Directory
Alexei Watkins
Duo - Instrumental
Instrumentation
- Alexei Watkins - French Horn
Repertoire
French Horn chamber music in a variety of different settings. Flexible repertoire choices depending on preferences (classical/romantic/contemporary).
Option 1:
Horn and Piano
Repertoire could include works by: Beethoven, Strauss, Saint-Saens, Schumann, Poulenc and many more.
Option 2:
Horn Trios (Violin, French Horn and Piano)
Repertoire could include works by: Brahms, Mozart, Watkins and many more.
Option 3:
Horn and Tenor Recital (Tenor, French Horn and Piano)
Repertoire could include works by: Britten, Schubert and many more.
Biography
Alexei Watkins graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with a Master of Arts Degree (Distinction) in 2018, having been awarded the Dennis Brain Prize.
As a soloist, Alexei has performed recitals extensively across the UK at venues including: St John’s Smith Square, the Lichfield Festival, the Buxton International Festival, Blackheath Halls, the Lincolnshire International Chamber Music Festival, Southwark Cathedral and Hampton Court Palace. Other recent solo engagements include the Gipps Horn Concerto at Cadogan Hall, Mozart’s 3rd and 4th Horn Concertos, Arnold’s 2nd Horn Concerto and the Gregson Horn Concerto. In 2019 Alexei won the University of London Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition and returned to perform Strauss’ 1st Horn Concerto with the orchestra in 2022. In Summer 2023 Alexei recorded several pieces for Horn and Strings as soloist with the Chamber Ensemble of London and was an artist-in-residence at Presteigne Festival, performing the Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings and the Brahms Horn Trio amongst others.
Alexei is a keen orchestral player and is Principal Horn of the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also played Principal Horn with the Hallé, English National Opera, Britten Sinfonia, English National Ballet Philharmonic and Glyndebourne Sinfonia. He is currently on trial for Principal Horn with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He also regularly plays with orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and English Chamber Orchestra. Alexei’s playing can also be heard on various film and television soundtracks including the recent James Bond film, “No Time To Die”.
Alexei particularly enjoys playing chamber music and has performed with the Nash Ensemble and London Winds at the Wigmore Hall and the Bath Mozartfest amongst others. He has collaborated, playing chamber music with pianists such as Joanna MacGregor, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Paul Lewis, Ivana Gavrić, Harry Rylance and with Tenors such as Nicky Spence, Mark Wilde, James Way, George Curnow and Hiroshi Amako. In 2023 he recorded Paul Reade’s Serenata for Wind Sextet with London Winds for Signum Classics. Whilst at the Academy, Alexei recorded Mozart’s Gran Partita with the Royal Academy of Music Soloists Ensemble and Strauss’ Wind Serenades with Aldeburgh Winds, both for Linn Records.
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