Sonatas CD success

Utterly chuffed with the reception for the second CD in the Romantic sonatas series - those by Brahms, Strauss and (the much underrated) Thuille: CD of the fortnight in Classical Music Magazine, Star CD of the month in Muso and plaudits from The Strad and International Record Review has spurred both Danny and I on to plough on with the project and lay the bulk of the repertoire down. We have already recorded sonatas by Chopin, Saint-Saëns (2), Britten, Shostakovich and Prokofiev such is our insatiable appetite and in February we'll be back to record sonatas by Vierne, Poulenc and Debussy with our trusted and phenomenal team of John West and Andrew Mellor at the Wyastone Estate for Signum Classics - a terrific combinaton all round. But every time we record, it snows (which admittedly suits most of the repertoire).

Having successfully launched next year's festival ('Paths to Russia' - the box office is opening and running a healthy business already) and having secured my Guarneri through investors 100%, I may even relax this Christmas - unusually. It's a truly satisfying end to the year. I'll have some exciting news re the Dvořák and Schumann concertos recording with the Philharmonia in the next couple of weeks . .. .

Seasons greetings to all -

Recordings to come

I think since I was introduced to my Guarneri I've found my true voice and this is currently manifesting in a plethora of recordings as if a dam is bursting. Having finished the Anglo-Russian trilogy (Walton/Shostakovich 1 released November 8th 2010) I am pleased to announce that I shall continue to record with the Philharmonia and specifically the Dvořák and Schumann concertos early next year. My pianist Daniel Grimwood and I are back in the studio the day of the Walton/Shostakovich release with our fourth installment as part of a fifteen sonata project - this is to record sonatas by Britten, Shostakovich and Prokofiev released in the summer of 2011 after the third installment of sonatas by Chopin/Saint-Saëns (2) hitting the shelves in May (it's already recorded and edited). Further CDs include sonatas by Vierne, Debussy and Poulenc plus another of works by Schumann, Janáček and Myaskovsky. Well, when the temperature is right . .. .

The lovely Dawn French

This was taken at a World Trust gala evening at the Royal Albert Hall where I spent a fantastic hour with the radiant and legendary Dawn French - as genuine and funny in real life as you'd expect. What a breath of fresh air in a world so fraught with stress. . .

Third festival and rising

It gives me great pleasure to launch a third successive chamber music festival next year which is now confirmed for 15th to 27th August 2011 ('Paths to Russia') - I along with violinist Jack Liebeck and pianist Daniel Grimwood are to give two piano trio recitals on November 19th and 20th to launch it and as tickets for the 'Vienna to France' festival evaporated fast we're expecting good sales ten months ahead of schedule. All the musicians involved in the terrifically successful 2010 festival have booked themselves back in for next year so we have such an exciting formula set up and the ever expanding audiences are as seemingly passionate as we are. I hear rumours of dwindling audiences in the industry and a lacklustre attitude to classical music pointing towards a dim future but I see no evidence of it in North Yorkshire - in fact quite the opposite. Indeed I found that recent performances at London's Wigmore Hall and Kings Place were full houses - even Simon and Yasmin le Bon attended both, breaking down all elitist barriers between music industries!

On this subject, I have recorded with Simon le Bon and Mark Ronson for the new Duran Duran album released early 2011 and recently performed with Simon at Hampton Court for the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation - read the following link for the interview:

http://www.duranasty.com/exclusive_reports/exclsuive_inteview_jamie_walton_duran_duran%27s_13th_cello_player/Salvo_interviews_Jamie_Walton.htm

Having just performed the Bach solo suites at Tracey Emin's house it's been quite a surreal year!

Festival selling out

I'm pleased to announce that the first of the concerts at my North York Moors Chamber Music Festival has sold out and the remaining seven are selling fast. The demand for tickets has been overwhelming and I'm looking forward to enjoying another two weeks of musical bliss with esteemed colleagues and passionate audiences. After the festival is over the Walton/Shostakovich (1) concertos with the Philharmonia are released by Signum Classics completing the Anglo-Russian trilogy and including the world premiere recording of the revised ending Walton wrote in 1975.

Daniel and I have also been following up our Grieg/Rachmaninov CD with one of Chopin and Saint-Saens (2nd sonata) which is now ready for release after the New Year. Before the year is out we'll be back in the studio to record two further discs of sonatas by Britten, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Debussy, Poulenc and Faure. Our disc of sonatas by Brahms (e minor), Thuille and Strauss is now out on JCL online. Furthermore, I'll be recording the Dvorak and Schumann concertos early next year with the Philharmonia and filming the Britten solo suites as part of a box set of his complete works for cello. I think it's what they call a dam bursting . . . .. .!

Recording and Performing with Duran Duran

An interview about my recent performance with Simon le Bon at the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation

Festival and recording time

It's been such a hectic few weeks; multi-tasking seems to be part of modern life and career these days, not that I'm complaining. I'm pleased to announce the completion of the Anglo-Russian trilogy so the final disc in this set (Walton and Shostakovich No.1 concertos) is now being mastered for an Autumn release. This includes the world premiere of the revised ending William Walton wrote for the concerto in 1975 but until now never heard, performed or recorded. I am privileged to be the first. Perhaps it was destiny with my name . .. . ! We were poised to send Lady Walton this first recorded version but alas, rest her soul, she recently passed away. And so the CD will be dedicated to her memory.

Meanwhile, my pianist Daniel Grimwood and I are following the Grieg/Rachmaninov disc with another coupling: Chopin and Saint-Saëns' (No.2) sonatas, recorded at Wyastone towards the end of this week. For once it might not snow. Although . .. .. .

And later in the year I shall be back in the studio with the Philharmonia Orchestra to record the great Dvorak and Schumann concertos.

My second London performance this year is approaching on May 9th at King's Place with sonatas by Beethoven, Brahms, Britten and Prokofiev. I love London audiences, as I do Yorkshire ones . . ...

. . the second North York Moors Chamber Music Festival is now unveiled - details are up on www.nymchambermusicfestival.org - after last year's sell out festival I am expecting big things for this one and looking forward to it immensely. Do spread the word and come along! Advance booking highly recommended (bookings@nymchambermusicfestival.org or 01751 417795).

The dam has burst and the music shall now pour forth at an intense rate . . . . . . !