#TheWorldtoMe
OUR AIM
In January 2025, we are recording our next CD, The World to Me, of music by the exciting English composer, Simon Beattie.
This recording project is already more than 50% funded and we need your help to raise a further £10,000, which will go towards musicians’ fees and production costs.
THE COMPOSER: SIMON BEATTIE
Simon Beattie (b.1975) is a composer, translator, and international antiquarian bookseller, selling rare books to customers around the world. Choral music has always been part of Simon’s life, first as a treble, then a tenor, in his local parish church choir, at school, and as a choral scholar at Exeter Cathedral. His choral compositions have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and performed on both sides of the Atlantic
He has been described as having ‘a grasp of harmony and harmonic progression [which is] particularly impressive’ (John McCabe), ‘a very good sense of choral texture and spacing’ (John Scott), and for being ‘expressive and highly sensitive to text and semantics’ (Nicholas Mulroy).
Grounded in the English choral tradition, but entirely self-taught as a composer, Simon often chooses unusual texts, some of which he has translated himself. He is a unique and fresh voice in British choral music, with an idiomatic, expressive writing style which he calls ‘narrative lyricism’.
ABOUT US: THE LONDON CHORAL SINFONIA
Michael Waldron (picture by Kevin McDaid Photography)
“Fast becoming the go-to champions for contemporary British choral music” (Gramophone)
The London Choral Sinfonia is a dynamic professional ensemble, directed by Michael Waldron, who specialise in bringing new life to a wide range of choral and orchestral music, striving to deliver world-class performances of mid-sized repertoire.
Each season the LCS performs in a number of concerts across London, at venues including Cadogan Hall, Sinfonia Smith Square, and Kings Place. These performances involve collaborations with emerging composers to commission new works, whilst also seeking to shine a light on lesser-known pieces in the canon of classical music.
Since 2019 the LCS - in association with Orchid Classics - has released numerous albums, including the three-volume collection of works for choir and orchestra by Richard Pantcheff and the award-winning Christmas album, O Holy Night. Their album, Colourise, featuring baritone Roderick Williams and tenor Andrew Staples, was released to critical acclaim. Described by Gramophone as ‘intensely moving’, the album reached over a million streams within the first months of its release. Sword in the Soul – released in April 2023 – was described as ‘beautifully judged’ (Gramophone) and ‘sublime’ (BBC Radio 3). Their double-disc release of works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor in July 2023 features many world-premiere recordings, and was praised for its ‘fine recordings’ (The Sunday Times). Their recording of music by Sir Stephen Hough, Mirabilis, was received to great critical acclaim: ‘Waldron directs his fresh-voiced choir with energising, always scrupulous ardour’ (BBC Music Magazine). Chosen as ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone, this was selected as one of their ‘Best Albums of 2023’. The album, Retrospect, featuring lesser-known works by Vaughan Williams, was released earlier this year. Featuring violinist Jack Liebeck, it was chosen as 'Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone, selected as one of their ‘Best Albums of 2024’, and is featured in their list of ’Top 20 Albums of Vaughan Williams’. Their most recent release, The French Album, was praised for its ‘gorgeous performances’ (BBC Music Magazine).
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
Recording is a crucial part of our output and we are thrilled to be recording the beautiful music of Simon Beattie, adding to our growing catalogue of discs of music by important contemporary British choral composers.
We have already raised over 50% of the cost of this recording, but making professional recordings is an expensive art.
We hope to raise £10,000 through this Crowdfunder. This will go towards musicians’ fees and production costs and ensure that we are able to produce a recording of the highest quality.
THANK YOU
We are grateful to you for your support. Every donation counts, however small.
Please share our campaign on social media:
#TheWorldtoMe
@thelcsmusic
https://www.thelcs.org