concerto

Brett Dean (b.1961) is a Grawemeyer Award-winning composer and viola player. Dean studied in Brisbane until 1984, when he moved to Germany to join the Berliner Philharmoniker’s viola section, a position he held for 15 years. He began composing in 1988, becoming established in his own right through works such as the clarinet concerto Ariel’s Music, which won a UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers award, the piano quintet Voices of Angels and Twelve Angry Men, written for the 12 cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Beckenham, UK (1965-present) Andrew Manze (born 14th January 1965, Beckenham) is an English baroque violinist and conductor. Having first started playing the baroque violin while studying Classics at Cambridge University, he went on to study with Simon Standage, one of the founding members of The English Concert, at the Royal Academy of Music, followed by further studies with Lucy van Dael at La Haye.

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Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (May 12, 1842 – August 13, 1912) was a French composer from Montaud, France, who was best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas fell into almost total oblivion. Apart from Manon and Werther, his works were rarely performed. However, since the mid-1970s, many operas of his such as Thaïs and Esclarmonde have undergone periodic revivals.

Read more about Jules Massenet on Last.fm.

Paul Goodwin is regarded as the foremost baroque oboist of his generation, is now firmly established as a conductor. He has made more than 20 solo and concerto recordings and was soloist with many of Europe's finest early music groups. Goodwin's experience as an oboist helps bring lyricism, phrasing, and architecture to his conducting.