Next Concerts:
King James’ School, Knaresborough
on Saturday 14th February 2009 at 7.30 pm
Overture: The Mastersingers – Wagner
Bassoon Concerto in F – Weber
Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra – Elgar (Soloist David Baker)
Danse Macabre – Saint-Saëns
Symphony No.1 in C Minor – Brahms
Leeds Grammar School
on Saturday 21st February 2009 at 7.30 pm
Overture: The Mastersingers – Wagner
Bassoon Concerto in F – Weber
Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra – Elgar (Soloist David Baker)
Danse Macabre – Saint-Saëns
Symphony No.1 in C Minor – Brahms
About Leeds Symphony Orchestra:
Leeds Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest established orchestras in the United Kingdom, having had a continuous existence since 1890. Numbering some 90 players, the Orchestra gives ten concerts a year in Leeds, Knaresborough, Wetherby, Wakefield, Morley, Horsforth, and Ilkley.
Leeds Symphony Orchestra rehearsals are held throughout the year on Monday evenings at the West Park Centre, Spen Lane, Leeds. Membership is by audition – the basic entry standard required is Grade VIII. If you would like further information please contact the Conductor on 0113 258 5735 to arrange an audition.
Read more about the history of Leeds Symphony Orchestra here.
Martin Binks – The Conductor
Martin Binks was born in Knaresborough and educated at Rutherford Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, and at Taunton’s School Southampton. He read for the Honours Degree of BMus at the University of Birmingham, and followed this with a further year at University College, Cardiff. It was whilst at Birmingham that he began conducting, organising his own concerts with the University Orchestra. He studied conducting with Sir Charles Groves and Louis Frémaux whilst they were the Conductors of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
In September 1970, Martin Binks became Conductor of the Leeds Symphony Orchestra. He conducted his 200th concert with the Orchestra in May 2004. During his time as Conductor, the repertoire has been very wide, from the early eighteenth century to the present day. Perhaps particularly noticeable has been the inclusion in the programmes of much French music, with nearly all the orchestral music of Berlioz being performed.
As Artistic Director and Conductor of West Riding Opera, Martin has conducted well over two hundred performances of thirty seven operas in Leeds Civic Theatre. Several of these operas have been given their first-ever production in the North of England, including most notably Weber’s Euryanthe and Oberon, Lalo’s Le Roi d’Ys, Delibes’ Lakmé, Bellini’s Il Pirata, Marschner’s The Vampire, and Lortzing’s The Poacher. He conducted a production of Berlioz’ Béatrice et Bénédict in April 2003 as part of the celebrations of the bicentenary of the birth of Berlioz. In April 2006 he conducts Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the new Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds.
Martin Binks is Conductor of Knaresborough Choral Society, conducting last season Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus and Bach’s St. John Passion. This season he will be conducting performances of Handel’s Samson, Fauré’s Requiem , Vivaldi’s Gloria and other choral music.
Martin is a guest conductor of the Oslo Conservatoire Orchestra and of York Opera. Outside music, his active interests include cricket – he plays with Arthington C.C. He is married with two sons.
In recognition of his services to French music with the Leeds Symphony Orchestra and West Riding Opera, the French Government appointed him Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1993. He received the insignia from the French Ambassador in May 1994.