Not Vivaldi's Four Seasons Again: St Martin-in-the-Fields' Inaugural Chamber Music Competition

Press Release April 2010 For immediate release ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION 2010 in partnership with MAKING MUSIC This is not Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. In fact, the Baroque and Early Classical repertoire for which the church has established an international reputation may not make an appearance at all at the inaugural St Martin’s Chamber Music Competition (SMCC) this April. The central London 18th century church has a long musical history reaching back to performances by Handel and Mozart and the establishment of the famed Academy of St Martin in the Fields by Sir Neville Marriner in the 1950’s. Dedicated to the support and promotion of new and emerging artists, the church boasts one of the oldest, busiest and most prestigious series of lunchtime concerts. A fiercely high standard and an average audience of over two hundred patrons for each of the three weekly slots, means participation is a must for the world’s young musical talent and sees the name of St Martin-in-the-Fields appear in musician’s biographies across the world alongside the likes of the Wigmore Hall and Carnegie Hall. This year the church has joined forces with Making Music in order to further the series’ commitment to emerging artists and has launched the competition offering the most practical of prizes in a ‘who you know’ industry: a series of professional engagements across the UK from music festivals to parish halls and the chance to establish a name and performance reputation nationwide. Nine semi-finalists including former winners of the Royal Over-Seas League Ensemble Competition and Park Lane Group and Concordia Foundation Artists will take the stage across three lunchtime concerts on 19, 20 and 23 April, 1.00pm in their bid to become one of only three groups to perform for the competition final on the evening of Tuesday 27 April, 2010. In a ticketed concert open to the public, the finalists will perform for a panel chaired by composer John Rutter OBE and including Oliver Macfarlane (head of classical music for the BBC), Robin Osterley (CEO of Making Music) and Andrew Earis (St Martins’ Director of Music). Semi-Finalists (in order of appearance): Monday 19 April, 1.00pm Sirocco Saxophone Quartet Trio Arion I Flautisti Tuesday 20 April, 1.00pm Albion Quintet Mediterranea Trio Piatti String Quartet Friday 23 April, 1.00pm Elixir Trio St James Quintet Lunar Saxophone Quartet ENDS For further information, interviews or photography, please contact Assistant Concerts Manager Jennifer Lang at Jennifer.lang@smitf.org or on 020 7766 1130. NOTES TO EDITORS • St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition: The St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition embodies our commitment to the discovery, nurture and promotion of new and emerging musical talent and continues a long history of musical excellence and artistic contribution at the heart of London. With the kind and invaluable support of Making Music, the competition is able to offer winners the opportunity to establish and develop a performance profile throughout the UK. • St Martin-in-the-Fields, with over 350 concerts a year, is one of the busiest music venues in the country. Concerts draw visitors from all over the world attracted by St Martin’s superb acoustics, intimate yet impressive surroundings and outstanding musical standards. Concerts take place on some Tuesdays and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm and include Early and Baroque Music, chamber and world music, song and piano recitals. St Martin-in-the-Fields is also a working parish church with a calendar of services, which on Sundays and Wednesdays are choral. The full programme of services and concert information can be found at www.smitf.org. • Making Music represents and supports amateur and semi-professional music groups of all genres throughout the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of artistic and administrative services and development and training opportunities. Making Music also lobbies on behalf of their members to national and local government and other agencies. With over 2,800 member groups, they represent over 200,000 musicians and music lovers throughout the UK. Collectively, these present around 10,000 concerts each year to an audience of 1.6 million people. They spend £13 million per year on professional artists and £1 million with music publishers, as well as employing composers, venues, designers, staging suppliers and instrument manufacturers. A point of which Making Music is most proud is that in many communities a Making Music concert is the only form of live music.

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