A Natural Trumpet Challenge

Last night I played in a performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah at Cadogan Hall. I've played this work once before on modern instruments, however this time I was required to play it on the natural trumpet.

When I checked through the part online, I felt pretty confused because the trumpet part changes between six different keys - C, D, Eb, E, A and Bb. This is not normally too much of an issue, because we are trained to transpose into all of these keys on the modern trumpet. But my confusion soon turned to horror as I realised that I had just one week to source natural trumpet slides for each of these six keys from other people - my own natural trumpets were being repaired...

Thankfully I was helped out by some generous trumpet colleagues who, between them, provided me with all the equipment I needed for this concert. I used a regular, low natural trumpet for the keys of A, Bb, C and D and then a high natural trumpet to play in Eb and E. (Huge thanks to Gwyn Owen, Mark David, Paul Bosworth and the brains of Darren Moore!)

The full set of pipes needed to play Elijah

Whilst preparing for this performance, I was struggling to keep on top of which slides and tubes to use where and which ones went together. So I came up with a system involving coloured stickers (matching each yard with its corresponding lead pipe) and created a chart to go with it. To add to the difficulty, the orchestra was tuned to classical pitch (A=430) so I used thick tape to ensure that the lead pipes would stay in the right position in the trumpets. 

Pipes complete with matching coloured stickers and tape

It may seem over the top, but this system made the gig so much easier and meant that I could always just check my chart to anticipate which changes to make next. Having never done something like this before on the natural trumpet, I'm now glad that I know what to expect in the future and I actually really enjoyed the challenge. It certainly made a notoriously long piece like Elijah go much faster..!

The Soldier's Tale

Last week, I took part in my first performance of Stravinsky's 'L'Histoire du soldat' (The Soldier's Tale). The project was a collaboration between the London Arts Orchestra and the Rough Fiction theatre company, culminating in a show at Keele University. It was a fascinating experience to get to know this music whilst working alongside actors and getting a glimpse into their rehearsal process. 

The Soldier's Tale is scored for an unusual septet of violin, clarinet, bassoon, double bass, percussion, trombone and cornet. Apparently Stravinsky wanted performances of this work to be cheap to put on and possible to do almost anywhere. The story is told by three actors - the soldier, the devil and the narrator. In our production the genders were actually reversed, with female actors playing the parts of the soldier and the devil and a male actor being the narrator and prince (princess in the original story). 

Rehearsing in East London

When I was asked to be part of this production I was delighted, mainly because I knew how fiendishly difficult the cornet part was and how important it was that I learn it at some point. This felt like the perfect opportunity to give it my first go. The parts were also new for most of the other musicians, so at least we were all in the same boat. The Soldier's Tale is sometimes performed without a conductor but, with the constantly changing time signatures, it felt much safer to have Ed Farmer (founder of the London Arts Orchestra) there!

Final rehearsals in the Chapel of Keele University

In our rehearsals, I found it interesting to see the incredible detail into which the actors went for each section of the piece. It made for quite a long rehearsal process, but the end result was totally worth it. Our director, Simon Pittman, found lots of ways in which to involve the musicians in the drama, making it even more engaging for both us and the audience in the performance. I couldn't have hoped for a better first experience of this brilliant piece and I'm already looking forward to the next opportunity I get to perform it. 

On the train home!

Oslo - My Trip So Far...

My last four months of 2016 were spent planning and looking forward to a solo study trip to Norway in the New Year. It was an exciting prospect but also started to feel like a slightly crazy idea - moving to Scandinavia during the coldest, darkest months of the year! Still, kitted out with snow boots and woolly jumpers, I flew to Oslo on 4th January 2017. And now here I am, over half way through my trip, so I decided it was about time to write a post on what I've been up to so far...

Background:

In 2015, I was one of the recipients of the Julius Isserlis Scholarship, an award from the Royal Philharmonic Society given to graduating students who want to continue their studies abroad. My original plan had been to put this money towards a Masters degree in Germany. However after a change of plans, a fantastic year with Southbank Sinfonia and an inspiring week at the Voksenåsen Summer Academy, I finally chose Oslo as my destination. 

Lessons and practice:

The main purpose of my trip was to have lessons with a unique team of trumpeters: Norwegian soloist Tine Thing Helseth, Brynjar Kolbergsrud (Co-Principal of the Oslo Philharmonic) and Roeland Henkens (Principal of Den Norske Opera & Ballet). Since being here, I have actually also had a lesson with American trumpeter and composer Anthony Plog (I'd recommend anyone to read his blog!) and next week I'll be playing to Jonas Haltia (2nd Trumpet of the Oslo Philharmonic). 

