Giles Lewin
Encyclopedia
Giles Lewin is a British violinist and bagpiper.
He was born in Essex in 1960 or slightly earlier. Aged nine, he sang the female lead in Mozart's "Bastien et Bastienne". At Cambridge University he acquired a love of Irish traditional music
. His admiration for William Lawes
led him to join a group called The Medieval Players (1981–1987). In 1983 they performed Rabelais's "Gargantua" with actors, puppets and acrobats. Their version of medieval music was gutsy, compared to most early music consorts of the time. In 1987 he became a founder member of the Dufay Collective
. He was also a member of the group "Afterhours" (1989–1995).
In 1989 Lewin spent several months in Cairo to study Arabic violin under Ashraf al Sarki. Lewin is a vocalist and plays fiddle, vielle, rebec, gittern, shawms, recorder, mandolin, pipe and tabor. His most remarkable skills are as a player of the Arabic violin and as a player of the single-drone medieval bagpipes. He is an occasional member of the Egyptian group Maqaam.
The Carnival Band
evolved out of The Medieval Players. The combination of Giles Lewin, Andy Watts, Bill Badley and Jub dates from 1985. They have recorded as a backing band for Maddy Prior
. Lewin joined up with Vivien Ellis, another member of the Dufay Collective and the Carnival Band to become the duo Alva in 1997, specialising in the music of the troubadours. The songs on "The Bells of Paradise" were first performed at the 2003 York Early Music Festival
. Alva also performed at St John's, Smith Square in 2001 as part of a live performance for BBC's "Late Junction". Ellis has been a member of Sinfonye since 1989, and is a member of The Broadside Band. She is involved with jazz, singing with Keith Tippett
. Marguerite Hutchison, a member of Magpie Lane
, also occasionally performs with Lewin as a duo.
In 2004 Lewin became a founder member of Bellowhead
and left in late 2007. In 2008 he accompanied Maddy Prior at the BBC Electric Proms
, and released a solo album The Armchair Orienteer (PRKCD103). He is currently based in Oxford.
Dufay Collective (with Giles Lewin and Vivien Ellis)
Afterhours
Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band
Alva (Giles Lewin and Vivien Ellis)
Giles Lewin, David Miller, London Camerata et al.
Philip Pickett, New London Consort, Nigel Eaton
, Giles Lewin et al.
Invocation (Julia Gooding, Timothy Roberts, Giles Lewin et al.)
Ian Giles, John Spiers, Jon Boden, Giles Lewin
Giles Lewin
He was born in Essex in 1960 or slightly earlier. Aged nine, he sang the female lead in Mozart's "Bastien et Bastienne". At Cambridge University he acquired a love of Irish traditional music
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
. His admiration for William Lawes
William Lawes
William Lawes was an English composer and musician.-Life and career:Lawes was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire and was baptised on 1 May 1602...
led him to join a group called The Medieval Players (1981–1987). In 1983 they performed Rabelais's "Gargantua" with actors, puppets and acrobats. Their version of medieval music was gutsy, compared to most early music consorts of the time. In 1987 he became a founder member of the Dufay Collective
Dufay Collective
The Dufay Collective is an early-music ensemble from the United Kingdom, specializing in Medieval and Renaissance music. Founded in 1987, it was named after the Renaissance composer Guillaume Dufay. The group is directed by William Lyons...
. He was also a member of the group "Afterhours" (1989–1995).
In 1989 Lewin spent several months in Cairo to study Arabic violin under Ashraf al Sarki. Lewin is a vocalist and plays fiddle, vielle, rebec, gittern, shawms, recorder, mandolin, pipe and tabor. His most remarkable skills are as a player of the Arabic violin and as a player of the single-drone medieval bagpipes. He is an occasional member of the Egyptian group Maqaam.
