{"id":25686,"date":"2026-06-14T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/?p=25686"},"modified":"2026-06-14T08:37:52","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T07:37:52","slug":"sidetracks-detours-7th-june-2026-music-in-portsmouth-annabel-peel-violinist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/2026\/06\/14\/sidetracks-detours-7th-june-2026-music-in-portsmouth-annabel-peel-violinist\/","title":{"rendered":"SIDETRACKS & DETOURS 14th June 2026. Classical Music In Portsmouth profile ALEXANDRA PEEL, violinist and Jazz in Reading preview THE BLACKHAWKE QUINTET"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MUSIC IN PORTSMOUTH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALEXANDRA PEEL, VIOLINIST<\/strong> previews a concert with the Havant Symphony Orchestra,<\/strong> and updates her profile <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

shared by Norman Warwick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Alexandra Peel <\/strong>recently (right)<\/strong> played Bruch\u2019s Scottish Fantasy<\/em><\/strong> with the Havant Symphony Orchestra in its Echoes of the Isles concert on 28 February 2026 in Warblington Schoo<\/a>l.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the concert she gave an interview to Music In Portsmouth web site and its newsletter.

What are you looking most forward to when performing at this concert with the Havant?

<\/strong>I\u2019m most looking forward to the real sense of joy that performing a work like this with such a wonderful orchestra brings! I first discovered a recording of Bruch\u2019s Scottish Fantasy when I was around twelve or thirteen, and it quickly became one of my favourite works. At the time, performing the Scottish Fantasy with orchestra was very much a dream, so the experience feels incredibly special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who and\/or what have been the most important influences on your musical career or interest in music?<\/strong>

My mother encouraged me from an early age, seeing how much I enjoyed the music around dance, which I did a lot (I did ballet, tap and modern dance). Carmel Kaine was one of my first teachers, and she gave me an initial vision of what might be involved in making music into a career. I boarded at the Purcell School for Young Musicians from the age of 9 \u2013 a wonderful musical education, with great teachers and peers; I\u2019d like to mention Nathaniel Vallois as a brilliant violin teacher there. More recently, my professor at the RCM, Emily Sun, has been absolutely invaluable with her guidance and advice, and I feel very lucky to have been part of her class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What have been the greatest challenges of your musical career so far?

<\/strong>There have been many challenges along the way, but one I\u2019ve become increasingly conscious of is finding the balance between disciplined, intensive practice and taking care of our health as musicians. The physical demands of long hours can really add up, so learning how to work sustainably, and allowing space for life outside of the practise room is really crucial for the long-term!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the particular pleasures and challenges of collaborating with other musicians?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The violin is an instrument that is made for playing with other people. I love the chamber repertoire with strings, in rehearsal and in performance, to communicate something special together.

Are there any composers for whom you feel a particular affinity? 

<\/strong>It depends on the work \u2013 for solo pieces, it has to be Bach. I\u2019m playing a lot of Romantic composers at the moment, but in fact I\u2019ve got very wide tastes, from Classical through to many other genres. Basically, I like playing any music that I\u2019m listening to, and that\u2019s certainly not all Classical.

We\u2019re very much encouraged by the RCM to try lots of things out: the College has a film composition department, and the violin is well suited to both film and games music.

I\u2019ve recently had the pleasure of recording some of the soundtrack to an up-and-coming documentary Stopped, by the Academy-award winning production company Slick Films, which was an incredible creative opportunity!

What are your most memorable experiences, either as a performer, composer or listener?<\/strong>

My first concerto performance with an orchestra, which was Mendelssohn\u2019s Violin Concerto with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra in St Alban\u2019s.

What advice would you give to those who are considering a career in music?
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Go easy on yourself and have patience: it doesn\u2019t help you if you\u2019re always comparing yourself to others. Throw yourself in and enjoy the complete process of music-making. Try to make something your own. All of this helps with motivation and discipline.

How would you define success as a musician?
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If only one person enjoys a performance you\u2019ve been in, that\u2019s what I\u2019d call a success.

What would you like to be doing in 5 years\u2019 time?
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In five years, I hope to still be playing music I love while continuing to grow and learn as an artist. I\u2019m conscious that the industry doesn\u2019t always follow a straight path, so I try not to be too rigid about long-term plans! My focus is on making the most of every opportunity that comes my way and staying fully engaged with what is both a challenging and incredibly rewarding career.

About Alexandra<\/strong>

British violinist Alexandra Peel<\/strong> made her concert debut in 2013 at Raymond Weil\u2019s Pre-Event for Classic FM Live at the Royal Albert Hall<\/strong>. A graduate of the Royal College of Music as a Yehudi Menuhin Scholar<\/strong> studying with Emily Sun, she has performed at renowned UK venues including the Royal Festival Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields and the Barbican, and has recorded in studios such as Abbey Road, Angel, and RAK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praised for her \u201cbeautiful, sonorous tone<\/em>,\u201d and described as \u201ccertainly a name to watch<\/em>\u201d, Alexandra has performed as a concerto soloist with ensembles including the Amadeus Chamber, Havant Chamber, Solent Symphony, and Petersfield Orchestras.<\/strong> In 2024, she was named as a String Finalist at the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition<\/strong>, and previously won the Gold Award at the 2nd New Talent British International Music Competition.<\/strong> As a passionate chamber musician, she has performed alongside internationally acclaimed artists such as the Harlem Quartet, Alireza Ghorbani<\/strong>, and as a member of the LGT Young Soloists. <\/strong>In addition to her live performances, Alexandra has recently recorded as a soloist for Stopped<\/strong>, an upcoming documentary produced by the Academy Award-winning Slick Films<\/strong>. She currently plays on a 1926 Dante and Alfredo Guastalla violin<\/strong>, generously loaned to her by the Harrison-Frank Family Foundation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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JAZZ AT PROGRESS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday 1 May 2026 <\/strong>| Progress Theatre, Reading  | 7:30pm | \u00a320.00 (\u00a318.00 concessions, \u00a310 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee | Bar at all gigs from 7:00pm. Drinks may be taken into the auditorium.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

