{"id":980,"date":"2009-10-08T18:47:50","date_gmt":"2009-10-08T17:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennethwoods.net\/blog1\/2009\/10\/08\/woods-to-join-orchestra-of-the-swan\/"},"modified":"2009-10-08T18:50:51","modified_gmt":"2009-10-08T17:50:51","slug":"woods-to-join-orchestra-of-the-swan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennethwoods.net\/blog1\/2009\/10\/08\/woods-to-join-orchestra-of-the-swan\/","title":{"rendered":"Woods To Join Orchestra of the Swan"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Stratford-Upon-Avon based Orchestra of the Swan<\/strong> have announced the appointment of American musician Kenneth Woods<\/strong> as their Principal Guest Conductor from 2010.<\/p>\n

Woods, who just completed his tenure as Music Director of the Oregon East Symphony made his debut with Orchestra of the Swan conducting a Haydn anniversary concert at the Shakespeare Summer Proms in June. Woods recently made his first recordings with Northern Sinfonia for Avie Records and has been an active collaborator with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Contemporary Music Ensemble of Wales. In 2001, Leonard Slatkin selected Woods as one of four \u201cDebut Conductors\u201d in the National Conducting Institute, where he conducted the National Symphony in a performance that led the Washington Post to hail him as \u201ca true star\u201d and an \u201cup and coming conductor.\u201d He is particularly known for his performances of Haydn, Schumann and Mahler, and his interest in contemporary music.<\/p>\n

Artistic director David Curtis announced Woods\u2019 appointment, saying \u201cWe are absolutely delighted that Ken has accepted this appointment with Orchestra of the Swan.\u00a0 His performance with OOTS last season was acclaimed by orchestra and audience and I know the players are looking forward to working to working with Ken in the future.\u00a0 This is a very\u00a0ambitious time in the orchestra’s development and Ken’s\u00a0skills on the podium\u00a0combined with his energy and creative vision for the orchestra’s future make this a very exciting appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woods expressed his excitement at the opportunity to work with one of the UK\u2019s most flexible and ambitious ensembles, commenting that \u201cIt was immediately obvious when I started working with the orchestra in June that this is an outstanding group of musicians and artists, with an unusual degree of commitment and cohesion. They\u2019re deeply invested in the orchestra, and that engagement comes through in their performances. It\u2019s a huge tribute to David\u2019s leadership and vision that this young organization combines such artistic maturity with such energy and creativity. I couldn\u2019t be more excited about working with them musically or more optimistic about what the organization can accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woods is expected to make his first recordings with the orchestra in Spring of 2010, and the orchestra indicated that concert dates will be announced in the coming months.<\/p>\n

Under the direction of Artistic Director David Curtis, Orchestra of\u00a0the Swan has achieved national recognition for outstanding\u00a0performances combined with innovative programming and a highly\u00a0accessible style of presentation with pre-concert talks,\u00a0introductions from the podium and post concert ‘conversation club’.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Orchestra of\u00a0the Swan is a major champion of new music, commissioning more new work than almost any other chamber orchestra in the UK.\u00a0 Over the last 5 years OOTS\u00a0has commissioned over 50 new works from composers including John Woolrich, Tansy\u00a0Davies, Joe Duddell, Joseph Phibbs, Errollyn Wallen, Paul Patterson, Alexander Goehr, John Joubert and many others.<\/p>\n

The Orchestra’s home is at the Civic Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon where\u00a0it has been based since its inception; however it has also had\u00a0residencies in Cheltenham, Redditch and Bedworth and\u00a0performs at\u00a0major concert venues and festivals including Symphony Hall,\u00a0Birmingham, Warwick Arts Centre, St John’s Smith Square London, the Three\u00a0Choirs Festival, St George’s Brandon Hill Bristol, Lichfield Festival\u00a0and Deal Festival. Orchestra of the Swan is now an Associate Ensemble for the Town Hall, Birmingham and is the driving force behind the new Spring Sounds Festival which took place in Stratford-upon-Avon with Tasmin Little as Artistic Director in May 2008.<\/p>\n

\u00a0The orchestra’s performances receive widespread critical acclaim in\u00a0the national and regional media and are frequently chosen as Pick of\u00a0the Week in The Guardian and Daily Telegraph. Their debut recording on the Somm Classical lable has received widespread critical acclaim and in June 2008 Orchestra of the Swan appeared on The South Bank Show with Tasmin Little.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Orchestra of the Swan will be making their London debut on Wednesday, October 28 in Cadogan Hall in a concert featuring clarinettist Sarah Williamson. The programme includes works of Copland and Barber and the premiere of a new concerto by Phibbs, to be recorded alongside those of Finzi and Copland the following week. More information is available at www.cadoganhall.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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More on Orchestra of the Swan at www.orchestraoftheswan.org<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0More on Kenneth Woods at www.kennethwoods.net<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0More on David Curtis at www.david<\/strong>conductor.com<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n

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Questions and requests for comment to-<\/p>\n

Orchestra of the Swan<\/p>\n

E-mail:\u00a0 info@orchestraoftheswan.org<\/a><\/p>\n

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