The Carnival Band
The Carnival Band (folk group)
The Carnival Band is an English early music group. Their broad repertoire focuses on popular music fromthe 16th and 17th centuries, and traditional music from around the world. Presentation is informal and humorous, and in the spirit of medieval and renaissance Carnival...
evolved out of The Medieval Players. The combination of Giles Lewin, Andy Watts, Bill Badley and Jub dates from 1985. They have recorded as a backing band for Maddy Prior
Maddy Prior
Maddy Prior is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span.-Early life:...
. Lewin joined up with Vivien Ellis, another member of the Dufay Collective and the Carnival Band to become the duo Alva in 1997, specialising in the music of the troubadours. The songs on "The Bells of Paradise" were first performed at the 2003 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...
. Alva also performed at St John's, Smith Square in 2001 as part of a live performance for BBC's "Late Junction". Ellis has been a member of Sinfonye since 1989, and is a member of The Broadside Band. She is involved with jazz, singing with Keith Tippett
Keith Tippett
Keith Tippett is a British jazz pianist and composer.Tippett, the son of a local police officer, went to Greenway Boys Secondary Modern school in Southmead, Bristol. He formed his first jazz band called The KT7 whilst still at school and they performed numbers popular at the time by The Temperance...
. Marguerite Hutchison, a member of Magpie Lane
Magpie Lane
Magpie Lane is an English folk group, based in Oxford, England.The musicians of Magpie Lane first came together in the winter of 1992–93 to record The Oxford Ramble, a collection of songs and tunes from, or about, Oxfordshire. Although originally conceived as a one-off recording project, the band...
, also occasionally performs with Lewin as a duo.
In 2004 Lewin became a founder member of Bellowhead
Bellowhead
Bellowhead are an English contemporary folk band originally brought together by John Spiers and Jon Boden. The eleven-piece band plays traditional dance tunes, folk songs and shanties, with arrangements drawing inspiration from a wide diversity of musical styles and influences...
and left in late 2007. In 2008 he accompanied Maddy Prior at the BBC Electric Proms
BBC Electric Proms
The BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms was an October music festival in London run by the BBC for five years, 2006-2010...
, and released a solo album The Armchair Orienteer (PRKCD103). He is currently based in Oxford.
Discography
Dufay Collective (with Giles Lewin)- - A L'Estampida: medieval dance music (1991)
- - A Dance in the Garden of Mirth: medieval instrumental music (1994)
- - Miri It Is: songs and instrumental music from medieval England (1995)
Dufay Collective (with Giles Lewin and Vivien Ellis)
- - Johnny, Cock thy Beaver: popular music-making in 17th century England (1996)
- - On the Banks of the Seine: music of the trouveres (1997)
- - Miracles: 13th century Spanish songs in Praise of the Virgin Mary (1997)
- - Cancionero - Music for the Spanish Court 1470-1520 (2002)
- - Music for Alfonzo the Wise (2005)
- - A L'Estampida - 15¾th Anniversary Edition (2005)
Afterhours
- - Hung Up and Dry (1992)
- - Up to Here (1994)
Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band
- - Carols and Capers (1991)
- - Hang Up Sorrow And Care (1995)
- - Ringing the Changes (2007)
Alva (Giles Lewin and Vivien Ellis)
- - Love Burns in Me (2002)
- - The Bells of Paradise (2004)
Giles Lewin, David Miller, London Camerata et al.
- - Shakespeare's Musicke (1993)
Philip Pickett, New London Consort, Nigel Eaton
Nigel Eaton
Nigel Eaton is an English hurdy gurdy player. He originally played the piano and cello but switched to the hurdy gurdy in 1981 when his father, Christopher Eaton, began making them. He performed as part of the dance band Blowzabella from 1985 and recorded five albums with them before their split in...
, Giles Lewin et al.
- - Tielman Susato - Danserye 1551 (1993)
Invocation (Julia Gooding, Timothy Roberts, Giles Lewin et al.)
- - Thomas Moore's Irish Melodies (1995)
Ian Giles, John Spiers, Jon Boden, Giles Lewin
- - An English Folk Christmas (2006)
Giles Lewin
- - The Armchair Orienteer (2008)