Earlier this month, Camerata's exuberant leader, Giovanni Guzzo, and pianist, Marco Fatichenti, played live at the 34th Arts & Business Awards at LSO St Luke's, London.  

The Arts & Business Awards, in partnership with Jaguar Land Rover, celebrate innovative partnerships between businesses and arts organisations. The winners of this year's awards were announced on Tuesday 14 May, with many of the shortlisted and winning collaborations coming from the North West. 

Linking perfectly to the theme of partnerships, Giovanni and Marco performed two movements from the "F.A.E." Sonata; a work comprised of three movements, each written by a different composer. The pair performed the two movements by Schumann and Brahms. 

Fittingly, Giovanni played the 1709 Stradivarius, on extended loan to Manchester Camerata from arts benefactor and businessman, Jonathan Moulds, President of Bank of America Merrill Lynch's European business.

You can see a clip of Giovanni and Marco in action at 2:16 in the following video by Classic FM.

Rohan Shotton, reviewer for Bachtrack, gives a 4 star review of Manchester Camerata’s performance at the RNCM on Saturday 20 April. 

Manchester Camerata’s series of Mozart concertos, an ongoing theme in their 40th anniversary season, came to a close with pianist Ferenc Rados joining fellow Hungarian Gábor Takács-Nagy for a superb account of the Piano Concerto no. 15 at the Royal Northern College of Music.

The broader theme of the evening, though, was movement, and two modern works began proceedings to fascinating effect. The first was Alfred Schnittke’s 1977 Moz-Art à la Haydn, in which the musicians slowly come on stage, whilst playing. This neatly mirrored Haydn’s Farewell Symphony, which later closed the concert. At the outset, the high harmonics from the single double bass were given thoroughly ethereal treatment, soft and silvery in the darkened hall. The drama was well carried off, with the lights slowly coming up as the players quietly drifted onto the stage. The central passage, inspired by discovered fragments of a 1783 Mozart pantomime, was accompanied by a sudden brightening in tone and light. At the front the two soloists, the leaders of the first and second violins, played with gusto in intensely animated conversation with each other. The music finished in darkness, making for a visually and musically fascinating start to the programme.

Further movement, this time in far quicker, more direct lines, formed the basis of Leo Geyer’s Moving Figure, a work inspired by Rachel Pank’s life drawing of the same title. The artwork consists of bold and narrow lines and shadowy colours forming loose outlines of two figures. Geyer, a third-year undergraduate at the RNCM and Manchester University, used this to create a short work for a quartet of horn, bassoon, viola and cello. Particularly fascinating in this première of the piece were the subtle variations created within musical lines. At the extremes of their pitch ranges the viola and cello, and separately the horn and bassoon, take on similar timbres to their partner within the quartet. This allowed for subtle changes in direction within lines, without disrupting the greater structure. The quartet managed this admirably, handing each other melodies carefully whilst successfully navigating the required choreography. Another interesting feature was the mid-line fluctuation in hand-stopping in the horn. Geyer cut a relaxed figure during the performance and seemed delighted with it afterwards, as did an appreciative audience.

Mozart’s Fifteenth Piano Concerto, one of six composed for Vienna in 1784, was given a very elegant reading. The concerto begins with the woodwinds giving a rising chromatic figure, with crisp articulation in the oboes adding to the playfulness. The strings, playing with reasonably full sections (including five cellos), were very flexible in attending to full-bodied tutti passages and clean runs of semiquavers. Blending between piano and orchestra was excellent throughout, but in the second movement in particular the combination of soft woodwind legato below busy themes in the piano was beautifully carried off. Ferenc Rados, a former teacher of Takács-Nagy, played as unfussily and without ego his programme note (he declined the “pseudo-glamour” of a biography; Steven Isserlis provided a glowing tribute instead). For all the sparkle of the third movement, Rados seemed to find moments here to reflect on the softer material of the first and second movements, making for a very coherent and highly refined performance.

The second half of the concert began with a deeply moving account of Rudolf Barshai’s authorised orchestration of Shostakovich’s Eighth String Quartet. With a dedication to the victims of fascism, and potentially inspired by a 1960 visit to the remains of post-war Dresden, the intensity of the music comes as little surprise. It was more of a revelation to hear a work of such large subject matter played in a venue as intimate as the RNCM concert hall. The music felt uncomfortably close – but why should this music be comfortable? The ferocious intensity of the string orchestra, particularly in the Allegro molto second movement, was relentless. Leader Giovanni Guzzo was key to this. He seemed to have little need for a chair, such was his energy, and it carried the orchestra through some very memorable playing. The most affecting moment, though, was his long-sustained, almost nonchalant note, held while all others around him hammered out violent chords.

