Oliver Lewis (violinist)
Encyclopedia
Oliver Lewis is a British
violinist and founding member of the electronic music group Deviations Project
. He is best known as one of the 'world's fastest violinists', having broken the Guinness World Record
for the fastest performance of the Flight of the Bumblebee
. Lewis played the piece during a live broadcast on the BBC
children's television programme Blue Peter
, in October 2010, in one minute, 3.356 seconds. Lewis seemingly broke the world record again in February 2011, on the US chat show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
. His unofficial time of 47 seconds is yet to be certified by Guinness World Records.
, played by Ruggiero Ricci
. At 12 years old, Lewis led the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain. Lewis studied at the Purcell School
and the Guildhall School of Music, London, and graduated from the Berne Conservatoire, Switzerland.
Lewis created the electronic music group Deviations Project
, with producer Dave Williams, in 2007. The group blends elements of classical
and electronic
music, on pieces such as Tchaikovsky
’s Swan Lake
and Bizet’s
Carmen
, which are recreated using modern music technology. They have released three albums: the eponymous Deviations Project (2007); The Ivory Bow (2008); and their Christmas 2008 album, Adeste Fiddles, which reached number 16 in the US Billboard Classical Crossover Albums Chart.
He has featured in film and commercials; starring as the violinist in the car manufacturer Opel
's Astra
campaign; as the concert violinist in Marks & Spencer
Christmas advertisements; and he recorded music for, and featured in, the 2004
British drama film
written and directed by Charles Dance
, Ladies in Lavender
.
Stage productions in which Lewis has appeared include the West End
musical Oliver!
and a European tour with War of the Worlds. The show Spirit of the Dance
brought Lewis' fame for fast violin playing to the fore. Playing the role of a crazy fiddler onstage, Lewis performed Rimsky-Korsakov's
Flight of the Bumblebee; an orchestra
l interlude written for the opera
The Tale of Tsar Saltan
. Over the course of the show's world tour, Lewis performed the tune around 1,500 times.
Appearing on a live broadcast of the BBC children's television programme Blue Peter
, on 18 October 2010, Lewis broke the Guinness World Record
for the fastest performance of the Flight of the Bumblebee – previously held by David Garrett
– playing the piece in one minute, 3.356 seconds, to become the 'world's fastest violinist'. Further television performances by Lewis of the Flight of the Bumblebee include ITV
’s This Morning
, for presenters Phillip Schofield
and Holly Willoughby
, on 29 October 2010. As a guest on the US chat show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
, Lewis broke the world record again on 3 February 2011. He played the Flight of the Bumblebee in an unofficial time of 47 seconds, which has yet to be certified by Guinness World Records.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
violinist and founding member of the electronic music group Deviations Project
Deviations Project
Deviations Project is a British electronic music group composed of producer Dave Williams and international violin virtuoso Oliver Lewis. The group blends elements of classical music with electronica; pieces such as Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake", Bizet's "Carmen" and Bach's "Sonata in Gm" are...
. He is best known as one of the 'world's fastest violinists', having broken the Guinness World Record
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
for the fastest performance of the Flight of the Bumblebee
Flight of the Bumblebee
"Flight of the Bumblebee" is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899–1900. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich into an insect so that he can fly away to...
. Lewis played the piece during a live broadcast on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's television programme Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
, in October 2010, in one minute, 3.356 seconds. Lewis seemingly broke the world record again in February 2011, on the US chat show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
. His unofficial time of 47 seconds is yet to be certified by Guinness World Records.
Early life
Lewis was born in London, England. He began playing violin as an eight year old, having fallen in love with the sound of the first record he had heard; Paganini Caprices24 Caprices for Solo Violin (Paganini)
The 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1 was written by Niccolò Paganini between 1802 and 1817 and published in 1819. They are also designated as M.S. 25 in Maria Rosa Moretti and Anna Sorrento's Catalogo tematico delle musiche di Niccolò Paganini, which was published in 1982...
, played by Ruggiero Ricci
Ruggiero Ricci
Ruggiero Ricci is an Italian-American violinist known for performances and recordings of the works of Paganini. He was born in San Bruno, California. Ricci's brother was cellist and his sister Emma played violin with the New York Metropolitan Opera.He is the son of Italian immigrants. His...
