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Kathryn Tickell

News

Welcome everyone…

Welcome everyone to a sparkling new web presence for Kathryn which we hope you will enjoy viewing, listening to and commenting upon. Mailing list liaison will be active in the next few days and we’re looking forward to being in touch. Kathryn’s on Twitter, much to her own surprise, so please do encourage her! Warm thanks to the web design and build people at Kiosk and Kleber — Kathryn joins clients such as Sade, Dido, Lily Allen, Sony Music… Kathryn’s Northumbrian smallpiping is entering the 21st century and beyond! Quite right too we say.

Kathryn and the Penguin Café

8th September was a memorable night at the BBC Proms. Kathryn was welcomed as the only artist to have performed with the original incarnation of the Penguin Café Orchestra, led by Simon Jeffes, and now with his son Arthur’s continuation of the ensemble. A touching interview with Kathryn in The Guardian describes her friendship with Simon, who died at the young age of 48, and how he encouraged her instinct to work with less than obvious collaborators. Arthur Jeffes, together with Kathryn and the entirely new line up, proved themselves unmistakably bestowed with the Penguin Café ethos. Reviewed in The Guardian, John Walters remarked upon a young band with a mix of personalities and skills similar to the original PCO: they play like friends.’ 

The Proms performance is available on BBCiPlayer.

Kathryn on BBC Radio 2 — 12th May

Kathryn is featured on The Mike Harding Show, 7pm UK time, on BBC Radio 2. Mike Harding interviews Kathryn and plays and tracks from the recently released ‘Best Of’ CD compilation of her work from the past 25 years. She discusses her musical upbringing in Northumberland, what inspired her to take up playing the pipes, and some of the many diverse musical projects she’s been involved with over the years.

The ‘Performances’ section of the website has been updated, at long last. Check the section for details of performances in the summer. Autumn dates to be added soon. Some fabulous Kathryn Tickell Band performances are in store at Spitalfields Festival, Haverhill Arts Festival, National Forest Folk Festival and Chester Summer Music Festival. Plus some beautiful new work to be unveiled as Kathryn joins Joanna MacGregor at Guiting Festival in July and is the special guest of the Penguin Café Orchestra at the BBC Proms in September.

Kathryn on BBC Radio 2 — 12th May

Kathryn is featured on The Mike Harding Show, 7pm UK time, on BBC Radio 2. Mike Harding interviews Kathryn and plays and tracks from the recently released ‘Best Of’ CD compilation of her work from the past 25 years. She discusses her musical upbringing in Northumberland, what inspired her to take up playing the pipes, and some of the many diverse musical projects she’s been involved with over the years.

The ‘Performances’ section of the website has been updated, at long last. Check the section for details of performances in the summer. Autumn dates to be added soon. Some fabulous Kathryn Tickell Band performances are in store at Spitalfields Festival, Haverhill Arts Festival, National Forest Folk Festival and Chester Summer Music Festival. Plus some beautiful new work to be unveiled as Kathryn joins Joanna MacGregor at Guiting Festival in July and is the special guest of the Penguin Café Orchestra at the BBC Proms in September.

Sky Arts and BBC1… and Happy Christmas!

December 23 Sky Arts 1 | 8am + 11.15am + 10pm (UK) | “Kathryn Tickell’s Northumbria”

Another chance to see this beautifully filmed documentary about Kathryn, the landscape’s influence on her music and how she is passing on folk skills to younger generations.

December 29 BBC 1 | 10.50pm (UK) | “Sting’s Winter Songbook”

Kathryn, with Julian and Peter of the Kathryn Tickell Band, can also be spotted in this programme. In conversation with Alan Yentob, Sting and an eclectic mix of folk, rock and classical musicians, work on folk songs, carols and ballads, both in the studio in Italy and at Durham Cathedral. Sting also revisits haunts of his youth in Newcastle and meets up with the formative members of his early bands. All good wishes for a peaceful Christmas and a very happy 2010!

BBC2 Culture Show — 26th Nov

Kathryn with Sting – Amendment to BBC2 Culture Show date:

This is now due to be broadcast on 26th November (not 2 November as previously listed). Still to come, Wed 4 November, This Morning, ITV and later that day the Alan Titchmarsh Show, ITV. If you manage to see any of the TV features, do post your comments on our Guestbook.

