Thomas Nickell
Carnegie Hall: February 26, 2017
Pianist Thomas Nickell, at only 18 years old, has already
garnered recognition for energetic, refined, and focused
performances in music centers throughout Europe and the
United States.
This past summer Nickell appeared in recital in London
and made his debut as soloist with the Cheltenham
Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of David Curtis. Last
spring he participated in recital at the 53rd Festivale
Pianistico di Brescia e Bergamo in Mozzo, Italy, and played
additional recitals in Bergamo, Milan, and Busseto, Italy.
Previously he was heard as soloist with the Orchestra Fiati
di Ancona in Osimo and Ancona, Italy, and he made his
recital debut in León and Madrid, Spain; Venice and
Bologna, Italy; and Somianka and Warsaw, Poland. In
2014, Nickell travelled to Japan to perform recitals in
Fujisawa and Tokyo. Nickell has appeared as soloist with Chicago’s Oistrakh
Symphony, led by Mina Zikri, and as soloist with Poland’s
Sinfonia Viva under Tomasz Radziwonowicz.
Nickell is currently enrolled at the New School, Mannes
College of Music, studying piano with J Y Song, who holds
a B.A. (Music) and B.S. (Microbiology & Immunology) from
Stanford University, graduating with distinction and honors,
a D.M.A. from The Juilliard School studying with Jerome
Lowenthal, and an M.B.A. from NYU Stern School of
Business. The pianist, who makes his home in New York
City, likes to paint in his spare time and enjoys non-fiction,
especially about composers.
The Performance
Thomas Nickell will give the North
American premiere of Britain’s celebrated
contemporary composer David Matthews’
Piano Concerto, Op. 111, with the Orchestra
of the Swan, led by Artistic Director David
Curtis on Sunday afternoon, February 26,
2017, 1:30 p.m. at Weill Hall at Carnegie
Hall. The highly regarded ensemble, which
makes its home in Shakespeare’s birthplace
of Stratford-upon-Avon, will perform in the
United States for the first time. The concert
includes Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major
and Benjamin Britten’s “Variations on a
Theme of Frank Bridge” (for orchestra only)
as well as solo works for piano by Messiaen,
Cowell, Wagner/Liszt, and Nickell himself. Composer David Matthews traces the influences on his musical language to his English
background and interest in the works of Benjamin Britten, Michael Tippett, and Nicholas Maw as
well as to the Central European tradition, back through Mahler to Beethoven. He has been
preoccupied with working in the great inherited forms of the past – symphony, string quartet, and
lately oratorio – and finding new ways of renewing them. Recordings of his symphonic output
have attracted many appreciative reviews with Mr. Matthews being dubbed “among our most
prodigious symphonists” by Paul Driver writing in the Sunday Times, and “a leading 21st Century
exponent of the form” by Arnold Whittall in Gramophone. In 2011, the Dutton recording of his
Second and Sixth Symphonies received a prestigious BBC Music Magazine Award. The
symphonic poems “In the Dark Time” and “Chaconne” have been recorded by the BBC
Symphony Orchestra on the NMC label. Mr. Matthews has written prodigiously for string quartet
and his most recent string quartet, the twelfth, was premiered by the Kreutzer Quartet at Wilton’s
Music Hall in London in 2011. His dramatic scena, “Cantiga,” for soprano and orchestra,
premiered at the 1988 Proms; “Concerto in Azzurro,” a cello concerto written for Steven Isserlis
and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Richard Hickox was nominated for a BBC Radio 3
Listeners’ Award in 2003.
Mr. Matthews’ 70th birthday in 2013 was marked by a Nash Ensemble portrait concert at the
Wigmore Hall – which included the premiere of “A Blackbird Song,” a quartet for flute and strings;
a symphonic poem, “A Vision of the Sea,” premiered at the Proms by the BBC Philharmonic; and
a Double Concerto for violin, viola, and strings co-commissioned by
the Presteigne and Cheltenham Festivals. A birthday publication, David Matthews: Essays,
Tributes and Criticism, was published by Plumbago Press and his anthem “To what God shall we
chant our songs of battle?” was broadcast live on BBC Television as part of a vigil at Westminster
Abbey commemorating the outbreak of the First World War. He was Composer- in-Residence at
the 2015 Lichfield Festival. Mr. Matthews’ latest
symphony, his eighth, was premiered in April by
the BBC Philharmonic.
