From time to time I've told VN that we should support local violinists, too, and not just go to the big names. We go to hear chamber groups, too. Strings only. She seems to like male violinists in general.

Well, I've been thinking - There doesn't seem to be much choice, is there? Not many well known Brit ones playing in London, are there? Or, am I mistaken? Daniel Hope (Zachar Bron's protege) has settled in his wife's country. So I can only think of Nigel Kennedy and Jack Liebeck. I've told her we'll get round to these two next year.

Am I missing some?

Are we that bad on record? Only 1 international (male) virtuoso since the awesome Kennedy? We can't believe this. Thought you folks are bound to be able to come up with some.

She likes Benedetti, too, from what she has read, and she reads a lot! Think I'll take her to hear her (live), too. Costly, all these concerts. Going to go bankrupt one day. Oh well, all for a good reason, as Sarah might say.

By the way, if my memory serves me right, Nicola B went to the States to perform. Has anyone heard her play there? Supposed to be a very high-pressure place to play. She didn't say much about it in the press other than that she was far too nervous when she played there.

What about Anthony Marwood ? He's absolutley fab. (May not be Nig Ken - I know. But then again...)
I was almost in tears watching him play Beets violin concerto D maj.

Fiona

Tess, I had the lovely opportunity of playing with Nicola B when she played the Tchaik with my youth orchestra last May. TV does that girl no justice. On TV she is phenomenal, in the flesh wow, she took my breath away. You absoloutly *must* take VN to see her at some point, I'm positive she'd enjoy it so much.

Thanks, Isobel. Think we will see her. Yes!

We are also planning to see Liebeck in Feb 2007 at Wigmore Hall. Don't know what he'll be playing yet. My daughter's teacher thinks he is good. I very much hope some of you forum folks will be there so we could meet up for drinks, too.

*eyes hurting and mouth yawning*

Goodnight.

Tasmin Little is apparently unheard of in the USA.
Nicola Benedetti was good when I saw her - not amazing - she looked very nervous - but good. I think she does a very nice job of the Mendelssohn, if you get a chance to see that, go for it!
Nigel Kennedy...if you can track him down in the UK (spends a lot of time in Poland apparently) then wow. I saw him at Glastonbury doing jazz stuff - simply amazing...

I'm not sure, but I am sure when there was a TV programme about her, there was a bit from when she went to the States there. Not 100% though.

I've seen her live and it really was worth it

Mm, probably. But going there a couple of times doesn't make her well-known necessarily - she still seems very much based in the UK which I guess is the main thing.

Even Tasmin Little is not well known in the States. You have to be phenomenal like Kennedy to move their earth!

The Americans - or, rather, the American Delius Society - don't like Tasmin Little because she suggested that Delius had an illegitimate child with an African-American woman when he was in the States. Did anyone else see Tasmin's documentary? A few years ago now...

For what it's worth, I'm a big fan of Tasmin Little. She is a very good player and somehow keeps the whole thing "human". She gave a great recital at my old university once. Haven't heard much about her for a while, more's the pity.

From what I have heard and seen, Jack Liebeck is superb. I remember seeing him on TV aged 13-ish, when I was also 13 and struggling with my grade 4...

(Nigel) Kennedy's recording of the Elgar concerto is fantastic.

Hi Ben,
I saw Tasmin quite recently at her masterclass at RAM. It's free so if you could get the day off, RAM is not too far from East Anglia. Will keep you posted re. 2007.

Will see Jack Liebeck at Wigmore in Feb. We'd be VERY happy to meet with you and other forum members if you folks like.

My daughter's teacher said Liebeck is very good when he heard him play.

Tasmin also played at the Proms this summer.

Tess & VN

For something a bit different why not take her to see Chris Garrick or Adam Summerhayes - both stunning violinists playing somewhat outside the classical mould. Check these sites and find out what they're up to.

http://www.chrisgarrick.com

http://www.heureka.clara.net/music/zum.htm

http://www.concert-diary.com/home/concert_...ef=13&hide=

This last link is about a very interesting-sounding concert on Sept 9th in London.

Oh and I just found this quote from the ever-humble Maxim Vengerov: "I want to learn to play like Christian Garrick." What a peach!

Violinia

Sorry, not a Vivaldi fan!

By the way, where is Chris Garrick playing next?

EDIT
Sorry, Violinia, just found his gigs schedule! Thanks.

