Nottingham Lakeside Arts and The University of Nottingham Music Department are delighted to announce Ensemble 360 as its newest Ensemble-in-Residence.
The three-year residency is supported by The Radcliffe Trust through its University Residency scheme and begins in autumn 2014.
Ensemble 360 has an enviable reputation across the UK, not only for the quality and integrity of the members’ playing, but also for their ability to communicate the music to a range of different audiences.
Three year residency
As Ensemble-in-Residence, Ensemble 360 musicians will visit the University annually to undertake a range of activities with students and academics including: workshops with student ensembles, master classes with individual student performers, workshops with undergraduate and postgraduate composers, participation in lecture/performance demonstrations linked with academic modules and academic research projects. In addition, they will perform an evening public concert as part of Lakeside’s international concert season.
Lakeside’s Head of Music Programmes Dr Catherine Hocking says: “We are thrilled to welcome Ensemble 360 as an Ensemble-in-Residence at the University. Not only are they all exceptional musicians, their enthusiasm and commitment to education projects as well as innovative programming will significantly enrich the musical life of students and the wider University community.”
International musical talent
Formed in 2005 as the resident ensemble for Sheffield’s Music in the Round, the versatile group of 11 international musicians comprises five string players, five wind players and a pianist. They appear regularly on BBC Radio 3 and at some of the largest festivals and venues in England including Wigmore Hall, the National Centre for Early Music, Bath International Festival, Buxton Festival, Leamington Music Festival and Manchester Chamber Concert Series.
With Music in the Round, Ensemble 360 has established its own brand of children’s concerts which play to sell-out audiences. Recently commissioning two scores from award winning composer Paul Rissmann, these unique musical stories combine participation and narration. The ensemble regularly runs schools’ workshops, as well as performance and composition classes with a variety of age groups.
Successful careers
Outside Ensemble 360, the musicians all have careers of great success. Some are members of orchestras, including the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Philharmonia, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the Manchester Camerata. They have performed as chamber musicians and soloists across the UK at festivals including the Aldeburgh, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, IMS Prussia Cove and Plush, as well as across Europe, America and Japan in venues including the Concertgebouw, Berlin Philharmonie, Musikverein, Carnegie and Suntory Halls.
Benjamin Nabarro, Ensemble 360 is excited to be joining the University community: “We are thrilled to be the next chamber group in residence at The University of Nottingham, and look forward to meeting and working with young musicians, and to playing in the wonderful Djanogly Hall.”
Professor Mervyn Cooke, Head of the Department of Music says: “Working with musicians of the exceptional calibre of Ensemble 360 will be a huge stimulus to all the University’s musically active students, whether they specialise in performance, composition or musicology. The exciting activities the Ensemble will bring to the campus are the latest in a long and distinguished line of similar interactive programmes funded by the Radcliffe Trust, to whom we are very grateful for their ongoing support.”
Ensemble 360 joins Orlando Consort as the second ensemble that is currently supported by The Radcliffe Trust.
Ensemble 360’s first visit to the University as an Ensemble-in-Residence will be 4-6 March 2015.
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