note from JAZZ IN READING<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

forwarded by sidetracks & detours<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MATT SKELTON PRESENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE BLACKHAWK QUINTET:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CELEBRATING SHELLEY MANNE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September 1959, multi-poll-winning drummer and bandleader Shelley Manne<\/strong>, a veteran of the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton big bands<\/strong> and a central figure in the American West Coast jazz scene of the 1950s,<\/strong> led his quintet on a sensational booking at The Blackhawk club in San Francisco<\/strong>. Fans filled the basement club each night and Lester Koenig<\/strong> of Contemporary Records<\/strong> recorded every note on his specially installed recording equipment, resulting in five classic albums – \u2018Live at the Blackhawk\u2019<\/strong>.
 
\u201cManne made many fine sessions of his own for Contemporary Records,\u201d <\/em>write Richard Cook and Brian Morton<\/strong> in their indispensable \u2018The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in 1001 Best Albums\u2019<\/strong> \u2026 \u201cbut the very best representation of him on record is the sequence of albums recorded at the Blackhawk, the dive where one of Miles Davis\u2019<\/strong> most revealing live sequences was recorded at a later residency in 1961.\u201d<\/em>
 
Shelley Manne\u2019s Blackhawk<\/strong> recordings are the centrepiece of inspiration for Matt Skelton and his Blackhawk Quintet<\/strong>, a hand-picked, all-star band \u2013 James Davison<\/strong>, trumpet; Mark Crooks,<\/strong> tenor saxophone; Leon Greening,<\/strong> piano; Conor Chaplin<\/strong>, bass; Matt Skelton<\/strong>, drums – that has taken the UK and international jazz scene by storm.
 
\u201dWe have such a great time playing,\u201d <\/em>enthused Matt in a recent interview. \u201cIt\u2019s a boundless source of joy to share this music with the people in the band and the audiences we meet.\u201d <\/em>

\u201cShelley kept time for everyone and never had a bad word to say,\u201d <\/em>Skelton continued. \u201cI love that: A genuine polymath whose ways of unselfish collaboration have given a completely unique sound and texture to the world of jazz.\u201d<\/em>

\u201cJazz nights don\u2019t come any better than this. We are still smiling.\u201d<\/strong> Watermill Jazz Club, Dorking<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 21st<\/sup> JUNE 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Town Of Culture creative awards<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS AND DETOURS SUNDAY 28th<\/sup> JUNE 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Search Of Where Truth Lies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY JULY 5th<\/sup> 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Radio Ballad Of The Miners\u00b4Strike<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

featuring<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Tams, Barry Coope, Sally Ward, Rube Leonard, Julie Matthews, Jez Lowe & Ray Hearne<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY JULY 12th<\/sup> 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

introducing Duo Bravo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY JULY 19th<\/sup> 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working In A Coal Mine with Lee Dorsey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY JULY 26th<\/sup>  2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

jazz and classical music explore themes of unity and social progress<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

featurng<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wynton Marsalis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS& DETOURS SUNDAY AUGUST 2nd<\/sup> 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Songwriters & Invisible Angels chapter 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Peter Pearson and Norman Warwick<\/p>\n\n\n\n

featuring<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kate Wolf and Julie Matthews<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 9th<\/sup> AUGUST<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a year as poet laureate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

featuring<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b4\u00b4Sammy Weaver<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 16th<\/sup> AUGUST 2nd<\/sup> 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael:<\/em> a film about art for arts\u00b4sake ?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 23rd<\/sup> august 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddy Mondlock is a songwriter !<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 30th<\/sup> AUGUST 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Too Darn Hot: live jazz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 6th<\/sup> SEPTEMBER 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canary Cruising,\u2026cool<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 13th<\/sup> SEPTEMBER 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

secretly recorded live gigs legitimised on line?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 20th<\/sup> SEPTEMBER 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waiting For Godot and Music At Lunchtomes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDETRACKS & DETOURS SUNDAY 27th<\/sup> SEPTEMBER 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

r.i.p. David Alan Coe, songwriter and unreliable narrator<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MUSIC IN PORTSMOUTH ALEXANDRA PEEL, VIOLINIST previews a concert with the Havant Symphony Orchestra, and updates her profile shared by Norman Warwick Alexandra Peel recently (right) played Bruch\u2019s Scottish Fantasy with the Havant Symphony Orchestra in its Echoes of the Isles concert on 28 February 2026 in Warblington School. Before the concert she gave an interview to Music […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25690,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25686"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26612,"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25686\/revisions\/26612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}