After the Shostakovich, Haydn’s Farewell Symphony was an excellent digestif, freshening the atmosphere but not allowing what had preceded to be forgotten. Prince Esterházy’s malcontent court musicians at Eisenstadt, longing to see their families, inspired Haydn to pen a musical protest, in which all but two violinists leave the stage during the finale. The crisp, taut sound from earlier in the evening was carried forward into an energetically stormy first movement and stately second, but hint of sadness were evident too pointing ahead to the finale. Here, after a brief Presto, the orchestra slowly wandered off stage as the lights dimmed again, leaving just the beautifully mournful playing of the violin duo.

A very warm reception followed, closing a fascinating and coherent programme. I was surprised to realise that the concert had finished just after 10pm: though it turned out to be a long programme, concentration around the hall had not wavered, a reflection on the excellent playing on stage.

Link to review on Bachtrack

Imagine being a conductor, and someone asks for your top five favourite pieces of music!   That was the task faced recently by Manchester Camerata's Music Director Gábor Takács-Nagy. You can read his considered opinion below!

Schubert Quintet for Two Cellos

"This is one of the most divine pieces which I have ever played!  I could understand Arthur Rubinstein who wished that on his death bed he could listen to the slow movement.  It is also a great memory of my former quartet-life when we played it with the greatest cellists - Sviatoslav Rostropovitch, Paul Tortelier, Steven Isserlis, Miklos Perenyi."

Bartok Bluebeard's Castle

"This is one of the greatest pieces of my beloved compatriot Béla Bartok whom I consider as the greatest composer of the 20th century.  I conducted it two years ago and on stage I became completely dizzy by the emotional richness, complexity and profoundness of this masterpiece. One of the greatest operas of all time."

4 slow movements of Beethoven Quartets op. 18/1, 59/1, 74, 135

"Not one piece, but .... these four slow movements always touched me very deeply when I played them - and even now when I am teaching them.  No wonder Beethoven himself wrote in a letter " I was in tears when I composed it" (the slow movement of op. 18 no. 1)

One Haydn piece

"I would definitely like to choose one Haydn piece (any of his symphonies or string quartets) because, as time goes by, I am more and more in admiration of Haydn's music.  It's deeply honest but also unbelievably original, surprising and exciting.  I love his phenomenal sense of humour."

Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony

"I love Tchiakovsky's music - he is a great composer. His 4th symphony always moves me deeply.  He composed this piece about the power of Fate in our lives and  as a conductor this is a score which can blow you away profoundly. "

Read more about Gábor Takács-Nagy

 Giovanni Guzzo, our esteemed lead violinist recently performed to Michelin Starred chef Simon Rogan in the kitchens of The French restaurant at The Midland Hotel.

The performance was ahead of a dinner to be hosted by Manchester Camarata at The Midland Hotel in October, where Simon will create a bespoke 6 course menu around the orchestra's famous 1709 Stradivarius violin played by Giovanni in the hotel’s kitchen in March.

Simon is now tasked with using his culinary skills to produce a meal which will be inspired by the wood, history, style and sounds of the violin made by Antonio Stradivari in 1709.

Mike Magrane, General Manager of The Midland said: “We’ve got a great relationship with Manchester Camerata, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to combine exquisite food with exceptional music.  It’s been a very exciting times for us, with the opening of The French last week, and working with such a unique chef like Simon who is so passionate about the history and provenance of every dish he creates, it  just seemed like a perfect link up.”

The Midland Hotel is one of QHotels’ 21 unique and luxury hotels, and the next opportunity to see Giovanni in action is at our 40^th anniversary season finale concert at The Bridgewater Hall on Saturday 18 May.

Manchester Camerata is one of only a handful of orchestras world-wide that is privileged enough to have a Stradivarius for their leader to play, thanks to the generosity of Jonathan Moulds, President of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s European business. 

Year 4 Pupils from Webster Primary School in Moss Side have created a portrait of their school in music, visual art and film.  

In a project called Portrait of Place the children worked with two Camerata musicians, a composer, artist and two RNCM students to produce new pieces of music: a song which reflected their thoughts, feelings and experiences in their lives and an instrumental work inspired by a journey through the visual art they had created.

As a starting point the pupils took a walk around their local area, photographing places of particular interest.  These photographs then formed the basis of a large map which was later used as a graphic score for the instrumental piece.  In the final performance to parents and other pupils at the school each child played a short glockenspiel solo which they had composed themselves, whilst their peers accompanied in alternating percussion sections.

After the performance Y4 class teacher Lindsey Davies enthused 'this was an inspirational, creative and innovative way to get the pupils involved in learning new concepts'.  Altamash a Y4 pupil described his favourite part of the project as learning how to play the xylophone, 'it was really fun because we got to make any tune we wanted to'. 

