The BBF “Royal Fanfare” London Concert Programme

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A musical tribute to
Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her 90th Birthday
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Programme of Music
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Georg Philipp Telemann
Heroic Marches (Nos.1, 2 & 12)
Joaquin Rodrigo
Cuatro Madrigales Amatorios
Enrique Granados
La Maja de Goya
Isaac Albeniz
Capricho Catalan
Manuel de Falla
Danza del Molinero
Alberto Ginastera
Cinco Canciones Populares Argetinas
Maurice Ravel
Habenera
Federico Garcia Lorca
Tres Morilles
Nana de Seville
William Walton
Through Gilded Trellises
John Mcleod
Fantasy on Themes from Britten's Gloriana
Léo Delibes
Les Filles de Cadix
Henry Purcell
Trumpet Tune
The BBF would like to thank The William Allen Young
Charitable Trust for providing the funds to pay the
musicians and renovate the piano at the church as well
as our sponsors for their invaluable support for this
evening’s event:
Programme design: Neil Bromfield. www.blinkcreative.biz
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As Honorary President of the British Benevolent Fund I am delighted to be
able to attend its first fundraising concert in London. The BBF has already
had great success in raising funds at similar concerts in Madrid and we
hope that this success will be replicated in London.
Today, as many of you know, is the 90th Birthday of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II which presents a unique opportunity to celebrate the event with
this musical tribute.
The funds that are raised through this concert will be used by the BBF to
help British citizens in Spain who, for a variety of reasons, have fallen upon
hard times. The BBF has existed in Madrid since 1933 and this year has
moved from under the wing of our Embassy to becoming an independent
registered Spanish charity with the aim of providing financial support to those
British people living throughout Spain who most need it.
As you might appreciate, the demands on the fund are continuous and our
fundraising mirrors the very real need of British citizens in distress. For this
I wish to thank you for supporting this concert and, thereby, the fund that can
help them.
Many of you may have lived in Spain and I am sure most of you will have
visited the country, and there are some Spanish citizens here tonight who are
presently living in the UK, so it seemed appropriate to celebrate Her Majesty’s
birthday with an evening of British and Spanish classical music performed
by professional international musicians.
I very much hope that you enjoy the evening.
Simon Manley CMG
H.M. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra
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The Performers
Rebecca read music as Organ Scholar at Lincoln College, Oxford,
studying with David Sanger. As both an organist and choral conductor
she has broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 & 4, made CD recordings and
performed in the UK and abroad in venues such as Westminster
Abbey, St.George’s Chapel Windsor, York Minster, Christ Church
Dublin, St Marks Venice. Since graduating from the Royal Academy of
Music on the MA Piano Accompaniment course under Michael
Dussek and Carole Presland, Rebecca Taylor has been increasingly in
demand both as an accompanist and repetiteur. Whilst at the
Academy, Rebecca was a prizewinner in the Rex Stephens Lieder
Prize, a finalist in the Richard Lewis Song Competition and was
highly commended in both the Major van Someron-Godfrey English
Song Prize and the Scott Huxley Piano Accompaniment Competition.
Rebecca was awarded a distinction in her LRAM diploma and was a
member of the prestigious Academy Song Circle.
Rebecca Taylor - Piano
After graduating, Rebecca continued her training as a Junior Fellow
Trainee Répétituer and was also successful in gaining a place on the
Solti Peretti Repetiteurs’ Masterclass Course in 2014. As an
accompanist, Rebecca’s reputation is growing following her success
in winning the Maureen Lehane Accompanist Prize at Wigmore Hall.
In June 2015, Rebecca accompanied the Welsh candidate in the
Song Prize Competition of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World which was
broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and she also be performed a song
recital at the Three Choirs Festival 2015.
As a repetiteur, Rebecca has worked on an wide range of operas,
which include Tom Randle’s Love me to Death; Ariodante, Handel;
Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky. She regularly works on new music with
composers, most recently a project with Laura Bowler and the
playwright Edward Bond at the Royal Opera House. Rebecca’s work
also has an international dimension in that she has performed across
Europe and the Middle East at venues which include St.Martin in the
Fields, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Real Academia de
Bellas Artes in Madrid, St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Macedonia Opera
House in Skopje and Al Bustan in Muscat.
Rebecca is Director of Music at St.Philip’s Earls Court Road where
she is founder and Artisitic Director for the SPECR Recital Series.
She has recently been appointed accompanist of the Leeds Festival
Chorus and is also Assistant Conductor and Pianist for Twickenham
Choral Society.
