Herald AV Publications

HAVPCD340 – Commotio – Night

	Disk Title	Commotio – Night
		Music for Choir and Cello
	Soloists	Rosie Banks (Cello)
		Christopher Watson (Tenor)
	Choir	Commotio
	Conductor	Matthew Berry
	Location	Merton College Chapel, Oxford
	Date Recorded	30th June & 1st July 2007

Commotio is one of Oxford’s foremost chamber choirs, formed in August 1999 to provide a refreshing alternative to the more readily available repertoire offered by most other choral groups, primarily performing lesser-known material of the 20th and 21st centuries. Matthew Berry, the founder and conductor of the choir, enthusiastically promotes the work of a younger generation of composers, as well as bringing to the fore little-known works of more established writers. In December 2002 Commotio performed the world première of Pierre Villette’s Inviolata, and in June 2007 Night for Choir and Cello by Richard Allain. They have also performed UK premières of works by Jon Mostad, Peter Klatzow, and Frank Ferko. In June 2005, the choir recorded a CD of works by Peter Klatzow entitled Towards the Light (Herald HAVP316), receiving extremely positive reviews from Musical Opinion, International Record Review and Gramophone among many others. The choir has also contributed to a portfolio CD of works by the young British composer Thomas Hyde, to be released on Toccata Classics in 2008.

Matthew Berry is the conductor and joint founder of the choir. He studied music at University College, Oxford, where he was Organ Scholar and then Assistant Organist. He has studied organ under David Sanger, David Goode and Ian Curror. After conducting The Oxford Chamber Choir for two years as a student, he founded Commotio in 1999. Having finished his degree, he studied postgraduate choral direction with Patrick Russill for two years at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Originally from Scotland, Rosie Banks studied at the Royal College of Music with Alexander Boyarsky and continued at postgraduate level with Colin Carr at the Royal Academy of Music. The Virtuosi Society of Scotland and the Winifred Disney Bursary supported her studies. A versatile cellist, Rosie now combines orchestral work with solo and chamber music recitals. She has worked extensively with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the BBC Philharmonic, and the Britten Sinfonia. Rosie was a founding member of the pioneering young chamber orchestra Southbank Sinfonia, with whom she performed Haydn’s D major Concerto and gave performances of many major chamber music works.