Albion Media

Albion Media managed international press and coordinated marketing coverage across thirteen countries, which required the creation of multi-lingual press releases, working with the local press to secure listings and mentions and ensuring the marketing tools were in place and correctly utilised

Albion Media worked with Benjamin Grosvenor to raise his UK profile around important concert dates in 2009, in addition to securing concert reviews in the national and online press. Albion Media also offered 16-year-old Benjamin advice on interview technique and handling press attention in the early stages of his professional career.

Simon Millward acted as the sole UK PR consultant for all BMG Classics artists and releases (including the RCA Red Seal and the Arte Nova labels) from 2003 to 2005.

Together with LD Publicity, Albion Media promoted the 2007 Classical Brits Awards, an event that generated more press coverage than ever before in the Award’s history.

Albion Media worked on Brilliant Classics' UK PR during 2007 to 2009 achieving considerable press coverage for their much admired budget-price box sets.

Albion Media undertook personal PR work for Susan Bullock’s Royal Opera House debut in February 2006.

Albion Media handled the PR and marketing for William's concerts at St. John's, Smith Square on 20 and 27 March 2009 where he performed the complete Bach Cello suites.

In 2008, the Cheltenham Music Festival welcomes Meurig Bowen as its new Director. Meurig continues the work of his distinguished predecessors, Sir John Manduell, Michael Berkeley and Martyn Brabbins, with a richly-layered programme of symphonic, choral, vocal and chamber repertoire in an inspiring range of venues that include the Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham Town Hall and Tewkesbury Abbey.

With particular focuses on the folk-derived compositions of Vaughan-Williams, Grainger, Holst, Britten, Bartok and Kodaly, on Manchester and on Schubert Lieder, performers have included the BBC Philharmonic and Philharmonia, pianists Marc-Andre Hamelin, Paul Lewis and Ingrid Fliter, singers Sarah Connolly and Mark Padmore, and the Dante, Elias and Pavel Haas Quartets.

The Choir of London is a vibrant ensemble composed of young professional singers with a shared commitment to charitable work. Since its creation in 2004, it has rapidly established a reputation for outstanding quality, and its debut disc, a recording of Sir John Tavener’s multilingual Lament for Jerusalem, shot to the top of the UK Core Classical Chart last year following glowing reviews.

The Choir is unique in that it channels most of its professional revenue into its education and outreach programmes, with a particular focus on the Middle East. Its first major project involved unprecedented performances of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem, in which local musicians took part alongside visiting British players and singers.

Albion Media did the PR for Jessica Duchen’s latest novel, Hungarian Dances, which was published by Hodder & Stoughton in March this year, following wide acclaim for Rites of Spring and Alicia’s Gift. She is currently working on a fourth novel.

Deep Purple founder member Jon Lord was commissioned by Durham University to write a piece of music to celebrate their 175th anniversary. The Durham concertom was recorded for release on CD by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Mischa Damev and Albion Media, as the RLPO's PR agency was retained to manage the PR around the CD release.

Gianandrea Noseda, has been Principle Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra since September 2002. His successes with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra include their compelling Beethoven Symphony Cycle at The Bridgewater Hall in 2005, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and then made available for free download from the BBC Radio 3 website. As well as winning great critical acclaim, the initiative was taken up by 1.4 million people, and won the Orchestra an ITV South Bank Show Award.

Noseda is an exclusive artist of Chandos Records. He has released eleven recordings, all of which have been successfully reviewed worldwide.

Simon Millward acted as personal PR consultant to Deirdre, promoting her Venus Blazing UK tour, in February and March 2005.

Angela Hewitt embarked on a mammoth year-long world tour of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier in August 2007 which saw her visit five continents in over 100 concerts. Albion Media worked with Angela on promoting the tour as well as her 50th birthday celebrations which culminated with four recitals at the Wigmore Hall.

Angela Hewitt is a phenomenal artist who has established herself at the highest level over the last few years not least through her superb, award-winning recordings for Hyperion. Completed in 2005, her eleven-year project to record all the major keyboard works of Bach has been described as “one of the record glories of our age” (The Sunday Times) and has won her a huge following.

Founded in 1980, Hyperion is an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first. In January 1996 Hyperion was presented with MIDEM's Cannes Classiques Award for Best Label.

The repertoire available on Hyperion covers the entire spectrum of western classical music in all genres – sacred and secular, choral and solo vocal, orchestral, chamber and instrumental – and much of it is unique to the label. The catalogue currently comprises nearly 1400 CDs, and approximately 80 new titles are issued each year.

Joan Enric Lluna has developed a successful career as an international clarinettist performing in all of the most important concert halls in Europe, the United States, South America and Asia.

In 2005 Joan Enric Lluna founded “MoonWinds”, a new chamber music group that gathers together some of the best wind musicians from the current musical scene. Joan performs with MoonWinds as both soloist and conductor. The group has recorded two CDs for Harmonia Mundi.

Albion Media was retained by Joan Enric Lluna to handle the PR for their Cadogan Hall date in January 2009.

Albion Media promoted Denitsa’s Wigmore Hall recital with Viktoria Postnikova in January 2007.

