Magnard Ensemble
Saturday, 29th March, 2025 | 7:30pm
Toby Young – Variations on a Theme of Malcolm Arnold
Martin Butler – Down-Hollow Winds
Alexander von Zemlinsky – Humoreske
Ewan Campbell – The Misinformation Machine (commission)
A. Mozart – Rondo in A minor, K511 (arr. Shiner)
INTERVAL
Samuel Barber – Summer Music
Ivor Gurney – Nocturne in A flat Major
August Klughardt – Quintet in C Major, Op. 79
Suzie Watson, flute
Mana Shibata, oboe
Joseph Shiner, clarinet
Catriona McDermid, bassoon
Jonathan Farey, horn
Formed in 2012, the Magnard Ensemble has built a reputation for delivering both high-quality concert performances and dynamic educational projects. Since making its international debut at the Culture & Convention Centre Lucerne, Switzerland in January 2017, the Ensemble has appeared at venues such as Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall and St Martin-in-the-Fields, as well as festivals and concert societies nationwide, including a residency at the Britten-Pears Foundation, Aldeburgh.
The Quintet held the Chamber Music Fellowship at the Royal Academy of Music, London, as well as the inaugural joint fellowship between the RAM Open Academy and the Wigmore Hall Learning Department. The Ensemble has also been selected artists for Making Music, the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust, the Tillett Trust Young Artist Platform and the Tunnell Trust.
The Ensemble is known for their passion for new music. To date it has premiered works by emerging composers such as Leo Geyer, Freya Waley-Cohen, Ewan Campbell, and Sarah Jenkins and has conducted composition workshops with organisations including the East Anglia Young Composers Competition, hosted by Aldeburgh Young Musicians and Snape Maltings, as well as the Vale of Glamorgan Festival.
The players all follow their own individual performing careers, appearing as soloists, chamber musicians and with orchestras. These includes guest principal appearances with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, London Chamber Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and Concert Orchestras, RTE Symphony Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra, Scottish Opera and the Manchester Camerata.
The Ensemble created its Revolting Rhymes and Marvellous Music project to celebrate the centenary of Roald Dahl's birth, in partnership with Paul Patterson, Martin Butler, the City Music Foundation and Music Link International. Featured on BBC Radio 3's 'In Tune' programme, the Ensemble delivered concerts and workshops at venues including Wigmore Hall, the Forge Camden, National Centre for Early Music, Wells Cathedral School, the Hay, Thaxted and Aberystwyth festivals, as well as Repton School, Roald Dahl's alma mater. The recording of this project was released by Orchid Classics and was given four stars by BBC Music Magazine. The Ensemble has also released two recordings on Toccata Classics dedicated to the chamber music of Stephen Dodgson.