麻豆约拍

The annual announcement of the six musicians lucky enough to be chosen for our prestigious scheme is always an exciting moment for 麻豆约拍 Radio 3. It marks the end of a long search 鈥� involving many days at home listening to carrier-bags-full of CDs, evenings spent at concerts and recitals, and often heated debates with colleagues; 听but, more importantly, the beginning of what鈥檚 invariably a joyous voyage of discovery for all concerned, involving the forging of friendships for life, and music-making at the very highest level.

The scheme was set up in 1999 as a platform for young artists demonstrably on the threshold of an international career; 15 years later, the extended NGA 鈥渇amily鈥� has over 100 musicians to its name, from pianists to string quartets, via just about everything else, including a trumpeter, a guitarist, and now 鈥� for the very first time 鈥� a French horn player. To give you an idea of the sort of people we鈥檙e talking about, just take a look at the 2014 麻豆约拍 Proms Guide: no fewer than five current members of the scheme have graced the Royal Albert Hall stage this season, and the list of former members making an appearance at the world鈥檚 greatest classical music festival (over a dozen at the last count) includes pianists Benjamin Grosvenor, Jonathan Biss, Ingrid Fliter and Francesco Piemontesi, soprano Elizabeth Watts and violinist Janine Jansen, both of whom will be bringing glamour in spades to the Last Night party, and trumpeter Alison Balsom who kicked off this year鈥檚 global celebrations in such style with the China Philharmonic Orchestra.

In terms of what being a New Generation Artist involves, like all the best relationships it鈥檚 about give and take. At the same time as giving our audiences the chance to hear the very best of emerging international talent, the artists themselves have the mind-boggling possibility of being heard by around 2 million dedicated Radio 3 listeners. We choose the musicians we think are at that particular point in their careers when they鈥檇 benefit most from our help 鈥� which comes in the form of live broadcasts of chamber music concerts as well as concertos with the 麻豆约拍 orchestras, recording sessions at Maida Vale studios, an appearance in our prestigious Monday Lunchtime Concert series from London鈥檚 Wigmore Hall, perhaps a Prom, and for some, the opportunity to commission a new work.

It鈥檚 also fantastically useful to have a pool of incredibly talented musicians who can help us out 鈥� perhaps by popping into the studio and recording a newly discovered bit of Tchaikovsky, say, taking part in Children In Need (as happened last year), or participating in a sell-out evening concert as part of Radio 3鈥檚 recent Southbank residency.

Membership is for two years, which means that there are always at least 12 New Generation Artists on the scheme. I鈥檝e worked with the NGAs for over a decade now, and there鈥檚 nothing quite as rewarding as seeing these fantastically talented young people developing at a rate of knots during their time with us, grasping every opportunity we throw at them, and very often forging musical partnerships that will last a lifetime. We recently convened four members of the scheme to record one of the greatest and most challenging chamber works of the 20th century, Olivier Messiaen鈥檚 Quartet for the End of Time.

NGA violinist Elena Urioste recently told me that, "admittedly, there were moments of chaos, of severe fatigue and huge frustration; but there were also goosebumps, tears of overwhelming joy, and glimpses of that intimacy that can only exist between musicians who are inhabiting the exact same space at the exact same time, accessed through a portal which only great music can open.鈥� I couldn鈥檛 agree more.

The New Generation Artists 2014-16 are:

• Alec Frank-Gemmill (French horn)
• Armida Quartet (String Quartet)
• Benjamin Appl (Baritone)
• Esther Yoo (Violin)
• Narek Hakhnazaryan (Cello)
• Pavel Kolesnikov (Piano)

The New Generation Artists 2013-15 are:

• Danish Quartet (String Quartet)
• Kitty Whately (Mezzo Soprano)
• Olena Tokar (Soprano)
• Lise Berthaud (Viola)听
• Louis Schwizgebel (Piano)
• Zhang Zuo (Piano)

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Emma Bloxham is Lead Producer, 麻豆约拍 Radio 3 New Generation Artists

• about 麻豆约拍 Radio 3's New Generation Artists Scheme