Six young musicians have joined BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artist programme, it was announced on In Tune yesterday (2 September).
The scheme, which launched in 1999, welcomes around six new artists each year and offers them the opportunity to work with BBC orchestras and perform on Radio 3. Past graduates of the scheme include pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, trumpet player Alison Balsom and mezzo-soprano Christine Rice.
The artists joining the scheme this year are: the Danish String Quartet, mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately from the UK, Ukrainian soprano Olena Tokar (right), viola player Lise Berthaud from France, Swiss pianist Louis Schwitzgebel and Chinese pianist Zhang Zuo.
‘It’s fantastic to see this next wave of talented young musicians joining Radio 3’s New Generation Artists Scheme,’ said Roger Wright, controller of BBC Radio 3. ‘In its 15 years the scheme has showcased and nurtured some of the brightest musicians working in the classical music world today.’
Radio 3 will be showcasing the New Generation Aritsts in a series of programmes presented by Clemency Burton-Hill.
These six performers will remain on the scheme until 2015 and join the current New Generation Artists, which includes guitarist Sean Shibe, saxophonist Trish Clowes, cellist Leonard Elschenbroich and clarinettist Mark Simpson.
To find out more about current and past New Generation Artists, go to the Radio 3 website.
Josephine Franks