Andy Scott will be travelling to the USA for a residency in Minnesota this month.
Andy has been invited to be Artist in Residence at the University of Minnesota, Morris, where he will be based from 28 October to 4 November. While at the university he will work with Professor Simon Tillier and the saxophone, composition and jazz departments, leading workshops and masterclasses for the students. The week will include a performance of Andy’s SaxAssault charts for jazz saxophone ensemble and rhythm section. Andy Scott has developed a flexible residency package for conservatoires and university music departments, which enables the institution to tailor the residency to its students by selecting from a menu of creative music activities, often using resources from his publisher Astute Music. Previous residencies have taken Andy to Australia and Hong Kong, and this will be his first residency in Minnesota. The University of Minnesota, Morris is a unique campus, one of only 25 Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. A student-centred educational environment, Morris is devoted to providing an engaging, challenging undergraduate experience that prepares graduates for careers, for advanced degrees, for flexibility in work world of the future, for lifelong learning, and for citizenship in communities throughout the globe. Click for more information about Andy Scott’s Flexible Residencies Click to visit the University of Minnesota, Morris music department website Click to visit the website for Astute Music
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Three Letter Word, Andy Scott’s work for alto saxophone and piano, is proving to be very popular.
Having premiered the virtuosic work in 2010, Royal Over-Seas League prizewinner Huw Wiggin has gone on to perform Three Letter Word all over the UK, most recently with pianist James Sherlock at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and London’s Wigmore Hall. Huw and James will be playing the piece again in a recital at Holmes Chapel on 25 October. As well as featuring regularly in professional recital programmes, Three Letter Word has proved to be a popular choice with staff and students at conservatoires both in the UK and internationally. The work also featured in a masterclass with leading saxophonist Arno Bornkamp from The Netherlands at the last RNCM Saxophone Day, played by RNCM student Michael Jackson. Three Letter Word was inspired by the groundbreaking music of Esbjorn Svensson’s trio EST, and written as a tribute to the gifted Swedish composer and pianist, who died in a tragic accident aged only 44. It features two contrasting sound worlds and includes a short musical quotation from Dolores in a Shoestand from the EST album Tuesday Wonderland. It is a technically challenging piece requiring particular skill of the saxophonist in the altissimo register. Three Letter Word was commissioned by the Park Lane Group and was premiered by Huw Wiggin and Timothy Abel at Southbank Centre, London in January 2010. The title of the piece refers to three letter abbreviations, including of Esbjorn Svensson Trio and the words Rest In Peace. A version also exists for flute and piano, which features on The Bad Tempered Flute, the CD of Andy Scott’s works for flute, played by Paul Edmund-Davies and Peter Lawson. Click to see an extract of the sheet music for Three Letter Word at Astute Music Click to hear Three Letter Word played by Huw Wiggin and Timothy Abel Click for details of the Huw Wiggin performance in the Events section of this website A new commission for solo harp by Andy Scott will be premiered at London’s Southbank Centre this month.
Leading harpist Sioned Williams will give the world premiere of Jukebox at the Purcell Room on Tuesday 14 October at 7.30pm. The work was commissioned by Sioned as part of a larger project to mark her 60th birthday this year, in which she commissioned 10 minute pieces from six different composers. All of the commissioned works will be performed in this Park Lane Group solo recital by Sioned. Jukebox was inspired by the way that people listened to music 60 years ago. The work is structured in five short unrelated movements in contrasting styles, similar to listening to five singles on a jukebox, and features Andy’s unique jazz influenced musical vocabulary. Born in Wales, Sioned Williams is one of the most outstanding harpists of her generation. Sioned combines her work as Principal Harpist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra with solo appearances, recordings and teaching. She has a proactive approach to commissioning, and is responsible for the creation of many new additions to the harp repertoire. Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click to view details of the performance on Southbank Centre’s website Click to visit the website for Sioned Williams Two commissions by Andy Scott will be performed at London’s Wigmore Hall next month, including a world premiere.
