Ensemble 10/10

 

 

 

"The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic's avant-garde flying squad, Ensemble 10/10."

National Music Awards Double for Ensemble 10/10

Ensemble 10/10 was a double winner in the 20th Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards for thieir work in the UK during 2008, Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture year. The Ensemble and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra were joint winners of Ensemble of the Year for their "combined achievements in making an outstanding contribution to British musical life during Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. The jury was impressed by the synergy created within a fruitful collaborative environment, the enthusiasm and vibrancy with which both groups embraced repertoire of remarkable stylistic diversity and their determined efforts to involve audiences at all levels."

Ensemble 10/10 were also winners of Concert Series and Festivals category of the Awards for a concert programme that "showed remarkable integrity and imagination and a pleasing element of surprise. The jury was impressed by the Ensemble’s clear sense of artistic ambition, allied to the quality of the connection with its audiences. Ensemble 10/10 has become an integral part of the Phil’s activity and the jury hopes it will go on to become a lasting part of the Liverpool scene."

Under the direction of Clark Rundell, Ensemble 10/10 is increasingly recognised as a major force by composers, critics and the music industry in general, as a vital supporter of new work, encouraging composers in the UK and for building new audiences for contemporary music.

During the 2008, Liverpool’s Year as European Capital of Culture, Ensemble 10/10 gave world premieres of works by RPS/PRS Foundation Composer in the House Kenneth Hesketh, Gary Carpenter, Ian Gardiner, John Casken, Mark Simpson, Michael Torke, Johanna Döderer, Philip Venables and Elizabeth Winter.

Ensemble 10/10 contributed to Liverpool’s city-wide commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day with performances of Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time and James MacMillan’s Busquéda. Two concerts in the Phil’s Viennese Master concert series, the musical upbeat to Tate Liverpool’s Klimt exhibition included a performance of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and the Ensemble gave free recitals of Viennese repertoire at Tate Liverpool during the exhibition’s run. Ensemble 10/10 performed with the Hilliard Ensemble in the world premieres of Gary Carpenter’s Closing Time and John Casken’s The Dream of the Rood; and with Canada’s Nouvel Ensemble Moderne.

Download the press release to read more

www.rpsmusicawards.com


Ensemble 10/10 is the contemporary music ensemble of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Founded by cellist Hilary Browning and clarinettist Nicholas Cox, 10/10 gave its first concert on 22 November 1997 at 10.10pm. The rich history of its first ten years includes a number of commissioned works and many British premieres.

Last year alone included twelve world premieres or anniversary commissions, including Sonatinas for Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra by Gary Carpenter and Rose Hobart by Ian Gardiner, who have both recently won a British Composer Award. New works were heard from internationally renowned composers such as Kurt Schwertsik and Olga Neuwirth. Even beyond these, Ensemble 10/10 worked with a distinguished list of British composers, including Kenneth Hesketh, Stephen Pratt and David Horne.

In the upcoming season, Ensemble 10/10 looks forward to celebrating its tenth anniversary and then the beginning of Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture. The last two of its ten anniversary commissions, from Graham Fitkin and Steve Martland, will be performed, whilst new commissions for 2008 Capital of Culture Year will come from Ian Gardiner, James Wishart, the exciting American Michael Torke, and Mark Simpson, the Liverpool-born 2006 BBC Young Musician of the Year.

Recent work by Viennese composers Johanna Döderer and Lukas Ligeti will contribute to the Phil’s Viennese Masters series.

The Phil’s new Composer in the House, Kenneth Hesketh, also curates one programme. The Composer in the House system, an initiative of the Royal Philharmonic Society, the PRS Foundation and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, is delighted to join in funding this second placement. 10/10’s first concert of the season celebrates the ‘handover’ of the scheme from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with a performance of a work by their composer Stephen McNeff alongside one by Kenneth Hesketh.

While performances continue in the excellent acoustic of The Cornerstone, Hope at Everton, this season Ensemble 10/10 also makes its debut in the 480-seat Concert Room in the newly refurbished St George's Hall, the neo-classical jewel in Liverpool's architectural crown.

 

The Ensemble has recorded a number of CDs, including music by John Casken (2003), and When Worlds Collide (a collaboration with Zappa tribute band The Muffin Men, 2003). A CD of Gary Carpenter's music (including Ein Musikalisches Snookerspiel, Da Capo, Distanza, After Braque and Die Flimmerkiste) was released by NMC on 3 September 2007; a CD of Stephen Pratt's music (including Double Act, Lovebytes with soprano Claire Booth and the Violin Concerto with Anthony Marwood) was released in Autumn 2007. You can order Gary Carpenter's CD from our Music Store.