Press Releases

ALEC FRANK-GEMMILL horn (BBT Fellowship 2014)

Is there any other recording that features so many different period horns matched with as many pianos on one CD? Horn-player Alec Frank-Gemmill’s unbounded passion for the wizardry, versatility and beauty of his instrument has inspired him to undertake the most challenging of projects – an exploration of the 19th century horn’s extraordinary development – for his debut CD on the BIS label. Pianist Alasdair Beatson joined him on a venture which tested their virtuosity, artistry and stamina – not only on disc, but also in a BBT profile film and four short Insight films about each horn in turn in which Alec eloquently explains and demonstrates his ideas: “this is not about historically informed performance, but more a personal fascination with finding a way into the music with precisely the type of instrument that composers such as Beethoven, Saint-Saëns and Dukas would have known.”

All films by Graham Johnston

BIS SACD 2228 General release date: 17 March 2017 (UK 28 April)

View films here

Listen to CD excerpts here

Read press release here

KATE WHITLEY piano/composer (BBT Special Award 2014)

The flourishing career of young British composer, pianist and musical entrepreneur Kate Whitley is further enhanced with the release of her first CD, I Am I Say, profiling her work as a composer on the acclaimed NMC Debut Disc Series. The recording includes wide-ranging repertoire from piano miniatures (5 Piano Pieces) and chamber works (3 Violin and Piano Pieces) to a Viola Concerto and the CD title track, I Am I Say, for children’s choir and the Multi-Story Orchestra, which Kate co-founded in 2011 with conductor Christopher Stark. Kate is passionately committed to broadening the scope and appeal of classical music among the young and uninitiated and on the companion BBT profile film (by Graham Johnston) she expresses her sense of fulfilment in having so many aspects of her musical output brought together in this one project.

NMC D229 Release Date 24 March 2017

View film here >>

Listen to CD excerpts here >>

AUGUSTIN HADELICH violin (BBT Fellowship 2011)

It was the freshness and musical beauty of Edouard Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole that inspired Tchaikovsky to write his own violin concerto – and the pairing of these two works perfectly showcases the virtuoso technique and poetic sensitivity that have established Augustin Hadelich as one of the leading violinists of his generation. The concerts were recorded live at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 2015 and 2016 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Omer Meir Wellber (Lalo) and Vasily Petrenko (Tchaikovsky).

LPO-0094

Listen to CD excerpts here

BEATRICE RANA piano (BBT Fellowship 2016)    
        
Young Italian pianist Beatrice Rana put part of her BBT award towards commissioning a short work, Driven by tears, from renowned composer and compatriot Luca Francesconi, specifically to play before the Liszt Piano Sonata in B minor. The world première will be at Perugia’s Sala dei Notari on 17 March, then in South Korea in April.

JAMES BAILLIEU piano (BBT Fellowship 2012)

Pianist James Baillieu was keen to put his BBT funds towards projects that showcase his passion for chamber music, especially working with singers. As well as co-commissioning a new work from Nico Muhly, BBT has supported a series of short films made by Tall Wall Media during his special residency at Wigmore Hall in the 2015/16 season. Here is another in which American mezzo Jamie Barton talks about the importance of having a musical collaborator of equal status for her thrilling Wigmore Hall debut with James.

View film here

QUARTETTO LYSKAMM (BBT Special Chamber Music Prize 2016)    
        
In 2016 the Italian quartet was given a BBT Special Chamber Music Prize in memory of Claudio Abbado and it has been putting the funds towards various projects. As well as a new website, the quartet has recorded a demo CD of works by Beethoven, Schubert and Webern.

Quartetto Lyskamm will give a showcase performance on 15 May at 22 Mansfield Street, London W1 in aid of the Nicholas Boas Charitable Trust featuring Schumann’s Quartet in A minor, Op 41, No 1 and Bartok’s Quartet No. 4.

Quartetto Lyskamm Website

Listen to Quartetto Lyskamm here

Apply for recital tickets: boas22m@btinternet.com

A very special award was made on an auspicious day in memory of Franco Buitoni (1934-2016), co-founder of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust with his wife Ilaria, who wanted to honour his lifetime of loving and supporting music. Founding BBT trustee Mitsuko Uchida DBE nominated the Kurtágs to receive the award of £30,000 in recognition of their lifetime of inspirational music-making together.

The award was announced on 19 February 2017, György Kurtág’s 91st birthday and also the couple’s 70th wedding anniversary.

Read the Press Release here

Read the full story with pictures and Mitsuko’s citation here

Pianist Zoltán Fejérvári (BBT Fellowship winner 2016) also attended the presentation. Read his blog here

CALIDORE STRING QUARTET (BBT Fellowship Award 2016)    

Following their first intensive stint in London as BBC New Generation Artists last December, the Calidores retreated to Il Boscoforte, Ilaria Borletti Buitoni’s Italian country house overlooking Lake Maggiore for a resorative few days, before heading back home to America for the holidays. Read here about the effect time, tranquility and amazing food can have on your music making…

Read If music be the food of love here