BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme
Encyclopedia
BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme (also known as the NGA scheme) was devised by BBC Radio 3
Editor Adam Gatehouse and launched in 1999. It exists as part of the BBC
's commitment to nurture young musical talent. Every autumn six to seven young artists who are beginning to make a mark on the national and international music scene are invited to join the scheme for a two year period. Since 2006 a jazz artist has also been invited every other year. The artists are given opportunities to develop their talents and exposure. These include special Radio 3 studio recordings, appearances and recordings with the BBC Orchestras and appearances at several music festivals, including the City of London Festival
, Cheltenham International Festival and the BBC Proms. They also regularly appear at the Edinburgh Festival, Aldeburgh Festival
, East Neuk Festival
, Gregynog Festival
, Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music
and the York Early Music Festival
.
As part of the scheme Radio 3 has also collaborated with record companies, including nine co-production CDs with EMI
Debut series, three of which (Belcea Quartet
, Simon Trpceski
and Jonathan Lemalu
) have won Gramophone Awards for the best Debut CD of the year. There have also been co-productions with Harmonia Mundi
, Decca
, BIS
, Sony Classical and Basho
, while a number of New Generation Artists have also featured on BBC Music Magazine
cover CDs.
was invited as the first jazz artist to join the New Generation Artists scheme. This continues every other year with jazz trumpeter Tom Arthurs joining in 2008 and jazz reeds player Shabaka Hutchings in 2010.
In 2008 Iranian harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani
joined as the scheme's first early music
specialist, though he made a serious mark as an interpreter of 20th century music and newly-commissioned compositions. Like another New Generation Artist, Maxim Rysanov, he has also started to gain attention as a conductor.
in London, as part of the 2009 BBC Proms.
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
Editor Adam Gatehouse and launched in 1999. It exists as part of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's commitment to nurture young musical talent. Every autumn six to seven young artists who are beginning to make a mark on the national and international music scene are invited to join the scheme for a two year period. Since 2006 a jazz artist has also been invited every other year. The artists are given opportunities to develop their talents and exposure. These include special Radio 3 studio recordings, appearances and recordings with the BBC Orchestras and appearances at several music festivals, including the City of London Festival
City of London Festival
The City of London Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place in the City of London, England, over two to three weeks in June and July. The Festival is strongly geared towards classical music, but also offers a programme that includes jazz, world music, opera, film screenings, lectures...
, Cheltenham International Festival and the BBC Proms. They also regularly appear at the Edinburgh Festival, Aldeburgh Festival
Aldeburgh Festival
The Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
, East Neuk Festival
East Neuk Festival
The East Neuk Festival is a chamber music festival that takes place over five days at the end of June/beginning of July in the area known as the East Neuk of Fife, in the south east corner of Scotland.- History :...
, Gregynog Festival
Gregynog Music Festival
thumb|alt=The Music Room, Gregynog|The Music Room, GregynogGregynog Festival, or Gŵyl Gregynog in Welsh, is the oldest extant classical music festival in Wales and takes place each summer at Gregynog Hall in the village of Tregynon, near Newtown, Powys, mid-Wales.In its present form, Gregynog...
, Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music
Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music
The Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music is an annual music festival held in London.- History :The London-based Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music was founded in 1984 by the conductor Ivor Bolton and musicologist Tess Knighton, who was also its Artistic Director until 1997. Kate Bolton was...
and the York Early Music Festival
York Early Music Festival
The York Early Music Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music from the 18th century and earlier. It was established in 1977, and takes place in York each July at various venues such as York Minster, the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall at the University of York and the...
.
As part of the scheme Radio 3 has also collaborated with record companies, including nine co-production CDs with EMI
EMI Classics
EMI Classics is a record label of EMI, formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases....
Debut series, three of which (Belcea Quartet
Belcea Quartet
The Belcea Quartet is a string quartet, formed in 1994, under the leadership of violinist Corina Belcea.-History:The quartet was formed while its members were studying at the Royal College of Music in London. Whilst there, they were coached by the Chilingirian Quartet...
, Simon Trpceski
Simon Trpceski
Simon Trpcheski , OMM , is a Macedonian classical pianist. In 2002, he received his degree in music from the University of St. Cyril and St. Methodius in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, where he studied with Professor Boris Romanov...
and Jonathan Lemalu
Jonathan Lemalu
Jonathan Fa'afetai Lemalu is a New Zealand opera singer, of Samoan descent. Born in Dunedin, he sings in the bass baritone register....
) have won Gramophone Awards for the best Debut CD of the year. There have also been co-productions with Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi is an independent music record label founded in 1958 by Bernard Coutaz in Arles . The Latin phrase means "world harmony"....
, Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, BIS
BIS Records
BIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. It is located in Åkersberga, Sweden.BIS focuses on classical music, both contemporary and early, especially works that are not already well represented by existing recordings....
, Sony Classical and Basho
Basho
Basho may refer to:*Bashō, Edo-period Japanese haiku poet*Basho , a crater on Mercury*Bashō, a Noh play by Komparu Zenchiku* Basho, a concept in Kitaro Nishida's philosophy* Basho, a contest in sumo wrestling, especially one of the honbasho...
, while a number of New Generation Artists have also featured on BBC Music Magazine
BBC music magazine
BBC Music Magazine is a magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom by BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Reflecting the broadcast output of BBC Radio 3, the magazine is devoted primarily to classical music, though with sections on jazz and world music. Each edition comes...
cover CDs.
2011-2013
- Christian Ihle Hadland (piano – Norway)
- Clara Mouriz (mezzo-soprano – Spain)
- Signum Quartet (Germany)
- Ruby Hughes (soprano – UK)
- Jennifer Johnston (English mezzo-soprano)Jennifer Johnston (English mezzo-soprano)Jennifer Johnston is an English operatic mezzo-soprano. Born in Liverpool, she studied law at University of Cambridge and worked as a barrister while studying opera at the Royal College of Music . After graduating from the RCM, she became a member of the National Opera Studio through the...
- Igor Levit (Germany)
2010-2012
- Benjamin GrosvenorBenjamin GrosvenorBenjamin Grosvenor is a classical pianist from the United Kingdom. He is also a vegetarian. He won the piano section of the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2004 competition. In 2010 he joined BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme, which he completes in 2012.- Family :Grosvenor is the youngest...
(piano – UK) - Ben Johnson (tenor – UK)
- Veronika EberleVeronika EberleVeronika Eberle is a German violinist.Veronika Eberle has established a reputation as one of the most promising violin talents to emerge from Germany in recent years....
(violin – Germany) - Alexandra Soumm (violin – France)
- Nicolas Altstaedt (cellist - Germany)
- Shabaka Hutchings (jazz reeds -UK)
- Escher String Quartet (USA)
2009-2011
- Atos Piano Trio - Germany
- Khatia BuniatishviliKhatia BuniatishviliKhatia Buniatishvili is a Georgian concert pianist.-Biography:Khatia Buniatishvili began studying piano under her mother at age 3. She gave her first concert with the Chamber Orchestra in Tbilissi at the age of 6 and started performing abroad at the age of 10...
(piano - Georgia) - Malin Christensson (soprano - Sweden)
- Elias Quartet (UK)
- Henk Neven (baritone - Netherlands)
- Francesco Piemontesi (piano - Switzerland)
2008-2010
- Meta4 Quartet (Finland)
- Jennifer PikeJennifer PikeJennifer Pike is a British violinist. In 2002, she became well known for winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, and for six years she held the record of being the youngest winner, at twelve years of age.-Musical career:...
(violin - UK) - Tai Murray (violin - USA)
- Daniela Lehner (mezzo-soprano - Austria)
- Giuliano Sommerhalder (trumpet - Italy)
- Andreas Brantelid (cello)
- Mahan EsfahaniMahan EsfahaniMahan Esfahani is an Iranian-American keyboardist; he is the first harpsichordist named as a BBC New Generation Artist. As a concerto soloist, recitalist, and collaborative musician, he has gained an international reputation on a variety of early keyboards.- Biography :Born in 1984 in Tehran,...
(harpsichord) - Tom Arthurs (jazz trumpet)
2007-2009
- Allan Clayton] (tenor - UK)
- Ingrid FliterIngrid FliterIngrid Fliter is an Argentinian pianist. She began her formal piano studies with Elizabeth Westerkamp. Her first public appearance in recital was at age 11, and she made her concerto debut at the Teatro Colón at age 16....
(piano - Argentina) - Pavel Haas QuartetPavel Haas QuartetThe Pavel Haas Quartet is a Czech string quartet which was founded in 2002. Their first album with the second quartets of Haas and Janáček won the 2007 Gramophone Award for Chamber music...
(Czech) - Maxim Rysanov (viola - Ukraine)
- Elizabeth WattsElizabeth WattsElizabeth Watts is a British soprano.Watts studied archaeology at Sheffield University and graduated with first class honours. Beginning in 2002, she studied music at the Royal College of Music with Lillian Watson. She graduated in 2005 with distinction and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother...
(soprano - UK) - Shai WosnerShai WosnerShai Wosner is a pianist. He was born in Israel in 1976 and is now living in the United States. He studied piano with Emanuel Krasovsky in Tel-Aviv...
