The following has been written by Tilmann Böttcher as a foreword for the Symphony Concert programme that took place in Bonn, Germany, on November 14, 2017. Just the mere act of making music is like walking a tightrope within a delicate system: Every musician in the orchestra has first practised scales and done finger exercises so that during the concert … Read More
The Face You Wore | Guest blog by Michael Verde
For this blog post I would like to share a story that changed my way of understanding the source of the suffering that we habitually associate with people with Alzheimer’s disease. It changed too my understanding of what people with dementia, in any of its myriad irreversible forms, most need from us. And, finally, it changed my understanding of what … Read More
Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ – how a song changed my life
This past Thursday [20 October] I took part in a very interesting live session, the OneTrackMinds at The Tabernacle, in London. OneTrackMinds consisted of two nights with six guests sharing stories about the song that changed their life and I believe this would be the time to confess that it took me less than a minute to choose my song. … Read More
A Little Prayer
Do you remember a while back when I mentioned I was going to be taking part in The One Big Night for Children in Need? Well, what began as an exclusive event for those able to join us at Wembley Arena on the 8th October, is being broadcast tonight at 8pm BBC One, for everyone to enjoy. I guarantee it … Read More
Behind the scenes at the Resonance launch
Following up on the Resonance jewellery launch that took place at the bookshop Ler Devagar in Lisbon, we wanted to share this informal blog with a collection of images that will give you a glimpse on how well it went. Hope you like it! I fell in love with these mannequins as soon as I laid eyes on them. Do ... Read More
Going back to the BBC Proms
It had been a while since my last appearance at the Proms (eight years, to be more precise) so you can imagine my excitement when I was invited back, especially in the year I celebrate my 50th birthday. As it turned out, the day of the performance marked the 120th birthday of the Proms too - a complete coincidence, but a great honour nonetheless. As soon ... Read More
Guest Blog: Listening with Dame Evelyn Glennie
The following blog post was written by Chris Thomas, director of the publishing house Milton Contact. I love it so much I just had to share it with you!
Behind the Scenes at the Polar Music Prize
Wow… what a whirlwind! Two jam-packed days dedicated to music, a journey that I’m ecstatic to have shared with my mum, Isobel, and my first childhood percussion teacher, Ron Forbes. Here’s a sneaky glimpse at what was happening behind the scenes, including some official photos and some candid snaps courtesy of my team. I hope you enjoy them! With mum ... Read More
Guest Blog: What is Art?
Due to a truly hectic schedule, I’ve not had chance to update my blog. And, believe me, there’s been so much that I’ve been wanting to share! This will be a collaborative blog post connected to a very interesting project that I’m very fortunate to be involved with. Written by Rebecca Boyle Suh, Executive Chairman for Artis, this is the … Read More
Keynote speech for the 2014 British Composer Awards
Last night I was invited by the Artistic Directors of the British Composer Awards, Julia Haferkorn and Ed McKeon, to give a keynote speech at the 2014 BASCA-hosted event. I didn’t expect the sheer amount of creativity that filled the room. It was a privilege to be able to experience the broad scope of sound exploration amongst contemporary composers of … Read More