British Violinist Tasmin Little
Classical Musician Offers Her Music for Free on the Internet
As part of an effort to make classical music more accessible, British violinist Tasmin Little offers her latest recording online as a free download.
Tasmin Little wants to make classical music more popular. And how better to make classical music popular than through "popular" venues of circulation and consumption?
The 42-year-old British violinist is experimenting with a method that has been done before--free classical music for the public--but this time she has added a twist. Instead of serenading a few thousand people in a public park, Tasmin Little will serenade the entire world with a downloadable version of her latest album, The Naked Violin.
Three pieces for unaccompanied (or "naked") violin will be on the album:
- Partita No. 3 in E Major by J.S. Bach,
- Luslawice Variations by Paul Patterson and
- Sonata No. 3 ("Ballade") by Eugene Ysaye.
Since they are available for individual download, a listener can choose to hear all 3 pieces or simply a single movement.
The album is available for no cost at Tasmin Little's website. The violinist does not expect this technique will replace recording with traditional labels, but she does hope that the 2 means of distribution can co-exist and even supplement each other. After all, someone who stumbles across her album might develop an interest in a particular composer and seek out more music from a record label.
Classical Music for All: Performer and Teacher
Tasmin Little was born in 1965. She studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Guildhall School of Music in the UK before crossing the Atlantic to study in Toronto with the Hungarian violinist Lorand Fenyves. She currently performs on a 1757 Guadagnini violin.
In addition to a strong performance career, Little also educates the public: she wrote and presented a documentary on Delius which aired at the 2006 BBC Proms. Her concerts are also characterized by informal educational presentations.
Other Recordings
Tasmin Little's discography is available for purchase from her website and includes recordings of concerti by Brahms, Bruch, Delius, Dvorák, Lalo, Rubbra, Robert Saxton, Sibelius and Walton, as well as sonatas by Debussy, Delius, George Lloyd, Poulenc, Dohnányi and Ravel. She has also recorded virtuosic works by Kreisler, Ravel, Sarasate and Wieniawski.
In keeping with her educational bent, Little makes sure that her recordings represent both the familiar classics and the lesser known composers. Little also works with and promotes the compositions of contemporary composers such as Dominic Muldowney, Robert Saxton, Paul Barker and David Earl. Listeners who are curious about the world of classical violin music beyond Bach and Brahms will find her recordings a useful place to start.
Sources
Collett-White,Mike. "Violinist Offers Recording for Free Online." Jan. 8, 2008. Yahoo Music News.
"Tasmin Little Biography." Global Music Network.
