Jayson Gillham | New Album Release ABC Classics

New Release
ABC Classics – Pre-order now
Medtner Piano Concerto No. 1
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2

Jayson Gillham CD cover artwork

We are very excited to announce that Jayson Gillham’s latest disc with ABC Classics is now available to pre-order, and will be released on 7th July!  It features concertos by two Russian friends Rachmaninoff and Medtner.

Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 is one of the most beloved works in the repertoire, which Jayson has paired with the much less-known but equally stunning Concerto No. 1 by Medtner.

To order your copy now click this link:
ABC Shop – Jayson Gillham

Other places to hear and buy Jayson’s recordings:
iTunes | Spotify | Amazon

Upcoming Concerts

View full details here

Australian Festival of Chamber Music
2-5 August 2017
Townsville, QLD, Australia

West Australian Symphony Orchestra
18-19 August 2017
Perth, WA, Australia

St Mary’s Perivale
10 September 2017
London, UK

25 years of the Tait Memorial Trust – Wagner Spectacular featuring Stuart Skelton
13 September 2017
London, UK

Dorstone House
1 October 2017
Herefordshire, UK

Bloomsbury Festival – Conway Hall
21 October 2017
London, UK

 

View full details here

Connor D’Netto | Tait Scholar 2017

We are delighted to confirm that Connor D’Netto is to be our 3rd Tait Scholar at the Royal College of Music, a generous award sponsored by the Julian Baring family. We wish him all the very best and look forward to working with him as he aspires to reach the very top of the musical world.

Being awarded the title of the Tait Scholar means so much to me. It’s incredibly encouraging to have this support as I take this next big step in my career, moving to London and beginning to really establish myself in the International music scene. Studying at the Royal College of Music is an important part of this, and it mightn’t have been possible without the generous support of the Tait Memorial Trust.

Connor D’Netto | June 2017

I have been selected as a fellow of the prolific American new-music ensemble Bang On A Can. As part of my fellowship, I have been invited to take part in an intensive three-week residence as part of their Summer Music Festival, held this July at MASS MoCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts. My new work summer / summer, a concerto of sorts for saxophone, two voices, and chamber orchestra, will be premiered by the ensemble
as a feature in the Festival.

I am the artistic director and co-founder of Argo, a contemporary classical music concert series based in Brisbane, Australian. Argo has four concerts left in 2017, collaborating with the likes of Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, the Viney-Grinberg Piano Duo (Liam Viney and Anna Grinberg), soprano Merlyn Quaife, violinist Monica Curro, pianist Stefan Cassomenos, Opera Queensland, the Queensland Music Festival and the Queensland
Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, and presenting four newly commissioned works by young local composers, including new work by me, as well as multiple Australian premieres.

Media:
• Website: www.connordnetto.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/connordnetto @connordnetto
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/connordnetto @connordnetto
• Instagram:  www.instagram.com/connordnetto @connordnetto

Videos & Recordings of interest:
o Recording: String Quartet No. 2 in E minor, winner of the Australian New Works Award 2015:
https://soundcloud.com/connordnetto/string-quartet-no-2-in-e-minor-live-micmc-2015


o Video: Texture No. 1 for Orchestra: https://youtu.be/vhVNFbRorRE

Biography:
Connor D’Netto (b. 1994) is a Brisbane based composer of contemporary classical music, described as “the model contemporary Australian composer” by ABC Classic FM. Throughout his works, Connor balances the quasi-neoclassical with post-minimal influences, combining
them with contemporary performance practices, unique one-off concerts and performances, and the delicate incorporation of electronic music elements and production techniques. His music combines driving post-minimal rhythmic elements with heartfelt lyrical expression drawn from his extensive performance experience as a classically trained bass baritone, contrasted with textural devices that push the expectations of an instrument’s capabilities without confronting the audience. Connor’s music has been commissioned and performed across Australia and abroad, including commissions from ensembles such the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Queensland’s Camerata and new music specialists PLEXUS, and performers such as Katie Noonan, Karin Schaupp and Claire Edwards.