Simon Millward was the Manchester Camerta's national press consultant from 2004 to 2005.

Marek Janowski’s name is synonymous with the great German orchestral tradition which he interprets in the most enlightened and informed manner. Having established himself at the highest level throughout the musical world, he has also revealed an extraordinary skill in building and training orchestras and creating ensembles of world class reputation and refinement through his meticulous rehearsal technique, innovative programming and commanding musicianship. In Paris, Monte Carlo, Dresden, Berlin, and now Geneva, he has created orchestras of international standing known for the quality of their playing and depth of sound.

Maestro Janowski toured the UK in January 2008 with L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande visiting Gateshead, Manchester, Birmingham and London.

Simon Millward was corporate PR consultant for the Museum of London and the Museum in Docklands from 2003 to 2004.

Albion Media worked on the release of Steve Reich’s CD ‘You Are (Variations)’ in 2006.

Albion Media managed Libor Novacek’s PR for his third recording on Landor Records and a recital at the Wigmore Hall. The new recording was entirely devoted to works by Johannes Brahms and won much critical acclaim from national press and music magazines.

Albion Media represents the highly regarded Japanese pianist Hiromi Okada whenever he appears in the UK. Recent appearances include Wigmore Hall recitals in 2005 and 2007.

One of the great orchestras of the world, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande was founded in 1918 by Ernest Ansermet, who remained in charge until 1967. In 2004 Marek Janowski joined the orchestra first as Artistic Director and then, a year later, also as Musical Director.

Janowski brought the OSR to the UK for the first time under his charge for a tour of the nation’s finest concert venues: The Sage at Gateshead, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Symphony Hall in Birmingham and the Barbican in London.

In 2008 OCMF opened its season in London for the very first time. The Cadogan Hall concert was warmly received by the audience and critics alike.

Albion Media organised the press launch and reception for the new Palau de les Arts in Valencia at the Royal Opera House in December 2005

Albion Media promoted Roxanna’s CD of ‘Beastly Tales’ which was released by EMI Classics in 2006.

Albion Media worked on the record label Pentatone's UK PR during 2008 and 2009

Simon Millward was responsible for the national press work for the Philharmonia Chorus’s various major London concerts, 2004 – 2006

PR consultant for the inaugural Pianist-Yamaha Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Cadogan Hall, November 2005.

Located in a medieval hilltop village in southern Tuscany, the Piccola Accademia di Montisi is a centre of inspiration for musicians whose interest is the harpsichord, its repertoire and its history. Access to original keyboard instruments has diminished and to counter this tendency, the Piccola Accademia is putting together a world-class collection of carefully restored and maintained historic harpsichords which are intended to be played. The collection will include examples from each national school, allowing every piece in the harpsichord repertoire to be played on an appropriate instrument for its time and place.

Instruments are brought to life through master classes given by internationally renowned teachers, professors and performers, The PAdM also presents an annual festival featuring both established artists and emerging talents and incorporating both solo and ensemble performances. Concerts will take place in the historic chapels, churches and monasteries of Montisi and its environs.

In 2002, at the age of twelve, Jennifer Pike became the youngest ever winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, following her performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Andrew Davis.

Since then, Jennifer has performed in many major venues and arts festivals around the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the USA.

National PR consultant for this innovative Canadian theatre company’s presentation of Ana Sokolovic’s ‘The Midnight Court’, Royal Opera House, June 2005.

Albion Media managed PR for Khachatryan in 2009 when he gave a 5 star performance at Wigmore Hall. He continues to perform to much critical acclaim and has devoted following around the world.

The Classical BRIT Awards 2008 will take place on Thursday 8th May. Now in its 9th year, the gala evening promises to be yet another star-studded event.

It will be hosted by Myleene Klass and will take place at the Royal Albert Hall, when seven prestigious trophies will be awarded and the audience entertained by a galaxy of leading international artists with some of the finest classical newcomers taking to the Classical BRIT Awards stage for the first time.

Albion Media will be promoting again the 2008 Classical BRIT Awards (like in 2007) , an event that last year generated more press coverage than ever before in the Award’s history.

The Masterclass Media Foundation is a charity devoted to creating a unique archive designed to enrich the music-making of the future. Until now, and with the rare exceptions of televised masterclasses, it has been inevitable that the inspirational experience of the master class is a privilege reserved for just the lucky (as well as talented) few. But the MMF is determined to make many of these masterclasses available more widely, by issuing video recordings on DVD and by offering the possibility of internet downloads from its own website. With an estimated 30-40 hours of masterclasses scheduled for release each year the MMF will be responsible for creating a resource of priceless value for this and succeeding generations, offering a means through which the insights and secrets of the world's great musicians of our time can be both preserved for posterity and used as a practical resource by students – and listeners - all over the world.

With Albion Media's help, London’s first classical music club night was launched in January 2006 and gained extensive coverage in the national press and on national radio.

"Matthew Trusler has been attracting the kind of praise normally reserved for a young Oistrakh"
The Independent

Born in 1976, Matthew Trusler graduated from Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music in 1998, having also studied with Ruggerio Ricci, he has been invited to perform as a recitalist and concerto soloist throughout Europe, Australia, the USA, Japan and South Africa