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American Premiere of Huw Watkins' Rondo at The Juilliard School

Oct. 01, 2006

The New Juilliard Ensemble presents the American premiere of Huw Watkins' Rondo on Saturday, September 30 under conductor Joel Sachs at The Juilliard School in New York. Rondo was commissioned by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and saw its world premiere in March of 2005 under conductor Susanna Malkki. Paul Driver of the Sunday Times (London) wrote:
 

"With brilliant economy of means and clarity of notation, Watkins gets a Stravinskian rhythmic leverage [in Rondo], with a rigour that is at one with its beauty."
Mr. Watkins, not yet 30, is already a prominent figure in British music as composer, pianist and teacher. An avid composer of solo, chamber and orchestral music, Watkins has been called "a composer to be reckoned with" and has been receiving commissions since age 22 when his Sonata for Cello and Eight Instruments was premiered by the Nash Ensemble.

Described as "a pianist of alert intelligence and a composer with something to say," Watkins' recent works include the premiere of two concertos for multiple instruments in 2005. His London Concerto for violin, harp, bassoon and orchestra was commissioned and premiered by the London Symphony Orchestra; and Gig, a double concerto for viola and cello, saw its premiere at the BBC Proms. He is currently composing a song cycle for the tenor Mark Padmore and the Peterson Quartet as well as a work for the Britten Sinfonia. Watkins can be heard alongside countertenor Robin Blaze performing Thomas Adès' song cycle The Lover in Winter on an EMI Classics recording.  Mr. Watkins is currently Professor of Composition at the Royal College of Music.

To learn more about Huw Watkins and his work please visit www.schott-music.com

More information on The Juilliard School can be found at www.juilliard.edu

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