Exciting news about a new television programme that I am involved in – a very new kind of competition for UK teenagers to find a major new talent. A nationwide search will result in nine musicians being chosen to take part in a three week summer academy that I am directing, during which the nine will be whittled down to three to take part in the final. The interesting thing is that in the Academy, as well as the obvious private practice and masterclasses concentrating on repertoire, we will work in less usual ways for classical musicians: working with improvisation, non-classical styles, and thinking about more contemporary ways of presenting music. It should make a big impact on the public in terms of their perception of what classical musicians are today, and in many ways it reflects the changes that have been happening in the profession over a number of years and is very timely.
The five one-hour episodes will air on the BBC in late Autumn. For details of application you can go to www.classicalstar.tv
Matthew Barley/Cellist
→
Music is the universal language of mankind.
Longfellow