Christopher Warren-Green
Christopher Warren-Green | |
---|---|
Birth name | Christopher Warren-Green |
Born | (1955-07-30) 30 July 1955 (age 69) |
Genres | Classical |
Occupation(s) | Conductor |
Instrument | Violin |
Years active | 1975–present |
Christopher Warren-Green (born 30 July 1955) is a British violinist and conductor. He was born in Gloucestershire and attended Westminster City School, where he was a chorister,[1] and later the Royal Academy of Music.[2]
Warren-Green has served as concertmaster of the Philharmonia Orchestra.[3] Warren-Green has held the position of Music Director of the London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) since 1988. In 2005, Vladimir Ashkenazy invited Warren-Green and the LCO to Hong Kong as the resident orchestra for the Hong Kong International Piano Competition.
On the personal invitation of the Prince of Wales, Warren-Green was invited to arrange the music and conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra for the Service of Dedication and Prayer celebrating the marriage of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. To mark the occasion of the Queen's 80th birthday at Kew Palace, he conducted a private concert for the entire Royal family.[4]
In 1998, Warren-Green became Principal Guest Conductor of the Nordic Chamber Orchestra, taking over as Chief Conductor from 2001 until 2005. From 1998 to 2001, he was Chief Conductor of the Joenkoeping Sinfonietta. He was appointed Principal Conductor of the Camerata Resident Orchestra of the Megaron Athens in October 2004. In May 2009, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra named Warren-Green its 11th music director, effective with the 2010–2011 season.[5][6] In August 2012, the orchestra announced the extension of Warren-Green's contract through the 2015–2016 season.[7]
Warren-Green has recorded for BMG, EMI, Philips, Virgin, Warner Classics.,[8] Chandos and Deutsche Grammophon. In July 2007, he conducted the premiere of Nigel Hess's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, commissioned by the Prince of Wales in memory of his grandmother, with soloist Lang Lang. He conducted the London Chamber Orchestra at the April 2011 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge before a worldwide television audience.
In May 2018, he conducted the orchestra at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The group consisted of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and English Chamber Orchestra and featured virtuoso cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
In August 2008 Warren-Green appeared in the reality TV talent show-themed television series, Maestro on BBC Two, as a mentor to Jane Asher, one of the students.[6]
Warren-Green is married to Rosemary Furniss, a violinist, and artistic director and concertmaster of the LCO. They have three children and three stepchildren.[9]
References
- ^ Anna Tyzack (19 December 2011). "My perfect weekend: Christopher Warren-Green". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ^ "Royal Academy of Music". The Independent. 3 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
- ^ Peter Kingston (23 January 1999). "Sour notes in the strings". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
- ^ "The Queen celebrates her 80th birthday". The Guardian. 21 April 2006. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
- ^ "Charlotte Symphony Announces Music Director Designate Christopher Warren-Green to become orchestra's eleventh Music Director" (Press release). Charlotte Symphony. 26 May 2009. Archived from the original on 29 May 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
- ^ a b Charlotte Smith, "Warren-Green appointed Charlotte Symphony director". Gramophone, 28 May 2009.
- ^ "Charlotte Symphony Music Director Renews Contract Through 2016" (PDF) (Press release). Charlotte Symphony. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Anthony Holden (29 August 2004). "Robert Simpson, Symphony No 11, Variations on a Theme by Nielsen". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
- ^ Steven Brown, "Symphony's new director is booster, too". Charlotte Observer, 31 May 2009.
External links
- HarrisonParrott agency biography of Warren-Green
- LCO biography of Warren-Green
Preceded by | Music Director, London Chamber Orchestra 1988–present | Succeeded by incumbent |
Preceded by Sir Neville Marriner | Principal Conductor, Camerata Resident Orchestra of the Megaron Athens 2004–present | Succeeded by incumbent |
Preceded by | Music Director, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra 2010–present | Succeeded by incumbent |