Kensington Olympia Festival of Music and the Arts
by Karine Hetherington
In early December, the beginning of the Christmas season, I attended a unique performance of Handel’s Messiah in the newly-refurbished Pillar Hall, Olympia. The modest red-brick building of Italianate design hugs the vast exhibition halls of Olympia. With a 250 seating capacity, it is an ideal venue for what was to be an intimate rendering of Handel’s masterpiece. Continue reading “When Less is More – Handel in Olympia”
by Karine Hetherington
Originally an Easter offering, Handel’s Messiah was first performed in Dublin’s Musick Hall, Fishamble Street, on April 13th 1742. By all accounts it was an incredible event. Handel was famous by then and there was a rush to get seats. In order to create more room, women in the 700-strong audience, were asked to come “without hoops”.
The Messiah remains popular to this day and it is easy to see why. Handel’s oratorio is such an uplifting, sublime, immersive work. One which is guaranteed to put you in the mood for celebrating Christmas.
I met up with Miles Lallemant, KOFMA’s musical director, and Laura Lamph, mezzo soprano and KOFMA curator, to discuss our upcoming production of the Messiah. Continue reading “Handel Comes To Olympia”
by Karine Hetherington
Denis Moriarty will be giving an illustrated lecture about Wilfred Owen and his contemporaries for the KOFMA Armistice Centenary, 9th November. Karine Hetherington went to find out about it.
What led you to become interested in the music, poetry and art of the Great War?
It all started with Britten’s War Requiem. I sang in the choir of an early performance of Britten’s work at the Royal Albert Hall. Britten conducted and there was the Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskay there; the German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; and tenor Peter Pears. For the requiem, Britten used Wilfred Owen’s poetry and it was perhaps the first time most people, including I, had been exposed to his poetry. It was Britten who brought Wilfred Owen to the public eye. I was bowled over by it and it led me on of course to Siegfried Sassoon’s work. Continue reading “Denis Moriarty, Speaker And Lecturer”
by Karine Hetherington
On Saturday October 6th 2018, The Lallemant Quartet will perform a piano extravaganza at St Luke’s Church, Chelsea.
Karine Hetherington caught up with three of the sibling pianists: Miles, Oliver and Lydia Lallemant.
You’re going to be performing on four grand pianos. That’s quite a feat!
Oliver: We’ve done this before. The first time was in 2011, seven years ago. But then it was out of necessity! I had to hire two extra pianos for a concert I was directing and I needed to recoup the cost of piano hire. I therefore organised an ad hoc event the night before the main concert and got my three siblings to play with me. We got our money back but I have to admit that our first foray wasn’t much good. However it was a start and we got a taste for it. Since then we have had much more concert practice! Continue reading “Grand Day Out For Four In Chelsea: An Interview With Four Lallemants”
by Karine Hetherington
Karine went down to the South Bank to meet the internationally acclaimed Atéa Quintet. Three of the members were able to make it: horn player Chris Beagles; clarinettist Anna Hashimoto; and oboe player Phillip Haworth.
Three out of five of you are here. Who’s missing?
Chris: Alena, our flute player, is unfortunately sick, and our bassoonist Ashley is working in New York.
Which begs the question: How easy is it to play as a quintet? How do you fit it into all your other musical commitments?
Anna: It is a challenge but we have played together for nearly nine years now. That means every time we come together, we blend instantly. We know how each one of us plays. Everything is really natural. Continue reading “Music For Five Winds: An Interview With The Atéa Quintet”
by Karine Hetherington
What is your nationality?
I was born in London to French and German parents, so I’d say I’m European!
Tell us a bit about your childhood. Do you come from a musical family?
I come from a family of music lovers but not professionals. My brother however is also a musician and produces electronic music on his label Troy Town. I’ve always loved everything expressive and artistic and my childhood was split mostly between ballet and music. I danced several times a week at the West London School of Dance and on weekends at the Royal Ballet School.
Music was just as important to me though. I started learning the violin when I was very young and I sang in choirs and loved singing the solos. I had a music scholarship in my time at Latymer Upper School. Continue reading “Interview With Charlotte Broker, Soprano”
by Karine Hetherington
Who or what inspired you to take up singing and pursue a career in music?
I started singing as a boy at the age of seven at Clifton Lodge School in Ealing which had a very impressive choir setup at the time. I remember one day coming back home from school and announcing to my parents that I wanted to audition – nothing much more to it than that!
Who or what has been the most important influence on your musical life and career?
Tenor Ben Johnson with whom I recently started studying. Continue reading “Interview With Edward Kay, Baritone”