So far I've had 10 lessons, and have felt more and more inspired after each one. It's been fascinating to chat with these musicians about their careers and to really 'talk trumpet' - something which I don't think I do often enough. I wrote down a number of goals when I arrived in Oslo (related to practice, learning new repertoire and making some career decisions) and I've found that reading these every morning has helped me to stay focused so far. 

Since I arrived, I've attended several rehearsals and concerts of the Oslo Philharmonic - with repertoire including Sibelius 2, Bruckner 4, Rachmaninov 2 and Pictures at an Exhibition, and Mahler 4, Bach BWV 51, Mendelssohn 4 and Ravel La Valse coming up in the next few weeks! Last week I was lucky enough to get a free ticket to the Oslo Opera House (Rossini Cinderella), I went to a concert at the Norwegian Music Academy (Bartok Concerto for Orchestra) and today I watched a performance by Oslo's Military Band. 

I've also been incredibly lucky to have made a contact (through Brynjar) at the English Church in Oslo. They have given me the freedom to practise in the church every day that I'm here, something which has totally transformed my trip. It is also a huge help that it's only 10 minutes away from my apartment and the heating is always on..!!

Scandi Living:

It is a well-known fact that Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world. I was therefore pretty anxious to find out how far my money would actually go! To organise my budget, I spent time booking my flights, renting an apartment through Airbnb and finding out how much each of my trumpet lessons would cost. The rest of the money could then be put towards food, travel and other living costs and - thankfully - it's lasting ok...

Living alone was something completely new to me, and I have to say I'm enjoying the novelty of it! Having the freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want, has been great and I've had a lot of time to think and just 'be'. I've also taken the time every day to read, do yoga and practise my new hobby - brush lettering.
I suppose one downside is that there's been no one here to police the vast quantity of First Dates episodes I've watched or judge my cinnamon bun/chocolate intake (75%-off-Christmas-chocolate in the Lindt shop didn't help.....!) But I do actually feel surrounded by friends here, from both the Voksenåsen course and the Royal Academy of Music. Other than London, I can't think of another city in the world where I would actually know this many people, so I'm feeling very grateful indeed.

Norway:

The more time I spend in Norway, the more I am falling in love with this wonderful country. The air and water feel clean and fresh; I've enjoyed stunning sunrises over breakfast, beautiful sunsets during afternoon walks and some magical snowfalls; I have truly found every Norwegian person I've met to be welcoming and friendly, and practically everyone speaks fluent English (I have been doing an online Norwegian course, though, to at least make an effort!). And, as nerdy as it may sound, one of the things I'm appreciating most is Oslo's unbelievably efficient transport system. They've spent a lot of money on it but it's definitely been worth it! London, take note...

Well there it is, a summary of my time here so far. I'm really excited to see what the next three weeks bring (other than visits from my lovely boyfriend, my best friend, seeing more of the city's sights and doing some cross-country skiing) - and, of course, lots of trumpet playing!! I'll be sure to post another update at the end of my trip but, until then, thanks for reading this far and here's to a fabulous February.

(For some reason, I'm afraid I can't upload pictures on here via my iPad, so photos will have to wait until the next post!) 

Southbank Sinfonia

With 2016 being my first full year out of music college, I was anxious about what lay ahead... But little did I know that I had no need to worry, as I was about to embark upon an amazing year of playing, alongside new friends for life.

At the end of 2015, I was fortunate enough to be offered a place in Southbank Sinfonia - an orchestral programme for 33 graduates worldwide, which runs intensively from mid-January to the end of October. Those ten months were filled with incredible performance opportunities (either in our regular, free 'Rush Hour' concerts or performances outside of our St John's Waterloo base) and the chance to be part of Southbank's huge family.

To show you what I mean, I thought I'd give a summary of what we got up to during each month of Southbank 2016 and list some of my particular highlights:

Mid-January: 
- A week of getting to know each other, including a workshop with actress Patricia Hodge (the mum from Miranda - "Such fun!") and the orchestra's first ever rehearsals together.
- Rush Hour #1 (Mendelssohn No.1/Vaughan Williams)

February: 
- A residential week in Suffolk (Leiston Abbey and a performance in Aldeburgh)
- Side-by-side project with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (Rush Hour #2 - Beethoven/Haydn)
- World Premiere of a youth opera at Glyndebourne ('Nothing' by David Bruce)

March: 
- Family Concert #1 at Cadogan Hall (Beethoven No.3 'Eroica')
- Rush Hour #3 (Shostakovich No.10)
- Audition masterclass with musicians from the Philharmonia Orchestra
- Rush Hour #4 (Baroque Week - performing Telemann's Concerto for Two Trumpets at the London Handel Festival, see blog post here!)

