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Marc Corbett-Weaver | |
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| Born | 11 September 1984 York |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Education | Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield |
| Alma mater | Royal College of Music, London |
| Known for | Pianist, Artistic Director, Chief Executive, Teacher of Piano, Property Developer, Music Journalist, Entrepreneur, Presenter |
| Website | www.marccorbett-weaver.com |
Marc Thomas Winston Corbett-Weaver (born 11 September 1984) is a British musician. He works as both a performing artist and as an executive. As a performer, he is a classical pianist, who appears both as a recitalist and as a concerto soloist. As an executive, he is the Artistic Director & Chief Executive of The Story of Christmas; the Co-founder, Artistic Director & Chief Executive of London Firebird Orchestra and the Deputy Artistic Director of the Bath Recital Artists' Trust. He is also a music reviewer for the Edinburgh International Festival.
Marc founded the Orpheus Sinfonia in 2006, when he was 22 years old and the London Firebird Orchestra in 2012. Both orchestras have aimed to provide graduates of British conservatoires performing experience at the early stage of their careers as professional musicians.
Early life and education
editMarc was born in York. He was given his first piano lessons at the age of 5 by Angela Ross. He was educated at Ingelbrook School in Pontefract from the age of three to seven, followed by Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield from the age of seven to eighteen. At QEGS Junior School he won the first prize in the inter-house music competition in every consecutive year he attended the school. At QEGS Senior School he was first boy in the school’s 400-year history to win both the junior and senior QEGS Musician of the Year Competitions (he was invited to return to the school in March 2012 to adjudicate this competition and through doing so his choice of winner became the second). At school Marc was an active in the Senate Debating Society, developed an interest in drama, acting in six theatrical productions, learnt to speak French and Spanish and travelled with school to France and Spain, and was organist at St John’s Church Wakefield.
Marc was a chorister at Wakefield Cathedral from the age of seven to fourteen. There, he performed frequently live on BBC Radio Three, appeared at the annual Three Choirs Festival and toured Scotland and United States. He was confirmed by Bishop Nigel McCulloch KCVO at Wakefield Cathedral when he was nine, and was later blessed by him when he was selected to be Boy Bishop of Wakefield. Marc was appointed Deputy Head Chorister by Jonathan Bielby. Marc later supported the Cathedral’s development fund by giving a public piano recital at the Cathedral in 2009.
He studied the piano at the Royal College of Music under Gordon Fergus-Thompson.
Pianist
editMarc’s recent concerto performances include Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no. 1 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no. 2 at Cadogan Hall and at other British concert venues; the Grieg Piano Concerto in London and Yorkshire; Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue in London and in Yorkshire; Shostakovich Piano Concerto no. 2 in London; Mozart Piano Concertos (no. 21 and no. 23) in various London venues, the Bath Pump Room and in the towns of Graz and Weiz in Austria. Recent recitals have included pieces by J S Bach, Beethoven,Haydn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Debussy, Ravel and Rachmaninoff in the UK, the Channel Islands, Italy, Austria and Greece. Alongside his performing, his operates a private teaching practice, for pianists of all ages, teaching beginners to diploma students.
Orpheus Sinfonia and Orpheus Foundation
editWith financial support provided by The Story of Christmas, Marc produced a series of concerts in September 2005, which were later incorporated as the organisation known as Orpheus Foundation. Its orchestra of young musicians, the Orpheus Sinfonia, was established by Marc in November 2006. Marc was Artistic Director from September 2005 until August 2011, as well as being Chief Executive from 2009-11. There, he produced over 140 concerts, ranging from recitals of chamber music to orchestral performances involving over 100 performing artists, presented by celebrities, including Dame Judi Dench CH DBE and Aled Jones. He also produced an outdoor performance at Radley Farm in Berkshire on three occasions, featuring the orchestra, and concert tour to Austria.
The Story of Christmas
editFounded in 1978, The Story of Christmas is the property and construction industries’ Christmas charity concert, held each year at St George Hanover Square in Mayfair, London. Marc first became involved as a performer in 2004 and then as an assistant to the founding Chairman, the late Robert Spooner MBE. Marc was appointed Artistic Director & Chief Executive in 2010, following Spooner’s death. The charity’s patron is The Rt Revd & Rt Hon Richard Chartres, KCVO, Lord Bishop of London]] and its President is Dame Judi Dench CH DBE. During Marc’s time, the event has welcomed star guests including Daniel Craig, Benedict Cumberbatch, Edward Fox, Freddie Fox, Steven Fry, Ian Hislop, Joanna Lumley, Geoffrey Palmer, Michael Portillo, Miranda Richardson, Dan Stevens, Imogen Stubbs and June Whitfield. Fundraising has grown significantly, with donations totally £250,000 being received in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, Marc moved the reception to the Dorchester Ballroom on Park Lane and event raised more than £350,000. The projects supported through the event include the Webber Street Walk-in Centre for in Waterloo where homeless people can receive a cooked breakfast and fresh clothes; the Thames Reach Employment Academy where homeless people can attend vocational training courses and be introduced to employers; Purple Door, the second purpose built LGBT homeless hostel in the world; the development of the gardens at Shooting Star House Children’s Hospice, a new nursery at 999 Club and the acquisition and development of a new building at Oasis in Lambeth.
London Firebird Orchestra
editMarc co-founded London Firebird Orchestra in March 2012, together with the Austrian conductor Achim Holub and now works as its Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer. The orchestra is a registered charity and the Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench CH DBE is its Patron. It offers intense performing opportunities for exceptionally talented young musicians, including at Queen Elizabeth Hall, St Paul Covent Garden, St George Hanover Square and the Grand Pump Room, Bath.
An charitable object of the orchestra is to advance the promotion of the concept fusing classical music with comedy, a current trend being championed by the conductor Rainer Hersch, who is also a stand-up comedian. Collaborations with Hersch firstly enabled Firebird to present a comedy performance on April Fool’s Day in 2012 at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London’s Southbank Centre. This was well received by an audience of over 900 people. The success of this performance resulted in a second concert, which took place on April Fool’s Day 2013, this time at Royal Festival Hall. Prior to the concert, Marc was interviewed live on BBC Radio London and spoke about the orchestra, its aims, and the concept of fusing classical music with comedy. Marc said “quote from Interview....if you fuse classical music with comedy you do something for everyone.....can’t remember the rest.” The concert was heard by an audience of over 2,400 people was received reviews in The Times[1], The Evening Standard[2] and Classical Source[3]. London Firebird Orchestra’s other performances have been reviewed in Classical Music Magazine[4], the Bristol Evening Post[5], the Bath Chronicle[6] and Classical Source[7]. The critic Phil Sommerich said: “The fiery creation has lift-off!”[8]
Bath Recital Artists' Trust
editSince its start over thirty years ago, The Bath Recital Artists’ Trust has provided performing opportunities for gifted young musicians in the city of Bath, particularly in the Pump Room and Assembly Rooms. Marc Corbett-Weaver’s involvement began in 2005, and he is now its Deputy Artistic Director.
Ackworth Concert Society
editUntil recently and for a short time Marc Corbett-Weaver was Chairman and Artistic Director of the Ackworth Concert Society, located close to where he was brought up in Yorkshire.
Edinburgh International Festival
editMarc Corbett-Weaver is a classical music and opera reviewer for Edinburgh Guide for the annual Edinburgh International Festival.
References
edit- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
- ^ Gay Times, London, March 1988, page 11
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