(piano - Israel)
2006-2008
- Aronowitz Ensemble (UK)
- Sharon BezalySharon BezalySharon Bezaly is a flutist.Bezaly was born in Israel, but lives presently in Sweden. Her virtuosity has drawn comparisons to David Oistrakh and Vladimir Horowitz. She has been an international star since 1997, when she began her solo flute career. She made her solo debut at 14 with Zubin Mehta...
(flute - Israel) - Ronan Collett (baritone - UK)
- Ebène Quartet(UK)
- Danjulo Ishizaka (cello - Germany)
- Eduard KunzEduard KunzEduard Kunz , born October 30 1980, Omsk, - Russian pianist.- Biography :Named among 10 tomorrow's great pianists by the BBC Music Magazine, Eduard Kunz has performed and broadcast frequently with almost every major orchestra in the UK including BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra,...
(piano - Russia) - Gwilym SimcockGwilym SimcockGwilym Simcock is a British pianist and composer working in both jazz and classical music, and often blurring the boundaries of the two....
(jazz piano - UK)
2005-2007
- Christianne Stotijn (mezzo soprano - Netherlands)
- Cedric Tiberghien (piano - France)
- Martin Helmchen (piano - Germany)
- Alina IbragimovaAlina IbragimovaAlina Ibragimova is a Russian-born violinist residing in the UK.-Early life and education:Ibragimova was born in Polevskoy, Russia in a Tatar family. Her family was musical, and she began playing the violin at the age of four...
(violin - Russia) - Andrew KennedyAndrew KennedyAndrew Kennedy was a U.S. Representative from Indiana, cousin of Case Broderick.Born in Dayton, Ohio, Kennedy moved with his parents to a farm on the Indian reserve near Lafayette, Indiana. He soon afterward moved to Connersville, Indiana, where he became a blacksmith's apprentice. Kennedy...
(tenor - UK) - Alexei Ogrintchouk (oboe - Russia)
- Psophos Quartet (France)
2004-2006
- Christian Poltera (cello - Switzerland)
- Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano - UK)
- Trio Ondine (Piano Trio - Denmark)
- Alison BalsomAlison BalsomAlison Louise Balsom is an English trumpet soloist.-Early life:Balsom was born in Hertfordshire. She attended the Tannery Drift Primary School, then the Greneway Middle School and the Meridian School, all in Royston, Hertfordshire...
(trumpet - UK) - Antoine TamestitAntoine TamestitAntoine Tamestit is a French violist.Tamestit, who studied at the Paris Conservatory, has performed at such venues as the Royal Concertgebouw, the Vienna Musikverein, and Carnegie Hall...
(viola - France) - Royal String Quartet (Poland)
- Andrew KennedyAndrew KennedyAndrew Kennedy was a U.S. Representative from Indiana, cousin of Case Broderick.Born in Dayton, Ohio, Kennedy moved with his parents to a farm on the Indian reserve near Lafayette, Indiana. He soon afterward moved to Connersville, Indiana, where he became a blacksmith's apprentice. Kennedy...
(tenor - UK)
2003-2005
- Alexander Slobodyanik (piano - Ukraine)
- Llyr WilliamsLlyr WilliamsLlŷr Williams is a Welsh pianist.-Childhood:Llŷr Williams was born in 1976 in the village of Pentre Bychan in Wrexham, Wales....
(piano - UK) - Artemis Quartet (Germany)
- Ailish Tynan (soprano - Ireland)
- Martin FröstMartin FröstMartin Fröst is a Swedish clarinetist, born in Sundsvall in the north of Sweden in 1970. He first started playing the violin at the age of six, but he found playing soccer and basketball were more interesting. When he was nine, he started playing the clarinet, and when he was 15, he moved to...
(clarinet - Sweden) - Colin CurrieColin Currie-Early Years:Colin Currie began his musical studies at the age of 5, going on to study at the Junior Department of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama from 1990-1994. There he studied percussion with Pamella Dow and piano with Sheila Desson, both of whom had an enormous influence on him...
(percussion - UK)
2002-2004
- Jonathan LemaluJonathan LemaluJonathan Fa'afetai Lemalu is a New Zealand opera singer, of Samoan descent. Born in Dunedin, he sings in the bass baritone register....
(bass-baritone - New Zealand) - Jonathan BissJonathan BissJonathan Biss is an American classical pianist.Biss represents the third generation in a family of professional musicians, which includes his grandmother Raya Garbousova , as well as his parents, the Israeli-born violinist Miriam Fried and the violist Paul Biss...
