstanding musical achievement, and was subsequently awarded an entrance scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Completing her undergraduate course in 2005, with a First Class BMus (Hons) degree, and her post-graduate diploma (PGDip) with Distinction in Performance in 2006, Louise went on to complete a Masters Degree (MMus) in 2007, again with Distinction in Performance. She concluded her time at the RNCM by winning the Concerto Competition. After graduating, Louise was immediately invited onto the Live Music Now Scheme (founded by Yehudi Menuhin) which involved extensive touring around the country giving solo recitals and educational workshops to an enormous range of audiences.
In addition to her solo work, Louise recently launched a new collaboration with young vocal ensemble the Corvus Consort, featuring music for upper voices and harp. Louise and the Corvus Consort have enjoyed performances for Church Stretton Festival and Sounds Sublime Festival at King’s Place, curated by The Sixteen, and they look forward to upcoming engagements including the Whiddon Autumn Festival in Devon.
In 2022 Louise was selected to perform at the World Harp Congress in collaboration with presenter Polly Ives. Polly and Louise frequently present in schools and theatres together as part of Concerteenies, an award-winning producer of musical events and activities for young children and their adults in Sheffield and beyond.
Recent highlights have included Buxton and Ryedale Festivals, and Louise looks forward to forthcoming engagements including Ripon International Festival and Malvern Concert Club, as well as a residency at the 2023 Whiddon Autumn Festival.
Louise also takes great pride in her harp teaching and has built up a highly vibrant harp community around the North of England. She teaches harp at Chetham’s School of Music, Withington Girls’ School and The Manchester Grammar School. Louise is also the harp tutor at Huddersfield University and a visiting tutor at both the Royal Northern College of Music and its Junior department.
See Louise perform live in the Opening Recital on Friday 19 January.
About Anne-Marie O’Farrell
Leading harpist of her generation,Dr Anne-Marie O’Farrell from Dublin performs all over the world, and is frequently invited to perform and teach at international conferences and festivals, including several World Harp Congresses. She is particularly recognized for her expansion of repertoire, and for her innovations on lever harp, as a result of which the world’s leading harpmakers Salvi Harps redesigned their lever harps to become concert instruments. She has given multiple premieres of many works for pedal and lever harp, some commissioned especially for her.
Numerous orchestral and ensemble performances include those with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland with whom she was concerto soloist for her lever harp concerto, In Light Anew. Her groundbreaking developments in composition, arrangement and transcription for the harp are documented in her substantial output of publications, including critical editions of works by J.S. Bach. A prolific recording artist, she has released several solo CDs, including Just So Bach,Harping Bach to Carolan, The Jig’s Up,My Lagan Love and Embrace. New Directions for Irish Harp;Double Strung and Duopoly with Cormac De Barra; and Harp to Harp with harmonica player Brendan Power.
In recent years she has been commissioned to compose several large-scale works featuring the harp, including a lever harp concerto commissioned by RTÉ Lyric FM, a five-movement work for large harp ensemble commissioned by Harp Ireland, and several chamber pedal harp pieces. Her works have been performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestral of Wales, the BBC Singers, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and numerous other international performers.
As Head of Harp at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, she runs a thriving harp department, and also teaches on their junior conservatoire programme. She is frequently invited as examiner and jury member in conservatoires and international competitions. Currently she is also training to become a teacher of the Alexander Technique (ITM). www.annemarieofarrell.com
See Anne-Marie perform live in the Opening Recital on Friday 19 January.
About Marie Leenhardt
Orchestra playing has always been Marie Leenhardt’s first love. She was a member of the French and European Youth orchestras before taking the position of principal harp in the Hallé orchestra.
She also enjoys the intimacy of chamber music and has been part of several chamber ensembles (Ensemble 360, Trio Fauve…)
She performed most of the concertos from the harp repertoire with the Hallé and various orchestras. (Ginastera, Debussy, Mozart, Haendel, Reinecke,…)
In addition to her performing role, she devotes herself to teaching the harp at Chetham’s School of Music.
She discovered the Alexander Technique in England. It has been such a game changer for her practice and performance that she decided to train, and in 2011 qualified as a teacher.
See Marie perform live in the Opening Recital on Friday 19 January. Marie will also be hosting an Alexander Technique workshop on Saturday 20 January. You can book a day ticket to attend here.