Tempest Flute Trio and saxophonist Huw Wiggin will share the bill at a Monday Platform concert for Royal Over-Seas League competition winners on 13 October at 7.30pm. The Tempest Flute Trio will give the world premiere of Andy’s new version of My Mountain Top for alto flute trio. Huw Wiggin with pianist James Sherlock will perform Andy’s Three Letter Word. My Mountain Top, originally written for the Apollo Saxophone Quartet, already exists in a number of different instrumental versions, and has proved to be one of Andy’s most popular and enduring works. Inspired by Summer, the world conjures up a magical soundworld evoking the heat of the sun and inviting summer daydreams. It was commissioned by the ISCM World Music Days and premiered at the 1998 ISCM Festival in Manchester. Three Letter Word is dedicated to and influenced by the music and memory of the Swedish composer and pianist Esbjorn Svensson, who was tragically killed in a diving accident, aged only 44. It was commissioned by the Park Lane Group for performance by Huw Wiggin and Timothy Abel in the PLG Young Artists New Year Series in the Purcell Room in January 2010, and has since received regular performances by Huw. Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click to view details of the concert on the Wigmore Hall website Click to visit the website for Tempest Flute Trio Click to visit the website for Huw Wiggin Andy Scott will be performing in Trio Halata in Middlewich and Macclesfield this month.
Trio Halata will launch the season of Middlewich and District Concerts Society with a concert at Middlewich High School Drama Studio on Saturday 11 October. This will be followed by a performance at St Georges’ Church in Poynton, Macclesfield on Sunday 19 October. Both events start at 7.30pm. Trio Halata features Paul Mitchell-Davidson on guitar, Geth Griffith on double bass and Andy on saxophone. Originally formed in 2001 to explore folk music in a jazz context, the group has recently re-formed with an exciting programme influenced by folk, jazz, Bossa Nova and more. Trio Halata features Paul Mitchell-Davidson on guitar, Geth Griffith on double bass and Andy on saxophone. Originally formed in 2001 to explore folk music in a jazz context, the group has recently re-formed with a programme influenced by folk, jazz, Bossa Nova and more. Click to visit the website for Paul Mitchell-Davidson Click to read a biography of Geth Griffith on the Artist Direct website Click to view details of the event on the Middlewich and District Concerts Society website Click to view details of the Macclesfield performance Andy Scott’s trio Caliente will be opening the 2014-15 season of the East Riding Concert Series next month.
Caliente will launch the series with a performance at Toll Gavel United Church in Beverley on 9 October at 7.30pm. The title of the event, Voyage, reflects both a historical and a geographical journey. Caliente will present a varied and enjoyable programme, rooted in classical music with jazz and folk influences, including works composed and arranged specially for the ensemble by Andy Scott. The group comprises flautist Clare Southworth, harpist Lauren Scott and Andy Scott on tenor saxophone. As well as giving regular performances, the ensemble also undertakes education projects, often linking workshops with a concert. Following the performance in Beverley, Caliente will be giving concerts in Berkhamsted, Berkshire and Cheshire. Click to visit the website for Caliente Click to view details of this event on the East Riding Concert Series website Click to watch Caliente perform Big by Andy Scott on YouTube Andy will perform in the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in two concerts with Gwilym Simcock as soloist next month.
The performances of Gershwin’s popular, jazz influenced piano concerto Rhapsody in Blue will take place at Symphony Hall in Birmingham and Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October respectively. This will be part of a Desert Island Discs themed programme, featuring a selection of the most requested classical pieces from the famous long running BBC radio show. Andy Scott recently joined Gwilym Simcock for a live performance on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, in which they played Andy’s gentle and contemplative Whisper Goodbye. The work was written for Gwilym Simcock and Rob Buckland, and Gwilym also features as special guest on the SaxAssault CD Sax of Gold, performing the same piece with Rob. Andy and Gwilym were both recipients of a prestigious New Music Biennial commission in the first round of the new funding scheme this year. Click to visit the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra website for further details of the performances atBirmingham and Manchester Click to visit the website for Gwilym Simcock The Sandbach Concert Series will launch its 5th year with a performance by wind quintet Zephyr Winds this week.
