Jan in 35 Pieces: A Memoir in Music

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The Porcupine's Quill, May 18, 2018 - Biography & Autobiography - 280 pages

With charm, humour and a generous smattering of musical history, cellist Ian Hampton takes readers into the cello section of the London Symphony Orchestra, performing The Rite of Spring under the baton of Pierre Monteux; into a ubiquitous Bombardier snow-machine tracking across the Arctic, late for a concert with members of the CBC Radio Orchestra; to a basement party where Ian plays Schubert with Stradivarius-wielding cellist Jacqueline du Pré; and on to the stage at Wigmore Hall in London, premiering the works of innovative Canadian composers with the Purcell String Quartet. Structured as if it were a concert, Jan in 35 Pieces revolves around thirty-five compositions that have influenced the course of Ian’s long career. Jan in 35 Pieces is more than a memoir—it is an extravaganza of music history in which Hampton offers smart, playful glimpses into the world of a professional musician.

 

Contents

Foreword by Bramwell Tovey
Arlequin
The Magic Flute
Stardust
St Matthew Passion
Große Fuge
Warhorses
The Schubert Quintet
A Ticket to Ride
Copyright

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About the author (2018)

Born in London, England in 1935, Ian Hampton is an acclaimed cellist, educator and administrator. After stints with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Edinburgh String Quartet, he taught at a number of American institutions, including the University of California at Davis, before moving to Canada to become principal cellist of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Among his many accomplishments, Ian is a founding member of the Purcell String Quartet and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, as well as Artistic Director Emeritus of the Langley Community Music School. His accolades include a BC Arts Council Award for his extraordinary contribution as a performer, teacher and administrator. In 2009, he was named a Canadian Music Centre ambassador in recognition of his contribution to Canadian music, and in 2011, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Simon Fraser University. He lives near Vancouver.

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