So excited to see a review of our album 'ANIMO two' being published online by LOUD MOUTH, written by the pianist and artistic director of the Brisbane Music Festival, Alex Rainieri. 

So proud and happy to be part of the PARMA family and to see ANIMO two released by Ravello Records today.

A fantastic end to a year of 'firsts': 

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

Animo have been signed by PARMA recordings, Ravello records, for their second album 'ANIMO two'.

YOUTUBE Premiere of our MUSIC VIDEO 'The Journey of Alan Kurdi'

April 1st, 2022 at 12 noon

Recorded at St George's Bristol on May 11th, 2021

As we come to the end of another transformative year, we are pausing (on a 'Sunday') to say 'Thank you' for sharing this year with us.

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!

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.

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. 

We begin our journey at the top!

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

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)

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!

We had a plan... and now we have a different one! Our commissions have taken a new turn; as it's always the case, good things come to those who wait. So, we wait and stand in awe of our composers who are writing the most amazing music for us and with us!

'Ex Arcadia' by Joseph Howard is going to be our first official release for 2021 on June 4th!

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.

We are making a short of film of 'The Journey of Alan Kurdi'. That is the most exciting news since our launch in 2019!

Animo met Apollonio on ZOOM to discuss our commissioned composition for the first time.  Apollonio shared a score and audio with us...We accept the challenge!

News Flash! KORES TRIO is born!

Animo have joined forces with Wendy Nieper, soprano, jazz singer, scat singer, vocal coach, University lecturer, ex-Swingle Singer and wonderful human being.

So now you can look forward to more wonderful collaborations, concerts, livestreams...

After an initial zoom meet, Jovana and Animo happily agreed that we are on the same wavelength and we are both looking for music that is grounded and soulful. 

Jovana's way of composing is totally funky! The follow-up was recorded on video.

Animo are taking a 'wee break' from our weekly lunchtime livetsreaming so Tuesday 16th March will be our last one for a little while. 

We have plans to work with our 2021 composers, prepare for competitions, plan to record more videos and start a new channel on YouTube and prepare for two live concerts! 

Last day of introducing our 2021 Composers. Meet Apollonio Maiello.

Second day of presenting one of our four composers for 2021, Caitlin Laing-McEvoy.

Starting tonight, 25th February 2021, we will feature one of our 2021 Composers (Apollonio, Caitlin, Jovana and Supriya) with links to their music and a short bio. 

Our Animo two residential and recording sessions are now in the past. What's left is the desire to do more, to work harder, to play more repertoire and to not rest but to keep going but we are all human and it really is time to rest... and be reflective.

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'.

Recording for 'ANIMO two' starts tomorrow with a 'set-up day'. Adam Bertenshaw is back to record us both on audio and video. We have created a little Covid-safe haven (Gazebo included!) and tomorrow we will spend the whole day setting up equipment, finding the right sound, floating ideas.

37 Women Composers have applied to write music for us this year. We are elated! The selection process begins but before that, we want to say a big 'thank you' to all who applied.

You are all remarkable, astonishingly individual and so intriguingly creative!

photo by Annie Sprat (Unsplash)

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

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...

With 20/20 vision we move forward to 2021. A whole new chapter.

Sarah made a beautiful video which sums up some of our achievements in 2020...

I just had to deliver this news in person: 

We are now on Facebook!

Hey, Ho! It's Christmas!

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!).

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

When you visit our website you will see that we have a new tab called: New Releases.

We are starting with 'The Journey of Alan Kurdi' by Lukas Piel which we recorded...

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.

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

We plan to continue...

Today is one year since Animo's launch...

We set the route to ANIMO two during Lockdown but we have to divert slightly to make room for new ideas and more urgent requests - all  of which will be revealed in a future blog. ANIMO two will be recorded in the new year but in the meantime...

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!

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...

Starting today, we have begun our countdown to our new Album release 'ANIMO two', our first Premiere videos on YouTube and lots more rehearsal videos and our 2020 blooper reel (oh, we are still making fools of ourselves!). 

Plans to record new pieces for Music Library are also underway. Above all, we are bursting with anticipation for making LIVE music again!

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.

Like everybody else during this COVID parallel universe, we too had to double-think about whether we could, in fact, 'go to work' and we decided... we could!

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.

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!

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

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!

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

Thank you Adam; you did us proud!

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

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.

It was Sarah's idea to graffiti our ANIMO logo: two white king size sheets from ASDA, box of graffiti spray paints, imagination, fun, two very happy musicians...

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!

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! 

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

The first composition written specifically for ANIMO is under way

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.