Mr. Matthews has also written books on the music
of Tippett and Britten, published a lecture on the
relation of music to painting, and written
numerous reviews for music journals. He is Music
Advisor to the English Chamber Orchestra and
was Artistic Director of the Deal Festival for 13
years. Born in London in 1943, Mr. Matthews
started composing at the age of sixteen. He read
Classics at the University of Nottingham – where
he has more recently been made an Honorary
Doctor of Music – and afterwards studied
composition privately with Anthony Milner. He
was also helped by the advice and
encouragement of Nicholas Maw and spent three
years as an assistant to Benjamin Britten in the
late 1960s. Founded by Artistic Director David Curtis, Orchestra of the Swan, has received international
accolades for its polished and spirited performances. “A joy to hear from start to exuberant finish,
superbly played,” wrote Gramophone. “You won’t hear much better than this anywhere,” Classic
FM Magazine, “An atmosphere of joyous creativity,” Birmingham Post, and “an excellent, up-for-it
orchestra and conductor,” BBC Music Magazine.
Celebrating its 21st season, this highly praised orchestra gives more than 40 concerts annually and
has toured throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In 2014 it undertook its first highly
successful tour of China and in 2016 the ensemble performed in the Istanbul International Festival.
Branching out from the classical realm, Orchestra of the Swan has also toured the UK with Steve
Harley & Cockney Rebel and James, with sold out performances at London’s Albert Hall.
The orchestra’s extensive discography includes repertoire by Barber, Bax, Berlioz, Brahms,
Copland, Debussy, Elgar, Finzi, Ireland, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schumann, Strauss,
Vaughan Williams, and the world premiere recording of the complete symphonies by Hans Gál. The latter received outstanding critical acclaim and was featured on BBC Radio 3 “Composer of
the Week.” Most recently Mendelssohn’s D Minor Violin Concerto with Tamsin Waley-Cohen was
BBC Music Magazine’s “Recommended Recording.” Its recordings have been named
“Gramophone Choice,” “CD of the Week” on Classic FM (UK) and have been aired on NPR,
“Performance Today,” and in Canada and Australia.
This season David Curtis was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the North Hungarian
Symphony Orchestra. For the recent Shakespeare 400 celebrations he conducted the world
premiere of Dobrinka Tabakova’s oratorio “Immortal Shakespeare” live for BBC Radio 3 and
conducted for artists from the Royal Ballet in “Shakespeare Lives!” broadcast live on BBC 2 and
relayed to cinemas in the UK, Europe, and the USA. Maestro Curtis has worked with orchestras
such as the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Prague Chamber Orchestra and Prague Radio
Symphony Orchestra, and has commissioned and premiered over 70 new works. “A reassuringly
calm, yet always encouraging and cajoling presence,” praised Gramophone. American Record
Guide wrote: “Curtis’s conducting, is close to Boult’s, if more intimate, and slightly more
perceptive.”
Q&A with Thomas
1. You are making your solo debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall at just 18. How
does that feel to be performing at such a prestigious venue? The most significant thing on my mind is that Carnegie Hall has brought so much joy throughout
my life. It has been a place for me to discover music and hear performances that inspire me to
be the artist that I dream to be.
2. What music will you be performing, and why did you choose those particular
compositions?
I’ll be performing Mozart’s 12th Piano Concerto; the first 4 of Messiaen’s Preludes, Henry Cowell’s
‘Tides of Manaunaun’; a new work of my own entitled ‘Sympathy’; Wagner’s Liebestod arranged
for piano by Liszt; and David Matthew’s Piano Concerto, Op. 111. All are intended to speak to
audiences around the world. Mozart’s concerto was composed when he was still a teenager
trying to establish himself as a serious artist. Messiaen’s preludes were also composed while he
was just beginning adulthood but suggest something far larger than his reality. His titles alone
suggest something that exists solely in our imagination, and the music supports this. Cowell’s
short work, composed when he was 15, takes us to the beginning of the universe as understood
by Irish mythology. And Wagner’s Liebestod is a more famous example of music that illustrates
the entrance into a world beyond our own, where love is free to live free of all limitations. To me,
David Matthew’s Piano Concerto contains references to several different states of mind,
expressed in turn throughout each of the four movements. I hope my new composition reminds
us of the pains and struggles people experience throughout the world, and inspires sympathy.
3. What is your pre-performance ritual? Do you do anything to prepare for your
performance, beyond practicing?
I wouldn’t say I have any pre-performance rituals aside from being sure I am in a calm state of
mind. Whenever possible, I spend time before performing with my girlfriend Fiona, who never
fails to prepare me mentally for every event when she is able to attend. 4. When did you discover the piano, and what drew you to it?
My parents had a piano in the house even before I came along, and because I was always
interested in music and the piano was the closest instrument, I found my way to it eventually. 5. What is your daily regimen like?
I play as much as I can every day and focus my attention on the music that I feel helps me craft
my own interpretations. I also always try to include one new piece, whether it be of another
composer or a new composition of my own, into my daily practice to keep new ideas flowing. 6. What draws you to a particular musician/ composition?