Manchester Camerata has an ongoing relationship with Webster Primary School.  In the Autumn term musicians worked with Y6 on a Horrors of War project.  Read more here.

To find out more about other Manchester Camerata learning projects and how to book workshops click here,

Pupils from Webster Primary School in Moss Side recently worked with members of Manchester Camerata on an ambitious and ground-breaking cross-curricular arts project exploring the theme of the Holocaust.  The three day arts project built on a visit to the National Holocaust Centre and is a development of their Horrors of War Learning Scheme.

Horrors of War from Manchester Camerata on Vimeo.

Using the story of Terezin camp as a starting point, pupils from Year 6 explored the holocaust from the victim perspective to create a semi-staged mini opera describing life pre-war, the journey to Terezin, the experience of camp life for inmates and post war life for the survivors.

Working with flautist Amina Hussain and violinist Gemma Bass, plus composer Andy Smith and Dramatist Paul Hine, the Webster Primary School pupils explored the topic by developing their own narrative, writing their own lyrics, designing their own drama and composing their own music.  Throughout the project they gained an understanding of how local people managed daily during wartime and how this compared to their own lives today.

The three day project culminated in a performance of the mini-opera at the school.  Post-performance Headteacher Jeremy Jackson applauded the outstanding achievements of all the children who had taken part and said that the project had 'really boosted the culture of performance at the school' and Y6 teacher Miss Dawber praised the Camerata members describing them as 'amazingly talented, creative people who brought the best out in our children'.  

Manchester Camerata's ongoing partnership wtih Webster Primary School will continue in the Spring term with a project entitled 'Portrait of Place'.

Ahead of the world premiere of Emily Howard's new piece, Carillon, on 23rd March, Emily took time out to tell us more about how she came to use the Town Hall bells in the piece: 

I understand this is your first venture into electronics. What was the attraction and why this project?

For a while I have been using ideas derived from electronics to shape acoustic music, and with this project, it felt very natural to extend this method of working to involve electronics within the musical outcome, particularly as a way of incorporating the sounds of the Manchester Town Hall Bells.

How early on was the idea to use recordings of the Town Hall bells?

Right from the beginning! It is what attracted me to the project in the first place. One of the first things I did was attend a bell-ringing session at Manchester Town Hall and I owe thanks to Jeff Brannan and Andrew Mayes for organising this. Experiencing the bell-ringing live and up close was hugely influential for the piece.

Can you explain a bit more about the title, Carillon?

The title Carillon connects with my ongoing interest in machinery and computation. The piece can be thought of as a giant autonomous chiming system in which the acoustic ensemble and the electronics follow similar instructions but in very different ways, making it a game between humans and machines.

What has it been like to work with Sam and Janek?

I have learnt so much from both Sam and Janek - their thoughts have strongly influenced Carillon. It has been exciting to have the opportunity to work so closely with other composers (usually we are solitary creatures!) and especially such expert composers working in very different ways. I hope that people might explore their work further. Sam Salem works in the field of acousmatic composition and there are many examples of his work available on his website www.osamahsalem.co.uk and more information about sound artist and composer Janek Schaefer can be found on his website www.audioh.com.

What’s next for you and do you think more electronics will follow?

Currently I’m working on a new (acoustic!) orchestral piece for the BBC Philharmonic. I’m keen to experience the WP of Carillon first before I answer any questions about more electronics. Really looking forward to it!

Click here for details of the 23rd March concert and to book tickets

Ahead of the world premiere of Emily Howard's new piece, Carillon, on 23rd March, we spoke to Emily, sound artist Janek Schaefer and acousmatic composer Sam Salem about the piece. We started with Janek Schaefer, who will be playing record players and boombox on the night:

How did you become involved with the project?

I met Emily through one of my record player artworks ‘Extended Play’ which won the Paul Hamlyn Award for Composers Prize. Emily got in touch as she wanted to know how to go about cutting sounds to vinyl and we ended up collaborating with me becoming a performer with the ensemble.

Can you tell us a bit more about how the record players, boombox and orchestra will work on the night?

I don’t normally call myself a turntablist as I’m not going to be doing the flashy mixing you might expect. I supposed the piece is a variation on the ‘orchestra and tape’ format with me also improvising alongside the Camerata. You will see the ensemble of old technologies I’ve collected over the years. From my 1960s classic Dansette on legs to my 1982 boombox, and my Twin Turntable with two tone-arms that is custom built to manipulate sound on vinyl. The technology has a personality and is engaging and endearing.

What has it been like working with Emily and Sam?

It’s been very easy as usually I have to do everything, but here Sam created the sounds and Emily composed the music. Initially Emily was writing for me very specifically but we realized that just wasn’t possible to perform. It’s now reversed so she’s writing to free me up to improvise on the changing themes in the work. They’ve both done their jobs so well and it’ll be exciting to hear what it sounds like in rehearsals and on the night.

