Side by Side with Twyford Schools

Imogen Holst would have loved to see this…

Never before was such a large string orchestra assembled at Ealing Fields High School! Students from four Twyford CofE Academies Trust schools, and other local guest players, joined the Nonesuch Orchestra for a special Strings Day. We worked on Imogen Holst’s wonderful Variations on “Loth to Depart” - a jewel of a piece she composed for double string orchestra and string quartet in 1962 that has not been performed for nearly 60 years. Our young friends also participated as we rehearsed Caroline Shaw’s hauntingly beautiful Entr’acte and Gustav Holst’s much-loved suite Brook Green - their musicality and responsiveness to conductor Dan Shilladay’s guidance was exemplary, and we hope they gained something from the experience of playing alongside us.

At the end of the workshop we all performed for an invited audience. But there was more to come, for on the following Sunday afternoon, fortified by tea and delicious cakes, we played the pieces to an appreciative audience at a public concert in St Peter’s Church, Acton Green. Also on the programme was Andrew Toovey’s enthralling new work Perception. Andrew has a special relationship with the Nonesuch Orchestra, as he has supported us in the past on several student composition projects.

This momentous project formed part of CoMA's 2024 Festival of Contemporary Music for All. We are most grateful for CoMA’s financial support, together with that of our loyal local sponsors: Acre Properties, Alisha Pharmacy, Priory Lettings and Management, and Simon Buhl Davis Interior Design. Finally, a big “thank you” to Mrs Felix McGonigal, the Trust’s Head of Specialist Music College, and all the schools’ music staff - it wouldn’t have happened without you!

Nonesuch returns to Merlin School

Our annual visit to the Merlin School in Putney is something we always look forward to! A couple of weeks ago we held another pair of workshops - one for the younger pupils, one for the older ones - that were great fun for everyone. Some prospective parents visiting the school enjoyed a sample when they stopped by to listen to a little of our rehearsal beforehand. The theme of the music this year was dance; and we explored some favourite pieces by Purcell, Brahms, and Holst to show how a composer (and the performers) use pitch, tempo, rhythm and volume to make you want to leap to your feet and join in the fun.

One of our young listeners got the chance to conduct us and he got a taste of the power the conductor has - directing a group of musicians with one finger and without making a sound!

Many thanks to Head of Music Erin Alexander, the delightful pupils, and all the staff at the Merlin School for making us so welcome!

Young guest conductor in charge at the Merlin School

First outing to Bermondsey

It was a packed schedule for the Nonesuch Orchestra earlier in October, when we headed to Bermondsey to visit the two schools of the Mayflower Federation: Phoenix Primary and Ilderton Primary. The Music Teacher, Josh Solnick, is doing amazing work in both these schools, and a more enthusiastic and engaged crowd of children you could not hope to meet.

At Ilderton Primary, conductor Dan Shilladay “passed the baton” over to a volunteer from the audience, and she directed the orchestra with confidence and panache - to ringing applause from everyone. After listening intently to pieces by Purcell, Brahms and Holst, the pupils joined in with the orchestra for some favourite songs. We were bowled over by the quality and energy of the singing!

All in all, a busy and immensely rewarding morning for us all.

A special guest conductor takes the applause at Ilderton Primary School

Here’s what some of the pupils said afterwards:

“It was amazing…”

“I liked how the music was intense, and went quiet at unexpected moments.”

“I really thought the orchestra was good because before the performance I didn’t like classical music one bit, but now I find it interesting.”

“You guys made me have a happy day when I was having a bad day and you made me smile.”

“I loved it!”

Workshop Day - John Adams' Shaker Loops

Nonesuch Orchestra and friends, with conductor Dan Shilladay holding the score of Shaker Loops

This year’s Nonesuch Workshop Day was held in the gorgeous St Cyprian’s Church at Clarence Gate. Our task was to learn and perform John Adam’s exciting piece Shaker Loops. As in previous years, we were delighted to welcome a number of guest players, some for the first time.

