A celebration of great string music

From the moment Stephanie Waite sounded the fanfare that opens Handel’s glorious Concerto Grosso in D major, we knew it was going to be a very special concert. It was Saturday evening, 5th March, in the beautiful Norman Shaw “Arts and Crafts” church of St Michael and All Angels at Turnham Green, Chiswick. This was our chance to showcase two great Concerti Grossi for string orchestra, and the 13 students’ pieces, prepared as part of our 2022 Schools Composition Project with CoMA, that we had honed during the workshops the previous Thursday. And judging by the delighted response of the students themselves and their friends and families in the audience, the Nonesuch Orchestra did not disappoint.

Composer Errollyn Wallen shows how it’s done

As an inspiration to the young composers, the finale of the evening was Errollyn Wallen’s spectacular Concerto Grosso for violin, double bass, piano and strings. Stephanie Waite once again took the solo violin part, and was joined by our double bass Lon Fon Law - a student at the Royal Academy of Music - and our special guest pianist Andrew Zolinsky. The irresistible energy and hypnotic beauty of this eclectic work, and the dazzling virtuosity of the soloists, capped an evening that those of us present are unlikely to forget for a very long time.

"Thank you so much for playing my piece..."

These simple and heartfelt words from Sophie - one of the student composers in the Nonesuch Orchestra + CoMA 2022 Student Composition project - summed up the warmth we all felt at the workshops on 3rd March. Together with composer and teacher Andrew Toovey, we studied and rehearsed 13 compositions by talented and dedicated young people. Our conductor Dan Shilladay and leader Stephanie Waite explained some of the complexities involved in ensuring that the sound an orchestra makes is exactly what the composer has in mind. It was a hugely enjoyable and educational experience for us all.

Pictured here are 9 of the 13 students, from Twyford High School, Acton; Waldegrave School, Twickenham; and Christ’s School, Richmond. From left to right:

Joshua, Abigail, Stephanie Waite, Sophie, Mina, Reuben, Catherine Barlen (viola in the Nonesuch and organiser of the project), Andrew Toovey, Tamara Kohler (CoMA Festival Director), Madeleine, Hannah, Trisha, Maisie, Dan Shilladay.

And the four from Godolphin and Latymer School: Eleni, Rose, Andrew Toovey, Estelle and Isabell.

“Thank you, amazing composers, for sharing your work with us!”

BAck to school after two years absence

We were delighted to be invited back to the Merlin School in Putney on 3rd February 2022 for our first school concert/workshop in over two years, with the easing of lockdown restrictions. Once again, the pupils (and staff) were thrilled to see and hear a live orchestra. We marked Chinese New Year by rehearsing and performing a special song - Hokkien Bay - together with the children.

“…We so enjoyed having the wonderful Nonesuch Orchestra here – this is an annual highlight in our school diary. The children were absolutely beaming with joy coming out of the Ballroom. Thank you to each and everyone of you and also for incorporating the Chinese Lunar New Year song into the repertoire….”

Dagmar Smith, The Merlin School

FROM PAGE TO PERFORMANCE 2022

We’re excited to announce another collaboration between the Nonesuch Orchestra and Contemporary Music for All: the 2022 Student Compositions Project.

Once more, talented students from west London secondary schools will be working on new compositions with coaching from composer Andrew Toovey. Our 2020 project was a resounding success and more schools have asked to participate this year.

The Nonesuch Orchestra, with our conductor Dan Shilladay, will hold workshops with the students on Thursday 3rd March at St Martin’s Church in West Acton. We’ll be working on the submissions. Imagine the excitement of hearing your own work performed live by an orchestra for the first time! And students from all secondary schools will be welcome to join us and hear how a piece of music is transformed From Page to Performance under Dan’s expert guidance.

Then on Saturday 5th March, the students will share the billing at an evening concert in Chiswick with two great composers. Along with their pieces, we will play Errollyn Wallen’s electrifying Concerto Grosso for Piano, Violin, Double Bass and Strings, and another Concerto Grosso from nearly 300 years ago: Handel’s celebrated Op.6 No.5.