April: 
- Mock auditions at the Royal Opera House
- Collaboration with Non-Classical/Gabriel Prokofiev ('Rise of the Machines' broadcast on BBC Radio 3 Hear and Now)
- Audition masterclass with musicians from the Royal Opera House
- Performance at Cadogan Hall with Parliament Choir (Gounod/Vaughan Williams/O'Neill)

May: 
- 3-day trip to Paris and a performance at Notre-Dame Cathedral
- Beethoven No.9 at the Mayfield Festival, Sussex
- Rush Hour #8 (MacMillan No.2/Shostakovich - Jessica Cottis)
- Rush Hour #9 (Cherubini/Brahms Violin Concerto - Graham Ross)
- Rush Hour #10 (Mendelssohn/Beethoven No.6 - Ben Gernon)

June: 
- Rush Hour #11 ('A Soho Symphony' - written and conducted by Guy Barker)
- 3-day trip to Guernsey (performance of our Baroque programme, incl. double trumpet concerto)
- Concert at the Barbican (Britten 'Four Sea Interludes'/Vaughan Williams No.1 'A Sea Symphony')
- Performance with Guy Garvey (Elbow) at Southbank Meltdown Festival, Royal Festival Hall
- Culmination of our outreach project with the children from 'In Harmony Lambeth' 
- Bach 'Magnificat' (Waterloo Festival)
- Rush Hour #12 (Stravinsky programme - Jonathan Berman)

July: 
- Rush Hour #13 (Elgar Cello Concerto)
- 12-day trip to Italy (Ischia/Anghiari Festival - including performances of Madama Butterfly, Brahms No.3, Beethoven Emperor Concerto, Schumann Konzertstuck and lots of chamber music!)

August:
- Collaboration with British Youth Opera (performances of Britten's 'Owen Wingrave' and Williamson's 'English Eccentrics' at the Peacock Theatre)

September:
- Observing auditions for the SbS 2017 orchestra
- Concert at St John's Smith Square - 'Shakespeare in Music' with actors including Samuel West and David Threlfall)
- Rush Hour #14 (Boulez/Shostakovich No.14 - Maxime Tortelier, broadcast on BBC Radio 3)
- Sit-in/observing at the Royal Opera House (- I actually ended up playing, due to one of their trumpeters falling ill!)

October: 
- Rush Hour #15 (Kodály/Sibelius No.2 - a concert programmed and organised by the members of the orchestra - conducted by Natalia Luis-Bassa)
- Speaking on BBC Radio 3 In Tune to promote Rush Hour #15
- Family Concert #2 at Cadogan Hall (focusing on concertos - I performed the 3rd Movement of Hummel's Trumpet Concerto)
- Concerti performances at Bridgewater House for SbS sponsors, EFG
- SbS 2016 Grand Finale (Rimsky-Korsakov 'Scheherazade')

So, as you can see, a pretty packed year!! AND, although they're not all mentioned here, we're proud to have worked with an equal number of male and female conductors... exciting stuff.

Aside from our many performances, I gained so much through the fantastic talks that Southbank provided for us - from freelance finances and pensions to the Musicians' Union, performance psychology and mental health. We were supported throughout the year with individual player meetings with the staff and also always had a chance to air our views and ideas in meetings with the whole orchestra. 
As a member of Southbank Sinfonia, you become very aware of the mountain of support that the orchestra has. I really loved getting to know so many of Southbank's loyal friends and supporters, both after our Rush Hour concerts and at the Anghiari Festival, and I am so grateful to have been sponsored this year by Sally Barringer and Simon and Louise James.

Being involved in Southbank Sinfonia has been an absolutely invaluable experience for me and one that I would recommend to any graduate/graduating musician, wherever you are in the world!

Find out more at www.southbanksinfonia.co.uk

A Nordic Adventure...

Following a brilliant and inspiring week in Norway this summer, I have decided to move to Oslo for 7 weeks in January 2017!

I am going to be studying intensively with soloist Tine Thing Helseth, Brynjar Kolbergsrud (Co-Principal Trumpet of the Oslo Philharmonic), and a number of other musicians from the Opera House, Oslo Phil and teachers from the Norwegian Academy of Music. I feel that this is going to be a perfect mix for working on both solo and orchestral repertoire and an amazing opportunity to immerse myself in a city so full of music. 

I am very grateful for the support of the Royal Philharmonic Society, who will be funding this trip as part of my Julius Isserlis Scholarship. With my apartment and flights already booked, I now just need to buy myself some moonboots and I'll be ready to go..!

