Season end & exciting plans for 2017/18

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A Nordic farewell to 2016/17 season

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Tom Hammond

Last night ERSO presented a wonderful Nordic themed concert with Tom Hammond. The rafters of St John’s Church, Waterloo, rang out with the stirring 5th Symphony by Sibelius.  The concert opened with the chance to hear the relatively rarely performed Overture and Dance of the Cockerels from Nielsen’s opera Maskerade and the first half ended with a polished performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto by the exciting, award-winning young soloist Dinara Klinton who is kindly supported by Making Music’s Philip & Dorothy Green Award for Young Concert Artists scheme

Romantic October concert with Samuel Burstin

ana sinkovec

The new season will kick off with a romantic programme on 8 October conducted by Samuel Burstin.    We will perform Rachmaninoff  Piano Concerto No. 3 with Ana Sinkovec and Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6.

 

 

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Chris Stark

Childrens Concerts – The Universe of the Imagination

In November we will hold our annual Children’s Concerts in Kew and Camden, working with Kew Green Preparatory School and the Camden Music Service and conducted by Chris Stark.  The programme will be themed around The Universe of the Imagination and the programme will include Ives’ The Unanswered question, Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and Milhaud’s Le boeuf sur le toit.  We will be joined by young performers who will sing and play with ERSO.

ERSO Musician of the Year – Concerto Competition

During November we will also be holding auditions for the ERSO Musician of the Year 2018.  This competition is open to anyone over 18 years of age, of any nationality, who has played in at least concert with ERSO (including the concert on October 8th, 2017 with Samuel Burstin).  Candidates will be asked to perform part of one movement of their chosen concerto at the auditions, which will be accompanied by piano and judged by a panel of ERSO Committee members plus Chris Stark.

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Peter Stark

Up to 4 semi-finalists will be selected to work on their concerto with ERSO and Peter Stark at an open rehearsal on January 21, 2018.

The winner will have the opportunity to perform their concerto in our 11 February Concert with Peter Stark, which will also include Walton’s Portsmouth Point and Vaughan Williams’ London Symphony.

 

 

Behind the Baton – competition for emerging conductors

In March we will hold a Family Concert and the season will conclude with an exciting new concert “Behind the Baton” in which we will showcase emerging young conductors who have been selected as part of our Conductors Competition which will provide a valuable development opportunity to emerging conductors to consolidate and develop conducting skills and rehearsal techniques while extending their knowledge of orchestral repertoire.  The concert will also allow us to illuminate the role of the conductor to the concert audience.

 

 

Great start to rehearsals for Nordic Concert

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Great rehearsal at ERSO last Sunday with Tom Hammond with some excellent (and fun work) done on Nielsen (Overture & Dance of Cockerels from Maskarade) and Sibelius 5.   A wise move to start with last movement of Sibelius as it can only get easier from there…..

We’re all looking forward to next Sunday when we will also have the chance to work on Grieg Piano Concerto with award-winning soloist Dinara Klinton.

We still have room for one or two more first violins for this fantastic concert – contact us on ersoinfo@gmail.com

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Dinara Klinton, our soloist

if you know anyone who might like to join us.

Here’s a reminder of the rehearsal timings
10:00 – 11:30 Strings only
11:45 – 13:00 Strings, woodwind only. No horns (Sibelius and Grieg)
Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Nielsen, Sibelius tutti
15:45 – 17:00 Grieg tutti with Dinara Klinton

Calling trombones!

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The Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra, one of London’s leading and longest established amateur orchestras, is in need of a fairly last minute dep for 2nd trombone for a 2-5pm rehearsal on Sunday 7 May at Camden Girls School, Sandall Road, NW5 2DB.
 
Its the first run through of our exciting Nordic programme with Tom Hammond (not often you have the chance to play for a trombonist conductor!) and a great chance to play something unusual – Overture and Dance of the Cockerels from Nielsen’s Maskerade – plus Sibelius 5 so should be a great afternoon.
 
If you are an experienced grade 8+ trombonist and interested in joining us on Sunday afternoon please contact me on fiona@cairney.org

Tom Hammond concert – first rehearsal!

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tom sittingWe’re looking forward to Sunday’s first rehearsal for the ERSO Nordic themed concert with Tom Hammond. A reminder of rehearsal timings is shown below.

If any of you have any violin or double bass playing friends please do bring them along as we have a few more spaces (and plenty of chocolate brownies!) available. Its a fantastic programme and a rare chance to play the Nielsen pieces from Maskerade!

Let us know if you’re doing this so we can plan desking.

Programme
Carl Nielsen Overture and Hanendans from Maskerade
Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto
Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 5

Rehearsals (all Sundays at Camden School for Girls apart from concert day which is at St John’s)
7 May
10:00 – 11:15 Strings only, tutti sectional
11:30 – 13:00 Strings only, divisi sectional
Lunch
14:00 – 17:00 Tutti – Nielsen, Sibelius

14 May
10:00 – 11:30 Strings only
11:45 – 13:00 Strings, woodwind only (Sibelius and Grieg)
Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Nielsen, Sibelius tutti
15:45 – 17:00 Grieg tutti with Dinara Klinton

21 May Concert Day
14:30 – 15:30 Grieg
15:30 – 16:00 Nielsen
16:15 – 17:30 Sibelius

18:30 -c.20:30 performance

String players needed for Nordic concert

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stringsWe have room for a few more violin and viola players to join us for a fantastic concert at St Johns, Waterloo on 21 May.  Its a Nordic programme, conducted by the wonderful Tom Hammond, and featuring award-winning young soloist Dinara Klinton.

