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Spotlight - August 2006 |
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Welcome
The visit is all the sweeter because the Ensemble will not only offer a programme of classical music but will present Tales of the Islands, a chamber suite composed by Trinidadian composer Dominique Le Gendre, associate artist of the Royal Opera House2 and based on the sonnets of Nobel Laureate poet and playwright Derek Walcott. The Soloists of the Royal Opera House who form this dynamic and versatile ensemble comprise the principal musicians from the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House made its debut in 1995 with a programme of Mozart and Beethoven at Wigmore Hall. Since then the Soloists’ creative and inspiring performances have received great worldwide acclaim and their reputation has led to successful partnerships with such great artists as Placido Domingo, Peter Donohoe, Valery Gergiebv and Murray Perahia. The Ensemble also collaborates regularly with principal singers and dancers from the Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet, as well as principal musicians from some of the world’s leading orchestras. In addition to popular and established chamber works the Soloists repertory favours the exploration of relationships with artists from diverse cultural backgrounds. The most recent being Tales of the Islands by Royal Opera House Associate artist, Dominique Le Gendre. The suite had its world première in April 2005 at the Royal Opera House presented by Royal Opera House Chamber Ensemble led by Peter Manning and will be presented to Trinidadian audiences at Queen’s Hall in August.
Tickets
26th August, 2006
THE ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO PRESENTS Music Director Jessel Murray The National Sinfonia currently consists of 45 (primarily young) talented musicians under the directorship of Mr. Jessel Murray, the country’s premier symphonic orchestra conductor. The National Sinfonia regularly rehearses as part of its routine skill-building and repertoire expanding activities. It is also crucial for the orchestra to engage in specialist training, performing and recording projects to develop and expand musical skills and techniques and build audience appreciation and attendance. The main project of OSTT (Orchestral Society of Trinidad & Tobago) is the annual Concert Workshop Project, where tutoring by professionals in the various orchestral disciplines (brass, woodwind, strings and percussion) would take place using material that would be presented in formal post-workshop concert(s) to expose the musicians to performing to the public. The workshop would be held at the National Sinfonia’s current rehearsal venue – Center for Creative and Festival Arts, University of the West Indies, Gordon Street, St Augustine. This workshop will be free for all participating musicians in order to encourage as wide a participation as possible. Three (3) international tutors and one (1) local tutor, all under the stewardship of the Music Director will be in attendance. The Workshop project will culminate with a Grand Concert to be staged at Queen’s Hall on Sunday 20th August 2006. There will be a special soloist feature – pianist Sothie Paul-Duraisamy who will perform Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Rachmaninov. Cost of tickets - $100
Le Gendre
After school she left for Paris, France to train as a classical guitarist with Ramon de Herrera, the lure of the Sorbonne loomed large. There she acquired a solid grounding in Harmony, Analysis and solfège while taking courses in Musicology at the Sorbonne University. Seventeen years ago, she moved to London and gradually her years of hard work brought results. She worked extensively as a composer for radio-drama, film, television, theatre and dance A contract to compose all of the music for the Arkangel recordings of all 38 Shakespeare plays directed by Clive Brill was big. Slowly but surely the UK music establishment began to mount programmes that recognized the multicultural and diverse nature of its society. In 2003 after a successful performance of her short opera, "Bird of Night" in the Linbury at the Royal Opera House, as part of "A Nitro at the Opera" she was invited to join ROH2 as Associate Artist. Tales of the Islands followed. Bird of Night was reprised in January 2005 at the Linbury in “REVIVAL”. The full length version will premiere in London in October. Le Gendre’s musical language has been described as luminous, glittering and distinctive, reflecting the rich multi-culture of her Caribbean upbringing but very much classical in tone and structure. The dance suite Rio Manzanare composed with French composer and colleague of 25 years, Célia Reggiani, is inspired by traditional Parang music from Trinidad. Le Gendre also co-produced a video documentary directed by French film-maker, Sophie Meyer on Parang music in Trinidad. Trinidad audiences meet Dominique Le Gendre, the musician, at Queen’s Hall when her work is presented by some of the world’s best musicians. Tales of the Islands sets to music five of the ten poems in Derek Walcott’s sonnet sequence which premiered at the Linbury in April, 2005. to appreciative audiences. Students of music have the opportunity to meet Le Gendre at the Workshop Presentation when she describes the creative process with the ROH Chamber Ensemble. Always committed to the young musicians of Trinidad she has asked that an octet of young players present Movement 4 of Tales of the Islands and will be conducted by Peter Manning of the Chamber Ensemble. The Workshop Performance is on Friday 25th at 10.30 pm
Team ROH
The party will be staying at Kapok Hotel, Cotton Hill, Maraval. The Directors are depending on the support of the members and indeed all discerning music lovers to give these world renowned musicians the welcome they deserve.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS A U G U S T 1 2 3 12 -19 20 25 26 *27
Jessel Murray, music director of the National Sinfonia, has accepted the invitation of ROH to prepare an octet to perform one of the movements of Tales of the Islands at the Workshop Performance. They will be conducted by Peter Manning the conductor of the Chamber Ensemble.
TEAM ROH
Early Bird Facility
Welcome New Members Mr. Gary Watson / Ms N. Mohammed
DONOR CORPORATE |
The internationally renowned Royal Opera
House Chamber Ensemble will perform at Queen’s Hall on August 26th
and August 27th 2006. The Ensemble is undeniably one of the most
prestigious musicians to come to Trinidad and incidentally its
presentation, the most ambitious undertaking of the Patrons of
Queen’s Hall in the renovated Queen’s Hall. 
Trinidadian composer, Dominique Le
Gendre is the daughter of a Trinidadian father, Louis Le Gendre and
a Martiniquan mother, Danielle Le Gendre. She is a graduate of
Bishop Anstey High School in Port of Spain. We remember her always
around the theatre, performing, helping back stage, playing the
guitar, successfully competing at the Music Festivals, an
altogether, alert, fun (and funny) person. 
The Patrons of
Queen’s Hall are the proud hosts of the Royal Opera House Chamber
Orchestra’s visit to Trinidad. They arrive on a BWIA flight from
London on the 22nd August, perform on the 25th 26th 27th August,
2006 and depart on the 28th August. TEAM ROH under the dynamic
leadership of Vice Chairman Nigel Romano (pictured at left), Alice
Borrell, Paul Charles, Marlene Goddard, Anna Walcott-Hardy and
Margaret Walcott are responsible for the planning, marketing and
producing the event. 
Workshop
Performance