I'll be sure to write updates on my preparations and my time in Oslo in a later blog post. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to performing as a soloist with the Southbank Sinfonia at Cadogan Hall, preparing for the Grand Finale of our 2016 programme and recording and filming a solo work with composer, Aleksandr Brusentsev, before the end of the year.

Summer 2016 (Part 3) - Battle Proms

This summer I was chosen as the featured soloist for the Battle Proms, a series of open-air concerts at stately homes around England. I played at four of these events during July and August, performing the First Movement of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto and The Prince of Denmark's March by J. Clarke to over 40,000 people. I was accompanied by the New English Concert Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Coombes, and the concerts were sponsored by Classic FM.

A beautiful evening in the grounds of Ragley Hall

The four venues for the Battle Proms were:

Burghley House, Lincolnshire
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Highclere Castle (a.k.a. Downton Abbey!), Hampshire
Ragley Hall, Worcestershire

I performed in the first half of each concert, either side of spitfires, cavalry processions and live cannon-fire! The second half of the evening contained a number of spectacular firework displays, a 'Last Night of the Proms'-style programme and the orchestra also performed Beethoven's Battle Symphony, which features 193 live cannon..!

Performing Haydn and Clarke with the New English Concert Orchestra

Each Prom was well attended, with the concert at Highclere Castle selling out to an audience of 12,000 people. It was a pretty surreal feeling to stand on stage and look out at many people, but I enjoyed every moment. It was particularly special having groups of friends and family in the audience each week and seeing them enjoy the evening too. 

I'm very grateful to JSL Productions and the Battle Proms for having me as their instrumental soloist this year and to the orchestra for their fantastic playing and support. Thank you all!

My dressing room and some lovely gifts from the team at JSL Productions

Find out more about the Battle Proms here!

Summer 2016 (Part 2) - Voksenåsen Summer Academy

After arriving back in London from an exhausting but amazing trip to Italy with Southbank Sinfonia, my destination the following morning was Norway. I was excited to have been accepted onto the trumpet course at the Voksenåsen Summer Academy, where I would study for a week with soloist Tine Thing Helseth and Arnaulf Naur Nilsen (Tine's former teacher and previous principal trumpet of the Oslo Philharmonic).

Tine Thing Helseth and Arnaulf Naur Nilsen

I was also very grateful to the Royal Philharmonic Society, who allowed me to use part of my Julius Isserlis Award to pay for the course. My regular duo partner, pianist Jen Hughes, is a member of staff at the Voksenåsen Academy, so it was a real treat to work with her out in Oslo. 

The Voksenåsen trumpet class was made up of students from Norway, England and Denmark and, quite unusually, there were nine girls in the class and only one boy!! I don't think he minded too much, though...

The Voksenåsen Trumpet Class, 2016

During the week, I had a number of lessons from both Tine and Arnaulf and I watched many of the other students' lessons, as they were all in a masterclass format. I took three pieces with me to perform and work on during the course: 

Seraph by James MacMillan
Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by Paul Hindemith
Sonatina by Hans Werner Henze.

I chose these three pieces because I was at different stages with them all: I knew Seraph very well, having performed it with Jen as part of a Park Lane Group recital earlier in the year. I was aware that Tine had also recently performed it with orchestra, conducted by James MacMillan, so I thought that it would be fascinating to hear her thoughts on a piece which not many people know.
As for Hindemith's Sonata, I had spent some time working on this piece in my first year at the Academy, but had never performed it in public. I decided that this could be the perfect opportunity to re-learn it and play it in front of the class. My lesson on the Hindemith with Arnaulf was brilliant - he was incredibly strict about rhythmic precision and we spoke a lot about the background of the piece and what was going on in the world at the time of its composition (1939). 
Finally the Henze Sonatina was my newest work and one which I've always wanted to learn. I played the first movement to Tine and we spoke about how best to approach a new piece - especially such a complex, contemporary one - which I found incredibly helpful.

My lesson with Tine on the Henze Sonatina

There were various woodwind masterclasses taking place alongside ours during the week. On the final evening, one member from each class was chosen to perform in a concert to mark the end of the course. Tine asked whether Jen and I would like to perform the first movement of Seraph in this concert (with Tine as our pageturner..!) and we leapt at the chance. It was a great opportunity to put what I'd learned into practice and to celebrate all of the music-making that had gone on during the week.

After performing MacMillan Seraph with Jen in the final concert

My time in Norway was a fantastic experience - it was a chance to meet and make friends with brilliant trumpeters, to learn from new teachers and to further fuel my love of solo trumpet playing. Having had weekly trumpet lessons from the age of 7 up until last year, it was a big adjustment to leave the Academy and suddenly be my own teacher! I had always tried to keep this mentality in my practice, but now it was a reality. I'm really looking forward to practising and continuing the progress that we made during my lessons in Oslo, and to continuing learning as much as I can from other musicians, for as long as possible!

