Christopher Stark, Conductor
Chris Stark is based in South London and is Principal Conductor of the Multi-Story Orchestra, which he co-founded in 2011. Multi-Story began as an orchestra that performed in a Peckham Car Park and now involves work in various spaces around the country. Their work has been recognised by the RPS and they have made various appearances at the BBC Proms. Chris is particularly drawn to projects that are ambitious in a drive to broaden access to classical music. He works extensively in community and amateur projects and is Principal Conductor of the Blackheath Halls, Ernest Read, Dulwich and Finchley Symphony Orchestras.
Chris studied the piano and cello growing up, playing in the National Youth Orchestra, and turned to conducting orchestras and operas whilst a Choral Scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge. Since graduating he has worked extensively as an Assistant Conductor, for organisations such as Glyndebourne Festival and Tour, the BBC Proms, Aurora Orchestra, Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment, Oper Köln, Garsington Opera, Gürzenich-Orchester and the Philharmonia Orchestra. He has a particular interest in contemporary music; for Multi-Story he has conducted the works of John Adams, Gerard Grisey, Louis Andriessen, Terry Riley, and has conducted world premieres by Kate Whitley, Dani Howard, Matt Rogers, and Emma-Ruth Richards. Chris has also recorded for NMC and broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
(Photo Courtesy of Lidia Crisafulli)
David Burton, Leader for first half of Wednesday concert
David divides his time between leading Henley Symphony Orchestra and Redhill Sinfonia, playing chamber music with the Hamming String Quartet, conducting and teaching. David is a founder member of the Hamming String Quartet, now in it’s fourth decade and which has been giving regular recitals nationally and internationally. Having performed all of Shostakovitch’s 15 quartets the Hammigs are embarking on an odyssey of Bartok’s complete oevre. As conductor he has worked with Redhill Sinfonia, Dorking Chamber Orchestra and directed numerous workshops and residential courses for keen amateur musicians.
Jonathan Farey, Horn Soloist
Jonathan Farey is a freelance horn player based in London. He works regularly with some of the finest orchestras in the country, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Jonathan has been invited as guest principal horn for orchestras including the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Radio appearances include performances live from the studio on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, for numerous broadcasts on BBC Radio 2 and 3 with the BBC Symphony and Concert Orchestras and the BBC Proms, as well as multiple live streams as principal horn for RTE’s Lyric FM with the National Symphony Orchestra in Ireland. Film and Television recordings include the Royal Ballet’s collaboration with the BalletBoyz for Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker, and the Britten Pears production Grimes on the Beach. Jonathan’s studio recordings include appearances on Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, as well as numerous film releases recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
Jonathan holds a great enthusiasm for opera, and as well as performing with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, and as principal horn with Opera North, Welsh National Opera, and for Opera Holland Park, Jonathan also holds a seat with English Touring Opera and regularly tours the country with them. He has a particularly soft spot for Puccini, and has performed on numerous runs of La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Rondine, and Manon Lescaut.
A passionate advocate for chamber music, Jonathan is a member of the Magnard Ensemble wind quintet. The ensemble are members of the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust, and have performed at prestigious venues including the Wigmore Hall, KKL Lucerne, and the Hay Literary Festival. As soloist and chamber musician, Jonathan has performed alongside Ailish Tynan and Simon Lepper for Schubert’s Auf dem Strom at Lake District Summer Music, and for multiple performances of Schubert’s Octet, including at Southwell Music Festival.
Previous solo commitments include performances at the London Handel Festival, as well as performances of the Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Mozart Horn Concertos, Strauss Horn Concertos, and Jacob Horn Concerto. Jonathan is a champion of 20th Century British music and holds the premiere recordings for Stephen Dodgson’s Sonata for horn and piano, duo for horn and harp, and Hugh Shrapnel’s Sonatina for horn and piano.
Adrian Bradbury, Cello Soloist
Adrian Bradbury was principal cello in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain before winning scholarships to Churchill College, Cambridge (where he read Veterinary Science and Music) and then to the Royal Academy of Music. After further study in Berlin he developed an international career in chamber music as the cellist in Composers Ensemble, Jane’s Minstrels, Trio Gemelli, Touchwood Piano Quartet and Chamber Domaine, winning a Royal Philharmonic Society Chamber Award and giving world premieres of solos and chamber works by Thomas Adès, Guy Barker, Judith Bingham, Tansy Davies, Dai Fujikura, James MacMillan, Naresh Sohal, Hugh Wood and John Woolrich.
Adrian is a regular guest principal player with orchestras including BBC Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera, Ensemble Modern, London Sinfonietta, London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and is Cello Tutor for the National Youth Orchestra.
His research into ensemble synchronisation, in collaboration with Professor Alan Wing, is published by the Royal Society and led to invitations to curate a ‘Music and Brain’ series at the Aldeburgh Festival and to appear as speaker on BBC Radio 4’s ‘PM’ and ‘Today’ programmes and on Radio 3.
His discography includes the complete operatic fantasies of 19th-century cello virtuoso Alfredo Piatti (with pianist Oliver Davies) and ‘The Pre-Raphaelite Cello’ (with pianist Andrew West).
(Photo copyright Richard Hughes)