|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Masterprize
Tel: +44 (0)20 7233 0111 Masterprize site designed by Room101 Ltd |
21st CENTURY MUSIC REVOLUTION
THE WORLD'S TOP COMPOSERS' COMPETITION IS CHANGING ATTITUDES TO NEW CLASSICAL MUSIC
- 1,000 ENTRIES FROM 65 COUNTRIES
- WINNER CHOSEN JOINTLY BY PUBLIC AND EXPERTS
- £25,000 FIRST PRIZE
- BACKED BY WORLD-RENOWNED MUSICIANS
- LIVE GLOBAL BROADCAST
- 1,500 TEENAGERS IN MASTERPRIZE CONCERT WORKSHOPS
For six weeks, from 19 September, millions of classical music lovers are being given the chance to vote for their favourite new classical work in Masterprize, the world's leading competition for composers.
A partnership between EMI, the London Symphony Orchestra, Gramophone, Classic FM, and National Public Radio of the US, this event gives ordinary concert-goers around the world a voice in the development of new music, alongside composers and professional performers.
All six finalist pieces are available on a free CD covermount with this month's Gramophone and Classic FM Magazine (out from 19 September) as well as being streamed on www.masterprize.com From this date, too, they will be broadcast several times.
The event culminates at a Grand Final on Thursday 30th October 2003, for which Masterprize's Artistic Director, renowned conductor, Mariss Jansons, has assembled a jury of world-famous musicians including Kurt Masur and Gidon Kremer.
They will join with 2000 people in London's Barbican Centre and a worldwide radio audience of up to ten million to choose the winner from the six pieces which have achieved finalist status. On the night, these works will be performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by the 28 year-old British conductor Daniel Harding. The concert will be broadcast live across the UK on Classic FM and across the USA on the 640 affiliate stations of National Public Radio. It will also be streamed live around the globe on www.classicfm.com.
People will be able to vote throughout the six week period by post (using voting forms in Gramophone or Classic FM Magazine) or by internet. On the night of the final, listeners will be able to vote online, by telephone and by text messaging. The audience in the hall, members of the LSO and the international jury will also be invited to cast their votes. The composer of the winning work will be presented with a cheque for £25,000.
Mariss Jansons said "Masterprize is a hugely important global initiative, and I look forward to continuing to guide its development"
The Chairman of Masterprize, John McLaren, said "For decades in the last century, the relationship between living composers and the great majority of music lovers was allowed to wither. It's good that now top classical musicians are now coming together with ordinary music lovers to do something about this. By giving listeners fifty per cent of the votes at the Masterprize Grand Final, we're putting power back into the hands of concert-goers".
Building future audiences
Attitudes to music form early, and Masterprize has launched a major initiative to get young people playing new classical music. A second award will be given on the night to one of the thirteen youth orchestras from across Britain which have been taking part in Masterprize Education Workshops in Liverpool, Birmingham and London. These young musicians have been studying the works included in the Masterprize final under the tutelage of players from the London Symphony Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The award for the best youth orchestra performance will be made by the conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Tickets for the Masterprize Grand Final are available from the Barbican box office on 020 7638 8891. Prices range from £5 to £15. The box office is open every day from 9am to 8pm, or book online at www.lso.co.uk. Booking fee applies.
General Manager of Masterprize on 020 8727 2371
Email: madeleine@masterprize.com
17th September 2003
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The finalists in Masterprize are:
- Nicolas Bacri (France, b. 1961) Title of piece: Symphonie No 6 Opus 60
Piece was commissioned by Radio France and recorded by l'Orchestre National de France under Leonard Slatkin. Bacri has many professional recordings available see www.nicolasbacri.com for full details. - Bechara El Khoury (France/ Lebanon, b. 1957). Title of piece Les Fleuves Engloutis (Eternal Rivers).
Piece was commissioned by Radio France and performed and recorded by l'Orchestre National de France under Laurence Petitgirard. Naxos has recently released some of El Khoury's other orchestral works. "A powerfully committed new voice. This is a composer to be reckoned with" Gramophone, Feb 2003. - Robert Henderson (USA, b. 1948). Title of piece: Einstein's Violin.
Piece was commissioned by the Utah Festival and premiered in 1998 by Utah Symphony. - Arturs Maskats (Latvia, b. 1957). Title of piece: Tango
Maskats is the Artistic Director of the Latvian Opera. Swedish label, BIS has recently released a CD of his music (available on Amazon). - Anton Plate (Germany, b. 1950). Title of piece: You Must Finish Your Journey Alone.
Piece was recorded by the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg under Ingo Metzmacher and released by EMI Classics on a CD entitled 'Who is Afraid of 20th Century Music'. - Christopher Theofanidis (USA, b. 1967). Title of piece: Rainbow Body
Piece was recorded by Atlanta Symphony under Robert Spano and released in June this year by Telarc Records on a CD of the same name.
Performers involved in Masterprize incude: Vladimir Ashkenazy, Kurt Masur, Emmanuel Pahud, Gidon Kremer, Barry Tuckwell, Christoph von Dohnányi, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Marin Alsop, Anthony Pappano and Mstislav Rostropovich (who is the Patron of Masterprize).
The key figures who are managers of major orchestras, halls and festivals include: Michael Haefliger (Lucerne Festival), Thomas Angyan (Musikverein, Vienna), Dr Rainer Bischof (Vienna Symphony), Trygve Nordwall (Tonhalle), Robert Moir (Pittsburgh Symphony).
Record producers from major labels include: Andrew Cornall (DECCA Records) and John Fraser (EMI Classics).
Mariss Jansons is one of the world's leading and most respected conductors. Since 1997 he has been music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and will soon relinquish this to become principal conductor of Amsterdam's Concertgebouw Orchestra. He also performs regularly with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the LSO.
John McLaren is the founder of Masterprize. He is a former diplomat and investment banker and is now a novelist.
Masterprize is a charity. Launched in 1996, this is the third competition .