Latest news with #BournemouthSymphonyOrchestra
CBC
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
One-handed British pianist is carrying forward the legacy of those who came before him
Nicholas McCarthy is often described as the world's only professional one-handed concert pianist. But he wasn't the first, and he has no intention of being the last. "Each century from the 19th century tended to have this kind of one well-known concert pianist who had one hand," McCarthy told As It Happens guest host Megan Williams. "In the 21st century, I find myself being that one-handed pianist who seems to have more prominence. So I feel a lot of responsibility." On Sunday, the British pianist made his debut at The Proms, one of Britain's most prestigious classical music concert series, held annually at London's Royal Albert Hall, and broadcast on BBC. It was a dream come true for McCarthy — and one he says he couldn't have achieved without the thick skin that comes with having a lifelong disability, and a road paved by those who came before him. "I am still on a high. I'm absolutely buzzing," he said. "I would say this is really the pinnacle of my career so far." A 'full-circle moment' For his Proms debut, McCarthy regaled the audience with Maurice Ravel's bravura Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, alongside the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. The deceivingly rich piece is probably the most famous left-hand-only piano composition, he says. And it only exist because it was commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein, an Austrian-American concert pianist who lost his right arm in the First World War. It was one of several pieces Wittgenstein commissioned from prominent composers as he sought to build his post-war career, while developing novel techniques for one-handed play. "It's really thanks to him that I'm able to have the career that I have today, because I'm able to play these wonderful big famous works," McCarthy said. Piano Concerto for the Left Hand has been performed many times in the festival's 130-year-history, usually by two-handed pianists showing off their skills with their non-dominant hand. But McCarthy is only the second one-handed pianist to perform the piece at The Proms. The last, he says, was Wittgenstein himself in 1951. "It's really a full-circle moment," McCarthy said. Humble roots and a late start McCarthy was born without a right hand, but his disability wasn't the only obstacle on his journey to becoming a professional concert pianist. While most of his industry peers spent their childhoods studying classical music and practicing for hours on end, McCarthy says he spent his youth playing outdoors with his friends and doing regular kid stuff. "We come from a very non-musical family. Just normal pop stuff on the radio, you know, normal, working-class parents," he said. But at the age of 14, McCarthy heard his friend playing a Beethoven composition at school, and his whole life changed. "I just had one of those — it sounds corny — of those kind of Oprah Winfrey moments, you know, these kind of life-changing, lightbulb moments where I was like, wow, this is what I want to do for my career. I want to be a pianist," he said. It didn't even occur to him in that moment that he couldn't do it, he says. "You remember what it was like when you're 14," he said. "Everything's so possible, you know, full of teenage invincibility." But not everyone believed in his dream the way he did. "The early part of my career, for sure, I was being told left, right and centre by very respected people in the industry that I should give up, you know, this wasn't the career for me," he said. "It used to be fuel to my fire, almost, that's what kept me going and kept me focused on what I believed and what I knew I could do, which was obviously proven last night." A vast repertoire of left-hand only music Most piano compositions weren't made with someone like McCarthy in mind, but he didn't have to start from scratch. He says there is a surprisingly vast repertoire of piano music written for the left hand alone — roughly 3,000 solo pieces, and several dozen concertos. "It's all left-handed, and not right-hand alone, which I always find quite an interesting fact," he said. Many were commissioned by Wittgenstein, while others were commissioned or composed by Count Géza Zichy, a Hungarian composer who lost his right arm in a hunting accident in the 1860s. But many more, McCarthy said, were written in the 19th century for two-handed pianists to wow audiences. "Concert pianists would perform a wonderful bravura encore at the end of their amazing recitals," he said. "As a play on irony, they used to kind of say, 'You thought I was good with two hands. Wait till you see what I can do with my weaker hand!'" Now that McCarthy is in the spotlight like Wittgenstein and Zichy before him, he makes a point of regularly commissioning new left-hand pieces to build on the rich repertoire he's benefited so greatly from.
