An Afternoon of Music for Children - Babar the Elephant

Sunday 29th June, 3.00pm at St Michael’s Church, Elmwood Road, Chiswick W4 3DZ

Tickets £5

The Brandenburg Sinfonia with Robert Porter  Conductor  Sarah Jupe Narrator

Robert Porter - Conductor

Robert (Bob) Porter began studying the bassoon aged 11. By the age of 14 he had been accepted as a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal Academy of Music, and two years later joined the National Youth Orchestra. After studying with Martin Gatt, Roger Birnstingl and Enzo Mucetti he played with every major professional orchestra in London, and was appointed Sub-Principal in the London Mozart Players in 1987. He has taught in the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music since 1973, and as Head of Wind Brass and Percussion since 1985.

As Artistic Director of the Brandenburg orchestras since their inception in the early 1980’s he has shaped the musical ethos of the orchestras and built a unique musical entity, recognised internationally. In addition to regular appearances at all the major venues in London, and a monthly concert series at St Martin-in-the–Fields, the orchestras have undertaken many overseas tours, including three major US tours and a residency in the Barbados Festival. He was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1991 for services to music.

Other positions of responsibility include:

    - Member Artistic Commission of the Jove Orquestra National de Catalunya

    - Associate Music Director of Central Festival Opera

    - Trustee of Josephine Baker Trust

Gary Matthewman - Piano

Gary Matthewman is establishing himself as one of Britain’s leading young pianists. He held the Legal and General Junior Fellowship at the Royal College of Music, was awarded several prizes, graduating with first class honours. Gary developed his strong interest in song and chamber music early on in his studies, and now works almost exclusively within these fields of repertoire.   Abroad, Gary has performed as a recitalist in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Ukraine, Canada, USA, South Korea and New Zealand. At home, he has appeared at the Aldeburgh, Newbury, North Norfolk, Bath and Sheffield (Music in the Round) Festivals, and at London’s Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Opera House, and churches of St-Martin-in-the-Fields and St James’ Piccadilly. He has made numerous live broadcasts and recordings for BBC Radio 3.

Gary has enjoyed performing alongside some of today’s most exciting artists, both firmly established and from the new generation. These include Elizabeth Watts (soprano), Simon Keenlyside (baritone), Robert Murray (tenor), Dame Josephine Barstow (soprano), and the Sacconi and Sorrell String Quartets.

Sarah Jupe - Narrator

Sarah has been the regular storyteller at Richmond’s Lion and Unicorn bookshop. In her MA in Children’s Literature she specialized in storytelling, and since then has worked with an arts education company using storytelling to teach the basics of maths and another project developing children themselves as storytellers. She has studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama and at the London Centre for Theatre Studies. She has taught drama and run storytelling and literature based drama projects for primary school children. She is trained as a primary school teacher and teaches in year 1. Sarah appeared as narrator in the 2006 Grove Park Music Festival in a performance of Peter and the Wolf with the Brandenburg Orchestra conducted by Sarah Tennant-Flowers.

Children will have an afternoon of musical fun, and hear the winners of the singing competition.