Fenella Humphreys | |
---|---|
Born | 1977or1978(age 46–47) London, England |
Genres | Classical, Contemporary Classical |
Instrument | Violin |
Website | fenellahumphreys |
Fenella Humphreys is a British classical violinist [1] who specialises in classical and contemporary repertoire [2] as both a soloist and chamber musician.
Born 1977or1978(age 46–47), [3] [4] she studied under Sidney Griller, Itzhak Rashkovsky, Ida Bieler and David Takeno at the Purcell School, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the Robert-Schumann-Hochschule in Düsseldorf. [5]
A number of eminent composers have written works for Humphreys, including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, [6] Sally Beamish, [7] Cheryl Frances-Hoad, [8] Gordon Crosse, [9] Adrian Sutton, Christopher Wright [10] and Piers Hellawell. [11] She performs standard repertoire and contemporary violin concertos including Thomas Adès's Concentric Paths, Pēteris Vasks's Vientuļais eņģelis (Lonely Angel) and Max Richter's Recomposed: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, which she recorded in 2019 for Rubicon Classics. [12]
Her recording of Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto and Humoresques with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales was released in 2021. [13] In the same year, she released sheet music of a number of her own arrangements for violin that she performed during the covid lockdown. [14]
Fenella plays on a G.B. Guadagnini violin. [5]
In 2018, Humphreys won the BBC Music Magazine Instrumental Award for her solo CD Bach 2 the Future, vol.II. [15] In 2023, she went on to win the Premiere Award for her album Caprices. [16] In 2024, she released the album Prism, featuring new works including her own arrangements and the first recording of a work found on Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' desk following his death, titled A Last Postcard from Sanday. [17]
A concerto is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The typical three-movement structure, a slow movement preceded and followed by fast movements, became a standard from the early 18th century.
Sarah Chang is a Korean American classical violinist. Recognized as a child prodigy, she first played as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1989. She enrolled at Juilliard School to study music, graduated in 1999, and continued university studies. Especially during the 1990s and early to mid-2000s, Chang had major roles as a soloist with many of the world's major orchestras.
Midori Goto, who performs under the mononym Midori, is a Japanese-born American violinist. She made her debut with the New York Philharmonic at age 11 as a surprise guest soloist at the New Year's Eve Gala in 1982. In 1986 her performance at the Tanglewood Music Festival with Leonard Bernstein conducting his own composition made the front-page headlines in The New York Times. Midori became a celebrated child prodigy, and one of the world's preeminent violinists as an adult.
James Ehnes, is a Canadian concert violinist and violist.
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Anthony Marwood is a British solo violinist.
Julia Fischer is a German classical violinist and pianist. She teaches at the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts and performs up to 60 times per year.
Elisabeth Batiashvili, professionally known as Lisa Batiashvili, is a prominent Georgian violinist active across Europe and the United States. A former New York Philharmonic artist-in-residence, she is acclaimed for her "natural elegance, silky sound and the meticulous grace of her articulation". Batiashvili makes frequent appearances at high-profile international events; she was the violin soloist at the 2018 Nobel Prize concert.
Sarah Frances Beamish is a British composer and violist. Her works include chamber, vocal, choral and orchestral music. She has also worked in the field of music, theatre, film and television, as well as composing for children and for her local community.
Jennifer Elizabeth Pike is a British violinist.
Madeleine Louise Mitchell MMus, ARCM, GRSM, FRSA is a British violinist who has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in over forty countries. She has a wide repertoire and is particularly known for commissioning and premiering new works and for promoting British music in concert and on disc.
Rachel Barton Pine is an American violinist. She debuted with the Chicago Symphony at age 10, and was the first American and youngest ever gold medal winner of the International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition. The Washington Post wrote that she "displays a power and confidence that puts her in the top echelon."
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Esther Yoo is an American violinist.
Vilde Frang Bjærke is a Norwegian classical violinist.
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Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons is a composition by contemporary classical composer Max Richter. The piece is a complete recomposition and reinterpretation of Vivaldi's violin concertos The Four Seasons. Although Richter said that he had discarded 75 percent of Vivaldi's original material, the parts he does use are phased and looped, emphasising his grounding in postmodern and minimalist music.
Lea Birringer is a German classical violinist and professor at the University of Music Würzburg.
Antje Weithaas is a German classical violinist. Apart from solo recitals and chamber music performances, she has played with leading orchestras in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Leia Zhu is a British-Chinese classical violinist.
A 13-year-old girl is to have her song sung by a choir of 100 children at the Royal Festival Hall on May 11.
'You should've seen his face. He was amazed,' said 16-year-old violinist Fenella.