The concert will take place at 8.00pm on Wednesday 24 September at St Mary’s Church Hall in Sandbach. This is the first of an annual programme of eight chamber music concerts for the East Cheshire region. The 5th season will include performances by an ensemble from Foden’s Band, the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet and Andy’s trio Caliente among others, and for the first time Sandbach Concert Series will hold a competition for its own Young Musician of the Year. Andy Scott is Artistic Director of Sandbach Concert Series, which was formed by Lauren Scott in 2010. With Andy’s wide music interests and influences the concerts range from classical music to the occasional jazz gig and traditional music performance, giving audiences a taste of a wide range of ensembles and styles of music. The first four years have been a great achievement, featuring everything from solo piano to 10 piece brass group, and music from classical song to jazz quintet to Celtic fiddle and harp. The events are staffed entirely by volunteers, the concerts have early start and finish times and reasonable ticket prices to encourage family audiences, and each concert is linked in with an art exhibition and a spotlight concert for young performers. The venture has created an artistic hub for the local community, providing excellent and enjoyable music events, a showcase for young musicians and a venue for local visual artists to display their work, as well as a place to meet and socialise. Click to visit the Sandbach Concert Series website Two new commissions by Andy Scott will receive their world premieres in London on consecutive days next month.
The world premiere of Andy’s new version of My Mountain Top for alto flute trio will take place at the Wigmore Hall on 13 October, performed by Tempest Flute Trio. The following day at the Purcell Room, harpist Sioned Williams will give the world premiere of Jukebox, a work which she commissioned from Andy as part of a project to mark her 60th birthday. My Mountain Top, which already exists in a number of different instrumental versions, has proved to be one of Andy’s most popular and enduring works. The performance by Tempest Flute Trio is a Monday Platform concert for Royal Over-Seas League competition winners, which also features the saxophonist Huw Wiggin with pianist James Sherlock, playing Andy’s Three Letter Word. Jukebox was inspired by the way that people listened to music back in the 1950s when Sioned was born. The work is structured in five short unrelated movements in contrasting styles, similar to listening to five singles on a jukebox, and feature Andy’s unique jazz influenced musical vocabulary. It will be performed alongside the other five 10 minute works commissioned for this event in a Park Lane Group solo recital by Sioned. Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click to view details of the Monday Platform concert Click to view details of the Sioned Williams performance Andy Scott’s arrangement of Amazing Grace features on a new solo CD by Foden’s Band’s star trombonist John Barber released this month.
Amazing Grace brings the album to a close in a reflective mood, with the beautiful simple tune given Andy’s special treatment in this arrangement for trombone and piano, featuring Foden’s Band. The CD, entitled simply Barber, comprises works by a selection of contemporary composers, including four of John Barber’s own solo piano pieces. John Barber is widely regarded as one of the most versatile trombonists in Britain today. He is Principal Trombone of the Foden's Brass Band, a position he has held since joining from the Black Dyke Band in 1996. He premiered Andy Scott’s Molecular Cocktail Party, a concerto for improvising musician, which was commissioned for him as soloist by Foden’s Band and which can be heard on Spirit of Foden’s, the second CD of Andy Scott’s works for the prize winning band. Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click to view the CD Barber at World of Brass Click to read a biography of John Barber on the Foden’s Band website The Apollo Saxophone Quartet will be making a return appearance at the Colourscape Music Festival on Clapham Common this month.