(piano - USA) - Claudio Bohorquez (cello)
- Janine JansenJanine JansenJanine Jansen is a violinist. She began to study the violin at age 6. Her father and both her brothers are also musicians. Her mother is a classical singer and is a sister of the bass Peter Kooy...
(violin - Netherlands) - The Galliard Ensemble (UK)
- Sally Matthews (soprano - UK)
2001-2003
- Simon TrpceskiSimon TrpceskiSimon Trpcheski , OMM , is a Macedonian classical pianist. In 2002, he received his degree in music from the University of St. Cyril and St. Methodius in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, where he studied with Professor Boris Romanov...
(piano - Macedonia) - Alice CooteAlice CooteAlice Coote is a British lyric mezzo-soprano.The daughter of the painter Mark Coote, she was educated at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London , the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the National Opera Studio...
(mezzo-soprano - UK) - Ilya Gringolts (violin)
- Li-Wei (cello - China)
- Karol Szymanowski Quartet (Germany)
- Lawrence PowerLawrence PowerLawrence Power is a British viola player, born 1977, noted both for solo performances and for chamber music with the Nash Ensemble and Leopold String Trio.-Career:...
(viola - UK)
2000-2002
- Alexander MelnikovAlexander MelnikovAlexander Melnikov is a Russian pianist.Born in Moscow, Melnikov began studying music at age six at Moscow’s Central Music School. He continued at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Lev Naumov, graduating in 1997. Later he completed his post-graduate studies in Munich with Eliso Virsaladze...
(piano - Russia) - Ashley Wass (piano - UK)
- Kungsbacka Trio
- Ronald Van Spaendonck (clarinet - Belgium)
- Emma Bell (soprano - UK)
- James Rutherford (bass-baritone)
1999-2001
- Lisa BatiashviliLisa BatiashviliLisa Batiashvili is a Georgian violinist, the daughter of a violinist father and a pianist mother. Her father was her first teacher from age 4. She later studied at the Hamburg Musikhochschule...
(violin - Georgia) - Alban GerhardtAlban GerhardtAlban Gerhardt is a German cellist. He has performed as a soloist with many internationally known orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.-Early life:...
(cello - Germany) - Steven Osborne (piano - UK)
- Paul LewisPaul LewisPaul Lewis may refer to:*Paul Lewis , American architect and professor at the Princeton University School of Architecture*Paul Lewis , African American activist who lived in London, Ontario...
(piano - UK) - Belcea QuartetBelcea QuartetThe Belcea Quartet is a string quartet, formed in 1994, under the leadership of violinist Corina Belcea.-History:The quartet was formed while its members were studying at the Royal College of Music in London. Whilst there, they were coached by the Chilingirian Quartet...
(UK) - Jerusalem Quartet (Israel)
- Francois-Frederic Guy (piano - France)
- Natalie CleinNatalie CleinNatalie Clein is a British cellist. Her mother is a professional violinist. Her sister is the actress Louisa Clein....
(cello - UK) - Lisa Milne (soprano - UK)
- Christopher Maltman (baritone - UK)
- Emily BeynonEmily BeynonEmily Beynon is principal flautist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam.Born in Swansea, Wales, she began her flute studies as a junior at the Royal College of Music with Margaret Ogonovsky and then went on to study with William Bennett at the Royal Academy of Music and with Alain Marion...
(flute - UK) - Leopold String Trio (UK)
Specialist Artists
In 2006 Welsh pianist Gwilym SimcockGwilym Simcock
Gwilym Simcock is a British pianist and composer working in both jazz and classical music, and often blurring the boundaries of the two....
was invited as the first jazz artist to join the New Generation Artists scheme. This continues every other year with jazz trumpeter Tom Arthurs joining in 2008 and jazz reeds player Shabaka Hutchings in 2010.
In 2008 Iranian harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani is an Iranian-American keyboardist; he is the first harpsichordist named as a BBC New Generation Artist. As a concerto soloist, recitalist, and collaborative musician, he has gained an international reputation on a variety of early keyboards.- Biography :Born in 1984 in Tehran,...
joined as the scheme's first early music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
specialist, though he made a serious mark as an interpreter of 20th century music and newly-commissioned compositions. Like another New Generation Artist, Maxim Rysanov, he has also started to gain attention as a conductor.
10th Anniversary Weekend
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the New Generation Artists scheme, over fifty New Generation Artists past and present performed 12 concerts during the bank holiday weekend Saturday 29th - Monday 31st August at the Cadogan HallCadogan Hall
Cadogan Hall is a 900-seat capacity concert hall on Sloane Terrace in Chelsea / Belgravia in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, United Kingdom...
in London, as part of the 2009 BBC Proms.