Times
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
BBC Proms debut for one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy
When Nicholas McCarthy called a music school as a 15-year-old to inquire about piano lessons, they were perplexed to learn he only had one hand. 'How can you possibly play scales one-handed?' the head teacher asked. 'No problem,' he replied undeterred. 'I want to play music, not scales.' The phone line went dead. What happened next is testament to what McCarthy, 36, calls his 'Kevlar exterior'. Yesterday he made his debut at the BBC Proms when he was joined by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall to perform Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. 'It's such a career milestone,' he said, speaking from the dressing room before the performance. 'It's a dream come true for me. It's a huge moment for me and my family.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Christchurch Priory hosts BSO concert to fund 'ambitious' repairs
A historic priory is hosting a classical musical concert to raise funds for its "ambitious masterplan" to secure the site for future Priory, which has stood in the Dorset town for almost 1,000 years, was placed on Historic England's Heritage At Risk register last to restore and repair much of the medieval structure were recently unveiled, with a public fundraising campaign beginning with Tuesday night's Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra will perform a host of classical pieces, while the church's vicar, Canon Charles Stewart, will feature as a guest conductor. Canon Stewart, who spent the "best part of a decade" as a professional singer before being ordained, said "of course" he felt nervous ahead of the performance."When you stand up in front of a very fine orchestra - and its not something you do everyday in life - you get nervous," he said. Tuesday's concert marks the beginning of the priory's fundraising campaign to restore and rejuvenate the Norman building."In the life of every ancient church there comes a time when a special effort is needed to secure the future of the building and also the viability of its mission and service of the community in years to come," Canon Stewart said."For Christchurch Priory, such a time is now."He added that the church's "hard-working and active" congregation "struggle to maintain" the historic place of worship, "let alone cover the cost of major repairs".Among the priory's "ambitious masterplan" are proposals to restore and repair much of the structure, as well as creating new spaces for catering and shop Christopher Wood, who is chair of the fundraising board, said the plan went "far beyond repair and maintenance of the building - it secures our future ministry to the community." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Times
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Die Fledermaus review — a drag queen saves Strauss from disaster
If all else fails, send for a drag queen. That appears to be the thinking at the Grange Festival in Hampshire, where a far from convincing production of Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus is rescued by the cabaret artiste Myra DuBois — usually found doing stand-up at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London. Playing the jailer Frosch, who traditionally opens the final act with an improvised monologue, DuBois delivers a string of fruity innuendos and some chaos-generating ad libs that finally get the audience laughing, something that Paul Curran's stuttering staging has largely failed to do up to then. Strenuous overacting from others in the cast doesn't help, and neither does having the dramatic flow disrupted by two hours of intervals — excessive even by country-house opera standards, especially for an operetta with acts no longer than 40 minutes each. Presumably that's to allow time for Gary McCann's detailed 1930s sets to be swapped around. The garish nightclub decor for Act II is particularly striking. And indeed that is where Curran's direction works best, with a chorus of crossdressers and leather-boys high-kicking energetically and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra racing through the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka under Paul Daniel's breezy direction to add to the score's melodic riches. But it's hard to do a decent Die Fledermaus with a Rosalinde (Sylvia Schwartz) who hardly has enough voice to be heard in duets, let alone to set the sparks flying in her Czardas solo; and her maid Adele played by a singer, Ellie Laugharne, who seems unable to inject charm and grace into that usually delectable showstopper, Mein Herr Marquis. Admittedly, Laugharne doesn't help herself by trying to keep up a completely unnecessary Eliza Doolittle accent even when singing — a disaster for her vocal tone. Trystan Llyr Griffiths, playing Rosalinde's Italian lover Alfred, bursts into snatches of famous tenor arias at every available opportunity, and sings them with such panache that I wouldn't mind seeing him do the parts for real. Ben McAteer is an impressive Falke; when he and the chorus deliver a hushed and tender Brüderlein it's the only really magical moment in the evening. The rest of the cast try desperately hard to be amusing, but the show resolutely fails to catch fire until far too late.★★☆☆☆250minTo Jul 5, @timesculture to read the latest reviews
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Robin Hill to host Osborne Proms '25 in new venue switch
THIS year's Osborne Proms has been moved to a new venue. The popular open-air concert will no longer be held at Osborne House, due to "unforeseen circumstances". Instead, Osborne Proms '25 will take place at Robin Hill Adventure Park on the original arranged date of July 26. Despite the change, organisers are looking forward to an "unforgettable evening of music" at the new venue. Paul Cox, event director, said: "We're thrilled to host Proms '25 at Robin Hill, a beloved Island venue, which offers the perfect backdrop for a summer evening of Proms and picnicking. "The support we've received from the Robin Hill team has been second to none, and I'm delighted to partner with them on this event." For more event information follow this LINK. Ticket holders are asked to direct requests to info@ The concert will feature the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, who will perform a selection of Proms classics, from Elgar to Tchaikovsky. The Isle of Wight's Thea Callaghan, a talented soprano, together with the Medina Community Choir, fresh from their appearance at New York's Carnegie Hall, will also perform. Read more: Nominate your local heroes to attend special event Attendees can look forward to an evening of entertainment, food and drink from local vendors and a fireworks display, all set in Robin Hill's 88 acres of picturesque parkland. Lee Priddle, CEO and co-owner of Robin Hill Adventure Park, said: "We are truly honoured to host Proms '25 here at Robin Hill and hope the public will get behind this fantastic event to help support Mountbatten Hospice. "It will be a joy to welcome the renowned Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, along with classical music enthusiasts from near and far, for what promises to be an unforgettable celebration of music in a beautiful setting." All existing ticket and hamper bookings will be automatically transferred to the new venue. For those who cannot attend the new location, full refunds are available upon request. The event is in aid of Mountbatten Isle of Wight, a local charity that provides care and support to patients and their families across the island.
