Historical Performance at the Academy

Spring 2013
An update from Margaret Faultless, Head of Historical Performance

Welcome to the 2014 new Year

newsletter from the Historical
Performance department at
the Academy. You will find
reports of some of the many
projects/classes/special events
that have taken place last term
(Autumn 2013) and details of
exciting things to come.
We are already a term into this
year but nevertheless Id like
officially to welcome two new
teachers to the department.
Pamela Thorby, the new professor
of recorder and sackbut teacher
Adam Wolf. Both have already
made their mark not only with
their inspirational one to one
teaching but also through their
enthusiasm and commitment to
chamber music, larger projects
and exciting plans for the future.
Also in a new role is Philip Knight,
acting Departmental Administrator
last year, and now Senior
Administrator without whom the
department would be lost!

Academy curious to find out what

motivates us to use history and
period instruments to inspire our
music-making.
Autumn 2013 included four
significant orchestral projects,
a concert of three Haydn
symphonies in the Dukes Hall, and
three Bach cantata performances,
including one conducted by
the eminent Bach scholar and
performer Masaaki Suzuki, last
years recipient of the prestigious
Kohn Bach Prize. It was a
memorable experience for all on
stage.

There were visits by two

members of the Oberlin Piano
Not only do we run a substantial
Trio and the Mica Comberti
programme of activities for HP
Professor of Baroque Violin,
students, the department is
Rachel Podger, whose infectious
always ready to welcome students
musicianship is an inspiration.
from other departments at the

We are looking forward to the

orchestral project with Rachel
next term, to include a
performance at the Wigmore
Hall and a trip to Denmark.
Like all other departments
at the Academy, in Historical
Performance we are keen to
programme additional activities
under the umbrella of Professional
Development. Collaborations with
the Orchestra of the Age of
Enlightenment took the form of
a workshop on leading education
projects with OAE Education
Director Cherry Forbes, a session
about finances led by Lubbock
Fine, and a seminar on How to
Survive in the Profession.

Lisa Beznosiuk and the Academy Baroque Ensemble

This terms highlights include another four

Bach Cantata performances; January 19th,
February 16th, March 16th and April 6th,
including, in the April concert, my own all time
favourite cantata BWV106, Gottes Zeit ist die
allerbeste Zeit.

For further details of all these projects and other

Academy concerts featuring students from the
Historical Department please see the Concerts
Diary and look on the website or contact our Senior
Administrator, Philip Knight at p.knight@ram.ac.uk.

Mr Haydns Inexhaustible Genius Box continues

with another two symphonies this term
number 6, Le Matin, and number 18 which
will be featured in a departmental workshop on
January 24th where students will be encouraged
to lead the rehearsal process.

Margaret Faultless

The annual dance project with our head of

dance, Mary Collins, culminates in a lunchtime
performance on February 3rd in the Dukes Hall.
The Academys opera this term is Handels
Ariodante, to be performed on historical instruments,
and we are all relishing the prospect of such an
intensive project. There will be three performances
of the opera, taking place on March 18th, 20th and
21st.
On February 26th a further major Handel work,
Israel in Egypt, will be performed in collaboration
with the Chamber Choir from Kings College,
London. This is a wonderful opportunity for our
students to become really well acquainted with
this substantial repertoire piece for professional
orchestras.

Head of Historical Performance

at the Royal Academy of Music