The performances of two of the best of the large-scale commission pieces over the years will take place on the first two days of the Festival, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September. The first event is Ludus by Nye Parry, (previous performance pictured), which will take place during the afternoon of 13 September. Apollo will be joined by the Kaleidoscope Quartet in a musical game of chance between two saxophone quartets carrying colour sensors, controlled by the audience via dice throws! The second performance, Barry Guy’s Gaia II, will run throughout the afternoon on Sunday 14 September, performed by the Apollo Saxophone Quartet, Improvising Brass Quartet, soloist Dom Lash and two dancers with live video production. Andy Scott is a founder member of the Apollo Saxophone Quartet, which has been at the forefront of the British contemporary music scene for over 26 years. The ensemble has made the largest single contribution to the saxophone quartet repertoire in the UK, commissioning and premiering over 100 works, ranging from quartets to concerti and film scores, as well as numerous creative collaborations with poet, dancers, multimedia and strings. It has appeared at the Colourscape Music Festival several times in the past. The Colourscape Music Festival has appeared annually on Clapham Common since 1989, (the only contemporary music festival to take place actually inside a sculpture), and celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Colourscape is a very large labyrinth of colour and light - a sculpture of pure colour that the public actually go inside. Everyone puts on a coloured cape to become part of the colour experience and enters into a new world where one can freely explore the potentials of light, colour and space. Click to visit the Colourscape Music Festival website Click to visit the Apollo Saxophone Quartet website Spirit of Foden’s, the second CD of Andy Scott’s works for Foden’s Band, received an excellent review on the 4 Bars Rest website this month.
The review by Steve Jack starts by observing that “There cannot be too many partnerships as successfully productive as that of Foden’s and Andy Scott: Since 2008 they have complemented each other with a remarkable sense of musical osmosis. Along the way he has helped develop numerous strands of exploration, which the band has eagerly immersed themselves in; from jazz and big-band to avant-garde and bebop.” Describing the album as “a rewarding listening experience”, Steve Jack then goes on to talk about the individual tracks, including the two major works Spirit of Mingus and Molecular Cocktail Party, both recent commissions by Foden’s and featuring Rex Richardson and John Barber respectively as soloists. Summing up, the reviewer commented that “Andy Scott is a composer who should be cherished for what he has brought into our banding world; an influence which lifts the scales from the eyes of myopic traditionalists. However, Foden’s should also be congratulated for having the vision to link up with him. Let’s hope there are more musical explorations to come in the future.” The partnership between Andy Scott and Foden’s Band goes back to 2008 with the virtuosic tuba concerto Salt of the Earth, commissioned by Les Neish with Foden’s Band. The success of this initial work led to Andy becoming Composer in Residence with Foden’s, resulting in a series of commissioned works, award-winning recordings and a mutual sense of musical trust and respect. Click to read the full review on the 4 Bars Rest website Click to read more about the partnership between Andy and Foden’s in the Composer section of this website Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click to view Spirit of Foden’s on the Amazon website Click to visit the website for Foden’s Band A flute trio by Andy Scott will feature in the British Flute Society’s 9th International Convention this month.
The Tempest Flute Trio will perform Yusef, their recent commission from Andy Scott, at the convention at Warwick Arts Centre on 22 August at 1.45pm. Composed in two short movements, the work was inspired by the legendary flautist, saxophonist and composer Yusef Lateef. The first movement, The Golden Flute, takes its title from a piece by Lateef, which happened to be written on the day that Andy was born. Scored for alto flute and two piccolos, this movement has a spiritual quality with an intense lyrical melody. The second movement, The Golden Horn, for three concert flutes, displays a faster, Turkish influenced style. Tempest is an exciting flute trio founded at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, with a wide repertoire of music including new works and their own arrangements. The trio has won many prizes and awards, including the Royal Overseas League Chamber Music Competition, the RNCM Contemporary Music Award, the RNCM Ensemble of the Year Competition and the RNCM Woodwind Chamber Music Competition. Tempest is much in demand for performances across the UK and internationally. Yusef Lateef was a Grammy Award-winning composer, performer, recording artist, author, visual artist, educator and philosopher, and a major force on the international musical scene for more than six decades. In recognition of his many contributions to the world of music, he was named an American Jazz Master for the year 2010 by the National Endowment for the Arts. As a virtuoso on a broad spectrum of reed instruments, Yusef Lateef introduced new sounds and blends of tone colours to audiences all over the world, and incorporated the sounds of many countries into his own music. Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click for more details of the Convention on the British Flute Society website Click to visit the Tempest Flute Trio website Click to visit website for Yusef Lateef Sheet music for several popular works by Andy Scott feature in a special offer at Sax.co.uk this month.
