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About the Becket Collection...
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The primary purpose of the Becket Collection is to give young musicians
the experience of period performance with an early instrument, thus not only to
encourage them to make period performance part of their professional careers
but also to inform all their playing of music of the baroque, classical and
early romantic periods. It is difficult if not impossible to find early Italian
instruments with original necks, but there are fortunately a number of British
instruments still in their original condition, and the Becket Collection
holds some of the finest examples, by leading British makers of the eighteenth
century.
The Becket Collection's initial goal has been to collect the instruments
of small chamber orchestras of the classical period, in the first instance
consisting entirely of British instruments, both eighteenth-century originals
and copies of eighteenth-century instruments. The current Collection, is on
loan to The Royal Academy of Music; its instruments are available to
leading British music conservatoires and individuals who have the ability to
take proper advantage of them, usually for an academic year.
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The Royal Academy of Music is extremely pleased to be
able to provide a home for the wonderful Becket Collection. Thanks to the
vision and hard work of Elise Smith, our students and recent graduates have
access to some of the finest instruments of their kind anywhere, and they have
shaped careers and helped produce better musicians.
Curtis Price, Principal,
Royal Academy of Music
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Nowadays it is a very rare student who can equip
himself with more than one instrument before starting to earn a living, which
is why the Becket Collection is such a valuable source of learning for music
students interested in period instrument performance. The fine quality of the
Becket Collection will encourage those who borrow them to explore and
experiment with the sound world of pre-romantic compositions, and to question
the ‘advantages’ of using modern strings, multiple keys and higher tension in
early repertoire.
Catherine Mackintosh,
Director/Violin
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Royal Academy of Music students playing together on Becket Collection instruments
as The Becket Ensemble, receive regular coaching from eminent musicians,
and have taken part in many prestigious concerts with conductors including Sir
Roger Norrington and Trevor Pinnock. The RAM organises an annual coaching
project with principals from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and
many players from the Ensemble have gone on to participate in the Jerwood/OAE
Experience for Young Players - the only apprenticeship scheme in the country to
be run by a period instrument orchestra.
The Trustees of the Collection have recently embarked on an ambitious project
to re-create a Vivaldi orchestra. Leading luthiers of Europe and North
America have been commissioned to make copies of Venetian string instruments of
the early eighteenth century, and period woodwinds are also being commissioned.
This orchestra, like the Becket Ensemble, will be primarily, but not
exclusively, for the use of period performance students and graduates from
Britain’s leading conservatoires and will have a significant concert programme.
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In the longer term, the Becket Collection will continue to acquire
period instruments, both British and European, both original and copies,
appropriate to the performance of music of 1700-1850. These will be on extended
loan to individuals, colleges and period orchestras and chamber groups.
The Becket Collection is housed at the Living Museum of The Royal
Academy of Music. www.ram.ac.uk/museum
The curator is David Rattray.
The Becket Collection is grateful to its principal benefactors,
particularly to The Martin Smith Foundation and to Elise Becket Smith.
Support from The Royal Academy of Music and its curator of instruments, David
Rattray, has been crucial to the development of the Collection.
The Trustees continue to be appreciative of the significant help and advice
provided by its Board of Advisors:
Charles Beare
Lisa Beznosiuk
Andrew Durban
Richard Earle
Margaret Faultless
Annette Isserlis
Stephen Keavy
János Keszei
Catherine Mackintosh
Anthony Pay
Felix Warnock
Andrew Watts
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dealer in string instruments
flute
double bass
oboe
violin
viola
brass
timpani
violin
clarinet
bassoon
bassoon
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Contact us at: Becket Collection Administrator, 4 Essex Villas, London W8 7BN,
info@becketcollection.org.
The Becket Collection is an independent body, with charitable status, not
associated primarily with any one orchestra, ensemble or conservatoire. Charity
number 1072238. Trustees: N W Brown, B Peerless, D Pickard, E B Smith
(Chairman), M G Smith
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