TV appearances 1, 2, 4 November; performances November-December

Kathryn will appear on a few TV programmes coming up soon, to promote Sting’s new album ‘If On a Winter’s Night…’ The latest schedule we have is as follows:

  • Sunday 1 November, BBC1 Andrew Marr, Sunday AM
  • Monday 2 November, BBC2 Culture Show
  • Wed 4 November, This Morning, ITV; also Alan Titchmarsh Show, ITV

Just a few UK dates for the Kathryn Tickell Band this autumn, but they’re good ones:

  • Friday 13 November, SaltaireLive, West Yorkshire
  • Saturday 14 November The Junction, Cambridge
  • Sunday 15 November, Buxton Opera House, Buxton, Derbyshire
  • Monday 16 November, Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, Cumbria

Click on ”Performances” for more details and box office info. Kathryn then performs with Sting as follows:

  • Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 December, St John the Divine, New York
  • Tuesday 15 December, Salle Pleyel, Paris, France
  • Thursday 17 December, Festspielhaus, Baden Baden, German
  • Sunday 20 December, Sage Gateshead

Click on ”Performances” for details and ticket links.

NEW Double CD… “The Best of Kathryn Tickell”

A total of 31 tracks, including the full version of ‘Favourite Place’, the CD booklet also features a long interview with Kathryn about this thoughtful collection. Available from the ‘Shop’ section here.

Amid December concerts with Sting in New York and Europe, and plans for special projects in 2010, it’s a busy yet festive time. For next year do book early for Kathryn Tickell Band performances February to June see ‘Performances’ section for details, further dates to be added.

The full track listing for the ‘Best Of…’ collection which for technical reasons can’t be fitted on to the webpage… is as follows, for those of you that would like to know

CD1

  1. Our Kate/The Welcome Home
  2. Lads of Alnwick Sunderland Lasses Peacocks March
  3. Peter Man
  4. Stories from the Debateable Lands
  5. The Wedding/Because he was a Bonny Lad
  6. Side Echoes Down the Side
  7. Rip Off Pharaoh The Mountain Stream/Captain Scuttle
  8. Westoe
  9. Favourite Place
  10. Bill Charlton”s Fancy
  11. Jockey lay up in the hayloft/Bellingham Boat
  12. Brafferton Village Walsh’s Hornpipe
  13. Jamie’s Air/Jamie’s Jig In the Shadow of the Angel
  14. Rothbury Hills

CD2

  1. Hareshaw Burn
  2. Rhymeside
  3. Small Wild
  4. Stagshaw Bank Fair/Shew’s the way to Wallington Mile to Ride
  5. Gin ye kiss my wife/I’ll tell the Minister/Inverness Gathering
  6. Dunstanburgh/Kathryn’s Favourite
  7. Thomas McElvogue’s No 2 Cuckold Came out of the Amrey Thomas McElvogues No 3
  8. What it is Fare Well
  9. Here’s the Tender Coming Captain Bover
  10. Tune for Matt Robson Kathleen
  11. Roly Gentle Hot Rivets Tartar Frigate Closed Face Reel
  12. Midton Road Pots Pencils Sheep on the Moor
  13. Alan Catherine’s Wedding Jig
  14. Flower of the Quern
  15. Tiger’s First Bird
  16. Pipes Lament
  17. Corn Fiddler Coquet Sight

Concerts coming up!

The month of May takes The Kathryn Tickell Band to the Sacconi Chamber Music Festival in Folkestone (15 May) for the first time, performing in a brand new venue, The Quarterhouse; an overdue visit then to the inspiring surroundings of Theatre Chipping Norton (16 May); an already well-subscribed Sheffield date takes place on 17 May, an event co-promoted by ASSIST, Sheffield’s asylum seekers’ charity. The band are delighted to feature at Salisbury Festival (29 May), followed by a much-requested visit further south-west taking them to Tavistock Wharf (30 May). Bath International Music Festival on 31 May hosts a special Kathryn Tickell Band concert to include a guest appearance by Andy Sheppard. (Kathryn and Peter’s duo concert at the 2008 Bath Festival was sold out so do book early).

June features two very different festivals: the Big Session at de Montfort Halls, Sunday 21 June where the band joins a fabulous line up on the Sunday including the Oysterband, Adrian Edmondson & the Bad Shepherds, Alasdair Roberts and more. Kathryn travels on to the Orkneys where she features at St Magnus Festival with Psappha ensemble, performing ‘Kettletoft Inn’, a piece specially composed for Kathryn by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (23 June). A duo concert with Peter follows later that day then the rest of the band join them for a concert on 24 June.

Saturday 18 July the band visit Nidderdale Festival, Nr Harrogate, for the first time as part of an arts programme featuring music, theatre, talks and outdoor events set in beautiful countryside. Another great day out is in store at the much-lauded Folk by the Oak festival, staged at Hatfield House where the grounds are open from 11am, music commencing at 2pm, with a super line up also featuring Kate Rusby, Lau, Jim Moray, Karine Polwart, Chris Wood and, adding to the north-eastern contingent, The Shee. Please check the performances section of the website for box office numbers and links to websites. Hope to see you this summer!

