From JS Bach to John Barry's film music: Phil Hopkins, chromatic harmonica & Stuart Whatton, piano

From JS Bach to John Barry
Phil Hopkins, chromatic harmonica • Stuart Whatton, piano
Recorded 'as live' in Esher Parish Church for Leatherhead's Lunchtime Concerts, Music on Thursdays, & Mole Valley Arts e-Live Festival October 2020
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www.musicinsurrey.co.uk • www.arts-elive.co.uk
Programme
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Sonata No 2 in Eb for flute BWV 1031 (arr for harmonica)
Allegro moderato (in Eb major)
Siciliano (in G minor)
Allegro (in Eb major)
Gabriel Urbain Fauré (1845-1924)
Berceuse Lullaby Op 16 (1879)
from Trois Mélodies Op 7 (1870-77)
Après un rêve After a Dream
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
from Children's Corner L113 (1906-08)
VI Golliwog's Cakewalk
George Gershwin (1898-1937) arr Phil Hopkins
Suite from Porgy and Bess
It Ain't Necessarily So - Summertime - I got plenty o' nuttin
Johann Sebastian Bach
from Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben
Heart and mouth and deed and life BWV 147 (1723)
10 Jesus bleibet meine Freude Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Movie Medley
Midnight Cowboy (John Barry 1933-2011)
Dances With Wolves (John Barry)
The Entertainer (Scott Joplin c1868-1917)
Phil Hopkins was a music scholar at King's School Canterbury, then completed a BA Hons at Oxford University while regularly travelling to London to study jazz drums with Guildhall School of Music professor Trevor Tomkins. While at university Phil played drums with many of the UK's top jazz soloists such as Peter King, Hank Shaw and Stan Robinson. Phil went on to learn chromatic harmonica with the world's finest classical harmonicist Tommy Reilly.
On graduation, aged 21, Phil started work in London's West End, playing percussion for Snoopy the Musical (Duchess Theatre) and recording the cast album at Abbey Road Studios. More theatre work followed and soon Phil was being invited to play for major West End shows such as Guys & Dolls with Lulu and Aspects of Love ​with Michael Ball & Sarah Brightman.
At this point legendary Irish songwriter & producer Phil Coulter invited him to join his recording and touring band. Over 6 years Phil played on 7 Coulter-produced albums, touring the USA 4 times, performing in major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall NY, Symphony Hall Boston, Kennedy Center Washington and Roy Thomson Hall in Canada. ​With Coulter, Phil got to play with many of Ireland’s finest artists including Rory Gallagher, The Dubliners, Maura O’Connell and Liam Clancy, as well as featuring in the Boyzone video filmed at Wembley Arena.
Returning to London, Phil worked for the Royal National Theatre on some of their most acclaimed hits, including Sweeney Todd (with Adrian Lester), A Little Night Music (Judi Dench), Oklahoma! (Hugh Jackman & Maureen Lipman) and Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. Phil was also busy in London’s recording studios, playing on original cast albums such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Kurt Weill’s Lady in the Dark and recordings of original music for plays at Shakespeare’s Globe. He also played on sessions for TV & radio shows including drumming for the iconic 1996 Only Fools and Horses Christmas Special, still the UK's most watched non-documentary programme of all time.
Phil has continued to work extensively in London theatre. At Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre he has been performance musical director for 21 productions and played percussion and harmonica for many more, featuring actors such as Sir Mark Rylance & Vanessa Redgrave. In 2012 Phil played in the fanfare group which welcomed the Olympic torch to the Globe on its way through London. In 2018 Phil played percussion for the cinema broadcast of The King and I filmed at the London Palladium in front of a live audience.
Phil has also had an active career as a jazz musician, performing with many of the UK & USA's most well-known jazz artists including Leon Redbone, Duncan Lamont, Claire Martin, Guy Barker, Stacey Kent and Julian Joseph. His tribute to Toots Thielemans, The Toots Project, has played at jazz venues throughout the UK - more info: tootsproject.com
Phil is regularly asked to coach actors who need to play harmonica for shows and has worked as harmonica consultant for many West End plays including Girl from the North Country (Old Vic , Gielgud), One Man Two Guvnors (National, Broadway, Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Night of the Iguana (Lyric), Peter Pan (Barbican, Stratford) and Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory).
philhopkins.org.uk
Stuart Whatton MA (Oxon), BMus, FRCO, PGCE, LTCL, FRSA
Stuart is Director of Music at Esher Parish Church, Surrey, where this concert was recorded.
Former organ scholar at Oxford & London Universities, more recently a high school head of music. Extensive experience as church musician, concert organiser, conductor, accompanist & repetiteur. Stuart teaches piano, organ & music theory.