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Brazilian tenor Wagner Moreira holds a full postgraduate scholarship
at the Royal Academy of Music to study with Ryland Davies and Iain
Ledingham. He is a Britten-Pears Young Artist and a member of the
Academy’s prestigious Song Circle.
He received 1st Prize in the 10th National Contest Villa-Lobos and
was a prize winner in the 1st Young Soloists of the Symphonic
Orchestra of Minas Gerais Contest as well as in the 9th Bidu Sayão
International Singing Contest. Wagner has attended masterclasses
with Dennis O’Neill, Claudio Desderi, Ann Murray, Natalie Dessay,
Laurent Naouri and Roger Vignoles.
Wagner Moreira - Tenor
Operatic roles to date include Goro in Madama Butterfly with the
Symphonic Orchestra of Minas Gerais, Basílio in Le nozze di Figaro
for the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme and Oebalus in Apollo
et Hyacinthus with the Symphonic Orchestra of UFMG. Opera Scenes
include Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Don
Ottavio in Don Giovanni and Ferrando in Così fan tutte.
Wagner enjoys singing oratorio repertoire and has already performed
Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, Beethoven’s Mass in
C major, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Handel`s Messiah. He is also a
keen recitalist and has a particular interest in performing Lieder
repertoire as well as South American art songs.
Wagner started his vocal studies in his hometown Belo Horizonte
and in 2014 obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from the Federal
University of Minas Gerais. During his undergraduate he was
awarded a scholarship to take an exchange programme at the
University of Georgia (USA). He has recently been offered a full
scholarship to join the Royal Opera Academy starting in
September 2016.
Wagner is extremely grateful for the generous support of the
Santander Universities UK Scholarship, Donald Graham Scholarship,
Simon Fletcher Charitable Trust and Josephine Baker Trust.
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Spanish soprano Lorena Paz Nieto is currently with Royal Academy
Opera, studying with Philip Doghan and Audrey Hyland. Lorena
completed her MA-PrepOpera at the Academy, achieving Distinction
and a DipRAM for an outstanding final recital. 1st Class Honours
(BMus) from GSMD with Katherine Paterson and Lada Valesova.
Lorena had her debut with orchestra Place de l’opera for an Opera
Gala and with Saint Bartholomews Orchestra for an evening of Le
Nozze di Figaro, both as soloist. Concert performances include BBC
Radio 3 broadcast-BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBCSO) Total
immersion/Villa-Lobos at Milton Court Concert Hall and Steve Reich’s
Reverberations (BBCSO) in Tyondai Braxton’s Central Market at
Barbican’s Music Hall, and with the London Sinfonietta at Queen
Elizabeth Hall where she also performed with guitarist Eduardo
Niebla. This year she did the London Song Festival Closing concert.
She has done recitals in Rotterdam, Spain, London, Italy, Oxford,
Cambridge and France.
Lorena Paz Nieto - Soprano
Her Operatic roles include Barbarina at the Hackney Empire, Cis in
Albert Herring; Marzellina in Fidelio and the Spirit in Dido and Aeneas
in GSMD and at RAM she played the role of Despina in Cosi fan tutte
and Helena in A MidSummer Night’s dream in the Opera Scenes.
She will be performing the role of Drusilla from Monteverdi’s
L’Incoronazzione di Poppea in May.
Lorena has worked as a soloist with numerous choral societies
across the UK for Rossini’s Petit Messe Solennelle, Vivaldi’s Gloria,
Brahm’s Requiem and Tipett’s Child of our Time.
Public masterclasses include amongst others, Susan Bullock,
Benjamin Luxon, Jane Manning, Dan Norman and also Academie
Internationale d’éte de Nice working with Lorraine Nubar and Dalton
Baldwin.
Lorena enjoys cross-art projects and has taken part in the dance
festival Resolutions at The Place Theatre, More soup and tart at the
Barbican Theatre, Death of an artist at GSMD Studio Theatre and
Glorious at the Silk Theatre as part of the Spill Festival. This year she
is participating with the Open Academy for whom she has recently
worked at the Wigmore Hall in a workshop for people with Dementia.
She was the winner of the Russian Song competition at RAM, finalist
of Richard Lewis Award, finalist of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist
Platform 2015, highly commended in the Marjorie Thomas Art of
Song Prize, Commended in the Elena Gerhardt Lieder Prize and
Commended in the Mozart competition.