What other projects have you got on or coming up?

I’ve just had a new solo show open at the Agency Gallery, London, which runs until 6th April 2013. I’ve also got a new website for my artwork: http://www.janekschaefer.com

Click here for details of the 23rd March concert and to book tickets

World-renowned Argentinian pianist, Martha Argerich, will perform with Manchester Camerata as part of Manchester International Festival.  MIF, the world's only festival of original new work and special events, presented biennially, today announced its 2013 programme which runs from 4 to 21 July.

In a career spanning more than 50 years, Martha Argerich has won legions of admirers for her uniquely expressive and spirited performances and her fresh, imaginative recordings.  Argerich only rarely visits the UK, which is why MIF and Manchester Camerata are thrilled to welcome her to the city in this unmissable concert.  

Over the years Argerich has established a number of close working relationships with musicians around the world.  One such kinship is with Gábor Takács-Nagy, Music Director of Manchester Camerata, with whom Argerich has performed regularly to brilliant effect. This artistic affinity has inspired the concert programme, which features three vital contemporary works that showcase the keyboard in very different ways.

Argerich will join Takács-Nagy and Manchester Camerata in Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.1, a longtime audience favourite celebrating its 80th birthday this year. Either side of this vibrant work, Manchester Camerata will perform Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste, a brooding masterpiece from 1937; and Arvo Pärt’s rich, powerful Lamentate, for which the orchestra will be joined by pianist David Kadouch, a rising star from the new generation.

The MIF programme ranges widely to include premieres of new commissions and re-envisioned clasic works, as well as a series for unique concerts and one-off events.  Featured artists include Massive Attack, Adam Curtis, Maxine Peake, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Willem Dafoe, Kenneth Branagh, Goldfrapp, John Tavener and many more.

For more information on MIF visit the website mif.co.uk

To book tickets for Manchester Camerata's concert with Martha Argerich book via the website or 0844 375 2013.  Tickets are also available from the Bridgewater Hall on 0844 907 9000 (£2 per ticket booking fee applies).

Manchester Camerata and Emily Howard invite DJs and producers to sample the sound of the Town Hall Bells ahead of our City Life concert.

This March, Manchester Camerata and the sound of the Town Hall bells will come together for the very first time in a newly commissioned work, Carillon by Emily Howard. Acousmatic composer Sam Salem has recorded and manipulated the sound of the Manchester Town Hall Bells to be transcribed to vinyl; those sounds will then be further manipulated live in performance by Janek Schaefer on turntables and boombox.

Ahead of the concert, we’re holding a competition that allows you to get your hands on these recordings for your own remix...

THE BRIEF:

We’re calling on you to use these one-off recordings of the Manchester Town Hall Bells in your own way and create a short track that evokes your City Life. All entries must be submitted by Monday 11th March and, as a guideline, should be between

1-3 minutes long.

THE PRIZE:

The winner of the competition will receive 4 tickets to our City Life concert at Royal Northern College of Music on 23rd March 2013, the opportunity to attend the rehearsal and a pair of tickets to another RNCM concert! All submitted entries will be shortlisted by Manchester Camerata’s Head of Creative Programming Manus Carey, with Emily Howard choosing the winner.

HOW TO ENTER:

1) You can download the audio files here

2) You can upload your completed entries here

Good luck!

Click here for details of the 23rd March concert and to book tickets

If you have any queries about the competition, please contact Shyam Bhatt at marketing@manchestercamerata.com

Manchester Camerata's Youth Programme has got off to a vibrant start, with young people in Salford and Stafford remixing the music of Mozart and Vivaldi respectively, culminating in live performances before Manchester Camerata concerts. Hear one of the mixes in full below.

In November, young people from Salford worked with composer Rodrigo Constanzo, DJ/Mix Artist Matt Halsall, Camerata trumpeter Helen Quayle and Vocalist Tosin Akindele over the course of three weeks prior to the final performance. Using computer samplers and effects programmes, the young people listened to Mozart's Piano Concerto no23 and identified key sections to loop and distort to create new sounds. The participants then sang their own original lyrics or raps alongside these newly created sounds.

The REmix project has had a tremendous impact on the self confidence and creativity of the young people and increased their desire to create their own music. They have also developed their leadership skills, learnt new compositional skills and discovered more about Mozart's life and style of work.

'I've enjoyed it because [the musicians] show you a different side to the type of music they listen to that you've never really seen before. Like me, normally I didn't used to be into a lot of classical music but if they have as much passion as I have for rap it can show you that you too can actually feel the same thing for music', Sam, 15.