Now is definitely the time to stock up on saxophone sheet music! Over ten pieces by Andy can be found at reduced prices for a limited period, including works such as the popular My Mountain Top with recorded soundtrack on CD, and the solo parts to the award winning double saxophone concerto Dark Rain. There are also pieces for saxophone solo, saxophone and piano, and saxophone quartet. As well as Andy’s works, there are also special prices on other works by Astute Music composers including Rob Buckland, Paul Mitchell-Davidson, Adam Caird, Jenni Watson, Lucy Pankhurst and Peter Meechan. A range of other sheet music is also available at reduced prices. Andy Scott’s music is published by Astute Music Click to visit the Sax.co.uk website Andy Scott will be guest tutor on the popular annual Harrogate Saxophone Summer School, led by RNCM and Apollo Saxophone Quartet colleague Rob Buckland.
The course will take place from 17 to 21 August at Ashville College in Harrogate, offering a stimulating programme of activities for all levels of saxophone players from grade 4 level upwards. The week will include classes, ensembles of different sizes, performance workshops and the option to take an individual lesson or advice audition from one of the tutors. The aims of the course are to give participants greater awareness of their abilities, confidence in their saxophone playing and experience in music making. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere is created to encourage all those attending, with an emphasis on participation. Those wishing to play/perform will be asked to prepare appropriate set pieces for classes and chamber works for coaching in ensemble playing. The Harrogate Summer School is run by Windstruments, the Bingley based specialist musical instrument shop and repair service. Windstruments also runs summer courses in Flute and Clarinet at Harrogate. Click to visit the Harrogate Saxophone Summer School website Click to visit the Educator section on this website for more information about Andy’s education work Works by Andy Scott will feature in the popular Edinburgh Festival Fringe this month, performed by Royal Over-Seas League competition winners.
Tempest Flute Trio will perform their Andy Scott commission Yusef in a late night concert entitled Flutes x 3 Late at Princes Suite on 14 August at 10.30pm. Yusef was inspired by the legendary flautist, saxophonist and composer Yusef Lateef, and is in two contrasting movements entitled The Golden Flute and The Golden Horn. Tempest Flute Trio will amaze and beguile with their magical programme blending music by Bernstein, Debussy, Ellington, Chick Corea and Tempest commissions. This will be followed a week later by saxophonist Huw Wiggin, who will play Andy’s Three Letter Word in Sax Before Midnight, another late night event on 21 August at 10.30pm at Over-Seas House. Three Letter Word was inspired by the great virtuoso jazz pianist and composer Esbjorn Svensson, and includes a musical quote from the E.S.T track Dolores in a Shoestand. This concert promises a heady cocktail of Fitkin, Piazzola, Ravel and Turnage, plus surprise ingredients served by master musical mixologists Huw Wiggin (saxophone) and James Sherlock (piano). Both concerts offer the opportunity to chill out with a complimentary glass of wine before the performance to get you in the mood for some late night listening and special sounds. Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click to view details of the Tempest Flute Trio and Huw Wiggin performances on the Edinburgh Fringe website Andy Scott will be joining leading jazz pianist Gwilym Simcock for a duo performance on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune this week.
The broadcast will take place on Friday 1 August at 4.30pm, hosted by Sean Rafferty. This is a special programme from Glasgow as part of the BBC's cultural celebration of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, BBC at the Quay - live from the pop-up festival site outside BBC Scotland's headquarters Pacific Quay on the banks of the Clyde. Gwilym and Andy will play Andy's Whisper Goodbye together live on air as a prelude to the performance of each of their New Music Biennial commissions at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall the following day. Andy Scott’s New Music Biennial work A Child Like You will be performed at 5.00pm on Saturday 2 August by Foden’s Band with soprano Anna-Clare Monk and harpist Lauren Scott. Gwilym Simcock’s commission On a Piece of Tapestry will be performed earlier in the day at 1.30pm by clarinettist Michael Collins and the City of London Sinfonia. These concerts form part of a special two day festival featuring all 20 of the New Music Biennial commissions, linked to the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games. Tickets for all these events are free of charge. New Music Biennial is a PRS for Music Foundation initiative, in partnership with Creative Scotland, Arts Council England and the British Council. It is presented in collaboration with BBC Radio 3, NMC Recordings, Southbank Centre and Glasgow UNESCO City of Music. Every two years, the New Music Biennial will support and provide a platform for talented organisations and music creators who are pushing the boundaries of new music in the UK. Click to view details of the In Tune broadcast on the Radio 3 website Click to view details of the Andy Scott and Gwilym Simcock commission performances on the Glasgow Concert Halls website Click to visit the website for Gwilym Simcock Click to visit the Projects section of this website for more information about the New Music Biennial commission Click to visit the New Music Biennial website Andy Scott and Foden’s Band have released a short film introducing the New Music Biennial commission that Andy recently composed for Foden’s, soprano / narrator Anna-Clare Monk and harpist Lauren Scott.
