James Barralet
Encyclopedia
James Barralet is a British cellist.
, Barralet started playing the cello
at the age of five, studying with Hannah Roberts
at the Royal Northern College of Music
and Thomas Demenga in Basel Hochschule für Musik where he was awarded the Soloists Diploma.
He complemented his studies by taking master classes with Steven Isserlis
, Ralph Kirshbaum
, Boris Pergamenschikow, Miklós Perényi and Pieter Wispelwey
.
Barralet was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society
Julius Isserlis Scholarship in 2003 to fully support two years study abroad and won the Landor Records Competition in 2007. His other awards include the Muriel Taylor Cello Scholarship, a Hattori Foundation Scholarship, Musicians' Benevolent Fund
awards and several others.
James Barralet has performed extensively throughout the UK and Europe
, as a concerto
soloist with many orchestras, and as a recitalist at numerous festivals including the Newbury Spring Festival, the Ryedale Festival, Warwick International Festival, Stratford-Upon-Avon Chamber Music Series, Brighton Festival and the Northern Aldborough Festival.
He is also known for his collaboration with Indian music
artists, and as a chamber musician is the cellist of the Bacchus Piano Trio with Alasdair Beatson and Thomas Gould, and the Williamson Clarinet Trio with Sarah Williamson and John Reid. Barralet also serves as guest principal cellist with many UK orchestras.
As an advocate of contemporary music, he has made premiere recordings of the 1971 first movement of Benjamin Britten's Third Cello Suite
, and of Edwin Roxburgh's
Partita. He performed the Partita alongside Kenneth Hesketh's
Die Hängende Figur ist Judas at the Purcell Room
in a Park Lane Group concert in 2008, and the following year, he performed Zoltán Kodály
's Sonata for Solo Cello and György Ligeti
's Sonata for Solo Cello
at his critically acclaimed Wigmore Hall
debut recital.
In addition to performing, Barralet also arranges music for cello octet. His 'Four Folk Songs' have been performed in festivals and concerts in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, the US and the UK, and feature folk music from India, Hungary and Russia.
Barralet records for Landor Records UK and his debut recording, a solo cello disc of works by Kodály
, Roxburgh
and Britten
, was released in October 2009. Since 2007, Barralet has been represented by Margaret Murphy Management.
Biography
Educated at Solihull SchoolSolihull School
Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England.2010 saw Solihull School celebrate its 450th anniversary since its foundation in 1560....
, Barralet started playing the cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
at the age of five, studying with Hannah Roberts
Hannah Roberts
Hannah Roberts is a British cellist best known for her duets with her husband, pianist Simon Parkin. They are well known as Simon's music is often played on the BBC....
at the Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
and Thomas Demenga in Basel Hochschule für Musik where he was awarded the Soloists Diploma.
He complemented his studies by taking master classes with Steven Isserlis
Steven Isserlis
Steven Isserlis CBE is a British cellist. He is distinguished for his diverse repertoire, distinctive sound and total command of phrasing. He studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music and was much influenced by the great iconoclast of Russian cello playing, Daniil Shafran...
, Ralph Kirshbaum
Ralph Kirshbaum
Ralph Henry Kirshbaum is an American cellist currently living in Los Angeles. During his career he has performed solos with major orchestras worldwide, won prizes in several international competitions, and recorded extensively....
, Boris Pergamenschikow, Miklós Perényi and Pieter Wispelwey
Pieter Wispelwey
Pieter Wispelwey is a Dutch cellist. In 1992 he was the first cellist to receive the Netherlands Music Prize, given to the most promising young musician in the Netherlands. He has come to be regarded as one of the world's leading cello soloists.Pieter Wispelwey was born in Haarlem and grew up in...
.
Barralet was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society
Royal Philharmonic Society
The Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society, formed in 1813. It was originally formed in London to promote performances of instrumental music there. Many distinguished composers and performers have taken part in its concerts...
Julius Isserlis Scholarship in 2003 to fully support two years study abroad and won the Landor Records Competition in 2007. His other awards include the Muriel Taylor Cello Scholarship, a Hattori Foundation Scholarship, Musicians' Benevolent Fund
Musicians' Benevolent Fund
The Musicians' Benevolent Fund is a United Kingdom charity offering help and support to working and retired musicians, other professionals in the music industry, and their dependants....
awards and several others.
James Barralet has performed extensively throughout the UK and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, as a concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
soloist with many orchestras, and as a recitalist at numerous festivals including the Newbury Spring Festival, the Ryedale Festival, Warwick International Festival, Stratford-Upon-Avon Chamber Music Series, Brighton Festival and the Northern Aldborough Festival.
He is also known for his collaboration with Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
artists, and as a chamber musician is the cellist of the Bacchus Piano Trio with Alasdair Beatson and Thomas Gould, and the Williamson Clarinet Trio with Sarah Williamson and John Reid. Barralet also serves as guest principal cellist with many UK orchestras.
As an advocate of contemporary music, he has made premiere recordings of the 1971 first movement of Benjamin Britten's Third Cello Suite
Cello Suites (Britten)
The Cello Suites by Benjamin Britten are a series of three compositions for solo cello, dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich. The suites were the first original solo instrumental music that Britten wrote for and dedicated to Rostropovich, but Britten had earlier composed a cadenza for Joseph...
, and of Edwin Roxburgh's
Edwin Roxburgh
Edwin Roxburgh is an English composer, conductor and oboist.After playing oboe in the National Youth Orchestra, he won a double scholarship to study composition with Herbert Howells and oboe with Terence MacDonagh at the Royal College of Music. He also studied composition with Nadia Boulanger in...
Partita. He performed the Partita alongside Kenneth Hesketh's
Kenneth Hesketh
Kenneth Hesketh is a British composer of contemporary classical music in numerous genres including opera, orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo...
Die Hängende Figur ist Judas at the Purcell Room
Purcell Room
The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats....
in a Park Lane Group concert in 2008, and the following year, he performed Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is best known internationally as the creator of the Kodály Method.-Life:Born in Kecskemét, Kodály learned to play the violin as a child....
's Sonata for Solo Cello and György Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
's Sonata for Solo Cello
Solo Cello Sonata (Ligeti)
The Sonata for Solo Cello is an unaccompanied cello sonata written by György Ligeti between 1948 and 1953. The piece was initially received poorly by the Soviet-run Composer's Union and was not allowed to be published or performed...
at his critically acclaimed Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
debut recital.
In addition to performing, Barralet also arranges music for cello octet. His 'Four Folk Songs' have been performed in festivals and concerts in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, the US and the UK, and feature folk music from India, Hungary and Russia.
Barralet records for Landor Records UK and his debut recording, a solo cello disc of works by Kodály
Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is best known internationally as the creator of the Kodály Method.-Life:Born in Kecskemét, Kodály learned to play the violin as a child....
, Roxburgh
Edwin Roxburgh
Edwin Roxburgh is an English composer, conductor and oboist.After playing oboe in the National Youth Orchestra, he won a double scholarship to study composition with Herbert Howells and oboe with Terence MacDonagh at the Royal College of Music. He also studied composition with Nadia Boulanger in...
and Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
, was released in October 2009. Since 2007, Barralet has been represented by Margaret Murphy Management.
Discography
- James Barralet: Solo Cello - Sonata for Solo Cello by Zoltán Kodály, Suite for Solo 'Cello No. 3 by Benjamin Britten with a premiere recording of the 1971 first movement, Partita for Solo Cello by Edwin Roxburgh premier recording (Landor Records 2009)