Online Recital: The Willow Orchestra performs ‘The Soldier’s Tale’ Suite

The Programme

Bogdan Skrypka – conductor
Will Miles – narrator
William Rolt – violin
Cynthia Garduño – double bass
Nikolai Iaushev – clarinet
Poppy Ellis Logan – bassoon
Noah Bailis – cornet
Adam Quilter – trombone
Tom Hodgson – percussion

Recorded live at St Bride’s on Tuesday 11th June.

Suite from L’Histoire du soldat (The Soldier’s Tale)
1. Marche du soldat (The Soldier’s March)
2. Petits airs au bord du ruisseau (Airs by a Stream)
3. Pastorale (Pastorale)
4. Marche Royale (Royal March)
5. Petit concert (The Little Concert)
6. Trois Danses: Tango, Valse, Ragtime (Three dances: Tango, Waltz, Ragtime)
7. Danse du diable (Dance of the Devil)
8. Grand Choral (Grand Choral)
9. Marche triomphale du diable (Triumphal March of the Devil)

The Artists

The Willow Orchestra was founded by conductor Bogdan Skrypka, who is studying at Guildhall School of Music & Drama – one of Europe’s leading music conservatoires. The ensemble is comprised of musicians from London’s conservatoires – hand-selected to perform highly ambitious works – and it features some of the best soloists in the country. The orchestra has been performing together since the beginning of 2023, and have received excellent reviews for their “passion and skill”, “joyous music making and camaraderie” and “infectious energy”.

Bogdan Skrypka is in the fifth generation of musicians from his family. His mother Khrystyna Skrypka introduced him to the piano at an early age and, since then, he has become an accomplished pianist, and awarded a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music. During this time, he developed an interest in the drum kit and percussion and has taken his studies further at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, studying Classical Percussion.

Will Miles is a percussionist, drummer and vocalist based in London. Being a multi-instrumentalist has always been important to him and he has played and sung in venues across the UK and Europe, recently returning from a European tour. He currently studying for a Master’s in Classical Percussion at Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Tom Hodgson is a percussionist and educator with a passion for orchestral music, 20th century percussion, and the development of young performers. He is principal timpanist of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra and a tutor with the West Sussex Youth Orchestra. His postgraduate study at Guildhall School is supported by Help Musicians.