And earlier this month, a group of students from Stafford College (pictured above) remixed one of Vivaldi's most familiar and well loved of concertos, The Four Seasons. Have a listen to one of the final tracks below - this is a song called 'Spring: Seasons Change'.

REmix and the wider Manchester Camerata youth programme is made possible through funding from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, Curious Minds and the Ernest Cook Trust. Working with young people outside of a formal education setting is a new venture for the organisation and represents Camerata's huge passion for using music to change the lives of disengaged young people or those in areas of low arts provision.

Manchester Camerata, the RNCM and the University of Manchester have joined forces this spring to promote a festival celebrating one of the most original thinkers in the world of music, Heiner Goebbels.

Saturday 23 March - Monday 25 March

Black on White: The Music of Heiner Goebbels is a three day feast celebrating one of Germany’s most prolific composers and directors. During the course of the Festival, audiences will be treated to a selection of free lunchtime and afternoon concerts, ticketed evening concerts, a Drama Lecture by the composer himself, and an Open Forum in which artistic director Clark Rundell talks to Heiner about his life and music.

‘Heiner Goebbels’ visit to the RNCM promises to be an extraordinary event,’ explains Clark, who is also Head of Conducting at the College. ‘Goebbels is a man of the theatre, writing music which takes as a starting point the full performance of the work, from the musical material to the lighting, staging and carefully calculated sound canvas. His roots in popular music and jazz continue to influence his output, with rhythms and melodies which both grab the listener and stick in the head. His pioneering work on post dramatic theatre places him as one of the most original thinkers in world theatre. Do not miss this Renaissance man in Manchester!’

Each year the RNCM presents a composer festival that not only focusses on the work of a significant living composer, but also presents new pieces by both established and aspiring young composers. This year, in addition to new works by RNCM students, one of the highlights is Manchester Camerata’s City Life concert (Saturday 23 March, 7.30pm), which includes two works by Goebbels and the world première Carillon; an exciting new piece by award-winning composer Emily Howard, for large ensemble and electronics.

Commissioned by Camerata with support from the PRSF, Carillon uses recordings of the Manchester Town Hall bells to create fixed electronic sounds transcribed to vinyl.  Emily, an RNCM alumna and Tutor in Composition, explains: ‘The title Carillon connects with my ongoing interest in machinery and computation. The piece can be thought of as a giant autonomous chiming system in which the acoustic ensemble and electronics follow similar instructions but in very different ways, making it a game between humans and machines.

‘This is my first venture into electronics and I'm grateful to acousmatic composer Sam Salem for recording and manipulating the sounds of the Town Hall bells, and to sound artist Janek Schaefer who will perform on record players and boombox alongside Manchester Camerata conducted by Clark Rundell.’

City Life, 23 March 2013

Black on White Festival: The Music of Heiner Goebbels

Our sell-out Four Seasons concert at the RNCM, featuring Vivaldi’s masterpiece and Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires was a resounding success. But don’t just take our word for it, we’ve had so many fantastic comments from audience members via email and Twitter, we had to share them with you...

Some of your comments...

We thoroughly enjoyed last night's concert at RNCM.  We hope you have or will record this programme.  We would love to have it in our collection, and given the enthusiastic response last night, so will others.  Please pass on our thanks to all involved for one of the best concerts we have ever attended.

Professor Louis Kushnick

Just back from the RNCM where I enjoyed the Four Seasons concert.  Vivaldi we expect done well but the Piazzolla was an outstanding performance and Giovanni Guzzo was mesmerising. Interspersing the pieces was genius!  Another triumphant night for the Camerata.

Bob McCluckie

Wonderful concert at RNCM last night!  Is there any possibility that it may be recorded and released on CD? Was doubtful about the mixing up of Vivaldi and Piazzolla pieces but it worked brilliantly. Thank you!!

Erica Parkin

A selection of your tweets...

@MancCamerata Really enjoyed the Four Seasons concert – Giovanni on the Stradivarius and his orchestra were impressive!

Yunus Mulla - @yunusmulla

After 4 days listening to mind-bending music I’m now at @MancCamerata Vivaldi/Piazzolla and it’s honestly one of the best gigs I’ve ever heard.

Tullis Rennie - @tullisrennie

Thank you @rncmvoice and @MancCamerata for an inspirational evening of #fourseasons - we felt so involved by the amazing performances!

Her Name is Calla - @hernameiscalla

Just been to see Vivaldi’s Four Seasons @rncmvoice with Giovanni Guzzo and @MancCamerata – absolutely superb stuff.

Ghosting Season - ‏@ghostingseason 

@MancCamerata – awesome Camerata experience thank you Giovanni and orchestra.  Well done Bob and his team – kids loved it!

Lawrence Jones - @Lawrence_Jones

On Sunday 20 January Manchester Camerata held its annual Composers Workshop day with students from the RNCM, Chethams and, for the first time, Salford University.

