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Ensemble

 

Orchestra of the Swan is a British chamber orchestra that was founded in 1995 by David Curtis. The orchestra is based in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and is known for its innovative programming and commitment to contemporary music. David Curtis, the founder and artistic director of Orchestra of the Swan, was born in London in 1950. He began his musical career as a violinist, studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London. After graduating, he worked as a freelance musician, performing with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1984, Curtis founded the London Mozart Players, a chamber orchestra that quickly gained a reputation for its high-quality performances and innovative programming. Curtis served as the artistic director of the London Mozart Players for over a decade, during which time the orchestra performed at major venues around the world and recorded numerous critically acclaimed albums. In 1995, Curtis founded Orchestra of the Swan with the aim of creating a chamber orchestra that would be dedicated to performing a wide range of repertoire, from Baroque to contemporary music. The orchestra's name was inspired by the swans that inhabit the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon, where the orchestra is based. Orchestra of the Swan quickly established itself as one of the leading chamber orchestras in the UK, with a reputation for its innovative programming and commitment to contemporary music. The orchestra has commissioned and premiered numerous works by contemporary composers, including John Joubert, Roxanna Panufnik, and Dobrinka Tabakova. One of the highlights of Orchestra of the Swan's early years was its performance at the 1997 Three Choirs Festival, one of the oldest and most prestigious music festivals in the world. The orchestra performed a program of works by Mozart, Haydn, and Mendelssohn, which was widely praised for its energy and precision. In 2002, Orchestra of the Swan was invited to perform at the BBC Proms, one of the world's largest classical music festivals. The orchestra performed a program of works by Handel, Vivaldi, and Bach, which was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. The performance was widely praised for its virtuosity and energy, and helped to establish Orchestra of the Swan as one of the leading chamber orchestras in the UK. Over the years, Orchestra of the Swan has collaborated with numerous world-renowned soloists, including cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, pianist Peter Donohoe, and violinist Tasmin Little. The orchestra has also recorded numerous critically acclaimed albums, including a series of recordings of the complete symphonies of Mozart and Beethoven. In 2014, Orchestra of the Swan was awarded the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music, in recognition of its outstanding contributions to the field of chamber music. The award was presented to David Curtis and the orchestra at a ceremony in London, and was widely seen as a testament to the orchestra's commitment to excellence and innovation. Today, Orchestra of the Swan continues to be one of the leading chamber orchestras in the UK, with a reputation for its innovative programming, commitment to contemporary music, and high-quality performances. The orchestra's future looks bright, with plans to continue commissioning and premiering new works, collaborating with world-renowned soloists, and performing at major venues around the world.

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