Alison Stephens is arguably the leading exponent of the classical mandolin in the UK. She was the first graduate of mandolin from Trinity College of Music, London, and was appointed as a teacher upon graduation, a post she still holds. Alison has played across the UK and has toured extensively across the Far and Middle East; Australia, South Africa, across Europe and in USA.
She has also frequently broadcast and recorded live for radio including BBC Radios 3 and 4, Classic FM, ABC (Australia), SABC (South Africa) and BBC Radio Scotland. She also presented her own BBC Radio 4 feature which was subsequently nominated for a Sony Award.
Recent and forthcoming highlights include recitals at Kent, York, Warwick, Reading, Hull, Brunel, Bradford and Durham Universities and Dartington International Summer School; Concerto performances with the Southern Orchestral Society, the Bratislava Chamber, the Johannesburg Philharmonic and the KZN Durban Philharmonic Orchestras; solo recitals at the Warwick, Edinburgh and Bury St Edmunds Festivals and at Newbury Corn Exchange, Binham Priory, Lincoln Drill Hall; and various Duo recitals for Avon Valley Concerts, Summer Music Society of Dorset, Ackworth Concert Club, Adur Arts Forum, Saddleworth Festival, Finchcocks and Suffolk Villages Festivals and Boston Concert Club.
In addition to concerto performances, Alison regularly gives recitals both solo and as a duo with Craig Ogden (guitar) or with Lauren Scott (harp) as Duo Mandala and also with Steven Devine (fortepiano/piano).
Recordings include: Music from the Novels of Louis de Bernières (CHAN9780) with Craig Ogden (it was pick of the week in The Daily Telegraph and Chandos’ fastest ever selling classical CD), Mandolin Concerto in G by Hummel (CHAN9925) with the London Mozart Players (Howard Shelley), also on the Chandos label; Tapestry (BBM1088), a CD of evocative British contemporary music for mandolin and harp (nominated for Editor’s choice in the Gramophone), on the Black Box label and Con Espressione (AS05), a solo CD dedicated to the Italian Romantic era. A new CD dedicated to the works of Raffaele Calace (1863-1934) for mandolin and piano (Steven Devine) incl. the two virtuosic concertos for the combination which was released on the Naxos label (8.570434) in late Aug 2007.
As well as the Louis de Bernières CD, Alison has worked on several other projects in connection with Captain Corelli’s Mandolin including a sell-out stage show which has so far notched up well over 500 performances in several different countries and over 100 different venues. She also played on the soundtrack for the Hollywood film starring Nicholas Cage.
Check out my website for more details on other projects:
www.alisonstephens.com