Giving Tine a manicure and bonding over our mutual love of nail varnish!

Summer 2016 (Part 1) - The Anghiari Festival

Since my very first day in Southbank Sinfonia, back in January of this year, anticipation has been steadily building towards what the members of staff - and every alumni member you'll meet - will describe as the highlight of the programme: the Anghiari Festival. As summer drew nearer, our rehearsals began to be filled with more chamber works and music by Italian composers. Finally in mid-July, armed with litres of sun-cream, mosquito repellent and a military operation-style schedule, we were ready to go. 

Before arriving in Anghiari for the festival, our first destination was the beautiful island of Ischia, near to the bay of Naples. It was there that we gave our first performance of the trip - Puccini's Madama Butterfly - in the stunning grounds of La Mortella, home of William Walton. It was a stage unlike any I've played on, with the most incredible panoramic views across the sea and a spectacular sunset during the first Act. The humming chorus at the end of Act 2 (sung by the orchestra) brought members of the audience to tears and Mamié Matsuda, who sung the role of Butterfly, had a voice which gave me goosebumps throughout the entire opera!

Performing Puccini's Madama Butterfly in the grounds of La Mortella, Ischia (Photo credit: Southbank Sinfonia)

The following morning, with most people feeling a little worse for wear from our post-first-concert celebrations, the orchestra had an early start as we caught a ferry back to the mainland and embarked on our 7 hour coach journey to Tuscany. When we finally arrived in the idyllic town of Anghiari, we were shown to our houses, given a tour of the town and enjoyed a night off at Bar Baldaccio, the best restaurant in town!

Southbank Sinfonia have been performing in Anghiari every summer since the orchestra started in 2002. Support for the orchestra in the UK has grown stronger every year and Southbank now bring as many as 250 supporters with them to the festival! It was a great opportunity for us in the orchestra to meet the people who help to keep Southbank going and to all enjoy a drink together after each concert. There is so much hype about the orchestra's arrival in the town each year that you almost feel like a bit of a celebrity walking through the streets - there is even a pizza named after us at Bar Baldaccio!!

SbS 2016 by the walls surrounding Anghiari (Photo credit: Southbank Sinfonia)

Over the 10 days that we were in Anghiari, the orchestra (either as a whole or in smaller ensembles) gave 15 concerts in every piazza and main building of the town. These included an opera, symphonic, choral and baroque concerts and a large number of chamber concerts. My favourite evening came half way through the week on 'Mercoledi di Anghairi'. Wednesday evenings are when the town really comes alive, with a huge market in the main square and live music played in almost every street. This year, Southbank Sinfonia were invited to provide all of the music for this evening, resulting in a total of 17 performances from 8.30pm-12.30am!

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Performing music for brass dectet outside Il Teatro di Anghiari (Photo credit: Adam Howcroft)

But it wasn't all hard work... We all took full advantage of our afternoon siesta time and were fortunate enough to enjoy some delicious lunches hosted by generous supporters of the orchestra. I even led some morning workout sessions - it wasn't always easy to wake up the morning after enjoying Tuscany's finest prosecco until the small hours... but the stunning views were really worth it! Other than trying to stay in shape physically, I actually had to make sure that I stayed in shape practice-wise too, ahead of what would be an intensive next week for me (read Part 2 to find out more!)

The view (or reward!) after an early morning workout session

The Anghiari Festival was everything I hoped it would be and more. It was a chance to play the most beautiful music in the most wonderful surroundings, with great friends. The orchestra's amazing team of staff worked tirelessly to ensure that the festival ran as smoothly as it did, and the connections we made with both friends of the orchestra and with the Anghiari locals was incredibly special. I am sure that, come the end of October when Southbank 2016 finishes, I will be joining the army of SbS alumni who cite Anghiari as the highlight of their Southbank year.

The orchestra performing in Piazza del Popolo, Anghiari (Soloist: Jordi Juan Perez)

Find our more about Southbank Sinfonia here!

The EU Referendum

As the voting day draws nearer for the decision on whether Britain should remain in or leave the European Union, I've been thinking about the impact that the outcome could have on musicians.

While I was studying at the Royal Academy of Music, a large proportion of my friends were students who had moved to London from around the world - mainly from elsewhere in Europe. Coming from inside the EU meant that these students had the freedom to move to (and work in) the UK and to pay the same course fees as British students, with access to the same student loans. 

