Rachel Portman studies Psychotherapy
Donald Macleod chats with Rachel Portman about her training in Psychotherapy and its parallels to writing music for film.
Donald Macleod chats with Rachel Portman about her training in Psychotherapy and its parallels to writing music for film
Donald Macleod this week joins the Oscar winning film composer Rachel Portman in her studio in London, to chat about her life and music for film and the concert platform. Portman was the first female composer to win an Academy Award, an Oscar, and a Primetime Emmy Award for her various film music projects, as well as many other Academy and Golden Globe nominations. In more recent years her music for the film The Duchess has been added to the A-level music syllabus for students to study. Portman also has an interest in ecology and environmental issues. There'll be an opportunity to hear part of her choral symphony The Water Diviner's Tale, a collaboration with Owen Sheers, plus the orchestral work Endangered specially recorded by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra. Throughout the week there will also be music specially recorded by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Singers including Portman's Magnificat, and her Christmas Carol We Were There composed in collaboration with Michael Morpurgo.
In 2010 the composer Rachel Portman not only became the first female composer to win a top honour for Film and TV from BMI, but she also received an OBE. Her career as a composer has gone from strength to strength, including composing a programmatic orchestral work entitled Endangered, commissioned by the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, and premiered for the World Environment Day Concert in 2013. In more recent years Portman has been studying psychotherapy, and in conversation with Donald Macleod she discusses its parallels with her work in film: both involve getting to grips with understanding personalities and situations.
We Will Be Laotong (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan)
Studio Orchestra
David Snell, conductor
Never Let Me Go (excerpts)
Studio Orchestra
David Snell, conductor
Endangered
´óÏó´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra
Michael Seal, conductor
Skye Boat Song
´óÏó´«Ã½ Singers
Libby Burgess, piano
Benjamin Nicholas, conductor
We Were There
´óÏó´«Ã½ Singers
Libby Burgess, piano
Benjamin Nicholas, conductor
Katya Remembers (Despite the Falling Snow)
Studio Orchestra
Jeff Atmajian, conductor
The Final Event (Race)
Studio Orchestra
Joris Batrsch Buhle, conductor
End Titles: Still Life
Studio Orchestra
David Snell, conductor
Producer Luke Whitlock.
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Music Played
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Rachel Portman
We Will Be Laotong (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.
- Sony.
- 18.
-
Rachel Portman
Main Titles (Never Let Me Go)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Never Let Me Go Soundtrack.
- Varese Sarabande.
- 2.
-
Rachel Portman
To The Cottages (Never Let Me Go)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Never Let Me Go Soundtrack.
- Varese Sarabande.
- 4.
-
Rachel Portman
Madame Is Coming (Never Let Me Go)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Never Let Me Go Soundtrack.
- Varese Sarabande.
- 6.
-
Rachel Portman
We All Complete (Never Let Me Go)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Never Let Me Go Soundtrack.
- Varese Sarabande.
- 17.
-
Rachel Portman
Endangered
Orchestra: ´óÏó´«Ã½ S O.. Conductor: Michael Seal. -
Rachel Portman
Skye Boat Song
Performer: Libby Burgess. Choir: ´óÏó´«Ã½ Singers. Conductor: Benjamin Nicholas. -
Rachel Portman
We Were There
Performer: Elizabeth Burgess. Choir: ´óÏó´«Ã½ Singers. Conductor: Benjamin Nicholas. -
Rachel Portman
Katya Remembers (Despite the Falling Snow)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Jeff Atmajian.- Despite the Falling Snow Soundtrack.
- Cube Soundtracks.
- 8.
-
Rachel Portman
The Final Event (Race)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Joris Batrsch Buhle.- Race Soundtrack.
- Black Lot Music.
- 18.
-
Rachel Portman
End Titles (Still Life)
Performer: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Still Life Sountrack.
- Kronos Records.
- 23.
Broadcast
- Fri 9 Mar 2018 12:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3
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