Born in the Scottish town of Irvine, of Italian heritage, Nicola began violin lessons at the age of four with Brenda Smith. It culminates in a new recording, concerts at Battersea Arts Centre in July, and the Edinburgh Festival, where Benedetti is artist-in-residence. In 20212022, Nicola opens the Barbican Centres season and amongst others, performs with the London Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and Cincinnati Symphony. Benedetti quickly shuts down questions about her personal life, and about the large ring on her finger. Her commitment to supporting the UKs music practitioners was underlined in July 2018, when Nicola took over as President of the European String Teachers Association. Nicola Benedetti is the youngest person to be presented with the Queen's Medal for Music, which she was awarded in 2017. Both of those truths need to be able to live alongside each other.. Theres a lonely quality to the soloist world, and especially because I didnt go to college, she said. Since its launch, the Foundation has worked with over 50,000 participants, age 2-92, from 103 countries through its transformative in-person workshops and online sessions for young people, students, teachers and adults. The appearance makes Benedetti the first classical solo artist to perform at the Grammy Awards ceremony in 10 years, which is surely another milestone in the 32-year-old's musical career. In a brief statement, Benedetti said: I am deeply honoured to contribute to the long and rich history of the Edinburgh international festival and the cultural landscape of Scotland. Enter your password to log in. During school holidays, Nicola and her sister had to work for three hours every morning before they could go out to play. Its third director, Robert Ponsonby, was 30 when he took control in 1954. Violinist Nicola Benedetti stunned audiences at the 62nd Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony last night with an elegant solo performance. It originated in Venezuela as a social programme aiming to give disadvantaged children new horizons, motivation and self-discipline through music; over the decades its effectiveness has been widely praised. At eight, she became the leader of the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain. READ MORE:Benedetti's home fixture to raise music funding. To make matters worse, she added, I was sometimes in a total fight-or-flight mode onstage, and I wasnt playing at all how I could play. Today, its a different story. It was certainly a special night for the Scottish-born virtuoso, who also took home a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, for her stunning recording of Marsalis Violin Concerto and Fiddle Dance Suite. Since its launch, the Foundation has worked with over 29,000 participants, aged 2 to 92, from 103 . Recent months, however, have been thorny for advocates of El Sistema. Benedetti, a Grammy and Brit awards winner, is also the first Scot to direct the festival since its foundation in 1947, adding to the dramatic impact her appointment is likely to have on the events wider popularity and fame. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. In partnership with The Benedetti Foundation, Benedetti will release a new video on her YouTube channel once a month, starting with tips around . ", New data reveals train commuters spend up to 2450 more a year than car-owning colleagues, Big Noise Douglas: Scottish Government step in to help under-threat Dundee music project, Man who coined Beatlemania after Caird Hall gig honoured in Dundee Music Walk of Fame, Tess White warns Nicola Sturgeon GP surgery closures in Tayside are putting patients safety at risk, Historic ocean treaty agreed after decade of talks, China looks at reforms to deepen Xi's control, Inside the enclave surrounded by pro-Russia forces, 'The nurses wanted me to feel guilty about my abortion, From Afghan TV fame to a US factory floor. The move places her close to relatives for the first time since she was a child; shes a 15-minute drive from her sister (and fellow violinist) Stephanie Benedetti, along with her 1-year-old nephew Nico and 3-year-old niece Sienna, who received her first miniature violin for Christmas. VIRTUOSO violinist Nicola Benedetti has revealed how she never stopped loving her cellist former boyfriend and still speaks to him every day. Ive heard politicians in Scotland say their focus in education, coming out of this period, is not to prioritise grade results, but to get peoples spirits and souls back to feeling creative and positive. At eight she became the youngest ever leader of the National Childrens Orchestra and at 16 she won the BBCs Young Musician of the Year. Comments have been closed on this article. 2 last fall, and is touring Szymanowskis second concerto with orchestras in Berlin, Manchester and Boston this month. Keith Skeoch, an investment banker who chairs the festivals board of trustees, said: In many ways she reflects the spirit of this festival. "But I just had to get on with it, and I like to think I was a lot more composed by the end of the series.". And I expect a lot from them.. When asked what kind of house she grew up in, she replied, a big one. After first picking up the violin at 4, Benedetti swapped the picturesque Ayrshire village of West Kilbride in Scotland for the extreme environment of the Yehudi Menuhin music school in Surrey, England, five years later. Winner of the GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2020, as well as Best Female Artist at both 2012 and 2013 Classical BRIT Awards, Nicola records exclusively for Decca (Universal Music). It's worth an estimated 2m and previously belonged to an ancestor of Princess Diana. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Her violin concerto to a score by the jazz trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis also won a Grammy that year. NICOLA BENEDETTI violin. Nicola Benedetti has released 12 albums. Nicola Benedetti - Baroque 54,554 views 1 year ago The Italian Baroque, and in particular the music of Antonio Vivaldi, polarises musicians and music lovers alike. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. It combines intensely high-quality musicianship and compositional skill with an absolute mission and a mantra of communication.. Nicola Benedettis new recording out today as a download, with the CD release planned for July brings together his huge, sumptuous 1910 Violin Concerto with three miniatures for violin and piano that nevertheless say a lot in a few minutes. She delivered an assured performance of the Szymanowski concerto with the conductor Karina Canellakis in Berlin, finding a meaty yet tender sustained sound. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. She won a Grammy Award in 2020 for her premiere recording of Wynton Marsalis's Violin Concerto and his Fiddle Dance Suite, both . Nicola Benedetti, who has made a career as a violin soloist, is taking on a festival next, with the aim, she said, to provide the deepest possible experience for people.CreditRobert Ormerod for The New York Times. Nicola took home her first Grammy Award in January 2020, winning the Best Classical Instrumental Solo for her recording of Wynton Marsalis Violin Concerto and Fiddle Dance Suite. Editors' Code of Practice. Another Beethoven recording that urgently demands shelf (or disc) space. Jude Kelly, founder of gender equality charity, the Wow Foundation, and previously the Southbank Centres first female artistic director, called Benedettis appointment a huge step.Until recently, she said, conductors in the classical world were saying women cant really conduct, or they can conduct Mozart but not Beethoven. Benedetti enthuses. Its dangerous and deeply unhelpful to everybody involved. He had a real spirit for change, for making stuff happen, and was very, very ambitious about owning something, and about making money, Benedetti said, adding, hed be the first one to say that, hes not bashful at all about that.. If we dont, perhaps we should be asking ourselves deeper questions: why do we not feel curiosity? Benedetti has an absolute mission of her own. Despite travelling all over the world, Nicola says she hasn't found any country that's more beautiful than Scotland. Her ability to captivate audiences with her innate musicianship and spirited presence, coupled with her wide appeal as a high-profile advocate for classical music, has made her one of the most influential classical artists of today. She premiered James MacMillans Violin Concerto No. Since 2012 she has played the Gariel Stradivarius violin. As a child she studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School before going on to win. Calum graduated from Dundee University's Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2019, before completing his Master's degree at Glasgow School of Art. In addition, Nicola holds the positions of Vice President (National Childrens Orchestras), Big Sister (Sistema Scotland), Patron (National Youth Orchestras of Scotlands Junior Orchestra, Music in Secondary Schools Trust and Junior Conservatoire at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). She became the first woman and first Scottish person to lead[1] the Edinburgh International Festival when she was made Festival Director on 1 October 2022. [4] By the age of nine, she had already passed the eight grades of musical examinations while attending the independent Wellington School, Ayr,[5] and, in September 1997, began to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School for young musicians under Lord Menuhin and Natasha Boyarskaya in rural Surrey, England. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. In March 2022, Nicola became the Director Designate of the Edinburgh International Festival, becoming Festival Director on 1 October 2022. Nicola Benedetti Greatest Hits Playlist - Nicola Benedetti Best Violin Songs Collection Of All TimeNicola Benedetti Greatest Hits Playlist - Nicola Benedetti. The EIF said it had asked him to resign. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. At 34, she is also one of the festivals youngest directors. That should make the thrill for the NYOGB youngsters in the Royal Albert Hall even greater. Last fall, the Edinburgh Film Festival went into administration, which is similar to bankruptcy in the United States. The violin was Edward Elgars instrument, and when he was composing he thought as a string player: you can hear the idiomatic shaping of lines, the relishing of sonorities, in everything he wrote. HP10 9TY. A devoted chamber musician, Nicola collaborates with cellist Leonard Elschenbroich and pianist Alexei Grynyuk, who have been performing as a trio since 2008. Share it, expose it, give it and try to enrich other people with what you have managed to achieve.". Giovanni Benedetti is a retired businessman and one of Scotland's best-known entrepreneurs. By Elizabeth Davis uDiscover Music August 18, 2020. Nevertheless, she insists that one mustnt throw out the baby with the bathwater. Too many times in my life Ive seen, Lets have the whole nation playing the violin in two years, and people saying, Our world will be fixed if that happens, Benedetti said of the organizations constructive role within the wider education ecosystem. In 2019, Nicola formalised her commitment to music in education when she established The Benedetti Foundation. Enough people voted for it, so we have to be creative in tackling those challenges. Since its launch, the Foundation has worked with over 29,000 participants, age 292, from 103 countries through its transformative in-person workshops and online sessions for young people, students, teachers and adults. This person, she said, pointing to the ring. To mark the occasion . Nicola was appointed a CBE in 2019, awarded the Queens Medal for Music (2017), and an MBE in 2013. Johann Sebastian Bach It was a memorable evening for the Scottish-born violinist, who also took home a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. In 2019, Nicola formalised her commitment to music in education