This would not be the case if we left the EU. The Guildhall School of Music and Drama recently released photos of its principal symphony orchestra first with, and then without, the students who hail from EU countries. Here was the result: 

42 out of the orchestra's 109 performers (38%) come from countries in the European Union. Professor Barry Ife, Principal of the Guildhall School, says "The Guildhall School has over 200 students from the EU and we benefit greatly from their talent and enthusiasm. Brexit would deprive them of access to the student loans scheme and their ability to study here would be put at risk. We need talented young international students to keep our world-leading provision fresh and vibrant. And we need to stay connected in an interconnected world." 

This is exactly the same story for music conservatoires all over the UK. Even after music college, the impact on the profession would be huge. I am a member of the Southbank Sinfonia - an orchestra which, this year, is made up of 33 graduate musicians from a staggering 18 different nationalities! The diversity of culture and experiences that this brings to the group is invaluable and we can all learn so much from each other.

Finally the prospect of leaving the EU seems to be a bleak one in terms of applying for jobs abroad and travelling around Europe. Many music students and graduates gain a great deal from studying and working abroad. Personally, the chance to participate in masterclasses, competitions and courses around France, Italy and Germany has provided me with exciting performance platforms and the opportunity to meet other like-minded people and develop as a musician. Touring is a major part of life for most musicians, particularly for those in orchestras , chamber groups or as soloists. Until now, we have been able to enjoy the freedom of visa-free travel around the EU, but how much more complicated - and expensive - will this be if we leave?

I'm not normally one to talk much about politics -often I'm too embarrassed at my lack of knowledge or understanding. However it seems blindingly obvious to me that leaving the EU would have a hugely detrimental effect on society. We are so lucky to benefit from the countless students, teachers and performers from the EU who live and work in the UK and it would be a tragedy if it became too difficult for them to visit or to stay. 

Contemporary Music Mania!

My last couple of weeks have been completely filled with contemporary music! From an orchestral club night performance with the Southbank Sinfonia to a collaboration with the 15 Second Harp project and preparations for two upcoming solo concerts with the Park Lane Group, I've had to get used to sight reading unusual rhythms, leaping around uncomfortable intervals and deciding how best to interpret the music in front of me...

First SbS rehearsals for Rise of the Machine at St John's Waterloo

After a couple of weeks off over Easter, Southbank Sinfonia were thrown back in at the deep end, with our first concert being for the 'Nonclassical' music festival, conducted by Gerry Cornelius. Our performance - entitled Rise of the Machines - explored the theme of the mechanical in classical music and featured the UK premiere of Gabriel Prokofief's Concerto for Trumpet, Percussion, Turntables and Orchestra. Our venue was Ambika P3 - an underground nightclub next to the University of Westminster. I couldn't believe that I'd been walking down Marylebone Road to the Academy for four years and never knew it existed! The concert was recorded by BBC Radio 3 for 'Hear and Now' and was a huge success, with a packed crowd and great performances by the orchestra, soloists and DJs. 

Performance at Ambika for the orchestral club night (Photo: Southbank Sinfonia)

Earlier in the week, I met up with harpist Olivia Jageurs, founder of 15 Second Harp. You may remember that I featured Olivia in one of my recent blog posts and, since then, she has reached over 1000 followers on Facebook and received over 100 pieces from composers all around the world. To celebrate this achievement, Olivia decided to start commissioning duo works, for harp and another instrument, and I was honoured to be asked to be her first collaborator!

Post-recording session for 15 Second Harp

After sending out a message encouraging composers to write for trumpet and harp, Olivia and I received five pieces, each one completely different in style. We recorded them together and posted the final versions online on Friday 15th April. I couldn't believe how time-consuming it could actually be to record such short pieces of music, but we were really pleased with the results, and it seems that our five composers were too! You can view all 5 videos and more here:

https://www.instagram.com/15secondharp/

Finally, a large amount of my time over the last two months has been spent practising new repertoire for my concerts at St John's Smith Square next week. These two performances are part of the Park Lane Group 2016 Series, with a different composer featured every day next week. The two concerts which I'm involved in feature composers James MacMillan and Sally Beamish.

Tomorrow (Monday), I shall be perfoming Seraph by James Macmillan, a concerto originally written for Alison Balsom in 2011. I actually went to watch the premiere performance at Wigmore Hall, so it feels amazing to now be performing Seraph myself. Pianist Jen Hughes and I will be playing during the 6pm concert/talk - James MacMillan in Conversation - and this is likely to be the first performance of the work with trumpet and piano, rather than trumpet and strings.  

