News and Press

In 2017, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's exceptional Principal Clarinet, Katherine Lacy, will perform Mozart's ever-popular Clarinet Concerto accompanied by the Orchestra at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, The Hawth Crawley, the High Wycombe Swan and the Rose Theatre Kingston, as part of the Orchestra's Regional Residency programme. Ahead of her tour, we took the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her time in the RPO and how she built her illustrious career.

It was a shock for everyone, back in 1763, when a young Swedish man, who had suffered brain damage and lost the ability to speak, went to church and found that he was able to sing hymns.

Much later, scientists made some key discoveries: that music can tap into the healthy right side of the brain to stimulate the damaged left side; that it can benefit patients who have suffered from Parkinson’s, cerebral palsy, brain damage and stroke. During World War II, music was used on an unprecedented scale as an aid to soldiers who had returned from fighting with brain damage. And the scientific advances continue to gather pace.

SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

This performance by Alexander Shelley and the RPO was the first in a series of four concerts at Cadogan Hall entitled, Symphonic Soundscapes: The Music of Prokofiev and Sibelius. In the well written and informative programme notes Shelley said he wanted to “delve into the inspirations, styles and nuances of these two eminent composers, each with their own incredible journey towards symphonic and orchestral greatness”. Shelley has a very engaging stage manner and he introduced the series and the works to be performed at the concert from the stage.