Nicola Benedetti receives praise for Elgar single and online lessons
Benedetti in her ‘Learn with Nicky’ : Salut d’amour — Lesson 4 (Photo credit: Nicola Benedetti YouTube)
Violinist Nicola Benedetti launched her online initiative ‘Learn Salut d’Amour with Nicky’ in advance of her Decca Classics album release on May 15, 2020.
The new album explores music by Britain’s best-loved composer, Edward Elgar. The centerpiece is his vast Violin Concerto coupled with three short works for violin and piano: Salut d’Amour, Sospiri and Chanson de Nuit.
The online series ‘Learn Salut d’Amour with Nicky’ is part of the Benedetti Foundation, inviting young musicians to learn and perform one of the violin’s most popular pieces. Benedetti will teach Salut d’Amour via YouTube with daily tutorials at 10am UK Time / 5am NY Time for one week from April 10 to 16, 2020.
Participants are invited to email their performances of Salut d’Amour to info@benedettifoundation.org or upload on social media using #salutnicky by 5pm UK Time / 12pm NY Time on Thursday, April 16. A winner will be selected from the entries and the winning performance will be premiered online on April 19, 2020 at 5pm UK Time / 12pm NY Time, followed by a live ‘Ask Nicky’ Q&A. You can watch these videos on Benedetti’s Facebook and YouTube pages. For more information about her online content, click here.
The initiative has received enormous praise across the globe.
Keith Bruce from The Herald Scotland wrote, “The Benedetti Foundation, which exploded into action at the start of January, when a thousand young musicians and their teachers occupied Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for the first of the Benedetti Sessions in instrumental playing, singing and musicianship, has moved all the diverse facets of its work online as the world copes with the COVID-19 medical emergency.”
Helena Asprou of Classic FM praised, “Grammy award-winning violinist, Nicola Benedetti, is live-streaming free Elgar tutorials to lift people’s spirits as they self-isolate during the coronavirus pandemic. The wonderful initiative, ‘Learn Salut d’Amour with Nicky’, invites young musicians and string enthusiasts to learn and perform one of the composer’s best-loved pieces in a series of classes…”
Gramophone Magazine shared, “The violinist and leading ambassador for classical music first heard the piece (a 3-minute much-loved melody written by Elgar in 1888) aged six — one of her earliest musical memories, she recalls being so intensely moved by it that she burst into tears — and now wants to share her love of the work with today's young players.”
Lizzie Edmond’s from the London Evening Standard writes, “Classical violinist Nicola Benedetti is launching daily music lessons to help “invigorate” people amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The Benedetti Foundation will be streaming music lessons on its Instagram and Facebook pages every week day from Monday - with the Scottish star hosting three seasons a week. Benedetti, who also announced her latest album dedicated to the music of Edward Elgar, said she decided to launch the initiative to help people stay “optimistic” during isolation.”
The Times of London also featured the initiative with “Grammy award-winning violinist Nicola Benedetti has launched new online series ‘Learn Salut d’Amour with Nicky,’ inviting young musicians to learn and perform one of the violin’s most popular pieces.”
The Scotsman and The Strad also featured the new album and its accompanying online lessons.
The Strad published another article highlighting the Benedetti Foundation's online classes with, “Benedetti Foundation, formed by violinist Nicola Benedetti, is rolling out a programme of online daily music lessons. During this period of isolation the Foundation Instagram goes live every day at 12pm BST with one of the tutor team. The session will then be hosted on both IGTV and the Benedetti Foundation Facebook page for anyone who was unable to watch live.”
For more information about the new album and Benedetti’s additional online initiatives, click here and here.
