March certainly snuck up on us all rather fast, and with that came the highlight of my 2016 so far - Out at Sea. From being invited onboard (excuse the pun) by composer, Blanka Stachelek, in July to starting rehearsals in November, this has been a huge opportunity to not just stretch my legs as a contemporary performer, but also experience performing an opera with an extremely small cast, in the round.
In the middle of all that, Via Nova spent the weekend working on music by Howard Skempton and a new work by Percy Pursglove with non-professional singers and instrumentalists. This was in preparation for the Contemporary Music for All Festival concert with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Via Nova. What a great concert and my first solo venture at the CBSO centre!
Then straight into the final few days of rehearsals for the Conservatoire Triple Bill, where I played the China Teacup in Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortileges. Going from an overweight, cannibalistic man to a dainty 10yr old in a teacup in less than a week was certainly a shock to the senses! Sadly this was my last Conservatoire opera (I think!) but it's been an incredible five years working with Michael Barry as director, and Fraser Goulding as my musical director for three years!
A huge thank you to everyone in all the backstage teams involved in both projects: Wardrobe, lighting, makeup, even getting us on stage sometimes is a pain!
An exciting week is ahead: a brilliant concert of John Joubert with Chamber choir and plenty from Via Nova and Frontiers Festival 2016! I am also incredibly lucky to be having a piece of music written for me by the absolutely brilliant Patrick Giguére (you can hear his other works HERE) ready for performance in April.
In the middle of all that, Via Nova spent the weekend working on music by Howard Skempton and a new work by Percy Pursglove with non-professional singers and instrumentalists. This was in preparation for the Contemporary Music for All Festival concert with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Via Nova. What a great concert and my first solo venture at the CBSO centre!
Then straight into the final few days of rehearsals for the Conservatoire Triple Bill, where I played the China Teacup in Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortileges. Going from an overweight, cannibalistic man to a dainty 10yr old in a teacup in less than a week was certainly a shock to the senses! Sadly this was my last Conservatoire opera (I think!) but it's been an incredible five years working with Michael Barry as director, and Fraser Goulding as my musical director for three years!
A huge thank you to everyone in all the backstage teams involved in both projects: Wardrobe, lighting, makeup, even getting us on stage sometimes is a pain!
An exciting week is ahead: a brilliant concert of John Joubert with Chamber choir and plenty from Via Nova and Frontiers Festival 2016! I am also incredibly lucky to be having a piece of music written for me by the absolutely brilliant Patrick Giguére (you can hear his other works HERE) ready for performance in April.
 Via Nova in rehearsal with visiting singers - BCMG, CBSO Centre |  Out at Sea team |
 China Teacup in the Ravel - Graeme Braidwood Photography |  Out at Sea review |
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