Classical music has been known to have a calming effect on people for centuries. Many people turn to classical music to relax after a long day at work or to help them sleep at night. But why is classical music so calming?
Preparing for a concert is a bit like preparing for a job interview; with the exception that you face a panel of 80 or so players, staring and waiting to decide in the first five minutes of a rehearsal if you're the worst candidate in history or not. That first three-hundred seconds can make or break you, regardless if you have a baton in your hand or just a good old CV - and as anyone who has been successful in an interview knows, it's all in the preparation. So how does this conductor prepare for those three-hundred seconds?
Robert Emery talks to John Rutter, composer and conductor best known for his choral compositions, including many Christmas carols and anthem. John talks about his process of composing, the commission to write an anthem for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and how tragedy stuck in 2001 with his son being killed in a road accident. He of course also answers a quick-fire round of questions culminating in the big question; Composing or Conducting?
It's Q&A time! I run this fun little escapade on my Facebook page, and I’ve decided to port some of the fabulous questions into this blog post. I’ll endeavour to keep it updated as and when I’m not painting my nails.
Hate is a strong word. I try to use it sparingly; cold-callers saying I've been involved in an accident when I haven't, people who sniff and don't use a tissue, computer viruses, and kumquats are all things I hate. Dubstep and Death Metal music I dislike, but can't say I have the passion of hatred for them. It consequently amazes me the number of people who say they hate classical music. Here and now I'm going to give you proof that classical music defamers unknowingly like the genre. There are five pieces that even the classical-haters secretly love, so if you ever meet said person, you can shove this article in their face and sing as loudly as possible DA DA DA DUUUUUUMMMMMMMM!
I thought it was time to change that, so here are three incredible composers you’ve never heard of - until now.
In this special episode of the 'Backstage with Robert Emery' podcast, RDCE discusses if the genre of classical music is alive and kicking, or if it's as dead as the press would like you to believe.
Preparing for a concert is a bit like preparing for a job interview; with the exception that you face a panel of 80 or so players, staring and waiting to decide in the first five minutes of a rehearsal if you're the worst candidate in history or not. That first three-hundred seconds can make or break you, regardless if you have a baton in your hand or just a good old CV - and as anyone who has been successful in an interview knows, it's all in the preparation. So how does this conductor prepare for those three-hundred seconds?
We all know our Beethoven to Beatles (the band, not the insect) and Mozart to Madonna (the singer, not the depiction of the little baby Jesus's Mother); but just like the TV market, we are scared to try an unknown brand, or in this case composer. We live in a world of celebrity; so if the composer is not well-known, then they're not a ‘celebrity’ and often overlooked or dismissed.
I thought it was time to change that, so here are three incredible composers you’ve never heard of - until now.
Easter has inspired some of the greatest works in classical music. First of all let’s get the whole religion thing out of the way; YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE RELIGIOUS TO ENJOY THIS MUSIC! Right. Now I’ve said that, in my humble option, here are five incredible Easter pieces you need to listen to before the boulder is moved for the 1986th time…
I am often asked what it's like to be a musician, and with respect, that's almost as broad as asking what it's like to be a human. I'm pretty confident that a day in the life of Robert Emery will be radically different from Puff Diddly, or Simon Cattle; yet we are all musicians, allegedly. So if the making of music is the only thing that connects us, what is it like to be this musician?
The journalist Jeremy Clarkson has his gargantuan stomach and the pianist Glenn Gould had his wooden chair. Novelist Mary Shelly (think Frankenstein) wrote with a Boa Constrictor around her neck, and artist Salvador Dalí carried around a piece of Spanish driftwood. Nigel Kennedy performs in an Aston Villa t-shirt and Robert Emery, yes that's me, conducts barefoot.
In part II of this special episode, the ‘Backstage with Robert Emery’ podcast discovers the secrets of making a number one album. Working closely with RDCE for a few years, Joanna works hard to find out exactly how he produced her two albums and made the first one go straight to number one.
Most of you know me as a conductor. Someone who waves my arms around in unusual patterns and in return, I usually get paid in pounds; unless I'm working in the desert where they offer me a couple of camels instead. Conducting however has been a minor part of my life compared to what I always wanted to be; a pianist. But how did I choose a musical instrument?
In this special episode of the ‘Backstage with Robert Emery’ podcast, RDCE discovers the secrets of making a number one album. To turn things on their head a little, he has swapped seats and is being interviewed by the soprano, Joanna Forest.