A virtuoso harp-soloist and a uniquely versatile continuo player
is recognised as one of Europe's leading early music artists, leader of The Harp Consort and the rising new star of the baroque scene as conductor 'from the continuo' of orchestras, choirs and staged operas.
His musical career began as Head Chorister at the Cathedral & Parish Church of St Peter Port, Guernsey. He won an Organ Scholarship to Selwyn College, Cambridge and subsequently studied Voice and Continuo at the London Early Music Centre, where his teachers included Emma Kirkby, Roger Norrington and Nigel Rogers.
He took up the harp quite by chance, and in the absence of a modern school of baroque harp-playing, taught himself to play, using period treatises and iconography. He quickly established himself in London, performing and recording with nearly all the leading specialist ensembles: he has made over 100 recordings of music ranging from Troubadour lyrics (with Paul Hillier for ECM) to new music for early harp (John Paul Jones' 'Amores Pasados' with The Harp Consort for DHM) and including two accounts of the Handel Harp Concerto - with The Sixteen, and with Andrew Parrott's Taverner Players.
After six years as harpist and keyboard player with the baroque ensemble Tragicomedia, for whom he created many musical arrangements and concert programmes, most recently a recording of Anna Magdalena Bach's 'Notenbuch', Andrew Lawrence-King formed his own ensemble, THE HARP CONSORT in 1994. Taking its inspiration from the original 17th century 'Consorte' created by Charles I, The Harp Consort is a mixed vocal and instrumental ensemble that brings together world-class soloists in various line-ups, according to the repertoire being performed.
The Harp Consort's combination of detailed historical research with the dramatic spontaneity of improvised performance won them instant critical acclaim. Their debut recording, Ribayaz's 17th century collection of dance music from Spain, Italy, South America and Africa, 'Luz y Norte' forms the basis of a baroque stage show of improvised music and dance. Luz y Norte toured America for the first time in 1996, and will be given at Australia's Brisbane Festival and in the Sydney Opera House in 97.
Andrew Lawrence-King's schedule for performances - solo, with The Harp Consort and as a guest conductor - takes him this season to Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Scandinavia and Japan. The Harp Consort have two US tours as well as a busy recording schedule, turning their attention now also to medieval music. DHM has recently released their second CD, CAROLAN'S HARP: dances, airs and laments by Turlough O'Carolan, "the chief musician of all Ireland".
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With best wishes,
Andrew
I live on the island of Guernsey, just on the edge of the main town, St Peter Port. Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands, lying in the Bay of Mont St Michel, about 30 miles off the French coast. Although the principal language of the islands is now English, the culture is a mixture of French and English traditions, and the ancient Norman French language is still spoken by some of the older inhabitants.
I usually travel to concerts and recordings by air, since there are excellent connections via the London airports, but there are also ferries to the UK south coast, and to St Malo in France. My favourite means of transport, however, is my sailing yacht, Continuo, 32' (ten metre) long with a fractional sloop rig. Continuo's cruises mostly visit the other islands of the archipelago - Jersey, Alderney, Herm and Sark - but in the summer we also cross the Channel to England, or potter around the coast of Brittany. I was recently awarded the Yachtmaster certificate, which qualifies me to skiper sailing boats up to 200 tons gross anywhere in the world.
My other main leisure activities interests are cookery (in fact, food in general!) and taking our dog, Trixie, for walks. Trixie was rescued from the animal shelter, and is of indeterminate age (around 10 years) and was described by our vet as a 'St Peter's ormering terrier'. (Ormers are a rare kind of abalone, a local sea-food delicacy, and are gathered off rocky beaches at the lowest spring tides of the year) She is deaf, but full of character, pluckiness and determination. She is the regular watchkeeper on board Continuo, clipped on with a safety harness when we are out at sea, and barking furiously at harbourmasters and customs officials in port.
Although Guernsey is an off-shore banking centre and tax haven for large companies, the island is my home because I was born and raised there. I went to school at Elizabeth College (founded by the English Queen Elizabeth I), and began my musical career as a chorister at the Cathedral and Parish Church of St Peter Port (known to islanders simply as the Town Church). My first appearances on stage were in local amateur dramatic productions: as one of the children in the Sound of Music, as an itinerant minstrel in a musical about Tennyson's Lady of Shallot, and as one of the editors of Shakespeare's First Folio in 'Bard in the Hand' - the story of a young Guernsey lad who runs away to London to join the company of actors at the Globe theatre!
Although I studied maths and sciences at school, the rest of my free time was devoted to music. As a teenager I became sub-organist at the Town Church, and formed a small choir to sing renaissance and baroque music, before winning an Organ Scholarship to Cambridge University. Although my duties there included directing the Chapel Choir and College Orchestra, my academic subject was Mathematics, which I followed up to MA level. Only then did I take up music 'officially', studying at the London Early Music Centre.
My early days as a professional musician were spent singing counter-tenor in London choirs and early music ensembles, which is how I came to be invited to a party given by the harp-maker, Tim Hobrough. It must have been quite a party, because the next morning I awoke to find that I had bought a harp the previous night. Just a small one - a medieval Irish harp with a dozen wire strings - but that was the first harp....