Martin Owen
Encyclopedia
Martin Owen is a British horn
player. After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, he became Principal horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
between 1998 and 2008. Since 2008 Owen has retained the position of Principal horn with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
.
Martin Owen regularly plays guest principal horn with the major London Orchestras, and many further afield, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
and Chamber Orchestra of Europe
. He also has a varied solo career outside the orchestra and appears as soloist and chamber musician in some of the leading music festivals around the world. Owen is a regular performer at the Wigmore Hall
, making his debut in 1997 with Benjamin Britten
's Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings alongside Philip Langridge
and Guildhall Strings. Since then he has returned performing the same work with Toby Spence
and the Scottish Ensemble
. This last collaboration led to a recording for Linn records leading to Paul Driver of the Sunday Times citing "Owen's playing is a luxury for the ear". Other recent recordings include Mozart Horn Concerto No. 4 with the Royal Philharmonic (RPO Classics label), Schubert Octet (Wigmore Hall Live
label), with Michael Collins, Roderick Elms Four Seasonal Nocturnes (Dutton label, with RPO), and Danzi Sinfonia Concertante with the Orquestra de Cadaques.
In October 2006, Owen gave the world premiere of Malcolm Arnold
's Burlesque for horn and orchestra, with the RPO. The work, a recently recovered fragment, is thought to be part of an unrealized first horn concerto.
Recent performances include Schumann
Konzertstuck with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the 2007 Royal Albert Hall Proms, Britten's Serenade at the 2008 Bad Kissingen festival with the BBC Symphony, and the London premiere of the Elliott Carter
Horn Concerto and the Barbican Centre
, for the composers 100th birthday, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Oliver Knussen
.
In 2009,Owen performed Oliver Knussen's horn concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the BBC Proms live on BBC4 television and radio 3.
Martin Owen was awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Academy of Music
in 2006, where he is now Professor of Horn (since 2008).
Martin Owen is represented by Worldwide Artists Management.
9-14 March 2011 Vinterfestspill i Bergstaden, Norway: Recital and Chamber Concerts
19 March 2011 Trinity Church, Harrow: Britten Serenade, Trinity Orchestra/Murray
30 March-6 April 2011 Kharkov, Ukraine: Recital and Masterclasses
15 April 2011 Hitchin: Britten Serenade, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Hussain
20-22 May 2011 Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, Spain: Knussen and Carter concerto's, Orquesta Nacional de Espana
/Knussen
21 June 2011 Konzerthaus, Detmold, Germany: Britten Serenade, Detmolder Kammerorchester/Perl
September 2011 Kharkov, Ukraine: Chamber concerts and Masterclass
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
player. After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, he became Principal horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
between 1998 and 2008. Since 2008 Owen has retained the position of Principal horn with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
.
Martin Owen regularly plays guest principal horn with the major London Orchestras, and many further afield, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
The Berlin Philharmonic, German: , formerly Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester , is an orchestra based in Berlin, Germany. In 2006, a group of ten European media outlets voted the Berlin Philharmonic number three on a list of "top ten European Orchestras", after the Vienna Philharmonic and the...
and Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
The Chamber Orchestra of Europe , established in 1981, is administratively based in London. The orchestra comprises about 60 members coming from across Europe. The players pursue parallel careers as international soloists, members of eminent chamber groups, and as tutors and professors of music...
. He also has a varied solo career outside the orchestra and appears as soloist and chamber musician in some of the leading music festivals around the world. Owen is a regular performer at the 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...
, making his debut in 1997 with Benjamin 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...
's Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings alongside Philip Langridge
Philip Langridge
Philip Gordon Langridge CBE was an English tenor, considered to be among the foremost exponents of English opera and oratorio....
and Guildhall Strings. Since then he has returned performing the same work with Toby Spence
Toby Spence
Toby Spence, born London 1969, is a professional and internationally renowned tenor active on the concert platform, in the opera house and in recordings across a wide range of classical music.-Early life and studies:...
and the Scottish Ensemble
Scottish Ensemble
The Scottish Ensemble is one of Scotland's finest string ensembles, formed from some of the most highly respected string players in Europe. Playing standing in a semicircle and without a conductor, it is led from the violin by Artistic Director, Jonathan Morton.Originally formed in 1969 as the...
. This last collaboration led to a recording for Linn records leading to Paul Driver of the Sunday Times citing "Owen's playing is a luxury for the ear". Other recent recordings include Mozart Horn Concerto No. 4 with the Royal Philharmonic (RPO Classics label), Schubert Octet (Wigmore Hall Live
Wigmore hall live
In October 2005, the Wigmore Hall, London, UK, became the first concert hall to launch its own record label: Wigmore Hall Live, building upon the venue's existing reputation as a recital hall established early in the 20th century. One of the aims was to bring the musical programme to a wider audience...
label), with Michael Collins, Roderick Elms Four Seasonal Nocturnes (Dutton label, with RPO), and Danzi Sinfonia Concertante with the Orquestra de Cadaques.
In October 2006, Owen gave the world premiere of Malcolm Arnold
Malcolm Arnold
Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold, CBE was an English composer and symphonist.Malcolm Arnold began his career playing trumpet professionally, but by age thirty his life was devoted to composition. He was ranked with Benjamin Britten as one of the most sought-after composers in Britain...
's Burlesque for horn and orchestra, with the RPO. The work, a recently recovered fragment, is thought to be part of an unrealized first horn concerto.
Recent performances include Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
Konzertstuck with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the 2007 Royal Albert Hall Proms, Britten's Serenade at the 2008 Bad Kissingen festival with the BBC Symphony, and the London premiere of the Elliott Carter
Elliott Carter
Elliott Cook Carter, Jr. is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer born and living in New York City. He studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris in the 1930s, and then returned to the United States. After a neoclassical phase, he went on to write atonal, rhythmically complex music...
Horn Concerto and the Barbican Centre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
, for the composers 100th birthday, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Oliver Knussen
Oliver Knussen
Oliver Knussen CBE is a British composer and conductor.-Biography:Oliver Knussen was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His father, Stuart Knussen, was principal double bass of the London Symphony Orchestra. Oliver Knussen studied composition with John Lambert, between 1963 and 1969 and also received...
.
In 2009,Owen performed Oliver Knussen's horn concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the BBC Proms live on BBC4 television and radio 3.
Martin Owen was awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in 2006, where he is now Professor of Horn (since 2008).
Martin Owen is represented by Worldwide Artists Management.
Performances 2011
3 February 2011 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester: Oliver Knussen horn concerto, Halle Orchestra/Knussen9-14 March 2011 Vinterfestspill i Bergstaden, Norway: Recital and Chamber Concerts
19 March 2011 Trinity Church, Harrow: Britten Serenade, Trinity Orchestra/Murray
30 March-6 April 2011 Kharkov, Ukraine: Recital and Masterclasses
15 April 2011 Hitchin: Britten Serenade, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Hussain
20-22 May 2011 Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, Spain: Knussen and Carter concerto's, Orquesta Nacional de Espana
Orquesta Nacional de España
The Orquesta Nacional de España is a symphonic orchestra based in Madrid, Spain.-History:Although working since in 1937 during the Spanish civil war, the orchestra was legally founded in 1940, by the merging of the Perez Casas' Filarmónica and the Orquesta Sinfónica of Arbós...
/Knussen
21 June 2011 Konzerthaus, Detmold, Germany: Britten Serenade, Detmolder Kammerorchester/Perl
September 2011 Kharkov, Ukraine: Chamber concerts and Masterclass