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ANIMO two, HOPE and feeling good

22nd November 2022

A fantastic end to a year of 'firsts': 


HOPE, PARMA, Music Video, ANIMO two and fantastic audiences!

Impressions of Sheffield 7.11.21

11th November 2021

Almost a week since Sheffield's gig at the Courtyard courtesy of Lynne's Live Lounge and with the support and guest starring of Julian Jones. 

We really had the best time and we are already planning our return performance next year!

Sheffield and Festival of New

5th November 2021

ANIMO are performing LIVE at Sheffield Courtyard Cafe&Bar on Sunday 7th November. 

PRANASA (ANIMO and Supriya Nagarajan) are performing at the FESTIVAL of NEW Livestream on Thursday 11th November.

Lynne Robertson - Music promoter extraordinaire!

24th October 2021

Lynne Robertson is a music promoter with her own concerts series in Sheffield. Lynne invited us to perform in Sheffield on the 7th November in a concert that features local music legend, Julian Jones. Music promoters like Lynne are fundamental to the survival of The Arts.  

This is for you Lynne Robertson!

 

Festival of NEW Britten-Pears Arts Snape Maltings

16th September 2021

It was a fantastic, deeply immersive week for PRANASA: Animo+ Supriya Nagarajan with Duncan Chapman. All I can say is 'wow'!

It was also the first time that Sarah and I improvised freely, live, on stage. 

Britten Pears Arts - PRANASA

24th August 2021

We begin our journey at the top!

A feast for the soul! Animo play a concert with Julian Jones!

18th August 2021

We are so happy to have been invited by Lynne Robertson to join Julian Jones in a concert that introduces us to a new audience in Sheffield at the Courtyard Cafe!

Utter joy

2nd August 2021

What an utter joy it was to perform at Hellens Manor last Sunday!

Martin Bill's songs sounded amazing in that hall and so did Edmund's woodpecker and Piazzolla's Tangos. Oh yes, live music is BACK!!!!

Animo and the songs of Martin Bills at Hellens Manor this Sunday!

30th July 2021

On Sunday 1st August, 2021 at 6pm we are performing at Hellens Manor. 

Animo in concert with Wendy Nieper and Eve Loiseau

21st July 2021

Tickets are now on sale as Hellens Manor have opened their doors and audiences can return to venues! For Animo this is both a wonderful and precarious moment. We will keep safe but also allow ourselves to feel just that little bit more relaxed playing music in front of people; it's what we were born to do!

(photo from Unsplash)

Snape Maltings

30th June 2021

 

 

 

 

Animo and Supriya Nagarajan have been offered a Residency as part of Festival of New, at Snape Maltings, between the 6th and 12th September, 2021.

Go team!

Classical Music in a Changing World

9th June 2021

Who knew that Animo would be a part of an Academic publication? It was thanks to professor Alberto Nones who discovered us from our AEMC competition application and invited us to take part at the conference in June 2020. 

ANIMO LIVE at Bösendorfer Hall, London

14th May 2021

We are so excited that after months of hard graft, live-streaming weekly, recording our second new Album over 5 days, working with 8 composers at different times and stages, is finally paying off and we can now see the finishing line.

Beginnings

4th February 2021

Spring is on its way! Let's begin positive.

ANIMO two recording are starting tomorrow for another 3 days and I've made a little video called 'beginnings'.

'ANIMO two', Part II

3rd February 2021

Last week's recording sessions are everything we'd hoped it would be: fun, challenging, soul-affirming and, at times, exhausting. Just like Grayson Perry advocates in his Art Club, the Arts help us immerse ourselves body and soul into creating something new, unknown and straight from the heart.

We strive to make it look effortless...

Paul Hart, City Life

16th January 2021

Right now, 'City' and 'Life' seem canyons apart! This is, however, a tribute to a fabulous British composer PAUL HART, a bass player, violinist, pianist and life-long piano accompanist and jazz violinist to Cleo Lane and John Dankworth. What a CV!

January 2021

9th January 2021

Join us for a month of Live-streams with Animo starting on January 12th at 12:45.

 

Hurray!

5th January 2021

Following the announcement of the new Lockdown in the UK, Sarah and I kept our fingers crossed today hoping that we can work together again...

Livestreams going ahead

2nd January 2021

CORRECTION: despite the PM's Lockdown announcement, Animo will continue with our Live streams starting January 5th 'Tuesday LIVE at 12:45'.

 

Facebook

20th December 2020

I just had to deliver this news in person: 

We are now on Facebook!

Kind20 and Seasons Greetings

17th December 2020

I have just filled our Gallery with snapshots from our "tour" of Kindest Christmas experience. Take a look at our Gallery section (link in the Blog).

