Alison Stephens (1st March 1970 - 10th October 2010)
This year marks the tenth anniversary of our friend and colleague Alison Stephens untimely death. A formidably accomplished musician, it was an incredible achievement that she should have ever created such a successful career on an instrument as marginalised as the mandolin, and this was due to the sheer determination on her part to show that the mandolin was a “serious” instrument, not to be limited by anyone’s preconception of what could be achieved on the instrument.
As well as being the leading exponent of the classical mandolin in the UK, she was the first graduate of mandolin from Trinity College of Music, London, being appointed as a teacher upon graduation. Education was very important to Alison as she wanted the mandolin to be taken seriously and played to the same standard as any other Music Conservatoire instrument, developing the mandolin faculty at her alma mater. She particularly enjoyed tutoring at Dartington International Summer School and as a guest tutor internationally, with a loyal following of students from around the world who regarded her as their mandolin friend.
Alison played as a concerto soloist, her first concerto being at the Barbican Hall at the tender age of 17, and also in recitals across the UK, touring extensively across the Far and Middle East; Australia, South Africa, across Europe and in USA. She played with the leading opera and ballet companies and was a regular session musician, playing on film scores such as The Queen, The Golden Compass, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Fantastic Mr Fox. Her mandolin playing would be heard on many adverts on television, including adverts for famous pasta sauces. She also worked as an extra freelance musician with many of the country’s leading orchestras: the Orchestras of the Royal Opera House, Opera North and Welsh National Opera, the BBC Orchestras, CBSO, RLPO, LSO and leading contemporary music ensembles including the London Sinfonietta and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.
Her first foray into theatre work was as a musician with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Shortly after an extensive tour with them she first came across the book Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières and from that point on, Alison became synonymous with the instrument. She teamed up with actor Mike Maran, for the sell-out stage show of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin which notched up over 600 performances in several different countries. She also played on the soundtrack for the Hollywood film starring Nicholas Cage; wrote music for, and played on, a BBC Radio 4 dramatisation; appeared on a Bookmark Documentary on BBC 2 and has given many poetry and music recitals with Craig Ogden and Louis de Bernières.
She worked regularly with three established duos. With guitarist Craig Ogden she recorded Music from the Novels of Louis de Bernières which received national plaudits and was the Chandos record company's fastest ever selling classical CD. Alison’s most recent CD with Craig, Souvenirs was released in September 2009, donating all her royalties from that CD to the Macmillan cancer charity. With her duo partner of 20 years, harpist Lauren Scott (Duo Mandala), a whole new repertoire for the combination was devised and commissioned, a selection of these works to be found on the CD Tapestry. With her latest duo partner, fortepianist Steven Devine, they recorded a CD on the Naxos label dedicated to the works of Raffaele Calace.
A regular broadcaster, she recorded live for radio including BBC Radios 3 and 4, Classic FM, ABC (Australia), SABC (South Africa), BBC Radio Scotland, also presenting her own BBC Radio 4 feature which was subsequently nominated for a Sony Award.
Alison discovered her talent as a composer in 2005 and as Mandolin Editor for the UK based music publishers Astute Music, she edited and composed a catalogue of mandolin music for all abilities, ensuring that future generations of mandolin players would have an easier journey than the difficult road of musical discovery she had to navigate.
When she first embarked upon her career, many thought her desire to be a professional mandolinist was impossible, and at first she had to supplement her income with jobs such as envelope stuffing in factories. With dogged determination and ultimately an over-riding passion for the mandolin, she carved out an extraordinary career that many a musician, on any instrument, would have been proud of.
Alison Stephens (1st March 1970 - 10th October 2010) is survived by her partner, Mitchell Harris.
www.alisonstephens.com
As well as being the leading exponent of the classical mandolin in the UK, she was the first graduate of mandolin from Trinity College of Music, London, being appointed as a teacher upon graduation. Education was very important to Alison as she wanted the mandolin to be taken seriously and played to the same standard as any other Music Conservatoire instrument, developing the mandolin faculty at her alma mater. She particularly enjoyed tutoring at Dartington International Summer School and as a guest tutor internationally, with a loyal following of students from around the world who regarded her as their mandolin friend.
Alison played as a concerto soloist, her first concerto being at the Barbican Hall at the tender age of 17, and also in recitals across the UK, touring extensively across the Far and Middle East; Australia, South Africa, across Europe and in USA. She played with the leading opera and ballet companies and was a regular session musician, playing on film scores such as The Queen, The Golden Compass, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Fantastic Mr Fox. Her mandolin playing would be heard on many adverts on television, including adverts for famous pasta sauces. She also worked as an extra freelance musician with many of the country’s leading orchestras: the Orchestras of the Royal Opera House, Opera North and Welsh National Opera, the BBC Orchestras, CBSO, RLPO, LSO and leading contemporary music ensembles including the London Sinfonietta and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.
Her first foray into theatre work was as a musician with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Shortly after an extensive tour with them she first came across the book Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières and from that point on, Alison became synonymous with the instrument. She teamed up with actor Mike Maran, for the sell-out stage show of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin which notched up over 600 performances in several different countries. She also played on the soundtrack for the Hollywood film starring Nicholas Cage; wrote music for, and played on, a BBC Radio 4 dramatisation; appeared on a Bookmark Documentary on BBC 2 and has given many poetry and music recitals with Craig Ogden and Louis de Bernières.
She worked regularly with three established duos. With guitarist Craig Ogden she recorded Music from the Novels of Louis de Bernières which received national plaudits and was the Chandos record company's fastest ever selling classical CD. Alison’s most recent CD with Craig, Souvenirs was released in September 2009, donating all her royalties from that CD to the Macmillan cancer charity. With her duo partner of 20 years, harpist Lauren Scott (Duo Mandala), a whole new repertoire for the combination was devised and commissioned, a selection of these works to be found on the CD Tapestry. With her latest duo partner, fortepianist Steven Devine, they recorded a CD on the Naxos label dedicated to the works of Raffaele Calace.
A regular broadcaster, she recorded live for radio including BBC Radios 3 and 4, Classic FM, ABC (Australia), SABC (South Africa), BBC Radio Scotland, also presenting her own BBC Radio 4 feature which was subsequently nominated for a Sony Award.
Alison discovered her talent as a composer in 2005 and as Mandolin Editor for the UK based music publishers Astute Music, she edited and composed a catalogue of mandolin music for all abilities, ensuring that future generations of mandolin players would have an easier journey than the difficult road of musical discovery she had to navigate.
When she first embarked upon her career, many thought her desire to be a professional mandolinist was impossible, and at first she had to supplement her income with jobs such as envelope stuffing in factories. With dogged determination and ultimately an over-riding passion for the mandolin, she carved out an extraordinary career that many a musician, on any instrument, would have been proud of.
Alison Stephens (1st March 1970 - 10th October 2010) is survived by her partner, Mitchell Harris.
www.alisonstephens.com