Artist Spotlight - Violinist Lucy Russell

 
Lucy Russell is among the most distinguished of international violinists who has now led the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists for several years. She has achieved eminence on both historical instruments and their ‘modern’ counterparts, performing and recording music from Monteverdi to the present day with equal distinction and authority. She became leader of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet in 1995; with them she has played all over Europe, North America, South Africa, Canada and Israel as well as making recordings for Linn Records, Divine Art Records, the BBC and various foreign radio stations. The quartet plays on both modern and historical set ups and will be recording late Beethoven String Quartets on heavy gut for Linn this Autumn. In addition to Yorkshire Baroque Soloists, Lucy is much in demand as Leader of several Early Music orchestras and has worked in this capacity for such as The King’s Consort, Classical Opera Company, Dunedin Consort, and she has also been a key player with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.  She has made numerous recordings over the years as an orchestral and chamber player and regularly teams up with Rachel Podger with her own ensemble, Brecon Baroque. 
 
Tell us a bit more about performing in York with the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists: 
I was a student when I first had the opportunity to play with YBS. I must have been fairly clueless and 'green' but I cut my teeth on some of the very best repertoire. It's been about 3 decades now since I first played and I think I can only have been unavailable to play with the group for only one or two concerts! We've  played abroad, recorded and done what most successful outfits do but most importantly, we are a tight knit bunch who cherish making music together and enjoying each other's company!
 

Lucy Russell

You've recently recorded J.S Bach Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord with John Butt what was your experience of recording such a cornerstone of the repertoire?    
Recording the Bach Violin Sonatas was the mission of a lifetime!  I started to dabble with these works whilst still a student at York and had always been drawn to them but to finally record them was a dream come true. They offer the best of Bach - they encompass Bach the cerebral, the human being, the profound, the emotional, the jazzy. It's all there and playing with John was a 'hand in glove' experience and a lot of fun too!
 
Do you plan any similar projects? 
I'm into CPE Bach (one of Bach's sons) and Beethoven and I'd love to record these sonatas some day. Maybe also Mozart.....how long have I got?!!

As a youngster, did you ever have a eureka moment listening to or performing a certain piece of music? 
I've had so many eureka moments whilst listening to music/playing music that it's hard to single out any particular one. As a youngster, performing Tchaikovsky's Pathetique Symphony and Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances fuelled my passion for the great romantic composers. Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and Verdi's Requiem also blew my mind. I think I'm very fortunate to have these kind of moments on a regular basis and as leader of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, this can happen on an almost daily basis - Beethoven late quartets spring to mind.......Thank goodness for Music!
 

Lucy leading Yorkshire Baroque Soloists rehearsing Haydn Creation

If you could travel in a musical time machine to experience a certain period or era in history where and when would you travel to?
I'd have loved to meet Haydn. His music, like that of Bach, appeals to me for all the same reasons I quote above.  He is a three-dimensional composer and his imagination, humour, pathos etc seemingly endless. Hugely respected by Beethoven and Mozart, to name but two, he had a profound influence on his contemporaries and beyond yet I think he'd have been more fun to hang out with in the Bier Keller than either of his aforementioned grumpy or flighty chums!
 
What is your musical guilty pleasure?

Lucy with the Fitzwilliam String Quartet

Mainstream jazz or Bruckner symphonies listened to at home with no lights on!

How do you relax?
Inventing new ways to incorporate yet more garlic or chilli into my cooking. And practising yoga!
 
What would your super power be?
To ensure a permanent state of world peace.
 
What is your most treasured possession?
Life itself.
 
What keeps you awake at night?
The music I'm currently working on!

We look forward to hearing Lucy lead the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists in JS Bach Easter Oratorio (BWV 249), Bach Mass in G minor (BWV 235) and Ascension Oratorio (BWV 11).   The concert will take place in St Michael le Belfrey, York on Saturday 12 March and further details on the concert and how to buy tickets can be found at: bit.ly/YBach

You can find more information on Lucy and the Fitzwilliam string quartet at http://www.fitzwilliamquartet.org. Details of her first solo CD of Bach’s Obbligato Violin Sonatas with John Butt can be found on the Linn Records website.

Final concert of 2014/15 Season - Purcell: Dido and Aeneas

Autograph Manuscript of My heart is inditing

 Purcell concert 20 June

Our 2014/15 season ends with a programme celebrating the music of  Henry Purcell.  The first half of the concert will feature a selection of Purcell's most brilliant, large-scale string anthems.  The grandest is probably My heart is inditing which was composed for the coronation of King James II in 1685.  O Sing unto the Lord (1688) is a wonderfully inventive anthem in several sections which is noteworthy for its colourful, Italianate vocal style. Another similarly large-scale anthem My beloved spake - dating from before 1678 - sets an evocative text from The Song of Solomon with great freshness and imagination. We also perform the joyous Rejoice in the Lord alway (1682-5) popularly known as the 'Bell Anthem' with its pealing string overture.   

Bethany Seymour

The second half of the concert will feature a concert performance of Dido and Aeneas  a relatively compact opera which is undoubtedly one of Purcell's greatest achievements.  It tells the ancient tale of Dido, the tragic Carthaginian queen.  Dido will be sung by Bethany Seymour, a regular member of YBC, who also pursues a successful career as a solo and consort singer.  Alongside the character of Dido, the work is filled with vivid orchestral music and supporting characters who will be voiced by other members of YBC. 2015 marks the 300th anniversary of the death of Nahum Tate poet laureate and famous adaptor of The History of King Lear which dominated the London stage throughout the 18th century.  You can read a fascinating article here, written by David Jays, on the importance of Tate's contribution to Dido. All in all, the work offers a economic, but vivid musical journey from its exciting, drama laden overture to the pathos filled final aria 'When I am laid in earth'.

The Purcell concert takes places at St Michael le Belfrey York and starts at 7.30pm on Saturday 20 June. Tickets priced at £18 (£16 concessions) are available here or on the door.

Mrs Celia Burgan pictured with recipients of the Celia Burgan Award

Celia Burgan Award

YBC is delighted to announce that we were were able to award three members of the choir the Celia Burgan Award.  Previously known as the Yorkshire Bach Choir Award, it is given to members of the choir to finance vocal lessons.  The award is particularly aimed at non-music students who specialise in vocal performance and are members of the choir.  This year we were able to give the award to three students at the University of York, Saul Jones, Kasia Slawski and Maddy Power.  Here they are pictured with Mrs Celia Burgan during the interval of our May concert. It is Celia's generous support of the choir over many years that we honour in the renaming of this award.

Beethoven 9 with The Academy of St Olave's

In the week following the final concert of our 2014/15 season we are thrilled to be taking part in the Jessie's Fund 20th Anniversary Concert by providing a chorus for the final part of Beethoven: 9th Symphony. The concert will take place on Saturday 27 June at 8pm in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York. The concert will also feature Beethoven: The Consecration of the House (Overture) and David Blake: Searching the Skies. 

Further details on tickets and prices can be found on the Academy of St Olave's website.

We would like to thank all our friends and patrons for their continued support of the choir.  Details of our forthcoming season in 2015/16 will be made available shortly on our website.