Blayden, Alastair

Cellist who attended the Britten-Pears School and the Royal College of Music, from whence he obtained diplomas in performance and teaching.

Groups with whom he has worked include the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the Choir of Claire College Cambridge, the Dante Quartet, the Fibonacci Sequence, the Johannes Ensemble, the London Cello Sound, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Pops Orchestra, the London Symphony Chorus, the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Strings, Mannheim Steamroller and the Tavener Choir.

On 7^th July 2011, the London Symphony Strings were joined by Kala Ramnath for a performance of music by Max De Wardener at Barbican Hall in London, England.

The LSO offered up an all-Sibelius concert that featured the Finnish master’s “Symphony No. 2 in D major” and “Violin Concerto in D minor”, with soloist Nikolaj Znaider, on 19^th October 2011.

On 21^st October 2011, they teamed up with mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly, tenor Paul Groves, soprano Helena Juntunen, the London Symphony Chorus and bass Matthew Rose for a performance of Missa Solemnis by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Recordings on which Alastair appears include: A Cello Christmas and Latin Cello with the London Cello Sound; Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past: A Portrait of Simon Hermstedt with Victoria Soames; Classics of My Soul by Waldemar Bastos; The Dust Bowl Symphony, Epiphany, Holst: The Planets and Music of Hope with the LSO; Fresh Aire Collector’s Box, Vol. 1-8 by Mannheim Steamroller; Ideale: Songs of Paolo Tosti by Ben Heppner; Kuhlau: The 3 Flute Quintets, Op. 51 with Jennifer Stinton; Niels W. Gade: Octet opus 17/Quintet F Minor/Allegro Vivace E Flat Major and Niels W. Gade Quintet opus 8/Sextet opus 44 with the Johannes Ensemble; Out of the Night with Andrew Parrott and the Tavener Choir; Rubbra: String Quartet No.2 in E flat op.73/String Quartet No.4 op.150/Lyric Movement for Strings & Piano op.24/Meditations on a Byzantine Hymn for two violas, Op.117a and Rubbra: String Quartets Nos. 1-4 with the Dante Quartet; and, the soundtrack of the 1998 film, St. Ives.

In the field of musical education, he has taught at the Royal College of Music, passing his knowledge along to the next generation of cellists, such as Verity Evanson and Catherine Saumarez.

The London Cello Sound recordings
Cala 55003 (A Cello Christmas)
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Conductor – Geoffrey Simon

He performs here…

Sources:

Blayden, Alastair

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