New conductor for Camerata
“Like all arts, music helps us to feel… The longest journey is the one from the mind to the heart. The purpose of music is to enable people to think with their hearts rather than with their minds.» Those were some of the words used by Christopher Warren-Green, the Camerata Orchestra’s new principal conductor, at a press conference earlier this week. The British conductor (who in the 1980s decided to conduct the London Chamber Orchestra at a rock festival) joins forces with principal conductors Sir Neville Marriner and Alexandre Myrat in order to lead the orchestra into the future. Besides bringing along new ideas, Warren-Green hopes to help take the prominent Greek chamber ensemble onto the international music scene. «The Concert Hall has an extraordinary reputation abroad as one of the best music organizations. One of my goals is for the Camerata to achieve the same reputation,» said Warren-Green. On the subject of the orchestra’s educational activities, which take up a considerable part of the orchestra’s time, the conductor noted: «Music is not just an ambassador. It can cross over a number of boundaries, such as that of pain. If interpreted in the right way, music can help people.» Warren-Green began his career as a violinist and was invited to join the Academy of St Martin in the Fields at the age of 19. When he was 21, he became concertmaster (first violin) of the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra, while three years later, he was appointed concertmaster of the Philharmonia. As a soloist, Warren-Green has collaborated with a number of leading conductors, including Sir Simon Rattle, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kurt Zanderling and Giuseppe Sinopoli, among others. He became music director of the London Chamber Orchestra in 1988, was appointed chief conductor of the Joenkopeing Sinfonietta in 1998 and became chief conductor of the Sundsvall Chamber Orchestra in 2001. The musician’s recording credits include CDs with BMG, EMI, Philips and Virgin. Athens concert The Camerata’s first concert this season will take place this Sunday, October 17, at the Athens Concert Hall’s new Triantis Hall. Under the baton of its newly appointed principal conductor, the orchestra will interpret Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony, Edward Elgar’s Serenade, opus 20, Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto No. 8 for two violins and Gustav Holst’s St Paul’s Suite. The concert will also feature violin soloist Sergiu Nastasa. Athens Concert Hall, 1 Kokkali & Vas. Sofias, tel 210.728.2333. For reservations, call 210.728.2333 or via the Internet on www.megaron.gr.
