Martyn Brabbins

Martyn Brabbins

Martyn Brabbins (born 1959) is a British conductor. He studied at Goldsmiths College, London University, and later was a conducting student of Ilya Musin at the Leningrad Conservatory.

Brabbins first came to international attention when he was awarded first prize at the Leeds Conductors Competition in 1988. Between 1994 and 2005, Brabbins was Associate Principal Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He became principal conductor of Sinfonia 21 in 1994. He was artistic director of the Cheltenham Music Festival from 2005 to 2007.[1] During his Cheltenham tenure, he established a new ensemble, the Festival Players.[2] In Leeds, he created a new chamber music series called "Music in Transition".[3]

Brabbins also has supervised a training course for aspiring conductors at the St Magnus festival on Orkney since 2002.[4] He became principal guest conductor of DeFilharmonie (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders) in 2009, and his current contract runs through 2013.

Brabbins has conducted commercial recordings of music by Julian Anderson, Benjamin Britten, Cyril Scott, and Michael Tippett. On two occasions he has conducted what he refers to as a "Beethovenathon" — a day-long program of performances of all nine of Beethoven's symphonies (divided into a series of four concerts).[5]

References

  1. ^ Rian Evans (2008-07-22). "Festival Academy/Brabbins (Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham)". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jul/22/classicalmusicandopera2. Retrieved 2008-09-13. 
  2. ^ Andrew Clements (2006-06-23). "The Scottish are coming". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/jun/23/classicalmusicandopera. Retrieved 2008-09-13. 
  3. ^ Alfred Hickling (2005-10-14). "Opera North Ensemble/ Brabbins (The Venue, Leeds)". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2005/oct/14/classicalmusicandopera1. Retrieved 2008-09-13. 
  4. ^ Tom Service (2006-07-14). "The maestro in me". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/jul/14/classicalmusicandopera1. Retrieved 2008-09-13. 
  5. ^ Most recently at Southbank Centre in London on 17 July 2010: BBC Radio 3's In Tune program, broadcast on 12 July 2010.

External links

Preceded by
Michael Berkeley
Artistic Director, Cheltenham Music Festival
2005–2007
Succeeded by
Meurig Bowen