Louise Martin being coached by Andrew Toovey

For too long, women composers have been unjustly neglected. A shockingly low percentage of classical music performed today is by women. The Nonesuch Orchestra wants to change that. On Saturday 7th March 2020 at 7.30pm at St Alban’s Church, Acton Green W4, we will perform Dorothy Howell’s delicious Two Pieces for Muted Strings and Sally Beamish’s hauntingly beautiful The Day Dawn.

Dorothy Howell – whose music was played at the Proms in the 1920s and who was celebrated as “the English Strauss” – has been almost completely forgotten. Yet Two Pieces – rediscovered and transcribed by the Nonesuch Orchestra, with support from The Ambache Charitable Trust - is a miniature masterpiece.

Also on the programme will be new compositions by GCSE and A-level students from West London schools - among them some inspirational women. They have been working with composer Andrew Toovey to translate their original ideas into finished works. They have had to bring creativity, intellect, critical listening, and grit to the task – qualities that will stand them in good stead wherever their careers take them. Louise Martin from Chiswick School tells us how it’s going here:

The concert will finish with a glorious flourish: Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro – one of the greatest works for string orchestra.

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