The first Virtual Benedetti Sessions culminate with a packed weekend of activities on 30 & 31 May
Final Celebration Concert, Sunday 31 May, 16.00 BST
Highlights include:
- Paganini Technique Postcards concludes as Nicola Benedetti is joined by ten leading violinists including Andrés Cárdenes, Ilya Gringolts, Augustin Hadelich, Alina Ibragimova, Pekka Kuusisto and Elena Urioste offering top tips and advice on Paganini’s Caprice 24 (Sat 30 May, 13.00 BST/ YouTube & Facebook) followed by the premiere of their complete performance (Sat 30 May, 13.30 BST/YouTube & Facebook)
- ‘Sister, Sister’: Gethin Jones interviews Nicola Benedetti and her sister Stephanie Benedetti about their musical childhood (Sat 30 May, 13.45 BST/ YouTube & Facebook) followed by the premiere of an exclusive duet from the Benedetti Sisters (Sat 30 May, 14.15 BST/ YouTube & Facebook)
- Panel discussion with Nicola Benedetti and Friends (Sat 30 May, 16.00 BST/YouTube & Facebook)
- Your Life is Your Education: Nicola Benedetti shares her thoughts on the place of music and education in society (Sun 31 May, 12.15 BST/YouTube)
- Rachel Cooper, Laura van der Heijden, Tom Poster and Elena Urioste join Nicola Benedetti to discuss performance anxiety (Sun 31 May, 13.45 BST/YouTube & Facebook)
- Violinists Play Along with Us: Join Nicola Benedetti and friends for a violin play along (Sun 31 May 15.15-15.45 BST YouTube & Facebook)
- Facebook live sessions with Foundation Tutors including:
- A Virtual Sessions’ Quiz with Rachel Cooper (Sat 30 May, 11.30 BST)
- Tutor’s Technique Time (Sat 30 May, 14.30 & 15.15 BST)
- Improvisation Jam Session with Richard Michael (Sun 31 May, 11.30 BST)
- Paganini Percussion Party led by Patrick King – learn the rhythms needed to join in the finale of the Virtual Sessions celebration concert (Sun 31 May, 13:00 BST)
- Final Celebration Concert features the four pieces that have been worked on over the last three weeks: Warlock’s Capriol Suite, Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, an abridged version of Vaughan Williams’ Fantastic on a Theme by Thomas Tallis & a special arrangement of Paganini’s Caprice 24 by the Ayoub Sisters (Sun 31 May, 16.00/YouTube & Facebook)
The Benedetti Foundation is now in the final week of its Virtual Sessions providing musicians of all ages and stages, from all over the world, with three weeks of consistent online tutorials and inspirational workshops. Since Monday 11 May, over 7,000 participants have been preparing collectively for a final weekend of activity on 30 & 31 May, celebrating the coming together of the global music community. The Final Celebration Concert will take place on Sunday 31 May at 16:00 BST on YouTube and Facebook.
The final weekend is the culmination of three weeks of music, laughter and hard work and will feature a mixture of pre-recorded performances, live warm-up and technique sessions from Foundation Tutors, advice from leading musicians and educators, panel discussions, a live sing along and play along, a percussion party and more.
Programmes of activity are available for young musicians, conservatoire and university level music students, instrumental teachers, adult learners, non-instrumentalists, amateur musicians, parents, siblings, and anyone else wanting to bang a pot or pan! All the Sessions on YouTube will remain available for anyone to view.
Nicola Benedetti commented, ‘The last three weeks has been an overwhelming experience for us all at the Foundation. From the enormous numbers that signed-up, to witnessing the dedication and perseverance people have shown towards this process. Playing instruments is difficult. Making music and being expressive, exposing our vulnerabilities and taking a risk, especially in front of people or sending it out into the world is difficult. Even though I don’t know many of the people who have participated, I am deeply proud of each and every person and I hope that everyone has enjoyed the experience, learnt a great deal, and now feels inspired to continue with their musical journey whatever stage they might be at. The brilliant team at the Foundation have all learnt so much and have loved this process we have embarked on together.’