Kathryn Tickell to be awarded Queen’s Medal for Music

Kathryn Tickell is to be awarded the prestigious Queen’s Medal for Music. The award will be formally announced by Master of the Queen’s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, at a ceremony at The Sage Gateshead on Monday 26th January.

Approved by the Queen, this annual award is presented to an individual (or group of musicians) who is judged to have had a major influence on the musical life of the nation. The nominating process for the recipient of the medal is overseen by a Music Committee under the chairmanship of the Master of The Queen”s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. The committee members are Michael Berkeley, Nicholas Kenyon, William Lyne, the Honourable Sir Humphrey Maud, Richard Morrison and Lord Moser. Previous recipients have included the Welsh tenor Bryn Terfel, composer Judith Weir and the conductor Sir Charles Mackerras (winner of the first ever Queen’s Medal for Music in 2005).

Speaking of the announcement and Kathryn’s work, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies said, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to present the Queen”s Medal to Kathryn Tickell as she is not only the foremost Northumbrian Pipes player, a great composer and a wonderful all-round musician, but for her work in music education and in putting the pipes and the music of her own part of England back among the public where it belongs, and also spreading a love of this music throughout the whole world.” Kathryn will be presented with the Medal itself in a private audience with The Queen later this year.

The Sage Gateshead’s acclaimed youth folk ensemble, Folkestra, will perform live at a special event to celebrate the announcement at The Sage Gateshead on 26th January. Folkestra, which was founded by and is still directed by Kathryn Tickell, is a unique collaborative group whose repertoire includes traditional music and members” own compositions. With two successful CDs and a growing national reputation for energetic live performances, Folkestra has performed at numerous concerts and festivals across the country, from Towersey to Edinburgh, and most recently at the BBC Proms first ever Folk Day in 2008, performing a specially commissioned piece written by Kathryn herself.

Kathryn Tickell was recently appointed Artistic Director of Folkworks, one of the founding partners of The Sage Gateshead. In this role, which she will take up from September 2009, Kathryn will be responsible for providing artistic leadership, advice and inspiration for the folk music programme within The Sage Gateshead, and for other Folkworks projects taking place regionally, nationally and internationally, including the annual programme of Summer Schools.

Kathryn Tickell is a composer, performer and successful recording artist whose work is deeply rooted to the landscape and people of Northumbria. She also works collaboratively across many genres, making her work contemporary and exciting, and putting her firmly at the forefront of the current folk music revival. In 2008 she became the first folk musician in history to be commissioned to write a piece for the BBC Proms. It was written for The Sage Gateshead’s unique collaborative regional youth ensemble Folkestra (of which Kathryn remains Music Director), Muzsikás, London Sinfonietta and London Young Musicians. One of the foremost composers of our time and Master of the Queen’s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, composed a piece especially for Kathryn, commissioned by The Sage Gateshead and premiered with musicians from Northern Sinfonia in October 2006 and aired on BBC Radio 3.

Winner of BBC Radio 2 Folk Award’s Musician of the Year in 2005, Kathryn was the subject of a Channel 5 television documentary ‘Kathryn Tickell’s Northumbria’, which is being broadcast again this Sunday (18th January) on Sky Arts 1 at 8pm, and has made numerous TV and radio appearances. In July 2007, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by University of Northumbria for her outstanding and inspirational achievements.

Ends

Notes to editors:

  • Background of the award
  1. The nominating process for the recipient of the medal is overseen by a Music Committee under the chairmanship of the Master of The Queen’s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.
  2. The committee members are Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, The Lord Moser, William Lyne, Sir Nicholas Kenyon, Richard Morrison, The Hon. Sir Humphrey Maud and Michael Berkeley.
  3. The 75mm medal is designed by Bethan Williams and is cast in silver. All costs relating to the medal are funded by the Privy Purse.
  • Folkworks played a key role in the planning and development of The Sage Gateshead and along with the other founding musical partner, Northern Sinfoni
  • The Folkworks programme continues within the music centre through the wide ranging programme of concerts, weekly classes, Absolute Beginners Workouts, and festivals, including the forthcoming Fiddles on Fire Festival over the Easter weekend in April 2009
  • To find out more about Kathryn Tickell, including upcoming performances, visit www.kathryntickell.com
  • To find out more about Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, visit www.intermusica.co.uk/maxwelldavie

For more information, images or interview requests please contact: Helen Fussell, Head of Strategic Communications, The Sage Gateshead (t) 0191 443 5037 (e) [email protected]

Date of release – 15th January 2009

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