The composer penned this programme note when he composed Shaker Loops (originally for string septet) in 1978: Although, as has since been pointed out to me, the term “Shaker” itself is derogatory, it nevertheless summons up the vision of these otherwise pious and industrious souls caught up in the ecstatic frenzy of a dance that culminated in an epiphany of physical and spiritual transcendence. This dynamic, almost electrically charged element, so out of place in the orderly mechanistic universe of Minimalism, gave the music its raison d’être and ultimately led to the full realization of the piece.

Mastering the insistent, repetitive rhythms, the subtle changes of harmony, and the ethereal harmonic effects of this amazing work required diligent focus. It was hugely rewarding. The result at the end of the afternoon was an electrifying final performance to an appreciative invited audience.

Exhilarating music, studied with care, played with concentration, and shared with friends old and new. Another Nonesuch day to remember!

WARM reception at St Clement Danes Church

A sizeable and generous audience assembled for the Nonesuch Orchestra’s summer Lunchtime Concert at the gorgeous St Clement Danes Church in the Strand on 29th June. They were treated to a feast of wonderful music - opening with Telemann’s dramatic Don Quixote suite, followed by Jessie Montgomery’s dazzling short piece Starburst. To finish, the orchestra was joined by virtuoso flautist Peter Robertson for a spectacular performance of CPE Bach’s Flute Concerto in D minor.

The listeners showed their appreciation with a tremendous retiring collection - which will go towards funding the orchestra’s core work bringing music to London schools.

Heartfelt thanks to all the supporters who joined us for the occasion!

Art meets music - with sensational results

In partnership with Preston Park Primary School, the Nonesuch Orchestra broke new ground recently with a morning of workshops linking visual art with music.

You don’t have to walk very far along the corridors at Preston Park to be confronted with amazing wall displays; the art being produced by its students is truly exceptional. Guided by art teacher Helen Kolawole and music teacher Sue Joslin (who just happens to play the violin with the Nonesuch!), the students had composed graphic scores to represent an endangered animal: the elephant. The orchestra discussed and interpreted these scores to produce some wonderfully spontaneous improvisations.

Then paper and pens were laid out and we reversed the process, with the orchestra performing excerpts from Telemann’s delightfully whimsical suite Don Quixote - while the pupils created shapes inspired by hearing the music.

A very different art class

It was a fascinating morning for the pupils and orchestra members alike - highly enjoyable and thought-provoking as we all reflected on the deep connections between the visual and aural arts. We’ve had some lovely messages from the children:

“Thank you for coming to our school. My favourite part of the concert was the double bass because it was deep. I also enjoyed the violin because it was calm.” - Lucas

“My favourite part of the concert was when the violin played snap pizzicato. We would really love for you to visit again.” - Abigail

“My favourite part of the concert was writing the graphic scores.” - Anya

Special guests join the Nonesuch Orchestra at Richmond school

The Nonesuch Orchestra recently visited the Richmond upon Thames School for a workshop and concert performance of Telemann’s delightful depiction of the madcap adventures of Don Quixote. And students from the school took their places with us to get first-hand experience of orchestral playing. Let’s hear about it from the RTS Parents’ Newsletter:

“We were excited to have our first visit from an orchestra this week! The Nonesuch Orchestra are an amateur orchestra based in North London who find that sharing orchestral music with audiences who may never have experienced it before is hugely enriching for players and listeners alike. They enjoy working with schools across London. The additional honour for this visit is that they invited six RTS students to play alongside them - Huw, Shreya, Paria, and Diba (all Year 8); and Matilda and Cheryl (both Year 9). Ms Saxby also joined the orchestra with her cello. Year 7 and 8 students were treated to the orchestra playing excerpts from Don Quixote - with a small explanation of what the pieces were and what they meant; it was lovely to hear the sound echo around the school building.”

A SHOWCASE OF YOUNG TALENT

Nonesuch Orchestra teamed up with Christ’s School Richmond on 23rd March for another “From Page to Performance” Composition Workshop with students from the school.  These workshops are great fun and highly instructive.  After studying the students’ pieces and discussing the process of transforming notes on the page into live music, we performed them all to Year 7 and music students from the rest of the school. 

