Talking Classical Podcast

In this podcast, we're hearing from musician and creator of PlayScore 2 Anthony Wilkes. PlayScore 2 is a music scanning app from Organum Ltd. 

Anthony talks about how he came to develop the app and its exciting features that make it essential for any musician. We also learn about the technology behind PlayScore 2 called Optical Music Recognition (also known as OMR). In short, it is the musical version of Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Anthony talks about the development of OMR, some of its challenges and whether technology has improved or impeded the way we learn music today. 

Optical Music Recognition on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_music_recognition. 

playscore.co 

Organum Ltd is a UK company based in Oxford specialising in printed and handwritten optical music recognition. Anthony also created the handwritten music recognition engine in the popular NotateMe app, and the PhotoScore application from Neuratron Ltd. As a musician Anthony studied cello with Caroline Bosanquet and Rohan de Saram, and plays in several ensembles. You can also see Anthony's composer's page on the IMSLP free music site.

Podcast recorded on 14 October 2021; published 18 October 2021. 

Last week, I went to the University of Birmingham (UK) to learn about its MA Music: Choral Conducting pathway, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. In the first part of this podcast, we'll hear from the course's director Simon Halsey. He talks about how the course was developed from his desire to pass on what he'd learnt from an extensive career as a choral conductor and director, specifically, training a choir to sing with an orchestra. This is the course's main focus - it's the only choral conducting course to be run with a major international orchestra: the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. However, students are immersed in many genres of choral conducting throughout the degree. It's an intensive course but the students should leave with plenty of ideas about how to conduct choirs in their home countries or other capacities. 

Then we'll hear from four students on this year's course (2021/22), why they chose to specifically come to Birmingham, their ambitions and what attracts them to choral conducting. 

Simon Halsey occupies a unique position in classical music. He is the trusted advisor on choral singing to the world’s greatest conductors, orchestras and choruses; as an ambassador for choral singing to amateurs of every age, ability and background he has led ground-breaking massed choral events, notably for New York’s Lincoln Center. 

Making singing a central part of the world-class institutions with which he is associated, he has been instrumental in changing the level of symphonic singing across Europe. He holds positions across the UK and Europe as Choral Director of London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Chorus Director of City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Artistic Director of Orfeó Català Choirs and Artistic Adviser of Palau de la Música, BarcelonaCreative Director for Choral Music and Projects at WDR Rundfunkchor, Conductor Laureate of Rundfunkchor Berlin and Professor and Director of Choral Activities at University of Birmingham. 

He is also a highly respected teacher and academic, nurturing the next generation of choral conductors on his post-graduate course in Birmingham and through masterclasses at Princeton, Yale and elsewhere. He holds four honorary doctorates from universities in the UK, and in 2011 Schott Music published his book and DVD on choral conducting, Chorleitung: Vom Konzept zum Konzert. 

Halsey's numerous awards include three Grammys for his recordings with the Rundfunkchor Berlin. He was made Commander of the British Empire in 2015, was awarded The Queen's Medal for Music in 2014, and received the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2011 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to choral music in Germany. 

Born in London, Simon Halsey sang in the choirs of New College, Oxford, and of King's College, Cambridge and studied conducting at the Royal College of Music in London. In 1987, he founded with Graham Vick the City of Birmingham Touring Opera. He was Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Choir from 1997 to 2008 and Principal Conductor of the Northern Sinfonia's Choral Programme from 2004 to 2012. From 2001-2015 he led the Rundfunkchor Berlin (of which he is now Conductor Laureate); under his leadership the chorus gained a reputation internationally as one of the finest professional choral ensembles. Halsey also initiated innovative projects in unconventional venues and interdisciplinary formats.

MA Music (Choral Conducting) students: Jonathan Hatley, Jonathan Lucas Wood, James Bate and Daniel Tíjaro. *Interview with the MA students recorded in the foyer of Birmingham University's Music Hub - edited transcript here: https://bit.ly/3mHZzLf. 

Interviews recorded on 4 October 2021; published 12 October 2021. 

In this podcast, we hear from Tim Rhys-Evans who is Director of Music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I talked to him about how the past two years have been in the role (in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic), what his post entails as well as many of the College's exciting and varied opportunities. They include an international concert series at the Dora Stoutzker concert hall and a new BMus programme focusing on areas such as collaboration, artistry and the role of a musician in society.

This podcast raises many pertinent issues and questions regarding what a conservatoire should look like in the twenty-first century, and the Royal Welsh College is certainly a prime example.

Please note that the latter half of this podcast contains discussion of suicidal ideation and mental illness.

Recorded 15 September 2021 over Zoom; published 25 September 2021.

Tim's bio: https://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/staff/tim-rhys-evans.

