Monday 23 November 2009

INTERNATIONAL CELLO VIRTUOSO TO STAR AT DOCKLANDS SINFONIA CONCERT

CELLO virtuoso Leonard Elschebroich will perform Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with Docklands Sinfonia – London’s exciting new symphony orchestra - on Friday November 20th.

The winner of the prestigious 2009 Leonard Bernstein award has caught the attention of some of the world’s greatest conductors and has recently performed the Brahms double with Anne-Sophie Mutter at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany.

The concert at St Anne’s Limehouse, will include Saint-Saens’ rousing Symphony No 3 ‘Organ’ and the London premiere of ‘Blast! for Kate’ – a brass, percussion and organ fanfare by British composer Jeremy Holland-Smith.

Roger Sayer, organist at Rochester Cathedral, will be playing St Anne’s recently-renovated Gray & Davison organ – which won a gold prize at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was once heard by Queen Victoria.

Docklands Sinfonia, which is made up of professional musicians, music college students and talented amateurs, is aiming to be a major cultural force for the Canary Wharf area.

Since it’s formation in January 2009, the orchestra has appeared on the BBC1 television series ‘Clash’ and has performed with renowned musicians such as baroque soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, saxophonist Christian Forshaw and The Raven string quartet.

Docklands Sinfonia’s Conductor and founder Spencer Down said: “This promises to be the most spectacular Docklands Sinfonia concert to date. We are very honoured to be performing with the world-class cellist Leonard Elschenbroich, who is one of the most dynamic musicians on the international music scene today.”

He added: “The St Anne’s organ is a stunning instrument which is rich in history and we are very excited that it is taking such a prominent role in our programme.”

ORGAN SYMPHONY CONCERT
Friday November 20th, 7:30pm
St Anne’s, Limehouse, Three Colt Street, London, E14 7HP

‘Blast! for Kate’ – Jeremy Holland-Smith
Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104 – Antonín Dvořák
Soloist: Leonard Elschenbroich
Symphony No 3 in C Minor, Op. 78 – Camille Saint-Saëns
Organ: Roger Sayer

Tickets: £10 (box office), £12 (door) and £8 (concessions)

BOX OFFICE: 07827 568992 (24hr) or info@docklandssinfonia.co.uk

LEONARD ELSCHENBROICH is the winner of this year’s Leonard Bernstein award and winner of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust.

The 24-year cellist has caught the attention of today’s greatest international conductors and has received invitations to make orchestral debuts from Valery Gergiev for Basel Symphony, Semyon Bychkov with the WDR Symphony, Manfred Honeck with the Swedish Radio Symphony, Christoph Eschenbach and Anne-Sophie Mutter at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival, as well as personal invitations from Dmitri Kitajenko, Howard Griffiths and Paavo Järvi.

This year, he has made further debuts with the the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Brandenburg State Symphony, Stavanger Symphony, Bremen Philharmonic, Munich Symphony, as well as performing the Brahms Double Concerto aside Nicola Benedetti and the ULSO in Hong Kong.

Upon recommendation of Sir Colin Davis, Leonard was a Borletti-Buitoni Trust winner. Born 1985 in Frankfurt, Leonard was invited to the Yehudi Menuhin School in London at the age of 10. He finished his degree at the Music College of Cologne with Frans Helmerson. He held a Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Music in London and is currently a fellow at the Trinity College of Music in London.
www.leonard-elschenbroich.com

ROGER SAYER is Organist of Rochester Cathedral. He began his musical career as a chorister in Portsmouth. He went on to study at the Royal College of Music under the late Nicholas Danby, winning all the major organ prizes.
Between 1980 and 1984 he was organ student at St. Paul's Cathedral, London and in 1981 was appointed organist of Woodford Parish Church, where he built up a fine musical tradition. Since graduating he has been constantly in demand as an organist and conductor.
Roger, who is the Musical Director of the Rochester Choral Society, has recently performed in St Paul's Cathedral London in the Celebrity Series and Riverside Church in New York. Roger has made numerous highly acclaimed recordings both as an organist and conductor.

His concerts in many parts of the world have included the organ symphonies of Vierne and all the Organ Works of Durufle. In 2009, his performances have taken him to Iceland, Italy, France, Germany and U.S.A.
www.rogersayer.org

SPENCER DOWN is Associate Conductor of the Junior Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, has taught conducting at the Royal Academy of Music summer school and adjudicated the London College of Music’s Wind and Brass Competitions. Currently working at the Junior Guildhall, he is brass co-ordinator, professor of euphonium and conductor. He has recently designed the Trinity Guildhall euphonium diploma syllabus.

Spencer has conducted members of both the London Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra in educational projects. Under his leadership, he has established the Kew Wind Orchestra as one of Britain’s leading wind ensembles. In April 2008, the orchestra was given a rare consistent achievement award for winning three successive gold awards at the National Concert Band Festival Finals.

Spencer’s musical career has taken him around the world and he has conducted in the UK’s major concert halls including the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Snape Maltings and the Sage Gateshead.
www.spencerdown.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.docklandssinfonia.co.uk

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