Alpha, Erica, Joshua, Alexander, Mattheo (who joined the workshop from a school trip to France), Reuben, Sophie and Abigail

And on 1st April, our evening concert at Christ Church East Sheen included a selection of the students’ pieces, as well as music by Rameau, Ruth Gipps, and John Ireland.  A GCSE Music student from the school also played the solo violin in the first movement of Bach’s celebrated Violin Concerto in A minor with great confidence and musicianship – congratulations to him, along with all the talented young composers! 

Heartfelt praise for a wonderful performance of Bach

 “It was a privilege and a joy to have you all with us, encouraging our talented composers in playing their pieces live, and performing to Year 7….It was wonderful to see the composers taking in the experience of having their compositions come to life in front of them in the workshop sessions, and impressive to see the interactions between them, Dan and the orchestra during these sessions, exchanging ideas, excellent feedback and comments in a brilliantly supportive atmosphere. This was a very, very valuable, inspiring, impactful and memorable learning opportunity for students, both when their own pieces were being workshopped, and for those observing other students' pieces.

I know the composers were thrilled and proud to have their pieces performed in the concert, and it was great to be able to bring this live music to Year 7, some of who will be new to such music and live performance…

 I know our GCSE Music violinist, also, is thrilled to be working with the orchestra, and the encouragement, opportunity and support being given him by you all is very special…”

 Christ’s School Music Department

An elephant, a swan and a donkey making magic at Merlin's place

It was a miniature “Carnival of the Animals” at the Merlin School at the beginning of February, when the Nonesuch Orchestra made its annual visit to perform to the pupils and staff. To the great enjoyment of everyone, we explored how music can vividly describe the characters of different animals - in this case featuring three well-loved excerpts from Saint-Saens’ “Carnival of the Animals”: the Elephant, the Swan and the People with Long Ears (donkeys).

Saint-Saens composed this piece for private enjoyment, and prohibited public performances until after his death - worried that its frivolity would damage his standing as a serious composer. Of course it’s a brilliantly clever work and is now hugely popular. Playing the part of the elegant swan we had Ali Baumann, our principal cello, and Noah Daniel on the double bass as the lumbering elephant. The children were captivated. Once again, a great welcome for the orchestra and another great workshop at the Merlin School!

Rapt attention from our young listeners

End of year concert, with guest leader

Nonesuch Orchestra recently gave its annual concert at St John’s Harrow - an eclectic programme that was much appreciated by the audience.

On this occasion we were joined by Enrico Alvares as our guest leader. Enrico was for many years a member of the world-renowned Academy of St Martin in the Fields, has played with all the major British orchestras, and currently teaches violin and viola at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. We were delighted to welcome Enrico back.

Conductor Dan Shilladay thanks Enrico Alvares

A busy new term underway

The Nonesuch Orchestra is looking forward to a busy autumn term, with workshops at schools we have not visited before, our regular winter concert in Harrow, and some exciting new repertoire.

In October we visit Saracens High School in London NW9 for the first time, and in November we will be at St Paul’s CE Primary School in London NW3. We are all eager to share the excitement of music making with pupils and students - and their teachers.

We close the term on 1st December with a public lunchtime concert at one of the orchestra’s favourite venues: St John’s Harrow - a beautiful church that has been holding fortnightly lunchtime concerts for nearly 50 years. Our programme will include Britten’s much-loved Simple Symphony, Janáček’s delightful Suite for String Orchestra, and Thea Musgrave’s Aurora. This last piece paints a picture of the coming of light - starting mysteriously, passing through moments of darkness, until the clouds finally dissolve with the dawn.

Vaughan Williams' string masterpiece

Nonesuch Orchestra were delighted to welcome a number of guest players to join us in our workshop on the sublime Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams. It is a monumental, spine-tingling work based on a short setting of Psalm 2 written by Tallis in the 16th century, requiring a second orchestra and quartet of soloists in addition to the main string orchestra. After taking the piece apart and working on it - including a short and joyful interlude when we all sang Tallis’s original hymn - we finished with a performance (and a long moment of hushed wonder after the echo of the final chord died away).

Working on Vaughan Williams’ Tallis Fantasia. The second orchestra can be seen just in front of the altar.