In 2017, Connor has been selected as a fellow of Bang On A Can. As part, his music will be featured at Bang On A Can’s Summer Music Festival at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts (MASS MoCA) in July, and will travel to the USA to take part in a three-week residency with the ensemble. In 2015, Connor was named winner of Chamber Music Australia’s Australian New Works Award. His winning work, String Quartet No. 2 in E minor, became the set work for the 7th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition and received premieres by three internationally chosen finalist ensembles at the Melbourne Recital Centre. He has also been awarded a Brisbane Arts and Cultural Innovation Award 2017 for his contribution to the Arts, the Percy Brier Memorial Composition Prize 2016 for his Texture No. 1 for Orchestra, and the Donald Tugby Musicology Prize and Scholarship 2015 by the University of Queensland for exceptional contribution to the field of music research.

Connor is the artistic director, producer, and co-founder of the successful contemporary classical music concert series and collective Argo. Founded in 2015, Argo creates immersive art music experiences bending the boundaries of genre and artform, combining contemporary classical music with electronic music, live-visuals, and fostering creative collaborations between artists of various mediums. Its focus is on creating experiential and concept driven events that fuse classical instruments and ensembles with contemporary influences and new
modes of musical expression.

To find out more about Argo, head to www.argosound.com.

As a performer, Connor is a trained classical bass, having previously studied with Shaun Brown. Connor is also a talented photographer, videographer and visual-artist, creating and shooting not only material for his music, but also for a number of other local artists and musicians. Currently Connor is working on his PhD through the University of Queensland, having completed a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the University of Queensland, graduating with First-Class Honours in 2016. In September, Connor moves to London, where (while continuing his PhD) he will study his Masters of Music at the Royal College of Music.

More about Connor and his work can be found at www.connordnetto.com.

Tait Music Awards 2017

The Tait Memorial Trust is pleased to be assisting these fine young Australian artists in 2017.

The Tait Adopt a Performer scheme
The adopt a performer scheme allows a donor to directly support a young performing artist from Australia or New Zealand (as of May 2017) annually for a three-year commitment. Please click here to learn how to actively involve yourself in the career development of a young performer.

The greatest return, however, would be to see your awardee fulfill their true potential and, as they graduate to a professional career, the pleasure of knowing that you played an important part in making this possible.

Royal College of Music
Tait Scholar
Supported by the Julian Baring family
The Royal College of Music
Connor D’Netto, Composer | Bass Baritone | Photographer | Artist
To learn more about Connor please click here

Connor D’Netto, Tait Scholar 2017

Royal Northern College of Music
Higgins Scholar
Supported by the Higgins family
Waynne Kwon, Cello
To learn more about Waynne please click here

Waynne Kwon, cello, Higgins Family scholar
Waynne Kwon, Higgins Scholar

Andrew Loewenthal Award
Adopt a Performer award to support studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Madeleine Randall, Oboe

The Leanne Benjamin Awards 

selected by Leanne Benjamin AM OBE.

Financial assistance and support for young Australian & New Zealand dancers studying at major UK ballet schools.

tba – Judging ongoing

Partner Award Funding

Royal Over-Seas League Tait Prize
Australian musician showing the most promise
Justin Sun, Bassoon

Justin Sun, Bassoon

John Frost, Frank and Viola Tait Award
Australian International Opera Awards winner 2017
Bronte Zemlic, Mezzo-Soprano
To learn more about Bronte please click here

Bronte Zemlic, mezzo-soprano

Bel Canto Awards
Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation
A Concert platform for a young Australian/New Zealand singer
tba

Tait & Sir Charles Mackerras Chair
A Chair in the Southbank Sinfonia for the duration of the annual programme. This award is made possible due to a generous gift from the Estate of Lady Mackerras and a contribution from the Tait Trust to fund the Chair for at least the next 10 years.
Bernadette Morrison, Cello

John Amis Award
Dartington International Summer School
For a 1 week course of intensive study for an Australian musician
tba

Extraordinary Awards

Louise Worthington Award
Award from Tait Friend, Louise Worthington to support the studies of a young Australian singer
Ashlyn Tymms, Mezzo-Soprano

