Nigel Kennedy

Nigel Kennedy , born the December 28th 1956 with Brighton, is a British Violoniste .

Biography

Child, Nigel Kennedy is protected from the famous Yehudi Menuhin which finances its studies and makes him integrate its school. He joined then prestigious the Juilliard School of New York, brooded by the leader of the American violonists Dorothy DeLay. He makes his beginnings in 1977 with the Philharmonic orchestra of London, directed by Riccardo Muti, with an interpretation of the concertos for violin of Mendelssohn to the Royal Festival Hall, then joined the Philharmonic orchestra of Berlin in 1980.

A world recognition

He carries out in 1984 its first recording, the concertos for violin of Edward Elgar with the Philharmonic orchestra of London and Vernon Handley, which becomes gold disc with 300.000 sold specimens and receives the rewards of Enregistrement of the year 1985 according to the Gramophone magazine and Meilleur album of classical music to BPI Awards . then an album of Jazz. According to an unusual journey, Nigel Kennedy continues his collaboration with the traditional formations like the Philharmonic orchestra of New York in 1987, but also with great names of the music pop, such as Paul McCartney or Kate Bush.

Its very dynamic interpretation of the famous Four Seasons of Antonio Vivaldi in 1989 brings to him a world recognition with an album which will rise in the third place of British classifications with more than two million sold specimens, which will be worth a quotation with the to him Livre Guinness of the records like Meilleurs sales of a traditional work .

A crowned eclipse of success

An surgical operation with the nape of the neck in 1992 encourages Nigel Kennedy to withdraw music scene, decision discussed and mediatized with excess. It uses this five years sabbatical leave to write its own frays compositions of elements of Celtic musics, Rock and Jazz. Its return in April 1997 on the international scene in the concerts détrone elections of the ones of the British newspapers, whose criticisms do not dry up praises: “ In my life, only one violonist British produced something of also daring and as graying as that. The play of Kennedy betrays his new maturity. No other violonist on Earth would be capable of such an extraordinary stylistic transition ” according to the Times.

Nigel Kennedy carries out in 1998 a crowned round of success in North America, the first of long series which lead it in the major events of the world traditional scene. Of return in studio, Nigel Kennedy undertakes to re-record the concerto for violin of Edward Elgar, and in the tread the concerto for violin and orchestra the take-off of the lark of Vaughan Williams with Simon Rattle and the Symphony orchestra of the town of Birmingham. It devotes its following album to works of the large violonist and type-setter Fritz Kreisler and records then The Kennedy Experience in 1999, collection of personal works in homage to Jimi Hendrix.

The same year, the troublemaker of the classical music joins to the large violoncellist Lynn Harrell to produce a disc acclaimed by criticism on works of chamber music of Jean-Sebastien Bach entitled Ravel & Kodaly . It publishes then a compilation of small works with the Chamber orchestra of London, Classic Kennedy , which once more shines in the first place of the sales of classical music to the the United Kingdom. Always also eclectic, Nigel Kennedy produced in 2000 a concert based on works of the rock group The Doors.

Triumph and prestige

Under its direction, Nigel Kennedy records this year, with the Philharmonic orchestra of Berlin, four concertos for most famous violin and wood of Bach: the concerto for two violins in minor D, the concerto for wood and violin in D minor and concertos for violins in the major minor and Semi. Nigel Kennedy gives then several concerts of international repute with the orchestra of Berlin, and receives, during the ceremony of the Brit Awards to the Royal Albert Hall of London, a reward for its extraordinary Contribution to the British music , and in 2001, the reward of the male artist of the year .

In 2002, Nigel Kennedy starts a series in concerts of the Four seasons of Vivaldi with the orchestra of Berlin and a trio of Polish musicians of Warsaw baptized Kroke . To celebrate his twenty-five years of career, Kennedy undertakes a series of exceptional representations with the Polish chamber orchestra, of which he becomes artistic director in September, thus succeeding that which was its mentor, Yehudi Menuhin.

Talent

Kennedy made much to popularize the Classical music, in particular near the young people. In France, its service on line with the Victoires of the classical music in 2005 was particularly noticed and appreciated audience: one saw it traversing the scene length into broad with the same energy which animates its bow, step which breaks with the traditional opposition to progress of the traditional musicians. He also played and recorded the majority of largest the concerti for violin.

Although its aggressive personality is regarded by certain as a brake with its career, many respected musicians have a great regard for him. With one of them, the Violoncellist Lynn Harrell, it recorded a duet which was accepted.

Kennedy feels very concerned by the rough charm in the concerts, and often it records whole pieces or movements in only one catch to preserve this emotion. It also introduces elements improvised into its concerts, as a rate inspired of Jimi Hendrix in the concerto for violin of Beethoven and of course in recordings of Jazz and fusion.

Instruments

Nigel Kennedy has or played on violins of:

Guarneri del Gesu, manufactured in 1735,
Stradivari,
Scott CAD.

External bonds

Interview and live performance
nonofficial Site devoted to Nigel Kennedy

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