About us
Since its formation in 1989 THE LONDON SCHUBERT PLAYERS chamber orchestra and its associated chamber music groups - consisting of outstanding professional musicians many of whom are international prize-winners and soloists - initiated, organised and produced a great variety of projects. They have performed in major concert halls and festivals in Europe, Asia, South America and North Africa and extended their talents and time to unique educational and humanitarian activities: they played in Romanian orphanages after the 1989 Romanian revolution – and were probably the first London orchestra ever to visit Romania; brought live music to remote Spanish villages; provided concerts and school workshops in Sri Lanka and India, with a memorable experience at Woodstock School, 2,000 metres up in the Himalayas; and gave educational and community concerts in the UK for schools, nursing homes and various charitable causes.
The orchestra of 27 was founded by pianist Anda Anastasescu as the first orchestra-in-residence at the Theatre Artaud in the French Institute in London. Schubert in the title should be given a wide connotation as The Players’ programmes combine the classical with the contemporary and explore the unknown repertoire.
The LSP has been championing English music overseas and presented many UK Premières of works by Romanian, Norwegian, Spanish, American, Argentinean, Brazilian, Chinese and Japanese composers. Their CD A World of Music has been featured in several BBC Radio 3 programmes.
Building on their exceptional successes - the adventurous Bridging the Millennia series: Homage to Silvestri-Shostakovich-Copland-Turina at London’s South Bank 1999-2000; the first-ever British festival of Romanian composers A Romanian Musical Adventure in the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room 2005-2006; the artistic and educational residency established in 2007 in The Crossing Arts Centre in Worksop; the long-term international composition project Invitation to Composers financed by the European Commission and consisting of concerts, recordings, workshops, seminars and forums 2009-2011; and the 2013 series of concerts, conferences, masterclasses, symposiums and exhibitions celebrating Constantin Silvestri’s Centenary in London, Edinburgh, Paris, Brussels, Prague, Bucharest and Cluj – the LSP is planning a four-year international chamber music composition project.
Pianist Anda Anastasescu and journalist John Gritten, founders and trustees of the London Schubert Players.
A Selection of Performances
Mendelssohn: Piano and Violin Concerto. Anda Anastasescu piano, Ken Aiso violin, LSP string quintet. YouTube
Ana Maria Avram: Ca de-as muri primavara from Ten Romanian Songs from Bela Bartok’s folk collection. Yuri Zhislin viola, Anda Anastasescu piano, string quintet. YouTube
Ivan Bozicevic: Spring passes - Meditation after Basho (Spring passes and the birds cry out - tears in the eyes of fishes) for piano duet (Anda Anastasescu and Alberto Portugheis) and LSP string quintet. Conducted by the composer.
Jonathan Ostlund: Pierrot - too tired to sleep from Three Poems. Viola solo: Milena Pajaro-Van-de-Stadt. Piano: Anda Anastasescu. LSP string quintet. YouTube
Bjorn Bolstad Skjelbred: Dans l'Ombre du Gibet from Crystals. LSP piano quartet. YouTube
Michael Cretu: Danse and Improvisation for Solo Double Bass. Performed by the composer. Presenter: pianist Anda Anastasescu. YouTube
Carmen Carneci: Quatuor pour Marguerite. Conducted by the composer. YouTube
Bjorn Bolstad Skjelbred: Crystals. World Premiere. LSP piano quartet with Alberto Portugheis. YouTube
Artistic DirectorAnda Anastasescu
Project TeamAllan Hughes, Ben Gritten, George Tsimperopoulos
Contact
Anda Anastasescu
The Old Courthouse, 45 North End Road, LONDON W14 8SZ
Tel. +44 (0) 20 7603 1396
Email: aajg@btinternet.com
Registered Charity No. 1000053