2010 Updates

By Morgan | January 21, 2010

This autumn will also see the premiere of a new guitar concerto by Alec Roth, written for Morgan Szymanski and the Orchestra of St. Martin in the Fields.

2010 also sees the launch of Sarabande Records, a label set up by Morgan and Dylan Szymanski to continue providing high quality recordings by the UK’s most promising young artists. For further information please visit www.sarabanderecords.com

As a recitalist Morgan starts the year performing works by Oliva, Ponce, Lauro, Barrios and Piazzolla and the British Museum’s ‘Moctezuma’ exhibition amongst the prints of Kahlo, Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros amongst others (second performance on 25 March). May sees Morgan’s solo debut recital in Vienna’s Musikverein. Chamber music projects include collaborations with ODuo (percussion), Ruth Rogers (violin), Clara Mouriz (mezzo-soprano) and concerts in China and Germany with Adam Walker (flute), as well as concerti by Rodrigo, Ponce and Piazzolla. Highlights in the first half of the year include performances for the City of London, North Norfolk Music and Bermuda Festivals as well as a concert to commemorate the of the Bicentenary of Mexico, Argentina and Chile at London’s Bolivar Hall. Other solo recitals include Oxford Hollywell Rooms, Deal Festival and Canterbury as well as tours of Mexico, Chile and Argentina.

For further information please visit Morgan’s concert diary.

Featured Artist, Classical Guitar Magazine November 2008

By Morgan | October 31, 2008

The November 2008 issue of Classical Guitar Magazine features Morgan Szymanski on its cover and includes a three page interview with photos. Interviewed by Oliver McGhee, the interview includes discussions on technique, life as a musician, influences and future plans.

www.classicalguitarmagazine.com

This year saw the fruition of collaborations with distinguished artists, instrumentalists and orchestras, leading to a varied output of repertoire and performances. Collaborations in 2008 included performances with John Williams (guitar), the Sacconi Quartet, Odeion Quartet (South Aftrica), Gemma Rosefield (‘cello), Alison Balsom (trumpet), Clara Andrada (flute), Ruth Rogers (violin), Mark Padmore (tenor), Machaca, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Cadogan Hall and Fairfield Halls), Southbank Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony and the CBSO Youth Orchestra.

Recordings included the release of ‘Songs in Time of War’ – the music of Alec Roth on the Signum Label (www.signumrecords.com)) with Mark Padmore, Phillipe Honore and Alison Nicholls. Morgan also recorded Heitor Villa-Lobos’s ‘Prelude No.1’ for Ginkgo Music (www.ginkgomusic.com), project Tropical Forest Ecuador. Profits from this CD will go towards the preservation of the Ecuatorian rain forest.

Premieres included the world premiere of Morgan Szymanski’s ‘Zambezi Sarabande’, for children’s choir, massed marimbas and guitars and string quartet – performed at the closure of the Bulawayo Music Festival in Zimbabwe. The collaboration between Morgan Szymanski and ODuo, which already includes a wealth of repertoire by Piazzolla, Machado, Brouwer, Ponce and Lauro led to the creation of a new piece for guitar and percussion: ‘Los Ambulantes’ by Stephen McNeff. ‘Los Ambulantes’ are the street vendors, jugglers, clowns, musicians, acrobats and dancers that live on the streets of Mexico City. The work was premiered at the Wigmore Hall, and was performed at the Mexico tour of Machaca, to critical acclaim. The arrangements of ‘Five English Folk Songs’ by Alec Roth for tenor and guitar were premiered at a concert for the Rochdale Music Society with Mark Padmore.

January 2008

By elvallesano | February 2, 2008

During the first half of 2008 Morgan Szymanski will be involved in series of projects involving chamber music, concerti and solo recitals. January sees performances with the Saconni Quartet, performing Alec Roth’s Quintet for Guitar and Strings (especially written for the Saconni Quartet and Morgan Szymanski) as well as Simone Iannarelli’s Valzer Brillante (both recorded on Machaca – Mano a Mano) as well as works by Vivaldi, Giuliani and Boccerini.Other chamber music projects include a collaboration with the ODuo (Oliver Cox and Owen Gunnell) performing works by Ponce, Piazzolla, Bellinati and Lauro as well as the World Premiere of a new work especially written for the trio by Stephen McNeff. This work entitled ‘Los Ambulantes’ is inspired on the street vendors of Mexico City and will be premiered at the Wigmore Hall (10th of March). The trio will also be performing at St. George’s in Bristol. Other collaborations include recitals with Clara Andrada (flute), Gemma Rosefield (cello), Alison Balsom (trumpet), Ruth Rogers (violin), Laura Mitchell (soprano) and Mark Padmore (tenor).Morgan will be performing Joaquin Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London’s Cadogan Hall (26th of February) and Fairfield Halls (7th June) and makes his debut with Southbank Sinfonia, (7th and 8th of March) and the Colne Philharmonic Orchestra (15th of March). April will see a series of solo recitals in Mexico as well as concerts with Machaca for the Festival de México en el Centro Histórico and the Anglo-Mexican Foundation (13th, 15th and 17th of April), whilst May sees a return visit to Zimbabwe, with concerts in Harare and the Bulawayo Festival.

Autmun 2007

By elvallesano | September 10, 2007

This autumn Morgan Szymanski will be performing Joaquin Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (14th of November, Wolverhampton), the Hallé (17th of November, Manchester) and the Orchestra of the Swan (17th of October, Stratford-on-Avon; 19th of October, Bedworth; 21st of October, Birmingham).

He will also be performing at the London International Guitar Festival in a tribute to Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro (10th of October) and a tribute to Andrés Segovia with Carlos Bonell (24th of October) at London’s Bolivar Hall.

Chamber music projects include two concerts with the ODuo (11th of September, Rye Festival; 18th of October, Stratford-on-Avon) and a duo recital with violinist Ruth Rogers (30th of November, London). Morgan will also be taking part in a new recording of the works of Alec Roth. Solo recital dates include concerts in Loughborough, Rye, Hertfordshire, and Bracknell.

For further information please consult the concert diary.

News 2007

By elvallesano | February 13, 2007

This year Morgan Szymanski makes his debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing Joaquin Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ in May, as well as the launch of his new CD, Machaca – Mano a Mano, in the Purcell Room in London’s South Bank during London’s Latin American Music Festival ‘La Linea’ 2007.

Other exciting projects include the performance of Alec Roth’s ‘Quintet for Guitar and Strings’ with the Sacconi Quartet at the Bangor New Music Festival as well as concerto’s with the Hallam Sinfonia in Sheffield, the Charities Philharmonia in London’s St. John’s Smith Square and the Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra.

Solo recitals include London’s Blackheath Halls, the Hollywell Rooms in Oxford and festivals in France, Mexico and the UK.

Chamber music projects include work with Machaca, Ruth Rogers, Gemma Rosefield, Laura Mitchell, Phuong Nguyen and the ODuo amongst others as well as duo recitals with his former teacher, Carlos Bonell.

November 2006

By elvallesano | August 18, 2006

1st-10th Tour of Ireland with Soprano Laura Mitchell.

Wednesday 1st: St John’s Arts Centre, Co Kerry.