ABOUT KEZIAH THOMAS
Acclaimed by the New York Concert Review as ‘Stupendous…totally original and engaging’, at her Carnegie Hall debut recital, British harpist Keziah Thomas enjoys a reputation of a lively and engaging performer and educator. At the heart of her work is the belief that the power of music is for everyone, a value which drives a diverse freelance career.
Keziah’s creative programming strives to expand the repertoire and platform for the harp, and she is as equally comfortable performing at major venues and festivals throughout the world such as touring Japan for Aoyama Harps and giving recitals for Astral Artists in the USA as producing educational concerts for babies and playing in healthcare settings as a Breathe resident musician.
In recent years, Keziah has developed a particular interest in arranging which had led to the creation of the first solo transcription of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, the album of which was released on Convivium Records in 2022 to critical acclaim.
Her previous album Crossing Waves included newly commissioned works by British composers, James Young, Huw Watkins, and Andy Scott and was hailed as an ‘imaginatively programmed, winningly played recital’ by the BBC Music Magazine.
Keziah is principal harp with the Covent Garden Sinfonia and her work as a chamber musician with the Aoyama Trio and 4 Girls 4 Harps has been described as having ‘Scrupulous attention to the harp’s dynamic and rhythmic possibilities’ by The Times.
The winner of the London Harp Competition, the Camac Harp Competition and the Contemporary Record Society Performing Artists Competition, Keziah Thomas was taught by Danielle Perrett, Daphne Boden and Alison Nicholls and holds an ARCM diploma and bachelor’s degree from the Royal College of Music and a PG Certificate in Performance Teaching in Higher Education from the Guildhall School.
Keziah is a creative educator and entrepreneur and is the founder of two popular harp programmes; Retreat to the Harp, a series of workshops and study weekends that bring together those who share her love of the harp and Little Harp Social, the group learning programme for adults. Keziah is Professor of harp at the Yehudi Menuhin School and Guildhall School.
Earlier this year, The National Centre for Early Music and BBC Radio 3 invited aspiring young composers to write a new piece for the The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, to be premiered here at The Stoller Hall in their November concert. This year, young composers were invited to base their work on a popular tune from the Spanish ‘Golden Age’ of the 16th and 17th centuries, fitting with the overall Spanish theme of the concert, and to create a new piece in the same spirit, using the melody as a starting point for their own musical ideas.
Owen Spafford’s Bog Bodies and Jacob Jordan’s A Ceremonial Dance for Mice will be premiered by The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble at The Stoller Hall, Manchester on 9 November 2023, when it will be recorded by BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show, for broadcast on Sunday 26 November.
“We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to work with this group of talented young composers. Our old instruments have a lot to offer contemporary audiences and we couldn’t be more pleased at how the composers have responded to the challenge. They’ve written creatively for cornetts and sackbuts, and engaged intelligently with the rich cultural inheritance the instruments bring with them.”
Delma Tomlin, MBE, Director of the NCEM said:
“The Young Composers Award continues to be one of the highlights on the NCEM’s calendar – nurturing and encouraging young talent is a very important part of our work here. The standard was extremely high, and I would like to congratulate all the composers who took part this year. It was wonderful to welcome them to York for a day sharing music and ideas at the NCEM’s home, St Margaret’s Church. Recently our programme has featured an array of wonderful music from Spain and the new pieces complemented it perfectly. I’d like to say a special thank you to The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble, who played an invaluable part in the day and of course my fellow judges. The winning compositions will be performed at The Stoller Hall in Manchester and broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show, two highly prestigious opportunities for our aspiring young composers.”
Owen Spafford is a composer and fiddle player from Leeds who has performed for the leaders of the Commonwealth States, toured with Giffords Circus and received a scholarship to study composition at the Royal Academy of Music. He is also an National Centre for Early Music Young Composer Award winner BBC Young Composer Competition nominee 2019, and an All-Britain Fiddle Champion in the Fleadh Cheoil na Breataine 2019. Equally at home in a traditional session as he is in a free improvisation workshop, Spafford’s understanding of the oral tradition and love for vernacular music from around the world enables an inventive and thoughtful musical voice.
Jacob Jordan
Jacob Jordan studies at Sheffield Music Academy, and writing music is a way to express himself and create more of what he enjoys listening to. Jacob has written five pieces that have been performed at SMA public concerts, and he is passionate about encouraging more young musicians to give it a go and try composing.