Musicians from Camerata spent a very successful day rehearsing, discussing and developing the works of 11 young composers with conductor Gergely Madaras, Philip Cashian, head of composition at the Royal Academy of Music who was the composer mentor for the day, and the students themselves.  

After much deliberation we are delighted to announce that Leo Geyer's composition, Moving Figure has been selected to be performed in our main Manchester concert season, on Saturday 20 April at the RNCM.

Leo is currently in his third year on the joint course at Manchester University and the RNCM, where he is studying composition with Dr David Horne and conducting with Mark Heron.  Recent projects include a commission for the Olympic 20x12 New Music Weekend at the Southbank Centre and an operatic aria for Music Theatre Wales/Opera North.  His music has been performed by ensembles including the Danel Quartet, Psappha and Vaganza, and he has won a number of awards for composition, including an RNCM Gold Medal in 2011.

Click here for details of the concert on 20 April and to book tickets

The Composers' Project is generously supported by the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne

Robert Beale, arts correspondent for the MEN reviews Manchester Camerata's New Year's concerts.

DANCING to bring the New Year in has a history – the old-fashioned way is with waltzes and polkas, and there is nothing better for a Vienna-style New Year’s Day than Manchester Camerata’s concert at the Bridgewater Hall.

They also performed the opera gala the night before, and each occasion brought a gifted soprano to sing out the old or sing in the new.

On New Year’s Eve it was Rebecca Nelsen, a girl from Texas now a darling of the Volksoper in Vienna itself. With conductor Robert Ziegler the suave and lively MC as well as maestro, she gave us excerpts from Verdi (Ah, fors’ è lui and Sempre libera, from La Traviata, and Caro nome, from Rigoletto) which showed what an effective stage actress she must be.

She made a fine job, too, of Song To The Moon (Rusalka), Je veux vivre (Roméo Et Juliette)  and Quando me’n vo (La Bohème). Chorus items were by St George’s Singers, and there was no holding back the enthusiasm of the orchestra as Ziegler took them through these to a fast and noisy Candide overture and a clapalong Offenbach Can-Can (before Auld Lang Syne).

Unflagging Camerata enthusiasm continued for conductor Stephen Bell (equally suave, equally lively) on New Year’s Day. His soloist was soprano Rebecca Bottone, looking and sounding lovely.

Her contribution included not just the standard fare of the Viljalied (Léhar), Adele’s Laughing Song from Die Fledermaus and Don’t Be Cross (Zeller), but the dazzling coloratura display of Voices Of Spring and Sphärenklänge (one of the encores) in their vocal versions.

I appreciated delightful solos from within the orchestra on both occasions – specially Hannah Roberts’ cello and Mary Gilbert’s cor anglais in the evening, and Hazel Cropper on oboe and Nathaniel Boyd on cello in the afternoon.

Robert Beale

Audience Reviews

Manchester New Year’s Day Viennese Gala

‘A great New Year’s Viennese concert. If you can't afford or get to Vienna for the New Year this is recommended.’

Ulverston Viennese Gala 2 Jan

‘First time we had attended an orchestral concert and what a treat it was. The venue is small and intimate and therefore you feel involved with the performance. The conductor was animated throughout and the music delightfully played by an orchestra of various ages. We were also treated to several opera pieces sung by a superb soprano with a captivating face and smile. I couldn’t take my eyes of her !

We were in the balcony row D and they were excellent seats that we would try for again. Having said that because the venue is small I think you could sit anywhere and still enjoy it. We will be back again next year.’

Manchester Camerata’s Four Seasons concert at the RNCM on 2 February will give audiences a rare opportunity to see and hear one of the earliest known versions of The Four Seasons.  Called the Manchester Manuscript, the part books pre-date the more commonly used Le Cene version and contain a number of important differences.  The concert features Vivaldi’s famous work, plus Piazzolla’s Vivaldi-inspired, yet totally original, The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons is well known and loved by audiences around the world, but what classical music lovers in Manchester might not be aware of is that a rare original manuscript of the Four Seasons resides within Manchester City Library.  Called The Manchester Manuscript it predates the more commonly heard Le Cene version and audiences who attend Manchester Camerata’s Four Seasons concert at the RNCM on Saturday 2 February will have the opportunity to see it up-close in a special exhibition and hear it performed by Camerata on the night.

The Manchester Manuscripts are on loan for the evening courtesy of Manchester City Library, and are part of a much larger collection called the Newman Flower Collection which contains other rare manuscripts by Handel, Vivaldi, Corelli and Albinoni amongst others.  The Manchester Manuscripts were acquired by Charles Jennens, who was a benefactor of Handel and also wrote the librettos to Messiah and several other Handel oratorios. This early version offers intriguing variations notably in areas such as articulation, figuration and harmonic colouring.  In some cases it is radically different, for example lightning flashes in the first and second violins in the spring movement.

