Barry Douglas
Profile
Barry Douglas continues to enjoy a major international solo career which has developed since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, Moscow. In 1999, he formed Camerata Ireland an all Irish chamber orchestra, with players from both Northern and Southern Ireland to celebrate "the wealth of Irish musical talent" where he remains Artistic Director. He also continues as Artistic Director of the Clandeboye Festival, Ireland and the International Piano Festival, Manchester.Last season as soloist, Barry returned to Seattle Symphony, Halle, Radio Sinfonie Orchestra, Berlin, Melbourne Symphony, Singapore Symphony and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2009/10 he will give concerts with St. Petersburg Symphony in St. Petersburg and on tour in the UK as well as returning to the BBC Symphony Orchestra over here. Outside of the UK he will perform with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Prague; Atlanta Symphony; Brussels Philharmonic; China Philharmonic and Shanghai Symphony amongst others. He will give recitals in the UK, Ireland, France and Germany.
Orchestral highlights of recent seasons include concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, BBC Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic, Dresden Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In recital he regularly tours France, Ireland, UK, US and Russia with recent visits to Manchester, Dublin, St. Petersburg, Moscow.
As Camerata approach their tenth anniversary, Barry’s reputation as a play/conductor continues to grow and last season he made successful debuts with Academy of St.Martin-in-the-Fields, Lithuania Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony and the Bangkok Symphony amongst others. In 2008/09, he returned to Bangkok and Lithuania as well as making his debut with I Pommerigi di Milano, Novosibirsk Chamber Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra with whom he will return in 2009/10. Also next season he will make his debut with the Chamber Orchestra of the Romanian National Radio Orchestra at the Enescu Festival, the Vancouver Symphony and the Moscow Philharmonic as conductor.
Each season, Camerata Ireland promote their International Series with concerts in Dublin, London and Paris as well as regularly touring the US. They are the resident ensemble at the Clandeboye Festival and at Castletown Concerts, Ireland.
In 2007, Barry presented his first television series for RTE Ireland “Symphony Sessions” - a programme showing behind the scenes of orchestral life. Barry conducted and played with the RTE National Orchestra and returned in 2008 for another series in this role. He is currently recording a programme for BBC Northern Ireland due to be aired later this year charting the development of young Irish musicians.
Last season, Sony/BMG released his recording of Rachmaninov 1 and 3 with the Russian National Orchestra and Svetlanov. He has recorded extensively throughout his career and in the last three years has recorded all the Beethoven Concert with Camerata Ireland. His recording of the Reger Concerto coupled with the Strauss Burleske with Marek Janowski and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France for BMG was awarded the Diapson d’Or.
Barry Douglas received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2002 New Year’s Honours List for services to music.