I would like to mention a really promising vioinist we have here in Cheshire, Sophie Rosa. Her younger sister's good too. Sophie made the string final of the BBC Young Musician of the year, but I think her program choice was unwise and this counted against her. I have heard her play live and she is fantastic.
She is taught by that well known (Chinese) professor in Manchester, whos name escapes me for the moment. One to watch for the future.

Wen Zhou Li - he is a very well known and popular prof at Royal Northern. Has a way of knowing how to pick winners.

My kid particularly likes guys though so the favs seem to be Jack Liebeck and Chris Garrick. Both RAM! What a coincidence!

Never heard of Anthony Marwood other than he's a GSMD prof.

It might be worth remembering the name Jeanine Thorpe. She was violin soloist with an orchestra I was in quite recently and her playing was simply stunning. She's already won a load of awards and seems to be going from strength to strength. Definitely someone to look out for.

Oh yes, we know about her. She was from Junior Academy before she followed her teacher (forgot who it was now!) to Junior Guildhall. I think she's very young.

Chloe Hanslip
Jennifer Pike
Rachel Podger
Andrew Manze
Clio Gould

Hmmm mainly girls!!!

I think she's about 17 or 18 now.

Oh yes! *recovering from a bout of absent-mindedness now despite a very bad night with baby* Jeanine is 17 and I also remember the teacher she followed from JA to Junior Guildhall! She is the very same one who is still teaching an acquaintance's daughter now - Philippa Bunting. Of course, she graduated from PB as soon as she arrived at JG to some senior profs who really invested in her. In fact, we were invited last March to hear her at Junior Guildhall but we missed it as we couldn't find anyone to babysit (a SN child) at the time.

We have been told quite surprising things about JG by parents of ex-JG teenagers and with all due respect to the other two junior conservatoires, I do believe that they are wonderfully supportive in a way that's well beyond what we have heard of both JD and JA.

Well done, JT!

I know! All girls!!! We do love Clio Gould.

Not sure about Manze, though, not a fan of Vivaldi.

I saw Clio last night play Mozart piano trio. Great concert...I was sort of in it too at the beginning

Explain?

Count me in, too. Yes, Jane, what meanest thou by being in it "at the beginning"?

We have Clio's CD with her RAM students and it's fantastic!

I want to know too!

I know that Nigel Kennedy has an enormous following so am I the only one here who does not enjoy watching him perform? I find his scruffy manner of dressing silly and unnecessary, and inappropriate for the concert platform, and on occasion he uses such a vicious, biting bowing technique that it can be very unpleasant. I am not too keen on "mockney" accents either and cannot bear to listen to his interviews. Sorry fans, but he is not on my list of favourites.

You don't have to apologise, petrat. Most folks we know aren't Nigel Kennedy fans other than his fantastic rendition of Elgar's violin concerto. My hubby can't tolerate Purple Haze on CD for example but loves his Vivaldi. Hey, it's OK to be yourself!

Thanks Tess.

It was at the Lincoln chamber music festival and the inaugural event (it is all Mozart) was titled "From the ridiculous to the sublime". It opened with Mozart's Musical Joke (ridiculous) and finished with K516, the Gm quintet (sublime).

What was even more ridiculous was that before the concert officially started there was a pre-concert event, a talk and "Play the Musical Joke from scratch". So anyone who wanted to join in could take their instrument and play along with the artists in a scratch K522. This was the bit I was in. At least I could try and claim that any wrong notes were purposefuly put there by Mozart

Thanks, Jane. For one moment I had thought you meant Clio Gould was inconsistent. By the way, that's a bit like the termly LSO discovery concerts I take the school kids to, where they are allowed to bring their own instruments (whatever that may be!!! Doesn't have to be an orchestral instrument!!! ) to play along the orchestra and they all have SUCH a lot of FUN! I strongly recommend these LSO discovery concerts! If you are a music teacher, pls encourage your students to go! You can also do the same if like me you are a crazy parent with a following in school that you think you can manage. It's CHEAP and yet INSPIRING!

By the way, on a totally different matter, Jennifer Pike (probably the most well known local youngster of the lot - other than Benedetti - as you can't count DH and NK as young any more ) is being coached by David Takeno. I was a little surprised as he's more known as an accomplished chamber player than a soloist whereas Pike was supposed to carve a name for herself as soloist. We haven't heard her though we have read quite a bit of her in the press then. Is she any good? How would she "rate" vis-a-vis JT, Ben? I know it's hard to compare justly/logically, and yet, it'd be helpful to have some/your thoughts, Ben.

