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Soloists with the Westmorland Orchestra
2005-06 Season

ANTHONY GOLDSTONE
Beethoven Piano Concerto no. 3
3rd December 2005

Anthony Goldstone makes a most welcome eighth appearance with the Orchestra. Described by the New York Times as "a man whose nature was designed with pianos in mind", Anthony Goldstone is recognised as one of Britain's most respected pianists.

After his studies at the Royal Manchester College of Music, international prizes in Munich and Vienna and a Gulbenkian Fellowship launched him on a busy schedule of recitals and concertos, of which he plays eighty. His travels have taken in concert appearances in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia, prestigious festival invitations and very many broadcasts. Numerous London appearances have included important solo recitals and Promenade Concerts.

The combination of the partnership enjoyed by Anthony Goldstone and our conductor Barry Sharkey and a dramatic Beethoven concerto promises a great centrepiece to the concert.

EMMA HANCOCK
Saint-Saens Violin Concerto no. 3
18th March 2006

Still only 24, Emma Hancock made her London debut aged 10 in the Purcell Room. At 14 she performed Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in the Queen Elizabeth Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, broadcast live on Classic FM. After graduating with a 1st Class Music degree from the Royal College of Music, Emma Hancock has won numerous prestigious awards and has become an experienced recitalist both at home and abroad.

Emma aged five

Since her last appearance with the Orchestra in 2002, Emma has moved to the USA to continue her studies at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with the Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Andres Cardenes. She herself is Concertmaster of the University Orchestra and since arriving in Pittsburgh has worked as Concertmaster of both the Pittsburgh Opera Theatre and Pittsburgh Opera/Ballet as well as playing in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. For this appearance with the Westmorland Orchestra, Emma is working with her father as conductor.

MICHAEL HANCOCK
conductor 18th March 2006

Our guest conductor for the March concert is well-known both locally and abroad, as pianist, singer, conductor and examiner. Recent performances have included conducting the Carlisle International Festival Chorus and Northern Chamber Orchestra in a performance of Mozart's Requiem, singing the bass arias in Bach's St Matthew Passion and playing the two-piano version of Saint-Saen's Carnival of the Animals.
He is delighted to be invited to conduct the Westmorland Orchestra.

TAFFY THOMAS MBE
Prokofiev Peter and the Wolf
20th May 2006

Taffy Thomas trained as a Literature and Drama teacher at Dudley College of Education. After a spell teaching, he founded and directed the legendary folk theatre company, Magic Lantern, travelling Europe illustrating folk songs with shadow puppets and much more!

He founded and directed the rural community arts company, Charivari, with their popular touring unit, the Fabulous Salami Brothers, which he fronted and performed in until a stroke at the age of 36 sidelined him. He turned back to story telling as self-imposed speech therapy. He has built up a repertoire of more than 300 stories, tales and elaborate lies collected mainly from traditional oral sources which he is happy to tell in almost any situation.

He is now the most experienced English storyteller having pioneered residencies and appeared at the National Storytelling Festival in the USA and the Bergen Arts Festival in Norway. At the BBC Proms 2001, he performed at the Albert Hall in a new collaboration with composer Barry Russell.

He is currently artistic director of Tales in Trust, the Northern Centre for Story telling in Grasmere. In the 2001 New Years Honours List he was awarded the MBE for services to storytelling and charity.

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