We are extremely grateful to Claire Maugham (violin) for stepping in to take the role of leader and playing the solo part so beautifully, to Dan Shilladay for guiding us through the music, to our hosts at Christ Church with Saint Laurence, and to all our guests for making the day so rewarding.

All set for our next Workshop Day

The Nonesuch Orchestra opens the 2022-23 season with another Workshop Day on Tuesday, 20th September. This year we will be exploring Vaughan Williams’ sublime Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis. The Workshop will be held in Christ Church with Saint Laurence, Brondesbury, NW6 - a beautiful historic church on Willesden Lane, home of the hugely valuable Laurence’s Larder, and a favourite venue for our annual Workshop Days.

The work is scored for double string orchestra and string quartet, so it calls for greater numbers than Nonesuch’s normal line-up. If you are an experienced string player and would like to work on this amazing piece, come and join us! You can find all the details here.

Nonesuch double bassist off to The Juilliard School

One aspect of Nonesuch’s work with young people is our permanent position of Double Bass, which is held by a student - undergraduate or diploma - of the Royal Academy of Music. It gives the student the chance to perform adventurous repertoire and participate in our outreach work with schools.

For the last couple of years it’s been our privilege to welcome Lon Fon Law to the orchestra, and his contribution has been profound and memorable. A high point was his performance of Errollyn Wallen’s blazing Concerto Grosso for Piano, Violin, Double Bass and Strings - which none of us present will forget any time soon.

Lon Fon Law concentrates

So perhaps it should not have been a surprise when he told us he had been accepted to study at the world-renowned Juilliard School in New York with ex-principal bassist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Harold Robinson. Lon Fon says: “I am not quite sure exactly what I will be doing in the US, and probably won't find out until a few weeks into term... but that's what makes it exciting!”

Lon Fon also had these words for the Nonesuch Orchestra:

“Music (as in a genuine expression of musicality) always wins….and something to relate back to Nonesuch: a lot of that passion for music from the orchestra reminded and inspired me in this respect. The effort made by its members to get back to music making during the pandemic with minimal resources might beat some of the very proud conservatoires around the world...”

Grateful thanks to Lon Fon from all of us at Nonesuch, best wishes for a fantastic time in New York, and we look forward to seeing him perform in the great concert halls of the world!

The sponsors who help make our work possible

We are extremely grateful to all our supporters who understand the importance of our work with schools, and who share our enthusiasm for great music in the community.

Our 60th Anniversary Concert on 25th June is particularly exciting, as we will be joined by dancers from Ballet4Life for a special performance of Cecilia McDowall’s new work Off the Ground. This is being made possible by the generosity of our sponsors:

Find out more about them here:

Acre Properties

Alisha Pharmacy

Priory Lettings and Management

Simon Buhl Davis (Interior Design)

A celebration of great string music

From the moment Stephanie Waite sounded the fanfare that opens Handel’s glorious Concerto Grosso in D major, we knew it was going to be a very special concert. It was Saturday evening, 5th March, in the beautiful Norman Shaw “Arts and Crafts” church of St Michael and All Angels at Turnham Green, Chiswick. This was our chance to showcase two great Concerti Grossi for string orchestra, and the 13 students’ pieces, prepared as part of our 2022 Schools Composition Project with CoMA, that we had honed during the workshops the previous Thursday. And judging by the delighted response of the students themselves and their friends and families in the audience, the Nonesuch Orchestra did not disappoint.

Composer Errollyn Wallen shows how it’s done

As an inspiration to the young composers, the finale of the evening was Errollyn Wallen’s spectacular Concerto Grosso for violin, double bass, piano and strings. Stephanie Waite once again took the solo violin part, and was joined by our double bass Lon Fon Law - a student at the Royal Academy of Music - and our special guest pianist Andrew Zolinsky. The irresistible energy and hypnotic beauty of this eclectic work, and the dazzling virtuosity of the soloists, capped an evening that those of us present are unlikely to forget for a very long time.

"Thank you so much for playing my piece..."

