She added that, while her older sister Stephanie was now married and other friends were settling down with partners and children, she has no regrets about her personal life. Founded to revitalise European classic music in the aftermath of the second world war, the Edinburgh international festival has sought to increase its artistic and cultural diversity under Linehan and his Australian predecessor, Sir Jonathan Mills. Last fall, the Edinburgh Film Festival went into administration, which is similar to bankruptcy in the United States. I always thought that she was keen to expand in that direction, said Richard Morrison, the chief culture writer for The Times of London, adding, that did rather shock me, that shed be prepared to devote quite so much of her time and energy to that huge project.. To learn that piece relatively fast and try to do it justice was a challenge and a half, says Benedetti. Her ability to captivate audiences and her wide appeal as an advocate for classical music has made her one of the most influential artists of today. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. The violin Nicola plays is called the Gariel, made in 1717 by Stradivarius. 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. Benedetti has been guarded about her private life in the past and, when asked by presenter Edi Stark, Is there anybody in your sights? she only said: Maybe, maybe not, I dont know. Think how much more fun that made the afternoons, says Nicola. Her 2012 album The Silver Violin was the first solo instrumental album in decades not only to top the classical charts but also enter the top 30 pop album charts. 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. Im not saying that singing a song is the answer to everybodys problems. Giovanni Benedetti is a retired businessman and one of Scotland's best-known entrepreneurs. 1. Violinist Nicola Benedetti has announced a new series of ' With Nicky ', her education video series which aims to support and educate young musicians with practice tips and inspirational guidance. JAMES MACMILLAN Violin Concerto No. So in terms of my violinistic chops, I had a long way to go, in full view of the public.. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. In October 2003, as the extra feature on this DVD, "Playing With Passion" was filmed and released by Mattel. Despite travelling all over the world, Nicola says she hasn't found any country that's more beautiful than Scotland. [9] Despite winning the competition, The Times reported that Benedetti was snubbed by Jack McConnell, the then First Minister of Scotland, who thought that there was insufficient public interest to merit a personal message of congratulations. [citation needed]. Upon leaving, she continued her studies with Maciej Rakowski and then Pavel Vernikov. Nicola plays the Gariel Stradivarius (1717), courtesy of Jonathan Moulds. Benedetti was awarded honorary doctorates from Glasgow Caledonian University in November 2007 and from Heriot-Watt University in 2010,[17] and honorary degrees from the University of Edinburgh in November 2011. This account already exists. Nicola Benedetti is one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation. With concerto performances at the heart of her career, Nicola is in much demand with major orchestras across the globe. For people in the live performance industry, its difficult not to draw those comparisons and feel youre being unfairly penalised.. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. IF BENEDETTI IS AMBITIOUS, that stems from her father, Gio. Johann Sebastian Bach If we dont, perhaps we should be asking ourselves deeper questions: why do we not feel curiosity? Further engagements include the world premiere of James MacMillans Violin Concerto with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, a tour to Japan with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Hall, DSO Berlin, St Louis Symphony, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony and Orchestre de Paris amongst others. She left the Menuhin School shortly after and, at the age of 15, began studying privately with Maciej Rakowski, the former leader of the English Chamber Orchestra.[7]. 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. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. This is all part of building a contemporary musical life that really connects with todays audiences and reflects their experience. Nicola Joy Nadia Benedetti CBE (born 20 July 1987) is an Italian-Scottish classical solo violinist and festival director. An Italian migr who left school in Scotland at age 15, he would later embark on a series of financially successful, idiosyncratic business ventures in dry cleaning, cling-film dispensers and first-aid kits. Its dangerous and deeply unhelpful to everybody involved. The great unknown is how much, in a really tricky climate, the Benedetti factor will end up benefiting the festival, said Brian Ferguson, an arts correspondent for The Scotsman. Theres a lonely quality to the soloist world, and especially because I didnt go to college, she said. entry level java developer internship; dodgy builders queensland. In March 2022, Nicola became the Director Designate of the Edinburgh International Festival, becoming Festival Director on 1 October 2022. 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. Benedettis vibrant, beefy full-throttle tone is made for the concerto, and shes an assertive soloist, never disappearing into the glowing textures the London Philharmonic weaves around her. 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." Robert Ormerod for. Dealing with Brexit, well need ingenuity and creativity to solve problems, because a hell of a lot more will be coming our way: logistical issues, getting materials shipped here, all these tariffs and restrictions that we knew were potentially going to be difficult. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. To hear that in Scotland was incredibly heart-warming. Benedetti quickly shuts down questions about her personal life, and about the large ring on her finger. What science tells us about the afterlife. Enough people voted for it, so we have to be creative in tackling those challenges. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Benedetti enters this role at a time when British arts organizations are struggling. Enter your password to log in. About. Putting names to archive photos, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, In photos: India's disappearing single-screen cinemas. In May 2004, at the age of 16, Benedetti won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, performing Karol Szymanowski's First Violin Concerto in the final at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. This music was intended to be understood and easily communicable. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. The EIF said it had asked him to resign. [18] She was awarded an honorary degree from the University of York[19] in August 2020. 1 by Max Bruch. 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. How does she plan on selling the festivals more traditional audience on all of that? Are we looking into the diversity that exists within South America? [12] That same year, Benedetti was lent the 1717 "Gariel" Stradivarius by London banker and London Symphony Orchestra Board member Jonathan Moulds. And I expect a lot from them.. Editors' Code of Practice. In 2021, BBC Music Magazine named her Personality of the Year for her online support of many young musicians during the pandemic. 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. Share it, expose it, give it and try to enrich other people with what you have managed to achieve.". National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain, Member of the Order of the British Empire, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, "Nicola Benedetti becomes first woman and first Scot to lead Edinburgh international festival", "Nicola Benedetti to become our next festival director", "Violinist Nicola Benedetti Named BBC Young Musician of the Year", "Benedetti makes music, not stardom, priority", "Rankin the toast of Scotland as fans sing his praises", "McConnell bows to pressure over young musician", "Prom 76: Last Night of the Proms review", "Banker lent me 6.3m Stradivarius after he heard me playing", "Portrait Artist of the Year, review: Barry Humphries was the very model of wit in this vibrant finale", "Sky Portrait Artist of the Year: Young Bonnybridge graduate is first Scot to take title", "Violinist Nicola Benedetti debuts in Rome", "Nicola Benedetti Studying at York, University of York", "Violinist Nicola Benedetti receives Order of the British Empire", "BBC 100 Women 2015: Who is on the list? What about the Baltic countries and eastern Europe? She works with orchestras in Europe and America as well as with Alexei Grynyuk, her regular pianist. Nicola Benedetti is one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation. The pieces with piano Salut dAmour, Sospiri and Chanson de Nuit are almost the flipside to this. I have a lot of trust in people, she said. A Gannett Company. Nicola was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours list, awarded the Queens Medal for Music in 2017, the youngest ever recipient, and was appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2013 in recognition of her international music career and work with musical charities throughout the United Kingdom. EDINBURGH Not long into an interview with the violinist Nicola Benedetti, there was a knock at the door. On Monday evening, the festival announced that Valery Gergiev, the Russian conductor who is a close friend and ally of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had stepped down as its honorary president. In 2019, Nicola formalised her commitment to music in education when she established The Benedetti Foundation. Keith Skeoch, an investment banker who chairs the festivals board of trustees, said: In many ways she reflects the spirit of this festival. 2 at the Proms on 7 August; bbc.co.uk/proms and is artist-in-residence at the Edinburgh Festival, August 14-21; eif.co.uk. Winner of the 2020 GRAMMY Award for "Best Classical Instrumental Solo," as well . contact the editor here. Teddy Jamieson, senior features writer for The Herald in Scotland, said of Benedetti, Shes always been very serious about what she does, and really interested in the place music has in society its role, its worth. That, coupled with her undimmed energy as a self-starter, resulted in the Benedetti Foundation, a music education project she started in 2019, which provides large-group opportunities for string players of all abilities. And family, she quickly added. Nicola Benedetti Founder and Artistic Director Nicola Benedetti is one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation. "I've always been drawn to the figure, and there is something about it that I find really interesting, but I'm not putting any limits on how my work develops. [6][8] As a result of gaining the award, she came first in the music section of the Top Scot award in December 2005. Johann Sebastian Bach I dont think its a healthy direction. Sospiri is beautifully done, Benedettis tone silky and contained yet electric; its an initially bleak picture of despair that lifts just slightly into something hopeful at the end. Violinist Nicola Benedetti stunned audiences at the 62nd Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony last night with an elegant solo performance. 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. I dont see me ever affording it.. His previous portrait subjects on the Sky Arts show included actress Kelly Macdonald and Pink Floyd's Nick Mason. Its third director, Robert Ponsonby, was 30 when he took control in 1954. I think Im in a good position to be saying, Heres why chips taste fantastic to somebody who hasnt tasted them, said Benedetti, who, in addition to her work as an acclaimed instrumentalist and educator, recently began her tenure as the director of the Edinburgh International Festival. The Foundation unites those who believe that music is integral to a great education and demonstrates ground-breaking teaching by producing and delivering innovative and creative musical experiences accessible to all. All kinds of areas have unbelievable musical traditions. Nicola Benedetti 2 years ago Happy Holidays from Nicky and the Benedetti Foundation. Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland series Stark Talk, to be broadcast today, she said she was still not ready to settle down, and she would struggle to be in a relationship with a partner who couldnt share discussions about music. Nicola Joy Nadia Benedetti CBE (born 20 July 1987) is an Italian-Scottish classical solo violinist and festival director. "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.". Benedetti said that she doesnt expect resistance from Edinburgh International Festival regulars: I have a lot of trust in people.