Lorena is supported by Help Musicians UK Sybil Tutton Award.
www.lorenapaznieto.com
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Gwyn is currently pursuing a one-year Masters course at the Royal
Academy of Music after graduating with a First Class Honours degree
last July. Over the past five years at RAM he has studied with Mark
David, Rod Franks, Paul Beniston, Gareth Small, Robert Farley and
John Hutchins. Since his second year Gwyn has been a regular
member of the Academy Symphony Orchestra and on Remembrance
Sunday 2014 was principal trumpet of the orchestra for a
performance of Britten’s War Requiem at the Royal Festival Hall
conducted by Marin Alsop. During his time at the Academy he has
participated in masterclasses with world renowned soloists - Håkan
Hardenberger, Reinhold Friedrich, Eric Aubier and Anthony Plog. He
has been Highly Commended in both the RAM John Solomon and
Drummond Sharp Brass Prizes within the past two years.
Gwyn Owen - Trumpet
He is currently on trial for principal trumpet positions with both the
Orchestra of the Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National
Orchestra. Over the past year he has also played with the City of
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales
and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He was invited to join the
Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra’s Easter Tour last year, playing
Mahler’s 2nd Symphony. Gwyn was a member of the National Youth
Orchestra of Wales for five years - the last two as principal trumpet.
Previously he was a member of the European Youth Brass Band, the
National Youth Brass Band of Wales for four years (becoming
principal cornet in 2011), the Gwynedd and Mon Youth Ensembles,
Beaumaris and Menai Bridge Brass Bands. In October 2014 he was
one of six finalists in the Urdd National Eisteddfod of Wales’ Bryn
Terfel Scholarship competition, broadcast live on S4C from the
Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Gwyn is the recipient of the first Mishcon de Reya Scholarship to the
Academy to support his postgraduate study. He is also grateful to the
James Pantyfedwen Foundation, Craxton Memorial Trust and The
Countess of Munster Trust (Derek Butler Award) for financial
assistance this year.
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Born in Berkshire, Michael Butten studied at Junior Academy, where
he twice won the Lower Strings Prize, before being awarded a
scholarship at the Academy to continue his studies with Michael
Lewin. In his first year he won the Julian Bream Prize, adjudicated by
Julian Bream, and, shortly afterwards, gained the Nervi/Bodrato Prize
as the youngest semi-finalist at the Michele Pittaluga Guitar
Competition in Alessandria. On completing his BMus degree with first
class honours, he received from the Academy one of the Regency
Awards and in June 2014, as a postgraduate, became the first
guitarist to win the R.A.M. Club Prize.
Michael Butten - Guitar
Notable among his solo engagements have been concerto
performances at the Malcolm Arnold Festival in Northampton, the
Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo with the Berkshire Youth Orchestra
and the Windsor and Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra, concerts
with the Berkeley Ensemble at The Forge and in the City of London to
celebrate the music of Malcolm Arnold, and recitals and festivals in
Germany, Italy, Holland, and Belgium. He has recorded the Malcolm
Arnold Serenade with the Chamber Ensemble of London for release
in 2016. After performing at Kings Place for the London International
Guitar Festival, he was selected to tour the UK on the IGF’s Young
Artist Platform.
He has participated in masterclasses with such distinguished artists
as Leo Brouwer, Roland Dyens, Julian Byzantine, Edoardo Catemario,
Antigoni Goni, Craig Ogden, David Russell and Fabio Zanon.
Having been, for several years, leader of the National Youth Guitar
Ensemble, Michael has remained highly active in chamber music,
regularly collaborating with Academy guitarists, singers, wind players
and string quartets; his musical interests have extended from
performing with the Manson Ensemble in Maxwell Davies’s The
Lighthouse to learning the theorbo for a Royal Academy Opera
production of Il Giasone by Cavalli under the direction of Jane Glover.
With the tenor Oliver Johnston he has appeared in masterclasses
with the late Robert Tear and in 2014 was invited to present, with the
tenor Julian Gregory, a programme for the Lennox Berkeley Society;
this was soon followed by his participation at the Academy in a
special concert of all Berkeley’s music involving the guitar, which
drew warm critical acclaim in the Daily Telegraph. He also recently
performed as part of Tetra Guitar Quartet at the Iserlohn Guitar
Festival in their last ever concert.
Of particular interest to Michael is the often neglected guitar music of
British composers, British renaissance lute repertoire and the link
often found between the music of both eras. He is currently studying
on a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music on the Advanced
Diploma course, preparing a solo recording devoted to the music of
John Dowland.