Such a great idea to extend time for a full 24 hour music from around the world via Facebook. We were very happy to be part of this and now we look towards the future with some hope that live music will flourish once again and we will be playing music in front of a live audience. We do love sharing our music with everyone...

Livestream 7 Animo Live from Eden's Hill home Studio

15th December 2020

Hey, Ho! It's Christmas!

Kind20 24hour Worldwide Livestream Festival of Music

12th December 2020

ANIMO are performing at the KIND20 worldwide online Festival -the 24-hour Kindest Christmas Festival- which will Livestream on Facebook, December 17th 2020.

You can watch Animo performing Christmas music in Jazz style (and we've turned our Home Studio into Santa's grotto!).

Livestream 6 and Livestream 7

8th December 2020

We are coming up to the last two Live streams in 2020 and we are looking forward, only forward, to 2021. 

Bring your sleigh bells for Livestream 7!

8th December Livestream 5

3rd December 2020

Our fifth Livestream in 2020 is showcasing two fabulous British Composers: Geoff Eales and James Rae. 

Livestream 3&4

25th November 2020

We are so enjoying performing for all of you out there! Thank you for supporting us on social media and our youtube comments. Livestream 3 (Spiegel im Spiegel) is now in the past and we are now preparing for Livestream 4...  

Livestream 3

23rd November 2020

Join us for our third Livestream on YouTube on Tuesday 24th November at 12:45

Tomorrow's treat is 'Spiegel im Spiegel' for Alto Flute and Piano by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.

Livestream 2 and New Release!

14th November 2020

Stronger and more determined than ever, Animo are back to work during England's second lockdown. 

We plan to continue...

Livestream 1

4th November 2020

Today it was Animo's first live-streaming expedition! Three mics, two cameras, one mixing desk, ecamm-live streaming software (kudos to the developers!) and actually...

Animo Jailbreak - snapshot

30th September 2020

We just posted a snapshot of our 'Jailbreak concert' in August 2020 on SoundCloud!

Anti-lockdown

10th September 2020

We were hoping September will bring with it a whoosh an accelerando, a con moto, a tutta forza, a Da Capo to the more familiar (normal) but it seems we are still living in the 'unknown'. Feels a bit like coming out of hibernation but we don't know when it's going to be safe or 'normal'. We miss performing for people. We miss being spontaneous. Engage Anti-lock breaks!

Jailbreak concert happened! 18.8.2020

21st August 2020

We loved every moment of performing for our fabulous audience last Tuesday. It was a shock to the system too!

A wonderful shock to the system...

Animo Jailbreak!

14th August 2020

It's Animo's Jailbreak on 18th August! We are holding an informal soiree concert at our Eden's Hill Studio base. 

Excited, relieved and, after a long 'tacet' from performing live,  totally up for it!

 

July news!

10th July 2020

Animo had a brilliant conference experience at the end of June. We met so many wonderful musicians (4 from my home country!). We are now working on our 'new music' commissions, talking to our wonderful composers and planning ahead.

Looking forward - AEMC lasting impressions (27-28 June 2020)

29th June 2020

Animo's participation at the AMEC conference has filled us both with ambition to reach higher but also take a moment and see what is already here.

Meeting Wendy Nieper and Eve Loiseau - Martin Bills is a genius!

5th March 2020

Wendy, Eve, Yanna and Sarah met last February in preparation for their collaboration concert at Hellens Manor on August 2nd 2020. We all agreed that Martin's songs are both inspiring and soothing and we can't wait to share them with our audiences!

Tara is in the house!

27th February 2020

On February 21st Tara and Animo met for the first time face to face. What a treat! Tara brought the first draft of her composition which she is writing for us, with us. It's about endless sadness, a threnody, an endless inconsolable grief and yet so much hope, so much courage, so much to celebrate and share with the rest of the world.

Promo video is now live!

30th January 2020

Our promotional video is now live on social media and our website! We are very proud of the final cut and really grateful to all who helped make this dream a reality! A highly involved process for everyone who produced it but especially for Adam who has tirelessly been making changes following our continued feedback over the last 3 months.

Launch Videos on Instagram!

14th January 2020

If you didn't have the chance to come and see us at our official launch in Gloucester Blackfriars last October, you can see snippets of the video on Instagram.

'Play me I'm yours' in Bristol

3rd December 2019

Animo went busking on one of the last remaining street pianos at Bristol and Bath Science park. It was a quiet start to our Street Pianos tour!

