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About Us
 

The Vanbrugh Ensemble was formed in 2013 and based in Blackheath, by local musicians with friends and colleagues from the music fraternity and has since offered opportunities for young conductors and talented young musicians at the threshold of exciting careers, notably Holly Mathieson (guest conductor 2013), now conducting some of the world's premier Symphony and Opera orchestras and voted among New Zealand's Top 50 Women of Achievement in 2016, pianist Martin Bartlett (2013), who subsequently won BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 and latterly soprano Katie Lowe (2019), winner of the international Elizabeth Connell Prize in 2017.

 

The ensemble is named after Sir John Vanbrugh, an eighteenth century English architect and dramatist, best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and as the successful author of Restoration comedies and celebrated bon mots - 'the want of a thing is perplexing enough, but the possession of it intolerable'.  Sir John built his London residence, Vanbrugh Castle, on Maze Hill on the edge of Blackheath. 

 

The Vanbrugh Ensemble is a non-profit organisation funded by private musicians and receives no public subsidy. 

© 2013 The Vanbrugh Ensemble

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