(As showing on Home Page News Reel - scroll down for archive items))
I find myself yet again travelling up to eathrow for a long flight, this time to South Africa. I will be working all over - Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria and even venturing In to Botswana - 6 weeks in all. I'll do my best to upload what should be some wonderful photos and keep you all posted on my activities.
Once I'm done in SA I get home for a day before another long haul to Australia where I will be until 14 July working in Sydney, Tasmania, Melbourne and Cairns.
I'm also currently planning The Welsh Sinfonia's next Series which should be very exciting. Music from Bach to Honegger with Welsh representation from John Metcalf and a new commission from the wonderful Rhian Samuel for world renowned recorder player Pamela Thorby.
Herts Wind Sinfonia have been invited to play at La Madeleine in Paris in August - a first for a wind ensemble - look out for more details.
Best wishes
Mark
How time flies!!
The transformed Welsh Sinfonia has almost completed its first Cardiff Series “The Spirit of the Dance” and in the process has won over many friends, admirers and importantly sponsors. See the new website www.welshsinfonia.co.uk and why not join us for regular updates.
We have the final concert in the Series on 14th March 4.30pm at Cardiff University Concert Hall to include Beethoven’s 7th Symphony and The Emoticons of Time – a new percussion concerto by Eilir Owen Griffiths for percussionist Dave Danford.
Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra continues to
go from strength to strength and I am looking forward to the upcoming
St David’s Hall concert on March 19th at 7.30pm.
We start with a romp through Dvorak’s Slavonik Dance No.8 and then
a very special performance of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto
with Rex Lawson playing the Piano Roll!! This is a rare opportunity and
has certainly taught me a great deal about the very underestimated Pianola.
For more info see www.pianolasociety.com
I have chosen an interesting mix of Australian and
UK music for my next Hertfordshire Wind Sinfonia concert on April 9th 7.30pm
at Berkhampstead Collegiate School. We will play the rarely heard Dance
Movements by Philip Sparke and a special new arrangement for me of Alea
Iacta Est by Sydney composer Michael Forsyth, as well as interesting works
by Holst scholar Raymond Head and Brisbane based Ralph Hultgren involving
Aboriginal chanting!
Coming
up in the Summer, HWS is the first wind ensemble to be invited to play
a concert at La Madeleine, Paris although they have told us we must play “sacred music” – look
out for further details.
Finally I am off to Thailand in May then Australia again in June and July having been invited to conduct in Sydney, Cairns and Melbourne. I will be appearing at the Sydney Eisteddfod www.sydneyeisteddfod.com.au, World Music Projects www.worldprojects.com.au and conducting an orchestra of Sydney’s elite students.
(Previously shown on Home Page News Reel)
September 2009
Hello again,
I'm now fully immersed in UK life after my wonderful three month tour of Australia
- thanks to all of you Aussies for looking after me and I will see you next year.
After a terrific summer of work and play! it's all systems go for the Welsh Sinfonia
relaunch on Wednesday 23rd September at St. David's Hall with special guest Minister
for Heritage Alun Ffred Jones AM. I will be introducing amongst other things
our new Cardiff Series - "the Spirit of the dance" and conducting a taster from
Stravinsk's The Soldier's Tale. The first series concert is on Sunday October
11th 4.30pm at Cardiff University Concert Hall and features Copland's Appalachian
Spring original 13 instrument version, Bach's Suite No.2 for Flute and Strings
with soloist Catherine Handley and Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale Suite. There
are 50 FREE tickets available for students and people on benefit. See www.welshsinfonia.co.uk for
booking and further details. Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter and
think about supporting us with a donation by becoming a Podium member www.welshsinfonia.co.uk.
I am also looking forward to the new season with Cardiff University Symphony
Orchestra. Our first concert in our University Concert Hall on November 1st features
a very poignant piece for me: Sibelius Second Symphony - it was whilst playing
this many years ago that I met Julia. Other pieces throughout the season include
Debussy La Mer, Takemitsu Fantasma Cantos, Rachmaninov Third Piano Concerto -
a rare performance using the piano roll. Look out for more details.
Over the summer I conducted the World Premiere of Daniel Basford's "Night
Journey" a cantata for Baritone, Choir and Wind Orchestra with Herts Wind
Sinfonia in St. Alban's Cathedral. This is an eight movement piece, full of innovative
and exciting orchestration and is perfectly balanced culminating in a stirring
finale. Immediately after that I had the amazing experience of working on Schoenberg's
epic, Gurre-leider - simply stunning!
A wonderful holiday in Venice and Le Marche with my family; concerts, galleries,
sun, ice-cream and runs with my boys every evening (Alex is getting a bit fast
for me now - next year he might even beat me!!)
