University of York Music Press

Following the release of the third volume of the Resonus series Elisabeth Lutyens: Piano Works performed by Martin Jones, the Guardian have featured a short review of the disc. Fiona Maddocks writes that the album is "engaging, serious, [and] stimulating", adding that Martin Jones "makes a persuasive case" for Lutyens' music. This comes after John Allison described the recording as "meticulously played" in BBC Music Magazine's Classical Music section. He particularly commends Martin Jones' "warmly enigmatic" performance of Berceuse.

Late Music Concerts York have two great concerts this Saturday, 4th May 2024. The programme includes David Lancaster's Long After Tonight is All Over, for solo flute.  Late Music write: ‘This Saturday we have a tremendous line up of exquisite music performed by fabulous performers - two concerts not to be missed!  Lunchtime Concert @1pm - Mikey Sluman (oboe) & Jenny Hobbins (piano) presenting a programme highlighting the full range of the oboe family, performing works by Louis Andriessen, Althea Talbot-Howard, Desmond Clarke and others featuring oboe, oboe d’amore, cor anglais and bass oboe alongside Poulenc’s popular Oboe Sonata.

Ed Hughes’ new opera States of Innocence, based on Milton’s Paradise Lost with a libretto by Peter Cant, premieres at the Brighton Festival on Sunday 19th May 2024 in a concert performance with video projection by Ian Winters, starring legendary bass Sir John Tomlinson as Milton with mezzo soprano Rozanna Madylus as Milton’s Wife / Eve and tenor Stuart Jackson as Milton’s Assistant / Satan. With New Music Players conducted by Andrew Gourlay.

On 3rd February 2024, a York Late Music recital took place at York Unitarian Chapel featuring texts from Walter de la Mere's Peacock Pie, a 1913 book of rhymes for children. Performed by baritone Robert Rice and pianist William Van, the programme consisted of songs by Herbert Howells and Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, alongside a series of nine new works by assorted composers including David Lancaster.

Congratulations to Emily Pedley-Laws for her success in the Cambridge Competitive Music Festival this year where she performed house composer Sadie Harrison’s solo piece for left hand piano, entitled Idyll: The World Within. The piece was written for virtuoso Nicholas McCarthy and featured as part of the PASTURE & STORM PROJECT: New Repertoire for left hand alone pianists. It featured on the Prima Facie PFCD193.

A concert dedicated to the celebration of the life and work of Anthony Gilbert took place on 2nd December 2023 at York Late Music. UYMP would now like to share some extracts from Paul Conway's recent account of the recital in Musical Opinion magazine. The programme featured five of Anthony Gilbert's works, alongside music by Nicola LeFanu, David Lumsdaine, David Lancaster, and other Yorkshire-based composers. Performers Jonathan Sage (clarinet), Nina Kümin (violin), and Kate Ledger (piano) gave what was described in the review as "a sequence of compact and heartfelt tributes".

George Nicholson’s work Spindrift was performed by Madeleine Mitchell, in St Andrew’s Church, Sheffield, on 25 November, and it has received a glowing review from Paul Conway. Conway describes the concert as a highlight of the St Andrew’s Music Festival and he writes: ‘Madeleine Mitchell then took centre stage to play George Nicholson’s Spindrift, a substantial piece for solo violin in seven interrelated, but stylistically diverse movements, the last three of which were receiving their first public performance, according to the programme note. Taking its title from sea spray, Spindrift was written for Madeleine Mitchell between Autumn 2021 the end of 2022 and the music suited admirably the violinist’s impressively broad expressive range, from intimate musing to bold, sweeping gestures.

UYMP is proud to announce that David Lancaster’s recently published Canzone Sospesa for cello and piano, which received a premiere in Milan last November, has been selected for inclusion in the 2024-25 chamber music season of concerts by the Art Music Society of Washington DC. As well as mentoring young musicians and educators, the Art Music Society’s mission is ‘to dispel the notion that art music is elitist and exclusive to enjoy for those who possess the means to appreciate it'. The society states: 'By creating a community that includes professionals (both aspiring and established), amateur musicians, and music enthusiasts, we aim at connecting everyone that shares a passion for our art'.

UYMP was delighted to read Paul Conway's glowing review of The Frederick Septimus Kelly Project in Musical Opinion magazine this month. The disc includes music by Kelly alongside movements from a new work by Sadie Harrison, written in tribute to the composer. The reviewer notes that "Harrison’s heartfelt homage acknowledges the tragedy of [Kelly's] loss to family and friends, as well as to the musical world, yet she also celebrates his personality and creativity". The "sensitive approach" captured in Alex Wilson's piano playing is also highlighted, with ample justice done to the "virtuosic, crowd-pleasing writing" contained in the works. Harrison's contributions are described as "charming", "compassionate" and "profoundly considered" homages. The review finishes by drawing attention to a resulting "vivid overarching narrative that constantly sheds new light upon itself".

UYMP is thrilled to hear that Jo Kondo has been announced as the 55th recipient of the Suntory Music Award, hosted by Suntory Foundation for the Arts, and offers Professor Kondo many congratulations. This award is granted to individuals who have contributed notably to the development of Western-style music in Japan; the awarding committee felt that "since his sen no ongaku (linear music) series exactly half a century ago, Jo Kondo has continued to enlighten Japanese audiences and musicians on a profound level with his works and writings". UYMP would of course like to echo the statement that "this year presents an excellent opportunity to honor this composer, who has continued to work with an intellect and integrity rarely seen in the world today".

We are absolutely delighted that the documentary made of house composer Sadie Harrison’s PASTURE & STORM PROJECT (New Repertoire for left hand alone pianists) has been accepted by several international film festivals for release in Spring 2024. Made by acclaimed filmmaker Chris Frazer Smith, the film documents the composition, rehearsal, recording and premiere of 8 new compositions written for virtuoso left hand pianist Nicholas McCarthy also featuring pianists Tomas Klement, Sophia Benton, the Bristol Ensemble conducted by John Pickard, led by Roger Huckle and singer Peyee Chen. The PASTURE & STORM PROJECT was supported by Arts Council England, the Hinrichsen Foundation, the Ambache Charitable Trust and the RVW Trust. 

UYMP’s friends Late Music York have three concerts coming up for the first weekend of April, at their usual Unitarian Chapel venue, St Saviourgate, York.  David Hammond returns for a recital at 1pm on Friday 5th April.  David will be exploring the piano repertoire of Yorkshire composer Richard Stoker and will also play works by local and regional composers, including Steve Crowther.   The Amabile trio (Lesley Schatzberger (clarinet), Nicola Tait Baxter (cello) and Paul Nicholson (piano) will perform works by Brahms, Louise Farrenc and Steve Crowther at 1pm on Saturday 6th April .  The Saturday 6th April evening concert at 7.30pm will be given by Savva Zverev (violin) and Sid Ramachander (piano), in a programme ranging from Bach to Pärt.