The new season opens

When concerts and even rehearsals were thrown into disarray between lockdowns last year, the orchestra really enjoyed reading through Handel's op. 6 concerti grossi. Naturally, when it came to planning our 21/22 season we wanted to share our wonderful experience with audiences, so each of this year's concerts will feature one of our favourite op. 6 works.

Our first outing will be on Thursday 18th November's at 12.30 pm at St John’s Church, Harrow - when we will also play Grażyna Bacewicz's Concerto for String Orchestra. Written in 1948, it's a thrilling modern take on the idea of a concerto grosso. The outer movements teem with irrepressible life and vigour, whilst the reflective  middle movement divides the orchestra into many parts in sumptuous Hollywood-tinged harmony.

Grażyna Bacewicz photo: CAF/PAP

To complete the programme, conductor Dan Shilladay has arranged the huge central adagio of Beethoven's string quartet op. 132 for full string orchestra. Beethoven wrote the piece after recovering from an illness he feared might be fatal; he wrote on the score "Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit" ("Holy song of thanksgiving of a convalescent to the Deity") and the more energetic sections which alternate with the opening corale-like music he titled "Neue Kraft fühlend" ("feeling new strength"). Profoundly, supremely beautiful, it seemed to sum up all of our thoughts and hopes about music, about ourselves, after the strictures of the previous eighteen months. 

First outings for the Nonesuch String Quartet

Saturday 24th July saw the launch of the Nonesuch String Quartet, first in a beautiful garden at a private party in Ealing; and later at a larger party for residents of Holland Gardens, Brentford, where we tooks turns with the jazz quintet The Raccateers to entertain the partygoers. Playing outside presents its own special challenges (clothes pegs to secure the music are a vital part of the musician’s kit) but the threatened thunderstorms never materialised.

The quartet played a selection of arrangements of works by Elgar, Gershwin, Scott Joplin and others.

And the residents did enjoy it! We have had some great messages:

“Thank you so very much for your fabulous music entertainment. It made the party so special”

“The quartet were amazing. You really made the party”

“The music was just wonderful…My daughter has asked for a violin after seeing the string quartet”

The Nonesuch String Quartet - made up of members of the orchestra - is available for bookings for your event, to play a selection of light works and/or classical music - please email nonesuchorch@gmail.com. All proceeds will support the vital work we do to bring music to schools.

Newly-formed Nonesuch String Quartet entertains at Holland Gardens

Return of the young composers

We were determined the pandemic would not derail the Nonesuch 2021 Student Composition Project, and with a little adaptability and a lot of determination from everyone involved, it was a huge success. 

The ten student composers, from three West London secondary schools - Christ’s School, Richmond, Waldegrave School and Twyford Church of England High School - were asked to write works that could be played by string orchestra, or string quartet, or - with the addition of a double bass part - a quintet. 

Robin Wedderburn - inspirational composer, conductor and member of the Nonesuch Orchestra - worked with the students to prepare their compositions for performance. Our professional players (Stephanie Waite - Violin, Dan Shilladay - Viola, Joseph Keenan - Cello, and Lon Fon Law - Double Bass) recorded seven works - each line separately - with other members taking on three more pieces. Recording a single line at home to a click track is no easy task! Robin and Joseph then put the tracks together and these talented and hardworking students and their teachers have a fine record of their achievements.

The culmination was a live performance of the seven works by students from Christ’s School, Richmond at its 5th biennial Choral and Orchestral Concert on 20th July - when Nonesuch members joined forces with the school’s musicians and visiting professionals. After months of being starved of live music, it was a feast for the ears with an appetizing menu:

Names in lights at Christ’s School, Richmond

This year’s line-up of talent was completed by Sophie Bloor’s Sonata and Maisie Veitch’s Waltz (Sophie and Maisie are at Waldegrave School), and Twyford student Henry Wood’s Rondo.