Best wishes,
Mark
May 2009
I
am currently on a mammoth tour of Australia and Malaysia, which began
back in early April. My first event was conducting the orchestra at the
Australian Instrumental Convention in New South Wales, working alongside
some fabulous well known Australian players – Janet Webb (Flute
Sydney SO), Stephen Robinson (Oboe Orchestra Victoria), Andy Firth (Jazz
Clarinettist) and Brendan Joyce (Leader Brisbane Chamber Orchestra) to
name a few. Hearing a superb recital by Janet Webb and Jocelyn Fazzone
was a real highlight – their musical relationship shining through
the whole evening. I met some terrific developing talent from the Australian
Conservatoires and the Sydney Street Choir which inspires “street
people” to help themselves through music. Thanks to Melissa Philp
for organising the event and to Trinity College for their sponsorship.
Next
I flew 19 hours to Kota Kinabalu to conduct the KK Symphony Orchestra.
We played a baroque programme including Brandenburg 3 with soloists from
KL. I was back in my usual wonderful resort hotel – Sutera Harbour,
including massage over-looking the ocean - holiday?? Well maybe
a little!
It was then back to Australia with excellent workshops in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Perth. In Brisbane I caught an exciting lunchtime concert in the mall by Opera Queensland and in Perth I managed to hear a fine piano recital by Katia Skaniva who played an interesting programme, including a sonata by the Australia composer Carl Vine, whose music I would like to explore more.
It hasn’t all been music though as after carefully outwitting the sharks whilst body boarding at Mulloollabar I went to my first Australian Rules football game at The Gabba, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Following a weekend in Adelaide I continue on to Tasmania, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Cairns, Townsville, Canberra, Newcastle and Sydney.
I finish this very enjoyable marathon on 30th June and will post a report at the end.
Best wishes,
Mark
I have just performed
an enjoyable concert with German guitarist Peter
Korbel and the KK Symphony Orchestra playing the Giuliani and Vivaldi
Guitar Concerti.
Much has happened since my last newsreel:
Firstly, I am delighted to announce my appointment as Conductor of Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra and having had a wonderful first rehearsal, look forward to my Premiere with them on November 1st 2008 (University Concert Hall, Corbett Rd, Cardiff) playing The London Symphony by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The
Welsh Sinfonia is now a member of the Association
of British Orchestras (ABO) and a registered charity; planning
includes a Haydn chamber series in Cardiff to include Welsh soloists
and composers, the Draig (Red Dragon) Children's project and a Charity
concert in aid of The
Wallich.
Hertfordshire
Wind Sinfonia's Holst CD is in production and as well as the
First and Second Suites for Military Band, will include the World Premiere
recordings of his Wind Quintet ed. Raymond Head, published by Sky
Dance Press and Songs and Refrains by Daniel Basford.
August 2nd 2008 will see HWS return to St. John's Smith Square, London for a celebration of the music of Adam Gorb to include trombone soloist Gordon Campbell of the BBC Big Band.
I
had a terrific tour of Australia (Feb-Mar) working in Queensland and
New South Wales including the inaugural concert of the North Queensland
Youth Symphony. Plans are already in place for a concert tour with
them in 2010 as well as a return to Brisbane, Townsville, Bundaberg,
Noosa, Kingaroy, Sydney and Melbourne.
Regards to all and please feel free
to email me for further information:
mark@markeager.com
Posted 11 May 2008
I have just posted a video of Beethoven 1 Finale recorded with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Chamber Players. I hope you enjoy it - "energetic" - "vibrant" - "vigourous" and "nuanced" are some of the descriptions received.
Recently I had the joy of conducting the massed trumpets of the Czech Orchestras in a recording of Janacek's Sinfonietta at the Rudolfinum, Prague - what a sound!
November sees me off to Malaysia on a seven week tour.
Everything is now in place for my Australian trip in February - March 2008 - concerts in Brisbane, Townsville, Bundaberg and Sydney.
The Welsh Sinfonia is busy setting up various exciting projects for 2008; 26th January 208 is our Annual Charity Concert in Llandaff Cathedral in aid of the George Thomas Hospice with International soloists.
For romantics we have a Valentines Concert on (of course) 14th February 2008 in Cowbridge with Welsh Star soloists Sian Cothi, and brothers Wynne and Mark Evans.
Hertfordshire Wind Sinfonia is planning a 'Carnival of American Music' for Easter and an Adam Gorb Celebration at St. John's, Smith Square with new London Symphony Orchestra Co-Principal Trombone Katy Jones as guest soloist in the summer.
I will be conducting the BBC NOW Chamber Players again on 28th /29th January 2008 at Cardiff University in an interesting programme to include: Stravinsky - Septet, Weir - King Harald Sails to Byzantium and Knussen/ Benjamin/Matthews - A Purcell Garland.
A
new demonstration CD is now available or you can explore
the new player on the audio
page.
2nd October 2007
Hello and welcome. I have just posted a video of Beethoven 1 Finale recorded with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Chamber Players. I hope you enjoy it - "energetic" - "vibrant" - "vigourous" and "nuanced" are some of the descriptions received. Recently I had the joy of conducting the massed trumpets of the Czech Orchestras in a recording of Janacek's Sinfonietta at the Rudolfinum, Prague - what a sound! November sees me off to Malaysia on a seven week tour and everything is now in place for my Australian trip in February/March 2008 - concerts in Brisbane, Townsville, Bundaberg and Sydney.