Details & tickets here: https://www.sjss.org.uk/events/james-macmillan

James MacMillan - St John's Smith Square - Sally Beamish

Our second concert, on Friday 22nd April, will feature music by Sally Beamish and Stephen Dodgson. We are particularly excited to be performing the World Premiere of Trinculo - a piece commissioned by the Park Lane Group for Jen and me, written by Sally. We will be working on Trinculo in a coaching session with Sally on Thursday at the Royal College of Music, where Jen is a professor. We will also be performing Stephen Dodgson's Trumpet Concerto, written for me in 2011, in its new version for trumpet and piano. 

Details & tickets here: https://www.sjss.org.uk/events/sally-beamish

It's been a really interesting and rewarding challenge for me and Jen, working on so much new repertoire and having to know each other's parts as well as our own. In rehearsals, our ensemble playing actually came together much quicker than we were expecting, and so it was just down to personal practice (with a metronome!) to ensure that we both felt comfortable with our own parts. I'm really looking forward to finally performing and sharing the music that we've been working on - hopefully some of you can be there to hear it! 

My tribute to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

It was with great sadness this week that I learned of the death of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Having performed a couple of his works for trumpet, I decided that I wanted to offer my own tribute and take you on a journey of my experience of such a great man and pioneering composer.

The first time I came across the music of Peter Maxwell Davies, I was 16 and was preparing for my performance in the Kingston Young Musician Competition. I was putting my programme together and decided I would play a piece of new music, in a bid to hopefully win the extra £50 contemporary music prize!! My Dad found Maxwell Davies' Sonatina for Solo Trumpet in a book of contemporary trumpet music and suggested that I try it out.

To start with, I must admit, I hated it... It was the first time I had ever played an unaccompanied piece, especially one without an obvious tune and with extended techniques like flutter tonguing. My Dad typed the part into Sibelius so that I could listen and play along to it and, eventually, I started to be able to sing it and know it like a tune. I actually began to really love the piece - though this was probably helped by the fact that I did in fact win the £50 prize by playing it!!

When I was preparing for my Royal Academy of Music audition a year later, I chose to use the Sonatina as my contrasting piece. I played it to Jim Watson (then Head of Brass) in a consultation lesson before my audition and it was one of the best hours of my life. Jim gave me brilliant advice on how I could really get the most out of the piece and what I could do to enhance my performance. A month later I played the Sonatina in my Academy audition and the panel then asked me to play it again in a second-round audition - I believe that it was this performance that earned me a place at RAM.

Three weeks into my first term at the Academy, aged 18, I was given a slot in a masterclass with visiting professor and soloist Reinhold Friedrich. I chose to perform the Sonatina again. This was the first time Reinhold was going to hear me play, so I was keen for it to go well, but I was feeling a bit guilty about playing something that I already knew so well! It turned out to be a good decision, however, because Reinhold seemed to really love my interpretation of the three short movements and spoke about his own experiences of - and admiration for - the music of Peter Maxwell Davies. 

A student watching the class then remarked that Maxwell Davies himself was actually teaching a composition class in the same building. Reinhold was beside himself with excitement and demanded that someone go and fetch him, so that I could perform my piece again, this time to the composer himself!! When Peter Maxwell Davies eventually arrived, I'd had a nervous hour of waiting, but I stood up and played the Sonatina once more. Max (as he was affectionately known by many of his friends and colleagues) was very generous with his time and told us all about how he'd written the piece for a boy in Australia, whose mother had got in touch with him after worrying that her son didn't have a short contemporary piece to play in an audition. Max said he'd enjoyed my performance very much and thanked me for playing to him. It was an incredible moment for me, especially so early on in my Academy career, and one that I'll always remember. 

Later that year, the brass department announced that they would be auditioning for a trumpeter to play Maxwell Davies' Sonata in D for Trumpet and Piano. This work is notoriously difficult - so much so that it was actually deemed impossible when it was first written!! However it is tackled a bit more often nowadays, and I decided to put myself forward for the audition. I didn't win the performance opportunity that time, but I was delighted that I'd challenged myself and learnt a piece which so many people tend to avoid! The panel from the audition suggested that I continue working on the Sonata with the chosen pianist, Christina McMaster, and perform it at a later date. Christina and I played the Sonata at a recital at the Chapel Royal, Brighton in November 2013 and it is a performance that I remember very fondly and proudly. 

I hope to perform more of Peter Maxwell Davies' music in the future, and to continue to exhibit these pieces of his that I know and like so much. He was always the person I would get most excited about when I'd spot him around the Academy (I couldn't believe that I could eat my lunch on a table right next to him in the RAM canteen!) and I feel honoured to have met, and performed to, such an important and influential musical figure.

Who run the world?... Girls!!!