Congratulations to all the students for their accomplishments!

Nonesuch to participate in contemporary music festival

It’s good to look forward and see exciting events on the horizon. The Nonesuch Orchestra is going to be involved with CoMA again - in the 2022 Festival of Contemporary Music for All. The launch takes place on YouTube on Weds 17th March 2021 at 6.00pm and you can register here.

The launch will include footage from our groundbreaking workshop last year with student composers, which was part of CoMA’s 2020 Festival. You can also see the full performances of six of those remarkable compositions here on CoMA’s YouTube channel.

We’ve just had news that one of the young composers, Louise Martin, has won a place to study at Berklee College of Music in the USA. Read more about Louise’s work here. Congratulations Louise from all of us at Nonesuch! We are proud to have worked with you on Danse de la Rivière and we look forward to playing more of your work in the future.

Our play-date with Dvořák

Today we held our long-anticipated Play Day 2020 at Christ Church with St Laurence Brondesbury, working on Dvořák’s celebrated Serenade for Strings. The culmination of several months of practice at home, it was (like all Nonesuch Play Days) a hugely rewarding experience, as conductor Dan Shilladay and leader Stephanie Waite guided the orchestra through the shifting moods of nostalgia, humour and exuberance of this popular piece.

Many thanks to the Rev’d Natasha Woodward and Hilary Berg for their warm welcome and for helping us keep everybody safe.

Making music together again

The Nonesuch Orchestra assembled today for the first time in six months to rehearse together again. And what a joy it was!

After getting the go-ahead under the current rules, preparing a detailed risk assessment, and working closely with our hosts at St Anne’s and St Andrews, we held a safe rehearsal and worked on Handel’s Concerto Grosso (Op 6, No 1). It is one of the most sparkling and uplifting works by this genius.

We hope we can continue to work together to get back in shape this autumn. We’d like to run a school concert/workshop - probably with a reduced team given the spacing issues - so that at least some children who have missed out on so much this year can enjoy the live music which is so enriching for us all.

BBC Young Composer 2020: High Commendation for Nonesuch workshop participant Jacob Cavendish

Jacob Cavendish

We were delighted to learn that Jacob Cavendish, whose composition River made such a deep impression at our CoMA-sponsored composition workshop – From Page to Performance – has been Highly Commended in the BBC Young Composer 2020 competition (Upper Junior category).  This should perhaps not surprise us as his work showed extraordinary mastery of line, harmony, and orchestral colour.  We think you’ll agree it is a beautifully crafted and moving miniature – listen here

From Page to Performance: performing the students’ compositions

We are excited to bring you videos of some of the student works performed by the Nonesuch Orchestra at our March 2020 composition workshop: From Page to Performance, held as part of CoMA’s Festival of Contemporary Music for All (see the news item from March 13, 2020 below). It is not often that students have the chance to hear their work performed by the orchestral line-up for which they were written; most have to make do with a digitised imitation.  And the orchestra hugely enjoyed playing its part in bringing to life the creations of these talented young people.

Many thanks to Chris Adams and CoMA for making these videos and supporting our composition project and to the composer Andrew Toovey for working with the students.  Enjoy the pieces and do share them!

Transmission by Joshua Laye-Sion

Variations on Heartbreak by Eloïse Pearce

The Wild Swan by Alicia Peacock

Danse de la Rivière by Louise Martin

River by Jacob Cavendish

Dawn by Max Brambley

Rehearsing Dvořák’s Serenade online

Antonin Dvořák

We are planning to hold our next PlayDay on Tuesday 15th September 2020, conditions permitting. And the project will be Dvořák’s sublime Serenade for Strings in E major Op. 22. After months without playing together, the prospect is exciting.