. At 12 years old, Lewis led the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain. Lewis studied at the Purcell School
Purcell School
The Purcell School is a specialist music school for children, located in the town of Bushey, south Hertfordshire, England, and is the oldest specialist music school in the UK. The school was awarded the UNESCO Mozart Medal in 2003, which was received on behalf of the school by Prince Charles, who...
and the Guildhall School of Music, London, and graduated from the Berne Conservatoire, Switzerland.
Career
His professional career as a concert soloist began with the Bern Symphony Orchestra, before he joined the Heidelberg Chamber Orchestra.Lewis created the electronic music group Deviations Project
Deviations Project
Deviations Project is a British electronic music group composed of producer Dave Williams and international violin virtuoso Oliver Lewis. The group blends elements of classical music with electronica; pieces such as Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake", Bizet's "Carmen" and Bach's "Sonata in Gm" are...
, with producer Dave Williams, in 2007. The group blends elements of classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
music, on pieces such as Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
’s Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
and Bizet’s
Georges Bizet
Georges Bizet formally Alexandre César Léopold Bizet, was a French composer, mainly of operas. In a career cut short by his early death, he achieved few successes before his final work, Carmen, became one of the most popular and frequently performed works in the entire opera repertory.During a...
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
, which are recreated using modern music technology. They have released three albums: the eponymous Deviations Project (2007); The Ivory Bow (2008); and their Christmas 2008 album, Adeste Fiddles, which reached number 16 in the US Billboard Classical Crossover Albums Chart.
He has featured in film and commercials; starring as the violinist in the car manufacturer Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
's Astra
Opel Astra
The Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America...
campaign; as the concert violinist in Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
Christmas advertisements; and he recorded music for, and featured in, the 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
British drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
written and directed by Charles Dance
Charles Dance
Walter Charles Dance, OBE is an English actor, screenwriter and director. Dance typically plays assertive bureaucrats or villains. His most famous roles are Guy Perron in The Jewel in the Crown , Dr Clemens, the doctor of penitentiary Fury 161, who becomes Ellen Ripley's confidante in Alien 3 ,...
, Ladies in Lavender
Ladies in Lavender
The film's original music was written by Nigel Hess and performed by Joshua Bell and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Hess received a Classical BRIT Awards nomination for Best Soundtrack Composer....
.
Stage productions in which Lewis has appeared include the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musical Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
and a European tour with War of the Worlds. The show Spirit of the Dance
Spirit of the Dance
Spirit of the Dance was created and produced by one of the UK's most successful international producers, David King. The production is an Irish inspired dance show that was originally formatted in the vein of Riverdance but within a short time it established its own originality and identity...
brought Lewis' fame for fast violin playing to the fore. Playing the role of a crazy fiddler onstage, Lewis performed Rimsky-Korsakov's
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
Flight of the Bumblebee; an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l interlude written for the opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
The Tale of Tsar Saltan
The Tale of Tsar Saltan (Rimsky-Korsakov)
The Tale of Tsar Saltan is an opera in four acts with a prologue, seven scenes, by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The libretto was written by Vladimir Belsky, and is based on the poem of the same name by Aleksandr Pushkin...
. Over the course of the show's world tour, Lewis performed the tune around 1,500 times.
Appearing on a live broadcast of the BBC children's television programme Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
, on 18 October 2010, Lewis broke the Guinness World Record
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
for the fastest performance of the Flight of the Bumblebee – previously held by David Garrett
David Garrett (violinist)
David Garrett is a record breaking German/American classical violinist and recording artist.-Personal life:...
– playing the piece in one minute, 3.356 seconds, to become the 'world's fastest violinist'. Further television performances by Lewis of the Flight of the Bumblebee include ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
’s This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
, for presenters Phillip Schofield
Phillip Schofield
Phillip Bryan Schofield is an English broadcaster and television personality best known for presenting shows such as This Morning, Dancing on Ice, and various game shows including The Cube.-Early life and career:...
and Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...
, on 29 October 2010. As a guest on the US chat show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
, Lewis broke the world record again on 3 February 2011. He played the Flight of the Bumblebee in an unofficial time of 47 seconds, which has yet to be certified by Guinness World Records.