Concert programme includes:
- Orchestral Suite No.3 (including 'Air on a G string') J.S. Bach
- L'Estro Armonico No. 8 in A Minor Vivaldi
- Oboe Concerto Marcello
- Concerto for flute & violin in A major Telemann
- Music for the Royal Fireworks Handel
Sinfonia of Birmingham
Since its foundation in 1993, the Sinfonia of Birmingham has become one of the leading chamber orchestras in the Midlands.
Originally, concerts were given around the Birmingham suburbs, until a step was taken towards increasing its profile by performing at the Adrian Boult Hall, and then at its current Birmingham concert venue, the CBSO Centre. Michael Seal was approached to become the Sinfonia's principal conductor, and through his links with the CBSO, a liaison developed, whereby many CBSO players lead the orchestra or have become involved as concerto soloists. The desire to provide opportunities for professional conductors, leaders and soloists from the Midlands area has become a particular aspect of the Sinfonia's philosophy.
Players come from all backgrounds, many earning their livings in the legal, medical, academic or scientific professions, as well as those who have attended music college - now freelancing and teaching music.
Over the years, interesting and ambitious programming has resulted in something new for the audience in most concerts, together with familiar works for all to enjoy.
In 2002, the Sinfonia embarked on its first tour to Germany and it has continued to tour within Europe every two years since then. In 2010, the Sinfonia visited Germany again, this time to the Mosel region, where three very successful concerts were given.
Apart from its two CBSO Centre concerts each year, a decision was taken to ensure that two summer concerts take place in areas outside the centre of Birmingham. Over the last few years, these have been in the Stourbridge area and around Bromsgrove. The 2011 summer concerts are taking place in Barnt Green and, for the first time, in Solihull. These events, together with the tours abroad, give concerto opportunities for players from within the orchestra, as well as giving a chance for other conductors to become involved, not just in directing the orchestra, but also in helping to select the works to be played.
If you would like to know more about the orchestra and attend more concerts, please visit the website at www.sinfonia.org.uk
Louise Braithwaite (Oboe)
Louise has wide ranging musical interests and enjoys a career which includes performing, education, and performance project management. She is co-principal oboe and principal cor anglais with Orchestra of the Swan, with whom she also performs as a soloist.
As a freelance musician, Louise performs with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Longborough Festival Opera, and with her ensemble Black Swan Quintet among others. As an orchestral oboist, she has performed and recorded for BBC Radio 2 with the BBC Big Band, for Radio 3 with the CBSO, appeared on ITV’s The South Bank Show with Tasmin Little and on Channel 4’s HTLGN with Gok Wan and a very brave ensemble from Orchestra of the Swan. She has also taken part in recordings with OOTS for the Somm label, a number of which regularly feature on ClassicFm.
In the field of Education, Louise is a specialist in music-based projects for people with learning disabilities, developing creative work which reflects individual choice and high quality student-directed activity. She works in partnership with artists from other genres (animation, film, drama, design, electro-acoustic technology) on education projects with OOTS, Town Hall Symphony Hall Birmingham, and for a number of local authorities. She has given presentations on her work in this field for MusicLeader West Midlands and the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust conferences.
Louise is an educational consultant with Bright Space and Cre8us - regional agencies which deliver the national Creative Partnerships programme in the Midlands. CP is a diagnostic research and development programme for schools which unfolds around creative arts projects.
Louise particularly enjoys chamber music and is a regular collaborator in performance and education with this evening’s director, Simon Chalk. She last performed with the Sinfonia of Birmingham as a soloist in Tuscany in 2004; the orchestra’s support enabled her to continue playing regularly when her daughter was a baby, so playing with them tonight is a special event.
Louise lives in Worcestershire with her daughter, her husband and his seven French horns, and a sock-stealing cat. She escapes from the mayhem on her motorbike.
Emma Syska (Flute)
Emma has enjoyed playing with the Sinfonia of Birmingham since 2002. She currently lives in Bewdley and divides her time between playing and teaching the flute and looking after her two year old son.
Emma’s musical studies began at the age of four with the piano and then later the flute. She was lucky to study the flute with Kate Hill and then Jonathan Snowden and have the opportunity to take part in masterclasses given by William Bennett, Geoffrey Gilbert and Nicholas Daniel.
After attending the Birmingham Junior School of Music she won a scholarship to the Purcell School, and then completed a music degree at Cambridge University. Whilst at University Emma was a member of the Cambridge New Music Players performing in London and Cambridge; on a more unlikely note she also began an enduring interest in mountaineering and rock climbing, through which she met her husband, Jan.
As well as playing with the Sinfonia, Emma has performed solo recitals, including Claude Bolling’s Suite for flute, jazz piano, bass and drums, Ian Clark’s “Spiral Lament” and Madeleine Dring’s Sonata for flute, oboe and piano and performed a number of concertos, including Mozart’s flute concerto K314, Mozart’s flute and harp concerto, Bach’s Brandenburg concerto no.5, Rutter’s Suite Antique, and Cimarosa’s concerto for two flutes.
Simon Chalk (Conductor/Violin)
Simon is a Violinist/Conductor based in Dudley. Born, brought up, and educated in a small mining village in South Wales he moved to the Midlands in 1985. He studied at the Birmingham School of Music (now Conservatoire) with James Coles, completing his post-graduate studies in Manchester with Malcolm Layfield and has had a flourishing musical career since.
He is currently the leader of the Mid Wales Opera Orchestra, The Regency Sinfonia and The Masquerade String Quartet, co-leads the Welsh Chamber Orchestra and is Principal 2nd Violin of the Orchestra of the Swan. He performs regularly with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, the Bournemouth Sinfonietta and most recently as guest principal with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra also appearing as guest leader/soloist with both The Southern Sinfonia and Opera Project.
He has conducted and directed orchestras throughout the Country and further afield working with such diverse musicians as Chris de Burgh, Barry Manilow and Il Divo through to Sir Charles Mackeras and Sir Roger Norrington.
He plays on a violin made by Arthur Richardson in Crediton, Devon dated 1942.