First Person
Kelton Koch
Joining the Vienna Philharmonic as a student and young professional was an absolute thrill. I had begun to play with the orchestra as an academist in October 2019 and as a full-time member in the Opera in January 2020. I was experiencing many “firsts”: concerts in the Musikverein [Vienna’s magnificent number one concert hall], first tour in Asia, first Vienna Philharmonic Ball and Vienna State Opera Ball. I was anticipating many other “firsts”: Wagner’s Ring Cycle and a European tour with Zubin Mehta, all abruptly interrupted by the sudden spread of COVID-19 into Austria.Of course, it goes Read more ...
Antonia Bain
The Narcissistic Fish is a brand new opera specifically created to be filmed. Set in Leith and written in Scots, it tells the story of restaurant owner and chef, Angus, and his brother Kai who are arguing over the death of their father, while the talented Belle struggles to carry on underpaid and under-appreciated.I was an opera novice when I started working at Scottish Opera as their first digital content producer in 2015. I had no idea what to expect when I saw my first opera but was completely hooked on the art form especially after seeing the company’s production of Rusalka directed by Read more ...
Svend McEwan-Brown
They say that you discover who your true friends are when you find yourself in direst need. East Neuk Festival, our success story on the Fife coast, which should have been happening this week, faced the deepest crisis in its 16-year history this spring when, due to the pandemic, 2020’s festival was cancelled. Three years of preparation went up in smoke, and we found the organisation exposed to all manner of risks and challenges. Overnight, 40 per cent of the projected income disappeared while we were still left with many of the costs and commitments. Boy, did we discover who our friends were! Read more ...
Nancy Evans
Next month (July 2020) marks 20 years since I started work at Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, initially as their first Education Manager and then in my current role as Director of Learning and Participation. So when we were awarded a significant grant from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Arts-Based Learning More and Better fund to lead an exciting new composing project, Listen Imagine Compose Primary, it felt like a real celebratory moment – recognition of years of hard work and enquiry into placing contemporary music into school life.Listen Imagine Compose Primary is a three-year project Read more ...
Chi-chi Nwanoku
The worldwide reaction to the horrific murder of George Floyd via the renewed focus on the Black Lives Matter movement is not a minority issue. It concerns people of all ethnicities, education and economic backgrounds who want a better, fairer world. The Black and ethnically diverse people protesting and speaking out are being supported by people of all backgrounds, ages and races, here in the UK, the USA and across the globe. They are screaming out for action: for governments across the world to work together to legislate, educate and change people's lives for the better.For the majority of Read more ...
Noemi Gyori
The magnitude of challenges that the entire classical music industry is facing due to the coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented. In the twinkling of an eye, cultural life became suspended. Many of us, mostly freelancers and entrepreneurs, smaller organizations, but even employees of large orchestras across the world are now dealing with stark financial and psychological pressure. If this wasn’t enough, we need to address difficulties in partial or full isolation - a highly unusual situation for us musicians, who otherwise are so connected to others and are extremely aware of the essentiality Read more ...
Paul Lewis
As an instrumentalist, you can sit down and play music and escape from the stress. It’s a privilege to be able to do something that takes you to a different place – you’re removed from everything that’s happening. When you stop, there are reminders all around, though: worry about the health of friends and family, and concern about when we’re going to play concerts again and what it’s going to be like when we do.I like a bit of structure to my day so that I don’t swim around in lots of time. I practise in the morning until lunchtime. The kids are learning online, so in the afternoon I help Read more ...
Gabriel Prokofiev
For most people a turntable, or record player is used to play back old vinyls bought from a market or second hand store, or perhaps a carefully packaged reissue of a classic album. We gently place the needle at the beginning of the record and are careful not to scratch the vinyl when we turn it over. But for a turntablist or DJ it is a musical instrument, and they handle it with much greater confidence and familiarity. When two turntables are set up with a mixer a wealth of new musical worlds can be created.This relatively new musical tradition of turntablism has a fascinating and rich Read more ...
Esther Yoo
COVID-19 hurls the artist into the unknown. June is the time of year where I, like many, look back on everything I have accomplished over the last two quarters and look forward to my plans and goals for the next six months. As my birthday happens to fall in mid June, it’s a particularly opportune moment for me to think about my personal timeline and envision how I want to commence a new year. For the first time ever, though, my reflection involuntarily focuses on everything I have not been able to accomplish this half-year and my spirits are not greatly lifted by the prospects for the Read more ...
Richard Macer
“That’s Marcelino Sambé, he’s wonderful,” said the artistic administrator of the Royal Ballet as I followed her down one of the many corridors that weave throughout the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. “He’s a newly promoted Principal, a very special talent indeed!” I looked over my shoulder at the figure disappearing through some doors. I had been at The Royal Ballet for over a week making a documentary for BBC Four about a golden generation of male stars but as yet had not met any dancers.Access documentaries to institutions such as this take months of negotiation and it’s not uncommon Read more ...
Michael Chance
Where to start? We at The Grange Festival began in mid-March (the 15th) with a letter to our company, all those few hundred who come and work for us during the festival months and who are all, almost without exception, employed on a freelance basis, warning of a likely cancellation but urging a commitment to stage the summer festival over June and July (with preparations stating in mid-April) if at all possible.And then we heard the shocking advice from Number 10 that all those over the age of 70 should stay isolated at home for at least three months. That was the announcement that told me we Read more ...
Katherine Hunka
As a musician I spend so much time on the road that a day spent at home is a rarity. And now, with the restrictions we all face, and concerts an impossibility, I am becoming a keen gardener and making a lot of soup. It is also a time of reflection. There is nothing like being told to stay at home to make you think about how home came about, particularly when it’s abroad. My 20-year-old self would never have dreamt of anywhere other than my home city London as base.The invitation to work in Ireland came out of the blue; they were head hunting. I was told I would be put up in the picturesque Read more ...