Post by Dave on Mar 14, 2005 19:44:53 GMT
Brodsky Quartet are a British String Quartet that "operates at the forefront of the international chamber music scene." They have "enjoyed enormous successes to date [over 30 years] with an extensive back catalogue of award-winning recordings on a variety of labels..."
A couple of years ago, they undertook a large Educational project involving schools and colleges, encouraging original compositions/arrangements by teenage music students, for string quartet and voice. The project has just been completed with the release of their new CD "Moodswings".
Moodswings is a classical CD which includes six of the students' compositions, performed by Brodsky and professional singers. To gain a wider audience, Brodsky collaborated on the CD with well-known singers/songwriters such as Sting, Elvis Costello, Bjork, Richard Rodney Bennett and Ron Sexsmith - all of whom have songs on the album.
So now, thanks to this initiative, six new composers/arrangers (and many others who didn't get on the CD) have gained much needed exposure and encouragement. I think that is in many ways as important as encouraging new classical singers, especially as so much of the classical repertoire is many, many years old... so hats off to Brodsky Quartet I say. If anyone wants to know more, their website is at www.brodskyquartet.co.uk . Moodswings is commercially available, including at Amazon UK where, at 5pm today, it was one place higher than Hayley (42) in the classical chart!
Now, if you've read this far, it's time for me to declare a personal interest. My daughter Emma was fortunate enough to have her own composition and arrangement "Shallow Footsteps" included on the CD - sung by Sophie Grimmer. It was singled out and played on Radio 3's CD review last Saturday morning, which came as a complete surprise to everyone... and to say I'm pleased might be a bit of an understatement. Go Brodsky!
A couple of years ago, they undertook a large Educational project involving schools and colleges, encouraging original compositions/arrangements by teenage music students, for string quartet and voice. The project has just been completed with the release of their new CD "Moodswings".
Moodswings is a classical CD which includes six of the students' compositions, performed by Brodsky and professional singers. To gain a wider audience, Brodsky collaborated on the CD with well-known singers/songwriters such as Sting, Elvis Costello, Bjork, Richard Rodney Bennett and Ron Sexsmith - all of whom have songs on the album.
So now, thanks to this initiative, six new composers/arrangers (and many others who didn't get on the CD) have gained much needed exposure and encouragement. I think that is in many ways as important as encouraging new classical singers, especially as so much of the classical repertoire is many, many years old... so hats off to Brodsky Quartet I say. If anyone wants to know more, their website is at www.brodskyquartet.co.uk . Moodswings is commercially available, including at Amazon UK where, at 5pm today, it was one place higher than Hayley (42) in the classical chart!
Now, if you've read this far, it's time for me to declare a personal interest. My daughter Emma was fortunate enough to have her own composition and arrangement "Shallow Footsteps" included on the CD - sung by Sophie Grimmer. It was singled out and played on Radio 3's CD review last Saturday morning, which came as a complete surprise to everyone... and to say I'm pleased might be a bit of an understatement. Go Brodsky!