Today, we’re talking to arts entrepreneur and marketing consultant David Taylor. He works with a range of orchestras, arts organisations and individuals on developing their business and marketing strategy, with particular reference to digital media. In this podcast interview, we consider the changes the classical music industry has seen over the last year and if it has changed with regards to today's current trends and stylistics. We also discuss what the classical sector can learn from other industries such as pop, media and sports with regards to their marketing and branding. Additionally, David talks about how he develops a strategy with the clients he works with, using the example of the Philharmonia Orchestra. We talk about how musicians and organisations can best use social media and interact with their audiences, for example, the concert enhancement strategy of artists talking to their audience during a performance.

Podcast interview recorded 16 July 2021; published 20 July 2021.

One of the leading entrepreneurs in the world of classical music, David Taylor has built his career on a dynamic and energetic approach to bringing innovation to the arts, leading him to be named on Forbes 30 under 30 Europe 2018 list, alongside Paul Pogba, Rita Ora, Dua Lipa, Anthony Joshua, Maisie Williams and Little Mix.

Described as an “arts innovator” by the BBC, David’s accomplishments and pioneering approach to digital marketing in the arts has led him to become a highly sought after consultant with arts organisations and individuals in both Europe and the USA.

David created Yorkshire Young Sinfonia (YYS) in 2015, growing it to reach an audience of over 7.5 million people in just 4 years. He also led YYS to win the Arts and Culture Award at the White Rose Awards 2016, the largest tourism awards in the UK.

In 2015, the BBC Radio 4 programme “Birth of an Orchestra” documented the creation of YYS and allowed David to showcase his passion for classical music on the national stage. In addition, both David and YYS have featured on Sky News, BBC News, The Times, The Telegraph, BBC Look North, Classic FM, BBC Radio 3, Il Giornale and Classical Music Magazine.

In 2017, David led YYS to become the first youth orchestra in the world to be 100% digital in partnership with the app Newzik, using iPads instead of sheet music.

As a presenter, David has created projects with BBC Arts and interviewed Louis Theroux, Romesh Ranganathan, George Shelley and Katie Derham.

David is passionate about enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and 'doers' in the arts. He regularly speaks and writes about entrepreneurship, arts education and classical music.

Prior to his career as an entrepreneur, David taught the cello at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Jerusalem. 

Website: www.david-taylor.org Twitter: @davidtaylor_uk Instagram: davidtaylor_uk Facebook: davidtaylormusicuk

*All Talking Classical podcasts on SoundCloud have been redirected to Anchor.*

In this podcast, I'm showcasing Alternative Classical's new concert video jukebox Concert Roulette and Chris Warner's new album Wonders of the Cosmos.

Concert Roulette

Concert Roulette is a new video jukebox created by Alternative Classical specifically for this current crisis. All live concerts have been cancelled so streaming has become the way audiences are accessing music at this time. Viewers are presented with a randomly selected YouTube video from renaissance choral music to an experimental solo piece but you can either watch that particular performance or click onto the next one just like your streaming playlist. As people around the world are staying at home and looking for content to keep them entertained, Concert Roulette is a brilliant way to introduce new audiences to classical music without prior knowledge. To start your Concert Roulette, please go to alternativeclassical.co.uk/concert-roulette.

Chris Warner

The album was recorded in Ely Cathedral and at Abbey Road Studios, combining the amazing tonalities of the cathedral organ with gorgeous strings. It also features British soprano Grace Davidson, set amongst the 6-second reverberation of the cathedral. I talked to Chris on Zoom about combining his passion for astronomy with storytelling, framing his album around Ely Cathedral's organ, and advice for composers in today's digital age. To learn more about the album and Chris, please go to chriswarnermusic.com. Many thanks to Robert Shone at WildKat PR and Chris for their time! Interview recorded 29th April 2020; podcast published 13th May 2020.

Chris Warner is a composer, sound designer, arranger, orchestrator and an avid astronomer. Having worked as a composer for the some of the finest UK theatres, including The RSC, the Lyric Theatre Belfast and The Royal Exchange Theatre, Chris dedicates his craft to telling stories through music and sound. Recent credits include original songs and music for Much Ado About Nothing at the prestigious Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory and the original score and sound design for Olivier Award-Winning playwright Marie Jones’ new play 'Archie in Manhatten'.

In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we'll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK's leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.

Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work at www.chriswarnermusic.com.

Episode 4 - Everybody Benefits

In this final episode we look at the benefits that getting involved in education and outreach projects can bring to the players and musicians themselves, and we’ll be finding out about the positive things to emerge out of lockdown for the Hallé and Ulster Orchestra education and outreach departments.

Contributions and more information:

Ulster Orchestra

https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk

https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement

https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement/learning/crescendo

Rozzie Curlett, Ulster Orchestra Education Facilitator, Lucy McCullagh, Director of Learning & Community Engagement, Colin Stark, Education Liaison. 

