Spring Concert, May 2007
The Endcliffe Orchestra performed a Spring Concert on Saturday 19th May 2007 at 7.30pm as part of the May Music Festival at St. John the Evangelist, Ranmoor, Sheffield.
The evening's programme included:
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Elgar Cello Concerto - soloist: Benjamin Gregor-Smith
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Bernstein Candide Overture
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Mozart Symphony No. 40
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Joseph Cooper 'Sunrise'
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Rosie Reading 'The Brewing Storm'
Soloist
Our soloist for the Elgar Cello Concerto was Ben Gregor-Smith.
Ben began the cello at the age of seven and in his early years won the “Outstanding Performance Award” four times in the “Music for Youth festival” with his quartet. The quartet also performed in the Royal Albert Hall as part of the School Prom as well as in many other respected venues such as the Purcell room in
London and the crucible theatre in Sheffield. Subsequently Ben has studied with Sue Lowe and Nicholas Trygstadt in the Junior section of the Royal Northern School of Music.
Ben has played in master classes given by Johannes Goritzki and Karine Georgian, and has played in many of the Master classes in the Prades, Pablo Casals Festival where he was taught by Arto Noras. Ben has also studied with Alexander Baillie who wrote of him “He is blessed with a rare natural talent”. In recent years Ben has performed the J.C Bach Concerto, the Elgar cello concerto and Haydn C major concertos with the Sheffield Hallam Sinfonia Orchestra. He has also performed the Haydn C major concerto with the RNCM Junior school Orchestra and has partaken in many music club concerts throughout the country, in France and in Italy.
Ben was chosen to represent the Junior RNCM in the Schumann and Brahms Festival which took place in 2004 in the RNCM. Ben was offered scholarships to two of the major Colleges in England and is currently learning with Hannah Roberts at the RNCM. In 2005 Ben performed in the Lindsay’s farewell weekend where he played the Mendelssohn Octet with the Lindsays and other family members in the crucible theatre.
Ben loves chamber music and participated in last year's Soviet Festival in college where he played the Shostakovich 14th Quartet and he is due to take part in this year's Slavonic festival playing a contemporary work by Petr Eben.