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Helping those in need...
Difficulties can affect us all and at any time. Below are just a few recent examples of the many people we
help each year, people we can only help thanks to the generous support of donations we receive and the
many hours our volunteers kindly give.
Catherine - Struggling with Care Responsibilities
Catherine, a single Mother with a teenage son, was struggling to cope
after she became the primary carer for her elderly Mother who suffered
from Alzheimer’s. The British Benevolent Fund provided a grant to allow
her to move to more suitable accommodation for her Mother’s care
needs, enabling them to live together until her Mother’s death several
years later. Catherine returned to us for support after severe rheumatoid
arthritis made it impossible for her to continue in her job. Unable to find
work during the financial crisis The British Benevolent Fund helped them
return to the UK where they both found good jobs and were able to make
a donation back to the British Benevolent Fund.
“We are immensely
grateful to the BBF for
their help and support.
Without them, I really
don’t know what would
have happened to us.”
Michael - Making Life Livable
Michael has lived in Spain for over 25 years and met his Spanish partner
Eduardo here and worked as an English teacher until retirement. Both
Michael and Eduardo receive only state pensions, so on retiring they
downsized to a rural location where they were able to buy a small house
in need of refurbishment. Michael continued to teach to supplement
their income until Eduardo suffered a stroke and Michael became his full
time carer. This took a significant toll on Michael who at 78 years old
began to suffer health issues of his own, in particular failing eyesight and
hearing, and struggled to manage on minimum income in a property
with no heating and limited kitchen facilities. Concerned friends
contacted the British Consulate who referred Michael to The British
Benevolent Fund. We were able to provide a hearing aid and new
spectacles. In addition we funded upgrades to their heating and kitchen
facilities, making their home more livable.
“I would like to thank you and the
organisation so much for the
tremendous help and support you
have given me, I really do believe
in miracles now!”
Geoffrey and Leslie - Victims of Crime
Geoffrey and Lesley moved to Spain in 2004 when they were in their fifties, along with Geoffrey’s elderly Mother
who was retired and with a healthy pension. They sold their home in the UK and invested into a property and
small business which provided them with an income. This business was initially successful but had to close after
the financial crisis. In addition Geoffrey’s Mother’s died and her pension payments ceased. They then fell prey
to a British conman running a bogus business scheme to which they lost their home and all their savings. Now
64 years of age Geoffrey found it difficult to find employment, so they applied for Spanish state benefits to tide
them over until Geoffrey's pension became due. They were granted benefits, but had to wait over 3 months
before payments started. Unable to pay their rent they faced eviction. The British Consulate referred them to
The British Benevolent Fund and we were able to provide a grant to cover their rent and basic living costs until
their benefit payments started, preventing them from becoming homeless during this time.
“Leslie and I would like to thank you once again for your advice, help and friendly support. Please pass on our
heartfelt gratitude to the BBF, together with our assurance that we will use their financial help as a stepping
stone to a more secure future.”
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The British Benevolent Fund of Madrid (BBF) is one of the oldest English speaking
charities in Spain with records dating back to at least 1933. It operates with the
support of its Honorary President, HM Ambassador to Spain, and HM Consul General.
It is run by an independent Chairman and Committee, all of whom know Spain and its
people, and are very familiar with the issues British citizens living there face, be they
tourists or long term residents. They donate their time and knowledge for free with no
remuneration whatsoever.
The BBF works in conjunction with the British Consulates in Spain and other charitable
organisations to provide financial support and other assistance to British nationals
who find themselves in severe distress in Spain. It matters not whether you live here
or are just visiting. The committee, which meets once a month, will consider all cases
on their individual merit.
Over the years The British Benevolent Fund has helped people suffering from
Alzheimer’s, mental health problems, cancer, learning disabilities, stroke and heart
attack victims to name but a few. It has also helped many without any health issues
who find themselves isolated and without support owing to circumstances beyond
their control. Our main base is in Madrid but assistance is provided to British people
throughout Spain via our partner organisations: The British Consulates, Federación
de Age Concern España, Help International (Benidorm, Denia & Alta Marina, Jalon
Valley and Vega Baja), and MABS Cancer Support.
Our Mission
To grant timely assistance to British citizens primarily in the Madrid community
and other areas of Spain through partner organisations.
Our Vision
British citizens in Spain in need of care with benevolence.
Our Values
Care, Expediency, Impartiality, Discretion.
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