Halle Orchestra https://www.halle.co.uk

https://www.halle.co.uk/education

https://www.halle.co.uk/education/halle-inspire

Steve Pickett - Education Director, Jo Brockbank, Schools Programme Manager 

Awards For Young Musicians https://www.a-y-m.org

Hester Cockcroft - Chief Executive

Music featured in this episode:

Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet', Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8

'Hope', composed by Ollie Lambert, performed by the Halle Workplace Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbY2t7AJO_o

Lauren McCann and Brendan Kerr, Queen's University Belfast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS3cKjroSLU.

'Goddess Gaia', Words by Tony Mitton, Music by Steve Pickett, Animation by Peter Naish. https://www.halle.co.uk/gaia (animated cantata for Flute, Harp, Cello and Narrator, complete with comprehensive teaching resources for Primary Schools).

In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we’ll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK’s leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.

Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work at www.chriswarnermusic.com. 

Episode 3 – Accessibility

In this episode we explore some of the ground-breaking schemes and initiatives that are designed to break down barriers to musical experiences and music education in general.

Contributors and more information:

Awards For Young Musicians https://www.a-y-m.org

Hester Cockcroft - Chief Executive 

Jess Gillam - https://www.jessgillamsax.co.uk

Hallé Orchestra https://www.Halle.co.uk

https://www.Halle.co.uk/education

https://www.Halle.co.uk/education/Hallé-inspire

Steve Pickett - Education Director 

Jo Brockbank - Schools Programme Manager 

Ulster Orchestra https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk

https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement

https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement/learning/crescendo

Lucy McCullagh - Director of Learning & Community Engagement

Colin Stark - Education Liaison

Richard Wigley - Managing Director

National Plan for Music Education https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education

Cambridgeshire Music https://www.cambridgeshiremusic.org.uk

Julia Ient - Business Development Manager, Cambridgeshire Music

Able Orchestra https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/projects/able-orchestra

Music featured in this episode: 'More Up', composer Oliver Vibrans, performed by The Able Orchestra, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuuG8vquvTo.

Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet', Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8.

In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we'll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK's leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.

Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work at www.chriswarnermusic.com. 

Episode 2 - Partnerships

In this episode we take a closer look at the work of two great UK orchestras, The Hallé in Manchester and the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, and more specifically the education and outreach departments that they run. We’ll also discover the key to running successful education and outreach projects is building partnerships with other organisations.

Contributors and more information:

Ulster Orchestra https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk 

https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement

https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement/learning/crescendo

Lucy McCullagh - Director of Learning & Community Engagement, Colin Stark - Education Liaison, Managing Director - Richard Wigley. 

More info about the Crescendo Project: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/cesi/zones/News/CRESCENDOPROGRAMMEFINALEVENTJUNE2019.html 

https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/cesi/zones/News/CrescendoWidensitsAppeal.html

Hallé Orchestra https://www.Halle.co.uk/education 

https://www.Halle.co.uk/education/Hallé-inspire

Steve Pickett - Education Director, Jo Brockbank - Schools Programme Manager.

Sistema England http://www.sistemaengland.org.uk

Arts Council England https://www.artscouncil.org.uk

Lyric Belfast https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/creative-learning

Music featured in this episode: Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet', Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8

In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we'll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK's leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.

Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work at www.chriswarnermusic.com. 

Episode 1 - Music Hubs

Contributors and more information:

Arts Council England https://www.artscouncil.org.uk

Hallé Orchestra https://www.Halle.co.uk. Steve Pickett - Education Director, Jo Brockbank, Schools Programme Manager

Voces 8 https://voces8.com. Katie Jeffries-Harris, Alto

The Brook Street Band https://www.brookstreetband.co.uk

Youth Music UK https://youthmusic.org.uk

Music featured in this episode: Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet’, Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8

'La Bamba', performed by Cambridgeshire Music Lockdown Orchestra, and arranged by Mark Aldous: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VghpiD-O9gE

The Brook Street Band, Handel’s Oxford Water Music Suite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq17WKDFHas

Voces 8 - A Cappella Lego: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Txq6Wgo70

*All Talking Classical podcasts formerly on SoundCloud have been redirected to Anchor.*

In this podcast, I’m talking to Hannah Fiddy, who is the co-founder of Alternative Classical, an initiative that aims to present classical music in a variety of different ways, from pop-up performances to new presentations on digital media. We talk about the premise behind Alternative Classical, attitudes towards different presentations of classical music and her latest project Humans of Classical Music, a video series featuring a variety of people talking about pieces of classical music in an informal, jargon-free way. We also talk about how the classical music industry has been adapting during the last year or so and what the industry might look like post-pandemic.

Podcast recorded on 19 February 2021; released 12 May 2021.

Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.

Hannah's website: hannahfiddy.com

Alternative Classical: alternativeclassical.co.uk

Don't forget to listen to Chris Warner's guest podcast series! An amazing 4-part series, reflecting on music education in the UK and featuring contributions from a variety of practitioners in this field. Many thanks to Chris and all of the people who very kindly took the time to be part of the series.