Martyn Brabbins is one of Britain's leading and most versatile conducting talents, widely respected for his flawless musicianship, artistic integrity and programming skills.
Artistic Director of the Cheltenham International Festival of Music 2005-2007, he was Associate Principal Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra 1994-2005. After studying composition in London and then conducting with Ilya Musin in Leningrad, his career was launched when he won first prize at the 1988 Leeds Conductors' Competition. Since then Brabbins has regularly conducted all the major UK orchestras and is much sought-after in Europe, notably in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Scandinavia.
Last season Brabbins conducted Elgar with the Philharmonia, took the BBC Symphony to the Bonn Beethovenfest and in their Barbican composer portrait festival, conducted the City of Birmingham Symphony in a world premiere by Simon Holt, appeared in concert also with the Hallé, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and recorded with the BBC Symphony, BBC Scottish and BBC Philharmonic orchestras. He conducted the RSO Wien in the Konzerthaus and guest conducted with the Dresden Philharmonic, Royal Flanders Philharmonic and Netherlands Radio Chamber (this last in the prestigious Concertgebouw Saturday Matinee series). Further afield, he conducted Belshazzar's Feast in Utah, and conducted the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, West Australian Symphony and Malaysian Philharmonic.
In Spring 2008 he conducted Tosca in Frankfurt, his third visit after a Dallapiccola double-bill and Bloch's Macbeth (both Keith Warner productions). He returns in 2011 for a new production of Pizetti's Murder in the Cathedral. He makes his debut with the Opera de Lyon in Spring 2009 with a new production of Death in Venice. He has a close relationship with Pierre Audi at the Netherlands Opera, where in Summer 2007 he conducted Jonathan Harvey's new opera Wagner Dream and where he will return for another new Pierre Audi production in 2010/11. Since his early days conducting Mozart at the Kirov, Brabbins has conducted for the Deutsche Oper Berlin, English National Opera, Opera North, and in Frankfurt, Montpellier and Athens, in repertoire including Ravel, Poulenc, Smetana, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Korngold, Schreker, Henze, Eotvos, Tippett, Birtwistle, Gavin Bryars and David Sawer. He conducted Act 1 of the Valkyries in concert with the BBC Scottish Symphony. In 2006 he conducted the Residentie Orchestra at the Holland Festival (Shostakovich early operas), the Philharmonia at the Aldeburgh Festival (Rake's Progress , fully staged), and made his debut at the Hamburg Staatsoper.
Known for his Elgar, Britten, and Walton, Brabbins also has a strong affinity for the great 19th century Romantics, and for the Russian and French repertoire. Brabbins is also one of Europe's leading interpreters of contemporary music. Conductor of choice for the London Sinfonietta, Ensemble Modern and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, from 1999-2004 he was the Philharmonia Orchestra's Music of Today Series Conductor.
Brabbins is much in demand as a recording artist. His discography for the Hyperion label with the BBC Scottish Symphony is extensive; they have over thirty discs issued to date. He has also recorded works by Birtwistle, David Bedford and Finnissy for NMC; Rachmaninov and Scriabin for Collins Classics and a notable live recording of Britten's War Requiem for Naxos. His recording of Korngold's Die Kathrin with the BBC Concert Orchestra for CPO won the Opera Award at the Cannes International Music Festival. Future recording plans include projects with Chandos and Hyperion.
Martyn Brabbins is represented by Intermusica.
August 2008 / 551 words. Not to be altered without permission.