Young Cheshire musicians to perform world premiere at RNCM Day of Percussion on Sunday 7 February 2016.
The Love Music Trust’s Percussion Ensemble which features some of the region’s most talented young musicians aged from 14 upwards, led by musical director Mark Concar, who has worked regulatly with leading orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic, Opera North and Manchester Camerata. What makes this performance is unique is the fact that the Love Music Trust’s Percussion Ensemble, raised over two thousand pounds themselves to commission the piece from award winning contemporary composer Andy Scott.
The Love Music Trust Percussion Ensemble began life as the Sandbach School Percussion Group and performed their first concert at the school in 2008. In September 2012 the group became The Love Music Trust Percussion Ensemble and now invites students from all over Cheshire for the ensemble including a junior ensemble for children wanting to learn percussion. And the Ensemble is continually looking to promote and perform new music, leading it to perform on stages such as the RNCM, South Bank in London, Birmingham Conservatoire and Sheffield City Hall. This has lead the Love Music Trust to the next stage in their evolution, commissioning their own music, this time in the form of Elvis Was My Taxi Driver.
“We’ve been working towards this for such a long time,” says Concar, who himself trained as a percussionist at the RNCM. “Our concert performances have been so well received, but the move to commissioning our own music and work with such a highly regarded composer really does take this to a new level which is so rarely available to young musicians today.”
Chair of Trustees for the Love Music Trust, the lead partner and fund holder for Cheshire East’s music education hub, Dr Jonathon Savage adds “I have nothing but admiration for The Percussion Ensemble in the way they’ve made this happen, from fund raising concerts to a sponsored 12 hour percussion ‘playathon’ to fund this commission and the ongoing development of some really excellent young musicians – they’re a testament to what can be achieved through talent and determination.”
Evidence of the talent in the Ensemble is demonstrated by 15 year old Matthew Brett who has got through to the televised finals of this year’s BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.
Following on from Sunday’s performance will be an open master class at Sandbach School on Monday 8 February with world renowned Brazilian percussionist and composer Ney Rousaro.
Elvis Was My Taxi Driver is performed by the Love Music Trust Percussion Ensemble at the Royal Northern College of Music on 7 February 2016 as a part of the RNCM Day of Percussion.
Catch Love Music Trust Percussion Ensemble featuring Anthony Kerr at the Southbank Centre for the Collin Currie Percussion Festival – Metal Wood Skin from last year – below.