The video by Joe Mace features an open rehearsal of the work prior to the Southbank Centre performance. It gives a flavour of the powerful mini opera, with words and music both written by Andy Scott. A line of text running along the screen provides background to the innovative work, which focuses on the experience of a teenage refugee who fled Uganda and lived with Andy’s own family. The piece also features four members of Foden’s Youth Band, who both play and narrate. The New Music Biennial commission, A Child Like You, was premiered at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in May, and received its second performance and London premiere at Southbank Centre in July. Its next performance will be in Glasgow UNESCO City of Music on Saturday 2 August, linked to the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games. New Music Biennial is a PRS for Music Foundation initiative, in partnership with Creative Scotland, Arts Council England and the British Council. It is presented in collaboration with BBC Radio 3, NMC Recordings, Southbank Centre and Glasgow UNESCO City of Music. The New Music Biennial is an international celebration, part of Glasgow Culture 2014, the cultural programme of the XX Commonwealth Games. Click to view the video preview of A Child Like You on YouTube Click to visit the Projects section of this website for more information about the New Music Biennial commission Click to visit the PRS for Music Foundation New Music Biennial website Andy Scott’s New Music Biennial commission for Foden’s Band, soprano / narrator Anna-Clare Monk and harpist Lauren Scott will receive its Scottish premiere next month. The new work, A Child Like You, will be performed in the main auditorium of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Saturday 2 August at 5.00pm. The concert forms part of a special two day festival featuring all 20 of the New Music Biennial commissions awarded in the first round of the funding scheme, and linked to the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games. All tickets are free of charge, available from Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, and should be booked in advance. Child Like You tells the story of a teenage Ugandan Asian refugee, who after fleeing Uganda in 1972 to escape the brutal regime of Idi Amin, was taken in by Andy Scott’s family. Inspired by these real life events, this new 15-minute mini-opera explores questions about children who are adopted, fostered or orphaned, weaving together original text and music. A Child Like You was very well received at its world premiere in Manchester in May and last month’s London premiere at Southbank Centre, and received a positive review on the 4 Bars Rest website. The work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and will be available for download along with the other New Music Biennial commissions, with a special discount running throughout July and August. New Music Biennial is a PRS for Music Foundation initiative, in partnership with Creative Scotland, Arts Council England and the British Council. It is presented in collaboration with BBC Radio 3, NMC Recordings, Southbank Centre and Glasgow UNESCO City of Music. Every two years, the New Music Biennial will support and provide a platform for talented organisations and music creators who are pushing the boundaries of new music in the UK. Click to view details of the performance on the Glasgow Concert Halls website Click to visit the NMC Recordings website for information about downloads Click to read a review of A Child Like You on the 4 Bars Rest website Click to visit the Projects section of this website for more information about the New Music Biennial commission Click to visit the New Music Biennial website Andy Scott will be teaching on three summer courses in the north of England this summer.
