Search Results

Carl Orff (1895 – 1982) was a 20th-century German composer, most famous for the 'Carmina Burana' (1937). Orff was born in Munich and came from a Bavarian family that was very active in the German military and whilst his association with the Nazi party has been alleged, it has never been conclusively established. Right from the beginning, Orff concentrated exclusively on textually related music. His aim was to combine theatre, music, dance and acting to form a single unified whole in which the rhythmical organisation of language frequently provided the compositional framework. 'Orff created incredibly dynamic music combining archaic harmony and pulsating dance-like rhythms.' - OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY Read more about Carl Orff Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Vincenzo Bellini (1801 – 1835) was a Sicilian opera composer. Known for his flowing melodic lines, Bellini was the quintessential composer of Bel canto opera. Having learned from his grandfather, Bellini left provincial Catania in June 1819 to study at the conservatory in Naples. He achieved success with his greatest works 'La Sonnambula', 'I Puritani' and most famously 'Norma' which features the famous aria 'Casta Diva'. Bellini’s music was praised in his lifetime for its long, expressive melodies and sensitive word-setting, and his operas remain astonishing showcases of vocal virtuosity. Giuseppe Verdi :"...praised the broad curves of Bellini's melody: 'there are extremely long melodies as no-one else had ever made before'." Read more about Vincenzo Bellini Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) was a German composer and virtuoso pianist and remains one of the most respected and influential composers of all time. Beethoven studied in Vienna with the famous composer Joseph Haydn (who wrote 'The Creation') but began to lose his hearing at just 26. Despite this he composed a vast catalogue of inspiring works including the opera 'Fidelio', his violin concertos, the famous 'Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor' and 'Moonlight' piano sonatas and his stunning 'Ninth Symphony'. Mozart said about Beethoven: "Keep your eyes on him; someday he will give the world something to talk about.” Read more about Ludwig van Beethoven Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Samuel Barber II (1910 – 1981) was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral and piano music. His Adagio for Strings became his most famous composition and is widely considered a masterwork of modern classical music. The piece has been used in numerous television programmes and films but is perhaps best know for it's use in Oliver Stone's 1986 Vietnam film, 'Platoon'. Barber's music was championed by a remarkable range of renowned artists, musicians, and conductors including Vladimir Horowitz, John Browning, Martha Graham, Arturo Toscanini, Dmitri Mitropoulos, Jennie Tourel, and Eleanor Steber. "Samuel Barber's music, masterfully crafted and built on romantic structures and sensibilities, is at once lyrical, rhythmically complex, and harmonically rich.” - Official biography Read more about Samuel Barber Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Robert Prizeman (1952 - 2021) became choirmaster of the choir at St. Philip’s Church (Norbury, South London) in 1970 at the age of 18. He has been a musical advisor to the BBC in the UK working on programmes such as 'Songs of Praise' since 1985. He has composed & arranged numerous works for the all boy choir 'Libera' including 'Voca Me'. He has been a musical advisor to the BBC in the UK working on programmes such as 'Songs of Praise' since 1985. Read more about Robert Prizeman Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Joseph-Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937) was a Basque French composer and pianist of Impressionist and Expressionist music. Ravel's piano compositions, such as 'Jeux d'eau', 'Miroirs' and 'Gaspard de la Nuit', demand considerable virtuosity from the performer. Ravel is probably best known for his orchestral work, 'Bolero' used in the 1979 Dudley Moore and Bo Derek film comedy '10'. Read more about Maurice Ravel Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Ryuichi Sakamoto is a Japanese musician, composer, producer and actor. His cinematic accolades include an Academy Award, a Grammy, a BAFTA, and two Golden Globe awards. “Working on a film is like a journey to an unknown place,” Sakamoto once said. He attended university as Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he earned a B.A. in music composition and an M.A. with special emphasis on both electronic and ethnic music. Sakamoto recorded his first solo album in 1978, which included the songs 'Thousand Knives' and 'The End of Asia'. Around the same time, Sakamoto became a member of the internationally successful Japanese synth-rock/synth J-Pop trio 'Yellow Magic Orchestra', along with co-founders Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. The character of his method of composition is highly mathematical, influenced by Olivier Messiaen and Iannis Xenakis, using graph theory and mathematical logic. “What I want to make now is music freed from the constraints of time.” - Sakamoto Get updates & news from Ryuichi Sakamoto Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Philip Glass is a three-time Academy Award-nominated American composer and is considered one of the most influential composers of the late-20th century. Glass's music is frequently described as minimalist, though he has distanced himself from that description, calling himself a composer of "music with repetitive structures." His compositions have been used in numerous films from Reggio's 'Qatsi Trilogy' (1982-2002), Peter Weir's 'The Truman Show' (1998), 'The Illusionist' (2006) and 'Notes on a Scandal' (2006). Read more about Philip Glass Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Sacha Puttnam is a British film composer, classically trained musician and was a member of British indie band 'Bush'. He released a highly original album of classical music for a new generation of listeners and a musical collaboration with DJ Chris Coco. Sasha is also the son of the famous film producer Sir David Puttnam who's film 'Chariots of Fire' was scored by Vangelis and won an Oscar for best soundtrack. Read more about Sacha Puttnam Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Michael Nyman CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist & musicologist, perhaps best known for his many film scores. He had a lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway but also scored films such as 'Gattaca', 'Ravenous' (with Damon Albarn from 'Blur') and 'The End of the Affair'. He is however perhaps best known for the score to Jane Campion's film 'The Piano' (1993) for which he received an Oscar nomination. Read more about Michael Nyman Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Chien Tan is a classical violinist from Nova Scotia, Canada. She performed the treble violin on National Public Radio in the USA in 2005. After earning a Bachelor degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music Chien Tan joined the Oregon Symphony and performs in the orchestra, as part of a quartet and solo. She performed the treble violin on National Public Radio in the USA in 2005. 'Chien Tan twice competed in the CIBC National Music Festival in Canada, held in Medicine Hat and Toronto.' - Official biography Get updates & news from Chien Tan Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians

Sir Karl Jenkins CBE is a Welsh musician & composer best known for his 'Adiemus' albums (I to V), 'Requiem' & his compositions for Levis & British Airways. Karl Jenkins originally known as a jazz-rock musician (playing saxophone, keyboards & oboe) Jenkins co-founded 'Nucleus', which won the first prize at the 1970 Montreux Jazz Festival. As a composer, Jenkins is perhaps best known for his 'Adiemus' albums (I to V), 'Requiem' & his compositions for Levis & British Airways. "The music of Karl Jenkins is a gift to humanity.” - Terry Waite Get updates & news from Karl Jenkins Thanks for supporting Concerto musicians