I am always attracted to music that makes me think about something new. 7. What kind of research do you do before learning a new piece? My mood and state of
mind always influences the music I write in the moment that I start it. I look at other composers’
music the same way. It seems impossible to ignore that Beethoven grew up surrounded by some
of the major ideas and pieces of literature that characterized the Enlightenment!
8. Beyond classical music, who are some musicians you listen to/ admire?
I really like Bjork, Fiona Apple, and Nirvana. 9. What is your favorite recording?
Louis Andriessen’s De Materie, performed by Reinbert de Leeuw and the Asko Ensemble.
10. What influences do you think classical music has in more contemporary music?
Well, I don’t like to separate the two necessarily. I would hope that many popular artists are
inspired by ‘Classical’ artists, as well as the other way around. That being said, it’s hard to
say exactly where influences can be found from classical to contemporary music. 11. What is the last book you read? And favorite book?
The last book I read was Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s The Pluto Files, and my favorite book at the
moment is probably Alan Lightman’s The Accidental Universe.
12. You are a composer: where do you find the inspiration?
As a composer, I take inspiration from anything around me really. There is no static form of
inspiration. To put it simply, the way the world works inspires me. The way it can be both
predictable and unpredictable at the same time inspires me endlessly. 13. How do you feel performing other people’s music?
As a classical pianist, this is a big part of what I do. I consider how the composer would want
to hear his or her music played, but also think about how the composer would feel about
hearing the music performed on a modern piano in a modern time. 14. How would you feel about someone else performing your music?
I hope that when I write music, someone will eventually perform it and interpret in a unique
way. I am always sure to write in such a way that no performance is the same as the last. 15. What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Usually I listen to music when I wake up and read some articles on The New York
Times mobile app. 16. What are some themes that guide your music?
Love is certainly a theme that guides my music. Love of music, family, my girlfriend, nature;
all of this as well as considering who I am and why my music matters in the world. 17. When did you know you had this talent?
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and I have never viewed it as
my special talent so much as my most effective way of expressing myself and giving
something that is unique to me as a person.
Upcoming & Past
Upcoming Performances:
Past Performances:
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Friends of the
Orchestra of the Swan
David Curtis, Conductor
Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Recital Debut
Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra
David Curtis, Conductor
Pittville Pump Room
Cheltenham, England
Sunday, February 26, 2017
1:30 PM
Weill Recital Hall
at Carnegie Hall
New York
Orchestra of the Swan
David Curtis, Conductor
US DEBUT
Piano Concerto, Op. 111
by David Matthews
"England's greatest living composer.”
Monday, April 17, 2017
6:00 PM
Special Guest Artist
The Tenth Annual ABC Gala
Carnegie Hall
May 2017
(Date and time to be announced)
Orchestra Fiati di Ancona
Ancona, Italy
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Recital Debut
Orchestra of the Swan
David Curtis, Conductor
Stratford ArtsHouse
Stratford-Upon-Avon, England
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Recital Debut
Sala Bianca
Teatro Sociale
Como, Italy
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Recital Debut
Sala Puccini
Conservatorio di Milano
“Giuseppe Verdi”
Milan, Italy
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Recital Debut
Fundación Eutherpe
León, Spain
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Centro Integrado
San Lorenzo de el Escorial
Madrid, Spain
Lecture Recital
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Recital Debut
Fundación Piumosso
Music Above the Park
Madrid, Spain
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
7:30 PM
Private Recital
The Vernon Ellis Foundation
London
LONDON PREMIERE
Monday, March 21, 2016
Recital Debut
Casa Barezzi
Busseto, Italy
Presented in association with
Museo Renata Tebaldi and the
Municipality of Busseto
Saturday July 16, 2016
Kings Place, London
Orchestra of the Swan
Piano Concerto, Op. 111
by David Matthews
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Orchestra Fiati di Ancona
Mirco Barani, Conductor
Teatro la Nuova Fenice
Osimo, Italy
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Recital Debut
Somianka Dwór
Somianka, Poland
Friday, May 27, 2016
Recital Debut
Teatro Agora di Mozzo
Mozzo, Italy
53rd Annual Festivale Pianistico
di Brescia e Bergamo
Friday, January 1, 2016
Orchestra Fiati di Ancona
Mirco Barani, Conductor
Teatro delle Muse
Ancona, Italy
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Recital Debut
Hotel Bristol,
Warsaw, Poland
Teatro delle Muse Ancona, Italy
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Recital Debut
Chiesa Cristiana
Protestante di Milano
Presented under the auspices of the
United States and Swiss Consulates,
and in association with the Municipality
of Milan, Scuola Svizzera, and the Swiss
Chamber of Commerce
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Recital Debut
Palazzo Cavagnis
Venice, Italy
Contact Thomas
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