Child’s play to be world class

Apr 18 2009 by Sam Wonfor, The Journal

Talk about speaking at crossed purposes. A couple of weeks ago I was telling our culture editor all about the feature you’re about to read.

He kept talking about the young trendy trainee who wanted to review the concert in question and I was convinced he was mistaken.

“No, they definitely want to do the Prodigy concert,” he said.

“They didn’t strike me as a classical music-type,” I replied, judging a book by its cool-dressing, choppy-haired cover.

“Classical music?” came the response. “What the hell are you on about?”

It’s probably about time I clarify the issue before we run out of space.

While the editor in question was referring to the then upcoming hardcore sweatfest at the Arena aka a concert from The Prodigy, I was talking about the April 29 fixture in Hall One of The Sage Gateshead, nicely titled The World’s Greatest Musical Prodigies.

I suppose it serves me right for labelling it “the Prodigies gig” – a label which would not go down well with its driving force, 16-year old composer and conductor Alexander Prior.

“It’s not a nice word,” he says, referring to ‘prodigy’. “I think it speaks of someone who is very talented but is yet to achieve much, and may not ever achieve anything. None of these children are that - they’ve already achieved a lot.”

The children he’s talking of (along with himself, presumably) are the four outstanding young musicians (his preferred description) he has chosen to perform the world premiere of his concerto at The Sage, alongside our very own Northern Sinfonia.

The performance will serve as the climax to a year-long Channel Four documentary project (which shares the same title as the concert).

The three-part series, to be screened in June, follows Alex – who began composing at eight and has now written more than 40 works – as he travels the world searching for young musicians to play his specially-commissioned concerto. The concerto, Velesslavitsa, is a 45-minute piece – three-times longer than was initially commissioned.

“For the same pay, but it was in the name of quality,” laughs Alex, who is in his fourth year of study at the St Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. “There was an element of uncertainty because I didn’t know who I was writing for until I met the soloists. That was a very difficult choice to make.” The selection process involved Alex leading a jury of experts and listening to the young musicians who had been narrowed down to an elite field in America and China.

“It’s interesting how one makes a decision. It’s not just about who’s better, but also about what fits together. There was a wonderful harpist, for example, but it just wouldn’t have worked with the other instruments I had chosen.”

As well as performing Alex’s new work, the young musicians will also play other pieces. Ten-year-old pianist Zhang Xiaoming performs Beethoven; 13-year-old violinist Michael Province, Mendelssohn; 15-year-old cellist Nathan Chan, Dvorák; and 12-year-old violinist Simone Porter performs Haydn, all conducted by Alex.

“They’re all very bright personalities, which is really important,” continues Alex. “A musician must have their own personality, otherwise it all becomes very bland. You have to have something to say, otherwise it’s pointless. It’s wonderful that we’ve got such wonderful soloists and such a great orchestra too in the Northern Sinfonia. I’m very much looking forward to working with them,” he says, before offering his opinion on the orchestra’s Gateshead base.

“I particularly dislike modern architecture, but The Sage looks very nice, it’s a rare example of very beautiful modern architecture which is very practical.” Phew.

Rehearsals for the concert begin on Monday when the youngsters will come together for the first time in a house in Eshott, near Morpeth. “They won’t be particularly difficult. It will be more of a psychological, philosophical and emotional rehearsal because they’ve had plenty of time to learn the parts – I hope.”

I wonder whether it’s easier or more difficult to conduct your own composition. “It’s very different,” he says. You have to pretend it’s not your piece of music, otherwise you get over-emotional and overexcited and the whole thing falls apart. I can do that though – there’s no problem there.”

Hall One, The Sage Gateshead plays host to The World’s Greatest Prodigies on April 29. For tickets, call (0191) 443-4661 or visit www.thesagegateshead.org

A trailer for the series can be seen at www.journallive.co.uk/culture