{"id":5307,"date":"2013-08-01T17:35:48","date_gmt":"2013-08-01T17:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennethwoods.net\/blog1\/?p=5307"},"modified":"2013-08-02T23:29:13","modified_gmt":"2013-08-02T23:29:13","slug":"kenneth-woods-appointed-principal-conductor-of-english-symphony-orchestra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennethwoods.net\/blog1\/2013\/08\/01\/kenneth-woods-appointed-principal-conductor-of-english-symphony-orchestra\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenneth Woods Appointed Principal Conductor of English Symphony Orchestra"},"content":{"rendered":"

KENNETH WOODS UPS TO PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR OF<\/strong><\/p>\n

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ENGLISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA<\/p>\n

\"Kenneth<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo-Benjamin Ealovega<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kenneth Woods<\/a><\/strong>, who was appointed Artistic Director of the\u00a0English Symphony Orchestra<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s new Malvern-based subscription series in December 2012, has been promoted by the Worcestershire-based\u00a0orchestra\u00a0to the post of Principal Conductor. The American-born, Cardiff-based Woods becomes the orchestra\u2019s first principal conductor since the passing of Vernon Handley in 2008.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started exploring possibilities with Ken towards the end of last year, asking him to curate the Malvern concert series during 2013, at the end of which we planned to take stock,\u201d comments the ESO\u2019s CEO Peter Sheeran.\u00a0\u201dIn the event, his involvement with the different elements that make up the ESO has been a shot in the arm for us and we see every reason to bring forward his appointment.\u00a0We are announcing our new season next month and want to have Ken at the forefront of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woods comes to the ESO following a highly successful tenure as Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestra of the Swan, with whom he has made an\u00a0acclaimed series of recordings of the symphonies of Hans G\u00e1l and Robert Schumann<\/a>, earning the orchestra its first \u201cGramophone Editor\u2019s Choice.\u201d Numerous other plaudits have brought OOTS to the attention of a new global audience, with coverage from The New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio in the United States and BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4 in the UK, among others.<\/p>\n

Ken\u2019s passion for taking music to all kinds of listeners and venues is very much in line with the ESO\u2019s motto of \u201cMusic for Everyone.\u201d He embraces the future of both the ESO\u2019s concert and community projects with equal enthusiasm. \u201cMy colleagues in the ESO do the work they do in schools, care homes, hospices and on youth orchestra courses because they believe in it. The musicians have stayed loyal to the orchestra through the years because, as many of them have told me, it\u2019s the orchestra they\u00a0want\u00a0to play in\u201d said Woods. \u201cWhat could be more exciting for a conductor than to work with colleagues who want to be there, who believe in everything the orchestra is doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ken\u2019s admirable work in bringing classical music to rural and under-served communities began in his native America through the National Endowment for the Arts Rural Residency Program, where as cellist of the Taliesin Trio he set up a dynamic chamber music program in\u00a0Mississippi County,\u00a0Arkansas, part of the poorest congressional district in the\u00a0United States. He previously served as Music Director of the Oregon East Symphony in the small\u00a0 rodeo town of\u00a0Pendleton,\u00a0Oregon, an orchestra once described as \u201cthe most remotely situated full symphony orchestra on the planet.\u201d With the OES Ken not only developed the orchestra\u2019s concert activities through a highly-praised \u201cRedneck\u201d Mahler cycle, numerous premieres, commissions, regional tours and composer residencies, but also co-founded a multifaceted educational program called \u201cPlaying for Keeps,\u201d comprising two training orchestras, a children\u2019s chorus, a summer music camp, regular youth concerts and support for private instrumental lessons and instrument rental.<\/p>\n

Ken\u2019s resume includes guest conducting with the BBC\u00a0National Orchestra of Wales, State of Mexico Symphony and National Symphony Orchestra (Washington D.C.), and appearances at the Aspen, Scotia and Round Top music festivals.\u00a0He has recorded with Northern Sinfonia and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and in August makes his first recording with the English Chamber Orchestra. An eloquent communicator, Ken has been heard frequently on the BBC, most recently taking part in the BBC Proms Literary Festival discussing A Mahler Anthology, a selection of readings about the composer, including letters, reviews and biographies. His widely read and respected blog\u00a0A View from the Podium<\/a>, is one of the 25 most read classical music blogs.<\/p>\n

Details of the English Symphony Orchestra\u2019s 2013-14 season will be announced in early September, and will include a number of exciting initiatives, including debut performances in new venues and the appointment of a composer-in-association. The English Symphony Orchestra\u2019s autumn season opens on September 27th\u00a0at\u00a0Christ\u00a0Church\u00a0in Malvern, with Woods conducting a programme featuring the music of Mendelssohn and the Concerto for Cello and Strings by Hans G\u00e1l.<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

All media enquiries, interview and image requests: Melanne Mueller,melanne@musiccointernational.com<\/a>,\u00a0\u00a0+44 (0) 20 8698 6933 or\u00a0+1 917 907 2785<\/p>\n

To learn more about Kenneth Woods visit\u00a0http:\/\/kennethwoods.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the English Symphony Orchestra visit\u00a0www.eso.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

September 27, 2013<\/p>\n

Mendelssohn<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cHebrides\u201d Overture\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Gal<\/strong>\u00a0Concertino for Cello and Strings<\/em><\/p>\n

Matthew Sharp\u00a0cello<\/em><\/p>\n

Mendelssohn<\/strong>\u00a0Symphony No. 3, \u201cScottish\u201d \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

November\u00a0 22, 2013<\/div>\n

Tchaikovsky<\/strong>\u00a0Andante Cantabile<\/em>\u00a0 (arr. from String Quartet No. 1)<\/p>\n

Shostakovich<\/strong>\u00a0Chamber Symphony, Op. 83a<\/em>\u00a0(arr. from String Quartet No. 4)<\/p>\n

Tchaikovsky<\/strong>\u00a0Violin Concerto<\/em><\/p>\n

Tamsin Waley-Cohen\u00a0violin<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n