Ahead of the London premiere of Robert Singer's new work, _Watercraft_, Dr Kate Kennedy interviews the composer at Wigmore Hall. **Robert Singer** grew up in the English Lake District where music became an integral part of his life  from the start. When he was five, an inherited piano became his creative instrument. He attended Westmorland Youth Orchestra as percussionist, and played in the National Theatre in London as part of a school show.  He studied music at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where he wrote for dance and theatre,  working alongside professionals Steve Nestar and award-winning theatre director, Mark Babych.  He was asked to write the music for his graduation ceremony, hosted by Paul McCartney.  During his Masters in Music Composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Robert  further studied classical and electroacoustic music. He led an independent project with external  choreographers to create and perform an original full-scale ballet with orchestra (the first to be  performed at the college).  Since graduating Robert has worked with soprano Chanae Curtis (praised for her attractive  singing by the New York Times) and Jakob Grubbström (conductor of the Cantores Amicitiae  choir). Robert’s musical creativity continues to grow with a strongly elemental voice emerging. **Dr Kate Kennedy** is the Weinrebe Research Fellow in Life-Writing at Wolfson College, Oxford. She is the Deputy Director of the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing, and she teaches in both the English and Music Faculties. She completed a PhD in 2009 at the University of Cambridge on the work of Ivor Gurney, and her biography Ivor Gurney – Dweller in Shadows will be published by Princeton University Press in 2018. She writes for BBC Music Magazine, and gives talks at literary and music festivals around the country, and at venues such as the Wigmore Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Southbank Centre, and is a regular guest on BBC Radio 3, on programmes such as Essential Classics, Composer of the Week, Music Matters, and the Proms Plus series. She is the consultant to Radio 3 for their First World War programming, and has appeared on BBC 2 and 4 television.

Britten Sinfonia

Robert Singer talks about his new work, Watercraft

Ahead of the London premiere of Edmund Finnis' new work, Five Trios, Dr Kate Kennedy interviews the composer at Wigmore Hall. **Edmund Finnis** is a “hugely gifted composer” (Sunday Telegraph) whose music has been hailed as “magical” (The Times), “iridescent, compelling” (The Guardian), “exquisite” (Sara Mohr-Pietsch, BBC Radio 3) and “ethereally beautiful” (Herald Scotland). His works are regularly performed and broadcast, both at home in the UK and internationally. Finnis’ multifaceted output ranges from intimate music for soloists and duets to immersive electronic pieces, music for film, ensemble music, and works for large orchestra. **Dr Kate Kennedy** is the Weinrebe Research Fellow in Life-Writing at Wolfson College, Oxford. She is the Deputy Director of the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing, and she teaches in both the English and Music Faculties. She completed a PhD in 2009 at the University of Cambridge on the work of Ivor Gurney, and her biography Ivor Gurney – Dweller in Shadows will be published by Princeton University Press in 2018. She writes for BBC Music Magazine, and gives talks at literary and music festivals around the country, and at venues such as the Wigmore Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Southbank Centre, and is a regular guest on BBC Radio 3, on programmes such as Essential Classics, Composer of the Week, Music Matters, and the Proms Plus series. She is the consultant to Radio 3 for their First World War programming, and has appeared on BBC 2 and 4 television.

Edmund Finnis talks about his new work, Five Trios

David Butcher, [Britten Sinfonia](https://www.brittensinfonia.com/)'s Chief Executive and Artistic Director talks to [Dr Kate Kennedy](http://drkatekennedy.co.uk/) (Weinrebe Research Fellow in Life-Writing at Wolfson College, Oxford) about Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. We find out all about the poetry, music and themes, as well as why it's a brilliant introduction to Britten's music. Kate Kennedy writes for BBC Music Magazine, and gives talks at literary and music festivals around the country, and at venues such as the Wigmore Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Southbank Centre, and is a regular guest on BBC Radio 3, on programmes such as Essential Classics, Composer of the Week, Music Matters, and the Proms Plus series. She is the consultant to Radio 3 for their First World War programming, and has appeared on BBC 2 and 4 television. Music: Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings, performed by Mark Padmore and Britten Sinfonia. Harmonia Mundi (2012). Available to purchase [here](http://www.harmoniamundi.com/#!/albums/1825).  You can also listen to Britten Sinfonia and Mark Padmore performing Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings on Spotify [here](https://open.spotify.com/album/4B2Um35fGyUHueTdvd5S08).

Dr Kate Kennedy on Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings

Ahead of the London premiere of Luke Styles' new work, On Bunyah, Dr Kate Kennedy interviews the composer at Wigmore Hall.

Pre-concert talk: Dr Kate Kennedy interviews Luke Styles

Dr Kate Kennedy led a pre-concert talk with Caroline Shaw prior to the London premiere of her new piano quartet, Thousandth Orange  co-commissioned by Britten Sinfonia and Wigmore Hall.

Pre-concert talk with Caroline Shaw

Kate Kennedy talks to composer Leo Chadburn (aka Simon Bookish) ahead of the London premiere of his new work, commissioned by Britten Sinfonia and Wigmore Hall. They discuss Leo's previous work, his alter-ego Simon Bookish and his new piece, Five Loops for the Bathyscaphe.

Pre-concert talk with Leo Chadburn

Kate Kennedy talks to Nik Bärtsch and OPUS2017 winner, Mark Bowler prior to the world premiere of their new works, commissioned by Britten Sinfonia and Wigmore Hall.

Pre-concert talk with Nik Bärtsch and Mark Bowler

Ahead of the first concerts in Britten Sinfonia's Brahms Symphony Cycle in November 2017, conductor Sir Mark Elder talks about how he's approaching the cycle and why he's returning to the chamber orchestra scale that Brahms originally intended.

Sir Mark Elder: Brahms Symphony Cycle

Kate Kennedy led a pre-concert talk with Brian Elias prior to the world premiere of his new Oboe Quintet, written for Nicholas Daniel and Britten Sinfonia and commissioned by Wigmore Hall which has been released as this podcast. The world premiere of the Oboe Quintet took place on Wednesday 19 April 2017 at Wigmore Hall in London with further performances at St Andrew’s Hall, Norwich on Friday 21 April 2017 and West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge on Tuesday 25 April 2017 as part of Britten Sinfonia’s At Lunch series.

Pre-concert talk with Brian Elias

In our latest podcast, Ben Eshmade talks to the key collaborators involved in our Beethoven Symphony Cycle project which begins in May 2017. Conductor Thomas Adès, Britten Sinfonia leader Thomas Gould and composer Gerald Barry discuss Beethoven’s influence on them, how they will approach the symphony cycle and the inspiration behind pairing Beethoven’s symphonies with the music of Gerald Barry.

Beethoven Symphony Cycle

Britten Sinfonia is one of the world's most celebrated and pioneering ensembles. The orchestra is acclaimed for its virtuoso musicianship, an inspired approach to concert programming which makes bold, intelligent connections across 400 years of repertoire, and a versatility that is second to none.

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Britten Sinfonia

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