Don't know why but VN just seems to fall for guys! Her first was Grapelli.

Had a look up this topic list on local male talent and found them to be dominated by GIRLS!!! Oh well, Jack Liebeck should be fun. Her teacher (a "110%" perfectionist who is to her the fussiest listener in the whole world and more of a Shaham fan than Maxim - whom she just can't wait to hear as well in May) thinks Liebeck is a "very good" fiddler player.

Heheh, fantastic.

What a great idea.

Boo, do you want the date for the next LSO discovery concert?

Unfortunately I think I don't think I'd be accepted as a schoolkid without a fight. Also a bit of a long way to go. Cornwall does have it's disadvantages.

My thoughts are as follows, Tess: If I could play like either of them, I would be happy.

I heard Nicola Benedetti play live at the Assembly Halls in Tunbridge Wells, Kent and she was brilliant. I was also able to meet and talk to her after the concert - she is a really natural person to talk to and told me how she had her sister to thank for learning the violin as her sister asked for lessons at a very early age which enabled Nicola to join her. I managed to get her to sign my programme and a copy of her first CD too which I shall cherish.

I heard Jennifer Pike playing a Mozart violin concerto with orchestra in Chester Cathedral quite recently. I thought she had star quality - From previous visits I don't think it's a particularly easy space for a soloist to fill but she made the place her own and the (sizeable) audience was transfixed. There's an effortless magic to her playing which is how I would imagine fairy music to sound. I got the impression from the programme notes she had made a conscious effort to "disappear" after YM and focus rather more on her musical studies than on publicity. I'm afraid I can't really compare her with other "big names" as I haven't heard many, and in particular if VN adores the fizzing energy of Nigel Kennedy, I think this may be approaching things from a different perspective.

Aaw, that is so nice! She sounds like the sort of person you'd wish for a sister.

Zoda, VN is not into sizzling energy like Keneddy at all. Many like NK for his Elgar's.

She's very quiet and still fancies the gentle Grapelli best of all. Znaider who is very warm and plays intimately comes a close second. She hasn't been to Maxim's yet but will do so next May.

[quote name='Tess' date='Aug 31 2006, 09:44 AM' post='385731']
[quote name='Alto' post='385629' date='Aug 30 2006, 10:14 PM']

... she is a really natural person to talk to and told me how she had her sister to thank for learning the violin as her sister asked for lessons at a very early age which enabled Nicola to join her. I managed to get her to sign my programme and a copy of her fverst CD too which I shall cherish.
[/quote]

My daughter has had the pleasure of playing with Nicola when she visited her school. Nicola spent over three hours with them . According to my daughter she is just like them - we have a superb clip from the TV when Nicola is playing with the orchestra , with my daughter sitting next to her - Nicola made a mistake , my daughter and her both laugh !! I have had the pleasure of seeing her play both at small venues , she is incredible , and most definately not star struck. My son did a project on her at school - he wrote to her and got a very personal handwritten response - we have kept the original letter safe. If you get the chance to see her play - go.

[quote name='celloboy' date='Sep 6 2006, 06:10 PM' post='388932']
[quote name='Tess' date='Aug 31 2006, 09:44 AM' post='385731']
[quote name='Alto' post='385629' date='Aug 30 2006, 10:14 PM']

... she is a really natural person to talk to and told me how she had her sister to thank for learning the violin as her sister asked for lessons at a very early age which enabled Nicola to join her. I managed to get her to sign my programme and a copy of her fverst CD too which I shall cherish.
[/quote]

My daughter has had the pleasure of playing with Nicola when she visited her school. Nicola spent over three hours with them . According to my daughter she is just like them - we have a superb clip from the TV when Nicola is playing with the orchestra , with my daughter sitting next to her - Nicola made a mistake , my daughter and her both laugh !! I have had the pleasure of seeing her play both at small venues , she is incredible , and most definately not star struck. My son did a project on her at school - he wrote to her and got a very personal handwritten response - we have kept the original letter safe. If you get the chance to see her play - go.
[/quote]

I have just read my post - couple of clarifications:
1. When my daughter said she was just like them , I meant a normal teenager, not in terms of my daughters ability!
2. I have seen her play at both small and large venues.
Sorry I should have checked the reply before I posted it!!