The programme consists of the Overture and Dance of the Cockerels from Maskerade by Nielsen, the Grieg Piano Concerto and Sibelius 5 Symphony.  There are 2 rehearsals (10-5pm) on 7  and 14 May at Camden Girls School, NW5 2DB plus a rehearsal on the concert day at St. Johns, Waterloo.

The Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) is one of London’s leading and longest established amateur orchestras and we are a friendly group, working to a really high standard over a concentrated rehearsal period for each concert.

If you are a grade 8+ string player and are interested in playing in this concert or joining us more permanetnly please contact us on ersoinfo@gmail.com

Double need for double basses!

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bassesWe are looking for two more bass players to boost our bass section for a fantastic concert at St Johns, Waterloo on 21 May. We are playing a Nordic programme, conducted by Tom Hammond, and featuring award-winning young soloist Dinara Klinton. The programme consists of the Overture and Dance of the Cockerels from Maskerade by Nielsen, the Grieg Piano Concerto and Sibelius 5 Symphony.  There are 2 rehearsals (10-5pm) on & and 14 May at Camden Girls School, NW5 2DB plus a rehearsal on the concert day at St. Johns, Waterloo.

The bass section will be working with Mark Lipski who will be acting as our Double Bass Mentor and the rehearsals will include a double bass master class on the music from the programme. Mark has extensive professional freelance playing, coaching and teaching experience so this is a fantastic opportunity for players!

The Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) is one of London’s leading and longest established amateur orchestras and we are a friendly group, working to a high standard over a concentrated rehearsal period for each concert.  We rehearse and perform on Sundays and work with a professional leader and professional conductors of a very high calibre.

If you are a grade 8+ bass player and are interested in playing in this concert or joining us more permanetnly please contact us on ersoinfo@gmail.com

 

Fantastic family concert!

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Last night, 19th March, we held a Family Concert at the lovely church of St Mary’s at Primrose Hill.  The concert was expertly conducted and presented by Tim Redmond and was themed around types of movement.  We “swam” with the swans from Swan Lake, “flew” with the bicycle in the ET Theme and went on a journey on a steam train in Honegger’s Pacific 231.  Talented young musicians from the Camden School for Girls joined ERSO to expertly perform Mambo from West Side Story and Adams’s Short Ride in a Fast Machine and the cheers from the audience showed how proud their families were!

Calling all bass players!

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Calling double basses!
We are looking to boost our bass section for a fantastic concert at St Johns, Waterloo on 21 May. We are playing a Nordic programme, conducted by Tom Hammond, and featuring award-winning young soloist Dinara Klinton. The programme includes works by Nielsen, the Grieg Piano Concerto and Sibelius 5 Symphony.

The bass section will be working with Mark Lipski who will be acting as our Double Bass Mentor. Mark has extensive professional freelance playing, coaching and teaching experience. A great opportunity for players! If you are interested in playing in this concert please contact us on ersoinfo@gmail.com

Calling all violins and violas!

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Calling all violin and viola players!

ERSO, one of London’s leading and longest established amateur orchestras, are looking for viola players for our fabulous Family Concert on 19 March. We will be working with British conductor and presenter Timothy Redmond, who is a regular guest conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and children from the Camden Girls School.

The concert is themed around different kinds of movement and includes a wide variety of exciting music including some of John Williams most well known film music from ET and Star Wars together with music from Swan Lake, West Side Story and the William Tell Overture.

Concert Sunday 19 March 2017 – St Mary’s, Primrose Hill – 5:30pm
Rehearsals (all Sundays at Camden School for Girls other than on concert day):
5 March 10am-1pm and 2-5pm
12 March 2-5pm
19 March 2-4.30 pm, concert at 5.30pm

If you are a grade 8+ violin or viola player who would like to take part in this fun family concert or are interested in joining a friendly orchestra playing at a very high standard please contact us on ersoinfo@gmail.com

News

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Thanks to the generous support of the Ernest Read Trust, we are delighted to be able to introduce Jaga, our newly appointed Deputy Leader, and Tom, our new Principal 2nd Violin.

As well as welcoming these new section leaders we are regretfully saying goodbye to Lizzie Roberts, who has been leading the 2nd violins for this concert.  Lizzie has an incredibly busy performing career and wants to focus her time on developing this further.

Tom and Jaga will be in touch with their own sections in the next few weeks as they will be commencing their appointments for the March concert.

Joanna Jaga Klimaszewska (Jaga) – Deputy Leader

jaga-picBorn in Poland Jaga moved to London to continue her musical studies at Guildhall followed by a Masters at the Royal College of Music.

Jaga has taken part in many workshops and music festivals in Europe and has performed as a soloist and as a chamber musician in Poland, France, Austria, Germany, Russia, Switzerland and the UK.

As well as her versatile music career Jaga also enjoys organising events and is part of the unconducted chamber orchestra Silk Street Sinfonia which she manages and performs with (www.silkstreetsinfonia.com).

Jaga will stand in for John Crawford as Leader if he cannot make a rehearsal and will work with John to lead the first violins.  She will also be responsible for fixing musicians for the First Violin section.

jagaklimaszewska.com

 

Tom Rowan-Young – Principal 2nd Violin


tom-rowan-youngTom Rowan-Young is studying for a Masters at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, having studied previously at the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s.  He is also an alumnus of the National Youth Orchestra and London Sinfonietta Academy and was accepted onto the Britten-Pears Young Artist programme in 2017.  He is Principal 2nd Violin of the University of London Symphony Orchestra.

In 2013 he founded the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra; a new orchestra based in Manchester to provide extra performance opportunities for young professionals and conservatoire students. As well as being Leader of the orchestra, Tom was also Artistic Director, fixer and administrator until leaving the orchestra in 2014.

Tom will be responsible for leading the 2nd violins at ERSO, including fixing musicians, and will work closely with John Crawford and the other string section leaders.