when she established The Benedetti Foundation. But she added: I might struggle with not being with somebody that really understood the full extent, or not even understood but was willing to and able to discuss things relating to music its a topic that Im interested in and would like to be able to share with a partner. heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment. And I expect a lot from them., It will be one of the hottest tickets in town, pop music into the festival for the first time, in 2015. Nicola was awarded the Queen's Medal for Music in 2017, the youngest ever recipient, and has received nine honorary degrees to date. I dont have regrets in terms of my personal life. 1 -----Watch the final concert here: https://youtu.be/wI3jm4z4AZsThank you for tuning in to the Virtual Ben. In November, Arts Council England announced upheaval-inducing funding reallocations. Nicola continues to hold key positions in a number of the countrys most established and high-quality youth music organisations including the National Childrens Orchestras (Vice President), Sistema Scotland (Big Sister), National Youth Orchestras of Scotlands Junior Orchestra (Patron), Music in Secondary Schools Trust (Patron), Junior Conservatoire at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (Patron) and many more. [30], Nicola was in a relationship with German cellist Leonard Elschenbroich, whom she met at the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music. Her ability to captivate audiences with her innate musicianship and spirited presence, coupled with her wide appeal as a high-profile advocate for classical music, has made her one of the most influential classical artists of today. Benedetti enters this role at a time when British arts organizations are struggling. Find out more about her best recordings, awards, and her Stradivarius violin. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations with other readers. In 1997, she entered the Yehudi Menuhin School where she studied with Natasha Boyarskaya. Although that relationship has ended, they continue to perform together and are good friends.[31]. This is needed so that they can develop a sense of security and identity. Winner of the GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2020, as well as Best Female Artist at both 2012 and 2013 Classical BRIT Awards, Nicola records exclusively for Decca (Universal Music). This summer, sports began to be allowed massive audiences, while theatres and concert halls were hobbled by continued social distancing. Are we actually looking to hear some origins of Ghanaian drumming, for example, not just a generic Africa as if its a country? Not just somebody who is a fantastic creative person, but somebody who understands policy, and the impact of culture on society.Jennifer Tuckett, the director of University Women in the Arts, a mentoring organisation to help improve the transition for women from studying to working in the arts, said she was delighted to hear of Benedettis appointment.Research by the organisation conducted at the University of Cambridge in 2019 showed that having women in leadership positions and female role models makes a big difference in terms of what seems possible to the next generation, she said. But I see that whichever path you take youre missing something, so yes I could wallow in not having such a settled life but much of that is choice too and I have big things I want to solidify and achieve, and they feed me energy.. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. She is not afraid to express her anger about the provision of music in UK schools: "Decisions have been made, especially in the light of funding cuts, that are, I think, catastrophic to our future as a nation.". Nicola Benedetti, the award-winning Scottish violinist, is to take over as director of the Edinburgh international festival, becoming the first woman to run the event. We were together 10 years and got together when I was 19 and I think people evolve and relationships evolve. Benedetti, who was born in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire, started playing violin at the age of four. Putting names to archive photos, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, In photos: India's disappearing single-screen cinemas. The Benedetti Baroque Orchestra performs eight live concerts at Battersea Arts Centre, July 18-21; bac.org.uk andBaroque Virtual Sessions run online until August 1 at benedettifoundation.org. Edinburgh is twinned with the city of Kyiv and this action is being taken in sympathy with, and support of, its citizens, it said. How does she plan on selling the festivals more traditional audience on all of that? To learn that piece relatively fast and try to do it justice was a challenge and a half, says Benedetti. International Sistema organisations rapidly distanced themselves and Sistema Scotland was one of the first to do so. Nicola champions the commissioning of new works which has recently included Mark Simpsons critically acclaimed Violin Concerto, written for Nicola with the London Symphony Orchestra, and Wynton Marsaliss Violin Concerto which won a GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2020. Are we looking into the diversity that exists within South America? When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Her most recent recording of Elgars Violin Concerto entered at number one in the UKs Official Classical Album Chart and received critical acclaim including a 5* review in The Times: Yet beyond sheer agility, Benedetti offers listeners something even more valuable: a dynamic personal interpretation, refreshing and convincing. Other recent recordings include her GRAMMY award-winning album written especially for her by jazz musician Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto in D and Fiddle Dance Suite for Solo Violin. Nicolas recording catalogue also includes works from Shostakovich and Glazunov Violin Concerti, Szymanowski Concerti (London Symphony Orchestra with Daniel Harding) to.