The evening’s concert will be directed by Giovanni Guzzo from the orchestra’s recently acquired 1709 Stradivarius, the first opportunity Manchester audiences have had to hear this rare violin in a solo performance.  The second half features Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, which combines Vivaldi with the life and colour of South America.  This fiery masterpiece incorporates elements of jazz and Argentine tango into a work full of luscious harmonies and punchy, earthy folk rhythms.

To watch the concert trailer and to book tickets click here

You can hear this concert at:

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, 31 January

RNCM, Manchester, 2 February

The Muni, Colne, 10 February

The Spa Bridlington, 17 February

It's our 40th Anniversary, and we're asking you to donate £40 to help us continue life-changing work such as this.

It is with deep sadness that we announce that Manchester Camerata's Founder and passionate supporter, Raph Gonley, has died. A Memorial Service for Raph will take place on Sunday 9th December at 8pm at Menorah Synagogue, Cheshire Reform Congregation, Altrincham Road, Manchester, M22 4RZ (tel: 0161 428 7746). We offer our sincere condolences to Raph's friends and family. 

As a tribute to Raph, we would like to share with you the following interview that was published in the Camerata magazine in 2002 to mark the orchestra's 30th anniversary.

'Raph Gonley, Manchester Camerata’s founder, looks back at the Orchestra’s early years'

Published in 2002, Manchester Camerata Magazine

Back in the early seventies, Raph Gonley was working at Radio Manchester as Music Producer.  Following discussions between the Musicians Union and BBC Local Radio, a sum of money was made available for local radio stations to promote professional music.  At that time, Manchester was the only BBC local radio station with a full time music producer and this ensured it received a substantial share of the funds. Raph was convinced that forming a chamber orchestra would fill a gap in the region’s musical life and would be the best way of using the money.  ‘I was lucky that Allen Holden, the Station Manager, was behind the idea’, says Raph.  ‘He was bold enough to take risks and when I put the proposal to him he simply said: ‘get on with it’. So that’s what I did!’

So, Manchester Camerata was born in 1972 and the next step was to appoint a conductor.  A young musician, a viola player with the Halle Orchestra and a participant in the BBC Philharmonic’s (then the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra) scheme for apprentice conductors, was approached and Frank Cliff became the Orchestra’s first conductor.  Fay Campey (who retired only this April) was appointed as Leader.

‘You couldn’t repeat the excitement of that first concert’, remembers Raph.  ‘There was a tremendous buzz, we had a party afterwards and people thought ‘how can a local radio station do this?’.  In the first year, we performed on a makeshift stage made from lab tables in the Great Hall of UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology), which was a lovely hall with a good acoustic - essential, because all the concerts were broadcast live - but the audience facilities were poor.  The following year, the Royal Northern College of Music opened, and we were able to perform there.’

Despite the humble beginnings, response from the public was terrific and after attendances of 90% at the first concert, the concerts in that first season played to near capacity audiences.  The music focused on 18th century repertoire, baroque and classical works, well suited to chamber orchestra resources.  The budget wasn’t generous and rehearsal time was strictly limited, but occasionally additional wind and brass players could be engaged to perform Haydn middle-period symphonies and there was almost always some 20th century music in the programme. Occasional commissions were also possible and the Orchestra gave the first performances of works by composers such as John McCabe and David Ellis.

‘We called the ensemble Manchester Camerata because we always believed it would have a life outside the BBC’, explains Raph.  After year one, Manchester Camerata Limited was set up to promote the Orchestra’s own concerts outside the Radio Manchester commitments.  The Greater Manchester Council (1973 – 1986) funded the Orchestra to perform concerts in Manchester’s ten districts and further funds became available from promoters in Lancashire and Cheshire who were keen to host concerts by Manchester Camerata.

Raph remained involved in the day to day running even after he had left the BBC at the end of 1974, but gave up the responsibilities about a year later because he felt there might be a conflict of interest with his new job at North West Arts.  We asked Raph what he most remembered about running the Orchestra in its early days and he replied, ‘The small scale of the operation.  Remember, I was Radio Manchester’s  Music Producer, producing all sorts of music programmes, so running the chamber orchestra was no more than a fifth of my total job.  That’s probably the main difference to running the orchestra today.  I did everything, from deciding programmes with conductors to making the flasks of coffee to take to performances for the players.  It was very satisfying.  I also owe a big debt to Allen Holden who saw the potential and gave me constant encouragement.’