The season will start with the first ever Sandbach Saxophone Weekend on 19 and 20 July at Sandbach School. This course is aimed at both adult saxophonists and young people of Grade 3 level and above, and will include different levels of groups to enable intermediate and advanced players to improve their skills and be pushed to the best of their ability. Sessions will include Andy’s popular SaxAssault workshop with rhythm section and an Access All Areas introduction to improvisation for non-jazz musicians. This will be followed by the Manchester Single Reed Summer School, where Andy will lead a half day composition and improvisation workshop. The course takes place at Stretford Grammar School in Manchester, led by Andy’s RNCM and Apollo Saxophone Quartet colleague Rob Buckland, and runs from 28 to 30 July, with Andy’s workshop taking place on 30 July, the final day of the course. The event also includes masterclasses, technique workshops, chamber music, large ensembles, jazz, and instrument making. Finally, Andy will be guest tutor on the popular annual Harrogate Saxophone Summer School, which is also led by Rob Buckland. Running from 17 to 21 August at Ashville College in Harrogate, the course offers a stimulating week for all levels of saxophone players from grade 4 level upwards, with a packed programme of classes, ensembles, performance workshops and the option to take an individual lesson or advice audition. Click to view details of the Sandbach Saxophone Weekend on the Love Music Trust website Click to visit the Manchester Single Reed summer school website Click to visit the Harrogate Saxophone Summer School website Click to visit the Educator section on this website for more information about Andy’s education work Andy Scott is busy preparing for his new Saxophone Weekend in Cheshire this month, and with a few places remaining, saxophone enthusiasts are advised to book now to avoid disappointment!
The first Sandbach Saxophone Weekend will take place on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 July at Sandbach School. This exciting new course is aimed at both adult saxophonists and young people of Grade 3 level and above, and will feature a stimulating and enjoyable programme of workshop sessions in a friendly, supportive environment. There will be different levels of groups to enable intermediate and advanced players to improve their skills and be pushed to the best of their ability. Activities will include Andy’s popular SaxAssault workshop, his Access All Areas introduction to improvisation for non-jazz musicians and an insight into his works for ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall saxophone exams, as well as a range of small and large saxophone ensemble sessions. With over 20 years in music education, Andy Scott has earned a reputation as a gifted teacher. As versatile an educator as he is a performer and composer, Andy’s wide ranging music interests and experience enable him to teach across classical, jazz and contemporary styles. The Sandbach Saxophone Weekend is run in collaboration with the Love Music Trust and sponsored by Selmer Paris, Vandoren and Astute Music. Click to view details of the Sandbach Saxophone Weekend on the Love Music Trust website Click to visit the Educator section on this website for more information about Andy’s education work Click to visit the website for Selmer Paris, Vandoren and Astute Music Following the successful London premiere of Andy Scott’s New Music Biennial commission at Southbank Centre on 6 July, the new work will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 later this week.
The live recording of the London performance of A Child Like You by Foden’s Band, Anna-Clare Monk, Lauren Scott and four members of Foden’s Youth Band will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Hear And Now at 10.00pm on Saturday 12 July, presented by Sara Mohr-Pietsch. The programme will also feature a selection of other New Music Biennial commissions. Staged by the PRS for Music Foundation to coincide with this year's Commonwealth Games, the first ever New Music Biennial showcases new commissions from a wide range of composers across the UK in two special events held in London and Glasgow. This is the first ever broadcast of New Music Biennial commissions. Click to view details of the broadcast on the BBC Radio 3 website Click to visit the Projects section of this website for more information about the New Music Biennial commission Click to visit the PRS for Music Foundation New Music Biennial website Fiona Bruce, Member of Parliament for Congleton Constituency, attended the London premiere of Andy Scott’s New Music Biennial commission, and has some fantastic words to say about the piece.