The orchestra decided to try and see if we could rehearse some of the more tricky parts of this (pretty challenging) work together somehow. Many of us had grave doubts about the idea. Was it really going to be feasible to do anything together, in real time, over Zoom? But we gave the first movement a go last week and it was a big surprise to discover how useful and enjoyable the experience was. We split into sections, with Stephanie, Dan and Joe leading the violins, violas and cellos respectively. Judicious management of the Mute facility was vital! But illuminating insights were shared and demonstrated by our professional coaches and we had so much fun that we overran the allotted time. We will be tackling all the movements during the coming weeks.

If you are an experienced string player and would like to spend a day working on this masterpiece with us, please contact us - we would love to have you join, and we will keep you posted on developments as the date approaches.

Reloading the canon: what about music by women?

Waterloo Festival is an annual celebration of arts, community and heritage in the heart of London. We were invited to give a concert this year, so when the Festival was forced to switch to an online offering, our conductor Dan Shilladay contributed a fascinating story about women composers. He discusses why they are so neglected, and what the Nonesuch Orchestra is doing about it. His piece includes videos of works by some of our favourite women composers.

Read and listen here.

One of our favourites - Grace Williams. Nonesuch has performed her powerful “Sea Sketches” twice

"I couldn't have done this when I was their age...."

The Nonesuch Orchestra were delighted to welcome Judith Weir CBE, Master of the Queen’s Music, to our “From Page to Performance” showcase concert on 5th March, where eight compositions by GCSE and A-level students from Chiswick School, Twyford C of E High School, and Christ's School, Richmond were performed. Judith says “I was taken aback by the skill and ease with which each young composer had faced this medium; it can be so tricky, especially for non-string players.”

See Judith’s blog here.

Prior to the performance, the orchestra rehearsed the new pieces with the composers and their fellow-students in attendance, offering suggestions on technical and notation matters. Andrew Toovey, celebrated composer and eloquent teacher, has worked with the students through the process; and he shared gems of insight from his own experience.

Judging by the reception accorded them by the enthusiastic audience at the public concert two days later, when they shared the billing with Sally Beamish, Dorothy Howell, and Elgar, these young people have talents that are an inspiration to us all.

Line-up of composers with Andrew Toovey (centre)

First performance of Joshua Laye-Sion’s “Transmission”: conductor concentrates while composer (centre) critiques. Photo by Chris Adams

Grand finale - Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro, with quartet of soloists: Riki Kikuchi (violin I), James Greener (violin II), Rosemary Cook (viola), and John Lacy (cello)

NONESUCH ORCHESTRA REDISCOVERS A MINIATURE MASTERPIECE

In an age when it seems everything that was ever written can be called up with a mouseclick, the possibility of hunting down a forgotten piece of music, for which the parts are lost and no recording exists, is tantalising.

Dan Shilladay, conductor of the pioneering Nonesuch Orchestra, has been on a quest for Dorothy Howell’s Two Pieces for Muted Strings – last performed in 1959.  At the home of Merryn and Columb Howell – the niece and nephew of the composer, discreet custodians of her legacy – he was overjoyed to be offered an early proof of the score.

Merryn and Columb Howell

The score of “Two Pieces for Muted Strings”

Even acknowledging the indifference that women composers generally have suffered, it is astonishing that Dorothy Howell is so neglected.  Her 1919 symphonic poem Lamia was championed by Henry Wood and performed at the Proms four times in the 1920s alone.  She was lauded as “the English Strauss” and became a respected teacher at the Royal Academy of Music.  Howell retired to Malvern, where she tended Elgar’s grave for many years.  The orchestra’s tribute to her has been made possible by a generous grant from The Ambache Charitable Trust.  

As part of CoMA’s Festival of Contemporary Music for All, Dan has transcribed orchestral parts and the Nonesuch Orchestra will give a performance of this delicious work on Saturday 7th March at 7.30pm at St Alban’s Church, Acton Green W4. 

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In Concert: Inspirational Women Composers – Past, Present and Future

Dorothy Howell

Sally Beamish

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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