Liverpool Philharmonic Welcomes Five New Players to the Orchestra

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Liverpool Philharmonic Welcomes Five New Players to the Orchestra

Thursday 14 January 2016

With the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra playing to critical and audience acclaim, and continuing to mark the 175th year of its founding during the 2015/16 concert season, Liverpool Philharmonic has appointed five exceptional young musicians to key positions in the Orchestra.

Joint Assistant Leaders Andrew Harvey and Mihkel Kerem and section player, first violins, Nuno Carapina will be joined later in January by Benjamin Mellefont as Principal Clarinet, and in early March by Sameeta Gahir, appointed as Principal Piccolo.

All five players bring a wealth of talent, musical knowledge and experience having begun playing their respective instruments at an early age, going on to study at leading UK conservatoires, and gaining extensive performance and wider music industry experience in leading international symphony orchestras and other ensembles.

As members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, they are part of an ensemble of professional musicians that performs in a programme of more than sixty concerts in the newly-refurbished Grade II*-listed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and in venues across Liverpool, and on tour in the UK and internationally.

Concert seasons, led by Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko, with visiting international conductors and soloists, feature a wide range of music including cornerstones of the classical repertoire, and the commissioning and performance of new music. During its 175th anniversary alone, Liverpool Philharmonic has given premieres of major works by composers including Sir James MacMillan, Tan Dun, Nico Muhly, James Horner, Robin Holloway, Graham Fitkin and Michael Torke.

There are also opportunities for musicians to perform in smaller ensembles in concerts in Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music Room, newly built as part of the £14.5 million refurbishment of the Hall, and in other venues across the city.

The Orchestra has a busy recording schedule and in 2016, new recordings are scheduled for release with Petrenko, and with conductor Andrew Manze, who has performed in Liverpool with the Orchestra on a number of occasions to great acclaim.

Musicians also have the opportunity to be part of the delivery of Liverpool Philharmonic’s extensive learning programme, acknowledged as a national leader in the field. Current flagship programmes include Schools’ Concerts performed to over 23,000 children from more than 300 schools; leadership of In Harmony Liverpool, the El Sistema-inspired music and social change programme, and a Musician in Residence programme delivered in partnership with Mersey Care NHS Trust.

Liverpool Philharmonic’s Chief Executive, Michael Eakin said:

“We are delighted to welcome these fine musicians to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and to Liverpool, recently recognised as a UNESCO City of Music. To attract players of such quality, Sameeta and Andrew from the UK, Ben from Australia, Mihkel from Estonia and Nuno from Portugal, is testament to the global acclaim for their music-making that our Orchestra has achieved, and to the pool of music and wider creative industries talent and excellence, on and off stage, that we are continuing to bring to our city.

“We want being part of Liverpool Philharmonic, in a great city that loves music, with the opportunities we provide for our musicians through concerts and repertoire, broadcasts, recordings and learning programme, and support for continuing professional development to be hugely enjoyable and fulfilling.”

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