Press Releases

MARK SIMPSON clarinet/composer

Online world premiere of first work for solo clarinet
A film by Graham Johnston

The virtuosity of Mark Simpson’s dual career as composer and performer is re-emphasised with this BBT commission of his first-ever work for solo clarinet. To make it as widely accessible as possible, Mark chose to record and film the work for online world premiere on 25 October. Darkness Moves is a short piece brimful of contrasting material with a range of melodic passages, wild gestures and outbursts of sound which reflect the psychedelic poetry of Henri Michaux that inspired it. The performance is filmed in tight close-up, revealing the extraordinary energy and virtuosity the work requires and will potentially engage audiences in a way that no ordinary recital could.
There is further bonus material by way of a filmed interview with Mark and the complete score on the Boosey & Hawkes website (paid download).

View films here >>
Download score here >>

BRAM VAN SAMBEEK bassoon

Lahti Symphony Orchestra
Okko Kamu conductor (Fagerlund)
Dima Slobodeniouk conductor (Aho)

According to our virtuosic soloist, these two Finnish composers have very different styles but both greatly appreciate the versatility and expressiveness of the bassoon. In these substantial symphonic works they put the bassoonist in the foreground and push the instrument’s capabilities to the very extremes for Bram’s debut recording with BIS.

Hybrid SACD BIS 2206 | general release 2 December 2016 (October in Sweden)

As well as supporting this recording, BBT also co-commissioned ‘Mana’ (the featured Fagerlund concerto which has also earned the composer a nomination for the 2016 Nordic Council Music Prize) and a concerto for two bassoons from Aho for future premiere – all as part of Bram’s BBT award.

Listen to excerpts from the disc here >>
Read Bram van Sambeek’s blog here >>

HEATH QUARTET

Following their award-winning CD of Tippet String Quartets (Gramophone Chamber Award 2016) the Heaths take on Tchaikovsky’s virtuosic first and last masterworks in the genre for their debut recording with Harmonia Mundi.

HMU 907665 | general release 18 November 2016

Listen to excerpts from the disc here >>

UNDAUNTED BY EXTREME CHALLENGE

Bram van Sambeek acknowledges the intense months he spent mastering these amazing two pieces for bassoon (see recording above): “I endured long trials to define my own limits, such as when my nose started bleeding or I had to find a note that other bassoon freaks on the internet claimed to have played.”

Read Undaunted by Extreme Challenge here >>

THE BAG’S THE THING

BBT Chief Executive Susan Rivers commends the practicality of the Trust’s latest must-have accessory, stylishly modelled by Mark Simpson, Gloria Campaner and a festival-going music critic!

Read The Bag’s the Thing here >>

Congratulations to BBT 2016 winners Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad viola and the Calidore String Quartet who have just joined the roster of BBC New Generation Artists.

Pianist Zoltán Fejérvári launches a new website funded by his 2016 BBT award: zoltanfejervari.com