These simple and heartfelt words from Sophie - one of the student composers in the Nonesuch Orchestra + CoMA 2022 Student Composition project - summed up the warmth we all felt at the workshops on 3rd March. Together with composer and teacher Andrew Toovey, we studied and rehearsed 13 compositions by talented and dedicated young people. Our conductor Dan Shilladay and leader Stephanie Waite explained some of the complexities involved in ensuring that the sound an orchestra makes is exactly what the composer has in mind. It was a hugely enjoyable and educational experience for us all.

Pictured here are 9 of the 13 students, from Twyford High School, Acton; Waldegrave School, Twickenham; and Christ’s School, Richmond. From left to right:

Joshua, Abigail, Stephanie Waite, Sophie, Mina, Reuben, Catherine Barlen (viola in the Nonesuch and organiser of the project), Andrew Toovey, Tamara Kohler (CoMA Festival Director), Madeleine, Hannah, Trisha, Maisie, Dan Shilladay.

And the four from Godolphin and Latymer School: Eleni, Rose, Andrew Toovey, Estelle and Isabell.

“Thank you, amazing composers, for sharing your work with us!”

BAck to school after two years absence

We were delighted to be invited back to the Merlin School in Putney on 3rd February 2022 for our first school concert/workshop in over two years, with the easing of lockdown restrictions. Once again, the pupils (and staff) were thrilled to see and hear a live orchestra. We marked Chinese New Year by rehearsing and performing a special song - Hokkien Bay - together with the children.

“…We so enjoyed having the wonderful Nonesuch Orchestra here – this is an annual highlight in our school diary. The children were absolutely beaming with joy coming out of the Ballroom. Thank you to each and everyone of you and also for incorporating the Chinese Lunar New Year song into the repertoire….”

Dagmar Smith, The Merlin School

FROM PAGE TO PERFORMANCE 2022

We’re excited to announce another collaboration between the Nonesuch Orchestra and Contemporary Music for All: the 2022 Student Compositions Project.

Once more, talented students from west London secondary schools will be working on new compositions with coaching from composer Andrew Toovey. Our 2020 project was a resounding success and more schools have asked to participate this year.

The Nonesuch Orchestra, with our conductor Dan Shilladay, will hold workshops with the students on Thursday 3rd March at St Martin’s Church in West Acton. We’ll be working on the submissions. Imagine the excitement of hearing your own work performed live by an orchestra for the first time! And students from all secondary schools will be welcome to join us and hear how a piece of music is transformed From Page to Performance under Dan’s expert guidance.

Then on Saturday 5th March, the students will share the billing at an evening concert in Chiswick with two great composers. Along with their pieces, we will play Errollyn Wallen’s electrifying Concerto Grosso for Piano, Violin, Double Bass and Strings, and another Concerto Grosso from nearly 300 years ago: Handel’s celebrated Op.6 No.5.

The new season opens

When concerts and even rehearsals were thrown into disarray between lockdowns last year, the orchestra really enjoyed reading through Handel's op. 6 concerti grossi. Naturally, when it came to planning our 21/22 season we wanted to share our wonderful experience with audiences, so each of this year's concerts will feature one of our favourite op. 6 works.

Our first outing will be on Thursday 18th November's at 12.30 pm at St John’s Church, Harrow - when we will also play Grażyna Bacewicz's Concerto for String Orchestra. Written in 1948, it's a thrilling modern take on the idea of a concerto grosso. The outer movements teem with irrepressible life and vigour, whilst the reflective  middle movement divides the orchestra into many parts in sumptuous Hollywood-tinged harmony.

Grażyna Bacewicz photo: CAF/PAP

To complete the programme, conductor Dan Shilladay has arranged the huge central adagio of Beethoven's string quartet op. 132 for full string orchestra. Beethoven wrote the piece after recovering from an illness he feared might be fatal; he wrote on the score "Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit" ("Holy song of thanksgiving of a convalescent to the Deity") and the more energetic sections which alternate with the opening corale-like music he titled "Neue Kraft fühlend" ("feeling new strength"). Profoundly, supremely beautiful, it seemed to sum up all of our thoughts and hopes about music, about ourselves, after the strictures of the previous eighteen months.