Global Reach:
- 7,157 people signed up for the Virtual Sessions in five days.
- In the UK, the Benedetti Foundation has reached every Local Authority in Scotland, every county in England, every local council area in Northern Ireland and 18/22 counties in Wales
- Globally, 66 countries are represented with sign-up from people in 41 US states.
- In the first two weeks, the Foundation has published over 200 videos, delivered 46 live Zoom sectionals to approx. 1,700 string players weekly, 300 instrumental teachers and delivered 25 live sessions.
- Facebook viewing minutes currently stand at 270,000 and the YouTube content has been viewed 400,000 times.
Weekend Schedule: Note all times are BST
Saturday 30 May
10.00 – 10.30 Welcome to the Final Celebration Weekend: Exciting, interactive presentations from Nicola Benedetti & the Foundation Tutors (YouTube and Facebook)
10.45 – 11.15 Rhythm Warm-Up with Elsa Bradley (Facebook)
11.30 – 12.00 Family Fun: Virtual Sessions’ Quiz with Rachel Cooper (Facebook)
12.15 – 12.45 Take an Intermission with Elena Urioste & Melissa White (YouTube and Facebook)
13.00 – 13.30 Paganini Caprice No. 24: An incredibly diverse and eclectic group of great violinists from across the world share their top tips and advice on each variation (YouTube)
13.30 Premiere: The complete Paganini Caprice No. 24, performed by this incredible group of virtuosos from all over the world (YouTube and Facebook)
13.45 – 14.15 ‘Sister, Sister’ – Gethin Jones interviews Nicola and Stephanie Benedetti (Facebook)
14.15 Premiere: Exclusive Duet from the Benedetti Sisters
14.30 – 15.00 Tutor’s Technique Time: Beginners and intermediate Level Strings (Facebook)
15.15 – 15.45 Tutor’s Technique Time: Advanced Level Stings (Facebook)
16.00 – 17.00 Panel discussion with Nicola Benedetti and Friends (YouTube and Facebook)
Sunday 31 May
10.00 – 10.30 Morning Sing Along with Lucy Drever (Facebook)
10.45 – 11.15 Family Music Making Activities with Lucinda Geoghegan (Facebook)
11.30 – 12.00 Improvisation Jam Session with Richard Michael (Facebook)
12.15 – 12.45 Your Life is Your Education: Nicola Benedetti shares her thoughts on the place of music and education in society (YouTube)
13.00 – 13.30 Paganini Percussion Party! with Patrick King (Facebook)
13.45 – 14.15 Discussion: Performance Anxiety with Nicola Benedetti, Rachel Cooper, Laura van der Heijden, Tom Poster, and Elena Urioste (YouTube and Facebook Live)
14.30 – 15.00 Nicola Benedetti chats with conductor Karina Canellakis
15.00 Premiere: Abridged version of Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, rehearsed and re-recorded virtually by Tutors and Ambassadors of the Virtual Benedetti Sessions conducted by Karina Canellakis (YouTube and Facebook)
15.15 – 15.45 Violinists Play Along with Us: Join Rachel Cooper (Beginners), Elena Urioste and Tom Poster (Intermediates) and Nicola Benedetti (Advanced) for a play along with us. Sheet music will be posted on the Benedetti Foundation website to download on Saturday morning.
15.45 – 16.00 Pre-Concert Chat: Nicola Benedetti (Facebook)
16.00 – 17.00 Final Celebration Concert (YouTube and Facebook)
Tutors:
Tutors are drawn from across the UK’s conservatoires, orchestras and educational institutions; a full list can be seen at www.benedettifoundation.org.
All content can be viewed on Nicola’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/6ZSYfIgrtLI
For general enquiries about or to pledge financial support to the Foundation, please contact:
Laura Gardiner, Director, Benedetti Foundation
Tel: +44 (0)7515 882901 | Email: laura@benedettifoundation.org