Raph has many fond memories of the Orchestra, including the first time they were invited to broadcast a concert on Radio 3.  There have also been some amusing moments.  Violinist Yossi Zivoni was the soloist at an early concert and the BBC announcer, noting the unusual name, approached him to ask how to pronounce it. ‘Vladimir Ashkenazy’ came the response to a slightly bewildered announcer, before he got the joke!  On another occasion, the programme included a piece by Lennox Berkeley and the Concerto for Trumpet, Piano and Strings by Shostakovich.  Raph had invited Lennox Berkeley to the concert and conductor Frank Cliff, a little nervous, said to the trumpet soloist Maurice Murphy, ‘I am a bit worried that Raph has invited Lennox Berkeley’ to which Maurice replied, ‘Well, I hope Shostakovich isn’t coming too!’.

After a lifetime’s dedication to music making, what does Raph Gonley enjoy listening to these days?  ‘Thirty years on, chamber music is still my favourite.  It’s something to do with the economy of expression, the lack of hype in an age where hype seems so important.  With chamber music, you can’t get away with anything, you’ve got to be very good to play it and it’s deeply satisfying.’

Looking ahead to Manchester Camerata’s thirtieth anniversary celebrations, we asked Raph what he would wish if he found himself blowing out the candles on the Orchestra’s birthday cake.  ‘Another thirty years of great success’, he replied without hesitation.  ‘The Orchestra has gone from strength to strength, I am amazed at how it has developed from small beginnings.  It had from necessity to start as a modest operation, but it has grown into something I’d never have dreamt of and I’m so proud of its achievements.’

Michael Cookson reviews Manchester Camerata's last RNCM concert with Ingrid Fliter, for the prestigious Seen and Heard International website.

Manchester Camerata warms up a cold night

Serving as an antidote to the wintry weather that had been lashing against the car on my motorway journey to the Royal Northern College of Music, Gábor Takács-Nagy revived the spirits with a marvellously chosen and performed programme. Only last year Gábor Takács-Nagy had programmed Manchester Camerata concerts with Vaughan Williams, Elgar and Haydn and he must have been delighted how well they were received. Including the music of those same composers tonight, augmented by a Mozart piano concerto ensured a full house and seemed to galvanise the Camerata into a stunning performance especially highly spirited with an abundance of vitality.

Vaughan Williams's Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus for string orchestra including harp opened the concert an intoxication of glorious music setting the mood for what was to follow. At one point Takács-Nagy accelerated the pace a little too fiercely for my liking although there was much to admire in his interpretation. The playing of the Camerata strings was so outstanding it felt as if they had been dipped in liquid gold and the leader Adi Brett and principal cellist Hannah Roberts, both exceptional artists, played their solos with sweet glowing tones.

Providing a stark contrast to what had gone before was the recently premièred score Lessons of the Ice-House from Manchester Camerata composer in residence Christopher Mayo. Lasting around 5 minutes by my reckoning this short work was performed by Hannah Roberts accompanied by a single note drone from the Camerata Strings. Initially I was reminded of John Tavener's composition The Protecting Veil for cello and strings. Holding the attention reasonably well Mayo's score began to feel increasingly minimalistic and restless with the soloist creating a number of interesting timbres and sonorities.

Ingrid Fliter was the soloist in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major and it didn't take long to sense just how much the Argentinian pianist was enjoying her playing. When I last heard Fliter as soloist it was with the Liverpool Philharmonic playing the Chopin First Piano Concerto at the Preston Guild Hall and her sound was rather swamped by the orchestra. Clearly relishing the more intimate setting and improved acoustics Fliter was in sparkling form demonstrating charming vibrancy with such high quality pianism. In the Andante the emotional core of the work Fliter conveyed a rare poetry, generous in both sensitivity and grace. Fliter's enthusiasm was infectious and from the extent of the applause she had clearly captivated the Manchester audience who were treated to an encore of Chopin's D flat major Waltz better known as the Minute Waltz – an entertaining work that never fails to please.

After suitable refreshment the audience was treated to Elgar's own orchestration of his two salon pieces originally for violin and piano – the captivating Chanson de Matin and Chanson de Nuit. What glorious miniatures they are with the Camerata giving a performance full of Elgarian tenderness and affection!

Takács-Nagy clearly has an innate sensitivity for conducting Haydn. Born in Budapest only a relatively short distance from Haydn's birthplace the maestro seems to have the music of Haydn running through his veins. Showing his mettle Takács-Nagy delivered the Symphony No. 101 in D major 'The Clock' with all the piercing lucidity that has become his hallmark. Especially impressive was the Camerata's well blended sound standing out in such a zestful interpretation of Haydn's multicoloured symphonic romp. For an encore the audience was served with more English music: an attractive rendition of Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on Greensleeves.

Link to Seen and Heard International website

Mozart III with Ferenc Rados is at the RNCM on 20 April 2013, click here for more details