Stacey Watton
When Classical music magazine described Stacey many years ago as “A Versatile and accomplished artist, and Scottish reviewers heralded him as a ”A Wizard” of the Double Bass. They didn’t realise that more versatilities were to follow. Stacey has played as a Principal Double Bass nearly every major Chamber and Symphony Orchestra in the Country and also the most prestigious of all the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Holland. He has worked with some of the most highly acclaimed artists on the planet includingClaudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Teresa Berganza, Pincas Zuckerman, Pearlman, Monserrat Cabillé, Pavorotti, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Andras Schiff, Radu Lupu, Renée Fleming, Willard White, Wynton Marsalis, Kung Wa Chung, Sarah Chang, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Giulini, Sir Georg Solti, Lutoslawski, Rostropovich, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Charles Mackerras, Mariss Jansons, Janine Jansen, Julian Rachlin, Joshua Bell, Mischa Maisky, Ian Bostridge, Mark Ainsley, Anthony Marwood, Richard Lester, Gustavo Núñez, Henk Rubingh, Torlief Thédeen, Radovan Vlatkovic, Mihaela Ursuleasa, Milan Turkovic, Martin Frost, Nigel Kennedy, Nick Dodd, Sir Roger Moore, John Malkovich, Sir Michael Parkinson, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir George Martin, George Michael, Roxette, Boy George, West Life, Emma Bunton (Baby Spice), Travis, Mushroom, Michael Ball, Enya, Diana Rigg, Jim Davidson, Griff Rhys Jones, Simon Callow, Rory Bremner, Selina Scott, Vanessa May, Simon Callow, Peter Gabriel, Kylie Minogue to name but a few…??
Stacey made his concerto début on the Bass at the age of thirteen and on the Piano at seventeen. He won the Eugene Cruft Prize for the Double Bass at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied as a scholar, gained a distinction in conducting and later became a professor. He also appeared live on Russian television and radio after becoming a prize-winner at the first International Koussevitsky Double Bass competition in Moscow in 1995.
Having had a tremendously busy career as a concerto soloist, chamber musician and orchestra principal performing on recordings, live television and radio broadcasts, not to mention having a busy commercial career recording the sound tracks to most of the Hollywood films you love past and present, Stacey is now forging a career as a well respected conductor. Initially he gained early experience in earnest and without fear making his London début conducting Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom sequel “Love Never Dies”. Recently he conducted Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll and Mahler’s 4th Symphony chamber versions, with some of the professions’ finest musicians at his own music festival. The performance was well received and lead him on to conduct Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s world famous epic show ‘Les Miserables’ as Associate Musical Director this in turn lead him to his current Associate Conducting position at Disney’s world famous Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre in the heart of the West End. Stacey also regularly flies to Finland to conduct some of the orchestras there. Recently giving performances of Brahms 2, Dvorak 9, Elgar ‘cello concerto Strauss Wind Symphony and Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks.
Jorma Panula, world legendary guru of conducting, who mentored the likes of Esa Pekka Salonen, Atso Amila, Mikko Franck, Sakari Oramo, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste,said “Yes!! You describe the music!” after he saw Stacey conduct Dvorak’s 9th Symphony, in Finland. Atso, Jorma’s esteemed colleague and a Conducting/Composing master in his own right said “Stacey has so much more to offer than just clear beating like most other conductors offer these days and he looks like he loves being on the podium. Even more interestingly his approach is humble, honest and non stuffy”
Stacey’s career as a soloist, has seen him perform numerous concertos in prestigious venues throughout the world and is one of the few bassists in England to have made regular concerto appearances. He was deeply honoured to perform Bottesini’s B Minor Concerto with the Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra at the Vredenburg International Chamber Music Festival in Utrecht, Holland. He impressed audience and colleagues alike at the ease at which he performed the technically challenging Dragonetti’s Grande Allegro with the wonderfully spirited London Chamber Orchestra at St John’s Smith Square, London. Stacey has also enjoyed sharing the recital stage with eminent ‘cellists Steven Isserlis, Torleif Thedeen, and Daniel Mueller-Schott. Performances with the “Mighty” Belcea Quartet and Ian Bostridge at the Gulbenkian International Music Festival Lisbon and Perth International Music Festival were also a highlight of his playing career. Other International artists such as Nigel Kennedy have commented that Stacey is a “remarkable talent”. Each year he is reunited with his chamber music family at Julian Rachlin and Friends International Festival in Dubrovnik, Croatia and Janine Jansen International Chamber Music Festival in Utrecht, Holland. He is very proud to be included in a family which also includes one of the most famous ‘cellists of all, Mischa Maisky and the ground breaking revolutionary Clarinettist Martin Frost. Oh and Sir Roger Moore 007. See his Elephant on utube and all will be revealed.