The work, A Child Like You, was performed at Southbank Centre on 6 July by Foden’s Band with soprano Anna-Clare Monk, harpist Lauren Scott and four members of Foden’s Youth Band, conducted by Michael Fowles. Immediately following the performance, Fiona Bruce issued a press release about the event, in which she shares her reaction to the powerful and moving work. The press release explains that “this dramatic piece is a fifteen minute mini opera. It tells the story of a seventeen year old Ugandan Asian refugee, taken in by the family of composer Andy Scott – when Andy himself was under ten years old – to help the young Ugandan Asian refugee escape the brutal regime of Idi Amin. It tells Andy’s foster brother’s story from Uganda to refugee camps in the UK to living with his new family, weaving together original text and music.” Fiona Bruce said “This was a complex and dramatic piece, which vividly stirred compassionate thoughts and emotions about the challenges faced by children losing their homeland and having to start life again in a completely strange environment and culture. It was a privilege to attend this prestigious event. The powerful, creative work and the sensitive dramatic way in which Foden’s interpreted it showed yet another dimension of Foden’s musical versatility. The whole performance was received extremely well by the audience, in fact, so much so, it was played twice! It made me very proud to represent Sandbach as Member of Parliament. I was particularly interested to learn that excerpts from a speech in Parliament from the 1970s were woven into the text. It was also wonderful to meet Andy’s foster brother who also attended the performance.” Fiona Bruce is MP for Congleton, which includes Sandbach where both Andy and Foden’s are based. Click to visit the Projects section of this website for more information about the New Music Biennial commission Click to visit the PRS for Music Foundation New Music Biennial website Andy Scott’s popular Sonata for Flute and Harp will be premiered in a new version for Flute and Guitar this month.
The Andrews Massey Duo will perform their own arrangement of the Sonata in a lunchtime recital at Leatherhead Methodist Church on Thursday 3 July. The Duo had previously premiered their arrangement of the first movement, and this will be the first performance of the complete work. The Sonata for Flute and Harp is influenced by Eastern European folk rhythms and jazz harmony. The writing calls for special effects and timbres, including using the harp as a percussion instrument to create rhythmic intensity. Movements one and three are thematically linked, whilst the second movement stands on its own. It features on The Bad Tempered Flute, a CD of flute works by Andy Scott, performed by Clare Southworth and Lauren Scott. The Andrews Massey Duo comprises flautist Emily Andrews and guitarist David Massey. The duo won a prestigious Tunnell Trust Award for 2012-2013 as well as being semi-finalists in the Royal Overseas League Competition three years in a row. Emily and David play many different styles of music, and enjoy programming familiar favourites with lesser-known works. They also recently released a CD of their own arrangements of British folk music, …from the Roots, which is receiving excellent reviews. Click to visit the website for the Andrews Massey Duo Andy Scott's Sonata for Flute and Harp is published by Astute Music The Bad Tempered Flute is available from Amazon Andy Scott’s Sonata for Flute and Harp recently featured in Harp Carnivale 2014, the 41st National Conference of the American Harp Society.
The Chicago based Lyrebird Ensemble, comprising Ellen Huntington on flute and Lillian Lau on harp, performed the Sonata in their recital programme at the high profile conference in New Orleans on 23 June. The Sonata for Flute and Harp is a popular concert piece, which has been performed in the USA on a number of previous occasions, including twice by the Lyrebird Ensemble. The three movement sonata is influenced by Eastern European folk rhythms and jazz harmony, and employs special effects and timbres, including using the harp as a percussion instrument to create rhythmic intensity. Movements one and three are thematically linked, whilst the second movement stands on its own. The work has been recorded twice: first on the CD Sonata by the Arabesque Duo, for whom it was written, and subsequently by Clare Southworth and Lauren Scott on The Bad Tempered Flute, a collaborative CD of Andy Scott’s works for flute, which also features flautists Paul Edmund-Davies and Andy Findon, pianists Tim Carey and Peter Lawson, and guitarist Craig Ogden. The Lyrebird Ensemble is an innovative flute and harp duo based in Chicago. It was formed in 2006 when flutist Ellen Huntington and harpist Lillian Lau began collaborating as members of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. They are dedicated to performing lesser known repertoire written specifically for flute and harp from the late eighteenth century to the present day. The Sonata for Flute and Harp is published by Astute Music Click to visit the website for the Lyrebird Ensemble Click to watch a performance by Caliente (Clare Southworth and Lauren Scott) of the first movement of the Sonata for Flute and Harp Click to hear extracts of The Bad Tempered Flute at Amazon |
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May 2023
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