Charles Hazlewood
International Conductor and Musical Revolutionary
Charles Hazlewood is an international conductor and musical revolutionary. He has conducted some of the greatest classical repertoire with some of the best orchestras in the world and is a significant presence on British television and radio.
Charles is the founder of the world’s first Paraorchestra and his critically acclaimed music theatre shows tour the world; his innovations have created new audiences for orchestral music and even reset what our concept of an ‘orchestra’ is. Hazlewood is a visionary with a mission to bring the ever modern joy of orchestral music to the 21st century audience and in doing so, to change lives and communities for the better.
Charles Hazlewood won first prize in the European Broadcasting Union Conducting Competition during his early twenties, and has since conducted many of the world's greatest orchestras (including The Royal Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, The Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Danish Radio Symphony). He has played Carnegie Hall, the BBC Proms, and multiple festivals throughout the world, collaborating with artists as diverse as Nigel Kennedy, Professor Green and Wyclef Jean. Charles has conducted over 200 world premieres and won the Berlin Film Festival 'Golden Bear' for Best Film with his South African township opera company's U Carmen e-Khayelitsha;
Under his leadership The British Paraorchestra became the world's first large-scale professional ensemble of virtuoso musicians with disabilities who made their debut at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics and were the first ever orchestral headliner at Glastonbury Festival. Charles has authored, presented and conducted the music in multiple films for BBC TV (on Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, amongst others, as well as The Beatles, and Badly Drawn Boy, and Minimalism); he has won three Sony Awards for his shows on BBC Radio 2, created the score for the South African Mysteries (West End and worldwide) and Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs), and a new opera The Tin Drum (both Kneehigh) and has three TED talks to his name.
Charles Hazlewood won first prize in the European Broadcasting Union Conducting Competition during his early twenties, and has since conducted many of the world's greatest orchestras (including The Royal Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, The Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, Danish Radio Symphony). He has played Carnegie Hall, the BBC Proms, and multiple festivals throughout the world, collaborating with artists as diverse as Nigel Kennedy, Professor Green and Wyclef Jean. Charles has conducted over 200 world premieres and won the Berlin Film Festival 'Golden Bear' for Best Film with his South African township opera company's U Carmen e-Khayelitsha;
Under his leadership The British Paraorchestra became the world's first large-scale professional ensemble of virtuoso musicians with disabilities who made their debut at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics and were the first ever orchestral headliner at Glastonbury Festival. Charles has authored, presented and conducted the music in multiple films for BBC TV (on Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, amongst others, as well as The Beatles, and Badly Drawn Boy, and Minimalism); he has won three Sony Awards for his shows on BBC Radio 2, created the score for the South African Mysteries (West End and worldwide) and Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs), and a new opera The Tin Drum (both Kneehigh) and has three TED talks to his name.
- An Evening at the Piano
In this often hilarious yet thought-provoking entertainment, Charles exposes the essential melancholy of Britishness through its musical DNA. Armed with a piano and a load of recordings, he will get his audience listening, thinking, and singing in full-throated harmony. - Singing Workshop
Either as a stand-alone or part of the keynote, this a singing workshop in which everyone’s voice is essential but the sum is greater than the parts. Most audiences having never sung before, are surprised to find themselves quickly creating a glorious choir singing in harmony. Music making is the ultimate team activity; an instant, and demonstrable experience of Charles’s key messages. - Keynote Speech
In this 45-90 minute presentation, Charles reveals how authenticity and trust have orchestrated success on a global scale through storytelling and video presentation that will take the audience on a moving and sometimes, hilarious journey. - Presentation with an Orchestra
In this magical performance, Charles takes his audience on a journey of orchestrating success, with a real live orchestra in the audience. Secreted amongst the participants, the players ‘pop up’ at Charles’ invisible invitation and begin playing a Mozart fugue. As the music unfolds, Charles takes the audience step by step through the key ‘demonstrables’ ; the simple mechanics of perfect teamwork. The whole performance culminates in an ecstatic symphonic climax.
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