Hellens Manor, August 2nd 2020 Martin Bills and Animo

30th November 2019

This is Animo's first official collaboration and we are delighted that it is going to be with the award-winning composer Martin Bills. We think this concert will enthrall you and we can't wait to share this unique blend of musical styles with you!

Sound, camera, action!

17th November 2019

Animo's sound is created by Adam Bertenshaw who I call 'our sound chef'. In reality, Adam is the team and has gathered the most wonderful young media specialists to film, photograph and capture our sound. This blog is dedicated to him.

Coach House Pianos

8th November 2019

Thank you Coach House Pianos for sponsoring our Launch VIP event! It was a dream to perform on such a beautifully soulful instrument. We could not have done this without your support!

Yay!

25th October 2019

We are officially launched as Animo! It was a hugely successful event thanks to all our wonderful guests and our ever expanding team who worked tirelessly for 2 solid days to bring together a beautiful launch. Thank you all for being part of our story!

Tonight! Launch, composers, future.

24th October 2019

This is it! Our launch is taking place tonight. We are already celebrating our future, whatever shape it may take...

Wrap-up warm

21st October 2019

To all our VIP guests that are coming to our launch... remember that Animo are performing in a 780-year old building and you will need to wrap up warm!

One week!

17th October 2019

Animo are nearly 'a go!' It's less than a week until we play the first note and launch our duo... We can hardly wait to share our music with everyone. It really is, 'all systems go'! OUR LAUNCH EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT!

Three weeks!

4th October 2019

It's only three weeks until our launch; we are ready to begin our journey... 

Open rehearsal leads to official Countdown

24th September 2019

Coach House Pianos were very welcoming on the 13th September. We had a brilliant open rehearsal; a tonic after days of intense practice. It also signals the start of our Countdown to our Official Promotional Launch on October 24th 2019... go Animo!

Open rehearsal at Coach House Pianos Friday 13th September 2019

13th September 2019

Animo are performing at our Sponsors' headquarters, in Swansea. This is another first for us and we are delighted that this 'open rehearsal' will take place at Coach House Pianos in Swansea amidst a sea of beautiful pianos - what a treat!

ANIMO ONE is DONE!

5th September 2019

Still a working title, Animo have completed their first recording! 

Thank you Adam; you did us proud!

It's the final Countdown!

28th August 2019

Animo's residential signals the start of the Countdown to our recording and our official launch 24th October 2019.

Animo's first composition commission is now a reality!

19th August 2019

Joseph Howard, our 'launch composer' has delivered the final draft of his commissioned composition. A very exciting moment for Animo.

Commissioning compositions - 'new music' project

31st July 2019

We are very lucky to have had such a brilliant response to an ad that went on Composing today. The ad reached many composers from all over the world. This has inspired us to start our 'new music' project from November 2019.

And so it begins!

10th July 2019

Our launch story has officially begun. We've just had our first session with our launch composer Joe Howard. This is going to be good!

Dymock Festival looking back

8th July 2019

A few days ago we received some video clips and photos from Dymock's 'Sounds at the Pound'. 

Joe and Animo and biomusic

23rd June 2019

Our first meeting with Joe Howard, our launch composer, is in July. 

The idea is that we "organically" come up with any ideas that can be recorded and incorporated into our first ever Animo-commissioned composition. Very exciting! 

Which composer?

19th June 2019

It has been a wonderful experience to have so many composers approach us offering to write for Animo!

Animo Recording, 2nd - 3rd September

10th June 2019

September 2-3, 2019. ANIMO's inaugural CD recording sessions. Super excited!
 

ANIMO launch composer

7th June 2019

The first composition written specifically for ANIMO is under way

Thank you Dymock - You were a brilliant crowd!

28th May 2019

ANIMO had their first outing at 'Sounds at the Pound' part of Dymock's festival. It was rainy, sunny, windy, cold and hot all at the same time but we had so much fun! Everyone was so helpful and professional. They made us feel so welcome.

Dymock's Sounds at the Pound festival - 26th May

24th May 2019

Hello ANIMO fans out there! ANIMO are at Dymock’s Sounds at the Pound festival this weekend. Yes, the day has arrived! Sunday 26th marks our first official outing since we decided to be a Contemporary Music Flute and Piano duo.

The Launch - 24th October

3rd May 2019

ANIMO are preparing full steam ahead for their big Autumn launch event!

On October 24th ANIMO are performing in front of an audience of invited VIP guests at Blackfriars in Gloucester as their official promotional event.

Dymock Festival - 26th May

1st May 2019

ANIMO were invited to play “something different” at Dymock Festival... yes, we do love a challenge, and we are different to any other flute and piano duo so … perfect match!