Alsop awarded

2005 could be Marin Alsop's year

Marin Alsop isn't exactly short of awards - she was already named Gramophone's "artist of the year" in 2003, no mean feat for a conductor. But outstanding talents can not be praised often enough, so she has also snapped up first prize at this year's Brit Awards in the category "Best Female Artist". Now, you can argue about whether it makes sense to make the gender-distinction at all (men and women hardly seem to have any biological advantages or disadvantages when playing the piano or violin or when conducting), but you can't argue about the quality of the competition: Marin beat Martha Argerich and Lorraine Hunt Lieberson to claim her throne. The award was given to her because of two projects she realised for Naxos: Firstly, her CD with works by Adams and Glass, played by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and secondly a Barber-cycle with the Scottish National Orchestra.

Coinciding with this news is the release of the first CD of a full rendition of Brahms' symphonies. As Marin states, this composer "is very close to my heart". She can still remember hearing his B flat String Sextet (no cheap jokes here, please) at the tender age of 12 and the incredible effect it had on her. Recording these symphonies was a "dream come true". You can now share that dream by getting a hold of these recordings, which are again out on Naxos.

Homepage: Marin Alsop
Homepage: PR2classic (Marin's Agency)
Homepage: Naxos