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Masterprize
Tel: +44 (0)20 7233 0111 Masterprize site designed by Room101 Ltd |
For the second Masterprize seven youth orchestras accepted the invitation to participate in a workshop on one of the Masterprize finalist pieces on their home territory, working with their own conductor but with the assistance of three or four professional players. The London Symphony Orchestra provided the players for six of the orchestras and the London Philharmonic Orchestra worked with the seventh, Hampshire.
The orchestras involved in the programme were:
Bedfordshire County Youth Second Orchestra (Sunday 2 September 2001)
Bromley Youth Symphony Orchestra (Sunday 15 July 2001)
The Hampshire County Youth Orchestra (Saturday 7 July 2001)
Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra (Saturday 22 September 2001)
Northamptonshire County Youth Orchestra (Saturday 30 June 2001)
Suffolk Youth Orchestra (Sunday 1 July 2001)
Surrey County Youth Orchestra (Friday 13 July 2001)
The youth orchestra numbers varied from 60 to over 100 players, with all of them participating in the workshops, but a good contingent of about fifty players from each orchestra were welcomed at the Masterprize Final at the Barbican on 10 October 2001 to enjoy a programme of activities during the afternoon, to become informed young voters at the Final and to spread awareness of new music.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 2001
The conductor of each youth orchestra was provided with the CD of the five finalist pieces and the loan of the conductor's scores, and selected which of the pieces he would like his orchestra to perform. Guidance was provided by the London Symphony Orchestra about the choice of piece, and passages which would be suitable were highlighted within each piece. The parts were then loaned to the orchestras, who were encouraged to rehearse their piece before the professional players joined them for their workshop session.
July to September 2001
One half-day workshop session was arranged with each orchestra. At each of these sessions, three or four LSO players supported and coached the young players as they worked on a Masterprize finalist piece, under their own conductor. The LSO players led part of the session, working on technique with their sections of the orchestra. The new piece, or excerpts from it, was rehearsed, and the workshop performance (involving the LSO players) was digitally recorded.
10 October 2001: Masterprize Final, Barbican Centre, London
3.00 - 6.00pm: Orchestras were divided into two groups and swapped activities half-way through the three-hour session. The two activities were:
- Presentations by the LSO, EMI and the BBC: How Does the Music World Work?
- Attendance at half of the LSO rehearsal for the performance of the five finalist pieces
6.00 - 6.45pm: Buffet reception for the youth orchestra members.
6.45 - 7.15pm: Ensemble performances - a small ensemble from each youth orchestra performed a light piece in the Barbican foyers before the concert.
7.30pm: Youth orchestra members attended the Masterprize Final concert. During the judging of the finalist pieces, the whole audience watched a film about Masterprize, which included glimpses of the youth orchestras in their workshop sessions.
Some time before the Final, a digital recording of each performance was sent to Vladimir Ashkenazy for his review, and a prize of £1,000 was to be awarded to the youth orchestra whose interpretation of a Masterprize piece he appreciated most. He had been filmed while discussing the performances of each youth orchestra, and this footage was included in the film shown at the Final, to the delighted surprise of the young players.
The prize was divided between the Bromley Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, whose interpretations Vladimir Ashkenazy thought equally commendable. The awards were presented to these two orchestras by Sir Colin Davis at the end of the Final.
Following the Final the award for each of these two orchestras was increased to £1,000 by a private benefactor.