With this week being International Women's Week, I've been reflecting upon the inspiring women in my life. I feel very lucky to have such an amazing mum, twin sister, best friend and to be surrounded by so many great girl friends and colleagues. But I thought that it also might be interesting to reflect upon and celebrate some of the women within the music profession, whom I know and have recently worked with, and who have inspired me.

Over the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to work with two wonderful conductors, as a member of the Southbank Sinfonia. In February, we gave the premiere performances of a new youth opera at Glyndebourne (Nothing by David Bruce). The production received rave reviews and was conducted by Sian Edwards (below left). I knew Sian from the Royal Academy of Music, where she is Head of Conducting, and it was a true pleasure to work with her. Sian was efficient, clear and, above all, she was patient and friendly. Sian never lost her temper, never singled anyone out, would admit her own (rare) mistakes as much as anyone else's, and conducted every rehearsal and performance with a smile. For me, it was a masterclass in how to earn respect and achieve great results by being nice!

Sian Edwards (Left) and Rebecca Miller (Right)

The following week, Southbank Sinfonia brought in the inimitable Rebecca Miller (above right) to conduct Beethoven's 3rd 'Eroica' Symphony. From her very first downbeat, Rebecca's energy was tireless and, as if by osmosis, the orchestra absorbed this energy and gave two fantastic performances of the symphony. Rebecca's enthusiasm and dynamism was exactly what we needed after the collective exhaustion from the Glyndebourne project and she was described by a member of the Southbank staff as 'a dose of caffeine' for us all!

That week, we performed the Eroica in our regular Rush Hour concert, and also at our first family concert at Cadogan Hall, based on the theme of Heroes. The use of fun multimedia elements, exciting lighting, acting from the orchestra and some carefully chosen excerpts from the symphony culminated in an engaging concert for both the children and their parents. After the concert, the kids were able to meet the musicians and their instruments and even have a go themselves. This interaction between the audience and musicians is actually how I first came across the trumpet when I was five years old and, well, the rest is history..!!

Teamwork = me providing the air and some very excitable children pressing the valves!

As well as being inspired by conductors and figures at the front of the orchestra, I have been particularly inspired recently by my female colleagues and friends. I've loved working in all-female ensembles in the past, such as Bella Tromba, and we also had an all-female trumpet section for the Glyndebourne opera. One trumpeter who I admire is my section partner in Southbank Sinfonia, Etty Wake (below left). Etty is a fabulous high-range player - something that I'm currently working on in my own playing - so it's been very interesting for me to listen to her playing and to talk with her about different techniques and ideas. If you'd like to hear Etty in action, we are performing Telemann's Double Trumpet Concerto in E flat major in next week's Rush Hour Concert! See here for more details.

Etty Wake (Left) and Olivia Jageurs (Right)

Finally, a friend who continues to inspire me is harpist Olivia Jageurs (above right). Olivia is one of the most entrepreneurial musicians I know and is always thinking of ways to make classical music more accessible to new audiences (be it organising a recital in her flat for neighbours and friends or doing workshops with children in schools).

Olivia's most recent venture is 15 Second Harp. The idea behind this project is that composers (either professionals or amateurs) can send Olivia a 15 second-long piece, which she will then learn, record and post a video of online by 5pm the following day. 15 Second Harp therefore provides a perfect platform for composers to try out new ideas for the harp and hear (often within 24 hours) the result. Olivia gives extensive feedback to each contributor and advice on how to make their harp writing more idiomatic. 15 Second Harp is gaining popularity by the day, with 84 contributors to date, almost 1000 followers on Facebook and a number of her videos have been viewed over 4000 times.

Some sample videos from the 15 Second Harp Instagram page

Alongside this work, Olivia is a busy freelance harpist, performing with major London orchestras and playing harp and percussion on stage in the current West End production of The War of the Worlds. I spoke to Olivia recently about how well things seem to be going for her. She told me that she spent a long time, both during and after her studies, worrying about her 'weaknesses' and constantly criticizing herself for them.

She recently decided, however, that life is too short to make yourself miserable with this mentality, so she chose to focus on the aspects of music that she really enjoys and has a particular talent for: contemporary music and sight reading (the core foundations, for her, of 15 Second Harp!) Since making this adjustment, Olivia says that opportunities in other areas have actually started to present themselves too and, as she continues to do the things she loves most, she is more in demand now than ever (most recently as a performer, as an interviewee for online harp magazines or as a panellist for a recent YCAT talk!)

Since talking to Olivia, I've really tried to incorporate this into my day to day life. It is so important to remember and acknowledge the things that you do well, the things that make you 'you', and to allow yourself to do them. Of course, it is also important to have goals and to always strive to be the best you can be, but don't forget to be kind to yourself once in a while and silently congratulate yourself on the things that make you wonderful!