Tait General Awards

Award funded by Nicholas Heesom
To assist with continued private study
Andrey Lebedev, Guitar

 

Tait Memorial Trust Award
To assist with studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Samantha Clarke, Soprano

Samantha Clarke, Soprano

Tait Memorial Trust Award
To assist with continued private study
Kate Amos, Soprano
To learn more about Kate please click here

Kate Amos, Soprano

Tait Memorial Trust Award
To assist with continued private study
Jade Moffat, Mezzo-Soprano
To learn more about Jade please click here

Jade Moffat, Mezzo Soprano

Julian Baring Award
Supported by the Julian Baring family
To assist with continued private study
Samantha Crawford, Soprano
To learn more about Samantha please click here

 

Tait Memorial Trust Award
To assist with studies at the Royal Academy of Music
Wilbur Whitta, Jazz Piano
To learn more about Wilbur please click here

Wilbur Whitta, Jazz Piano

Tait Memorial Trust Award
To assist with studies at the Royal College of Music
Iona Allan, Violin
To learn more about Iona please click here

Iona Allan, Violin

Tait Memorial Trust Award
To assist with studies at the Royal Academy of Music
Courtenay Cleary, Violin
To learn more about Courtenay please click here

 

 

Samantha Crawford, soprano | 2017 Julian Baring Award

We are delighted to confirm that Samantha Crawford has been awarded the 2017 Julian Baring Award. The Julian Baring award winner is selected personally by our Chairman, Isla Baring OAM, it is one of the Trust’s most prestigious awards. This summer Samantha will debut at the Bayreuther Festspiele in concert and perform Agathe DER FREISCHÜTZ for Blackheath Opera.

This year we are thrilled to announce that awards to the value of £47,100 are to be offered to young performing artists from Australia and New Zealand. This is an increase of 22% compared to last year’s awards, awards growth has been an outstanding 362% in the past 5 years. We will be announcing our other music award recipients in the coming weeks. This growth is due to the incredibly generous support of our Friends and our Principal Partner, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Thank you!

Samantha Crawford

Samantha graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s Opera Course, where she studied with Yvonne Kenny AM as a Baroness de Turckheim Scholar. Samantha is the winner of the Golden Medal with Honours at the 2017 inaugural Berliner International Music Competition, First Prize and President’s Prize at the 2016 Wagner Society Singing Competition and Royal Philharmonic Society Chilcott Award finalist.

Equally at home on stage singing in opera or concert, Samantha has performed at Glyndebourne, Edinburgh Festival, Scottish Opera, Aldeburgh Festival, Garsington Opera,
Opera Holland Park, Wigmore Hall, Barbican, Wales Millennium Centre and Schlosstheater
Schönbrunn. She received critical acclaim for her recent performances of Rosalinde DIE
FLEDERMAUS, Contessa LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Donna Elvira DON GIOVANNI, Micaela
CARMEN, Erste Dame DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE and Mrs. Coyle OWEN WINGRAVE. Her
performances have been broadcast on live cinema relay in Europe, on television and radio for the BBC and filmed for DVD (Sony).

Recent engagements include Samantha’s debut at Teatro Real Madrid as a Blumenmädchen PARSIFAL under Semyon Bychkov, debut at the Bayreuther Festspiele in concert, Agathe DER FREISCHÜTZ for Blackheath Opera, title role in SOUR ANGELICA at Théâtre municipal de Fontainebleau, Fiordiligi COSI FAN TUTTE for Scottish Opera and Miss Jessel TURN OF THE SCREW for GTO covers. In concert, Chausson’s POÈME DE L’AMOUR ET DE LA MER at Barbican Milton Court, Mozart’s REQUIEM under Martyn Brabbins, Wagner’s WESENDONCK LIEDER for City of London Festival and Strauss’ VIER LETZTE LIEDER at Blackheath Halls.

Photo credit: Jeremy Hosking

Website: www.samanthacrawford.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSDS49jfKLzjx3E0f3KIEg