Violinist signs on for nudist festival
mainAlexandra Parker, a violinist who caused a stir for mostly the wrong reasons at Britain’s Got Talent in 2011, has been announced as the star turn at Nudestock, a huge naturist festival which will be held at a campsite near Doncaster in May.
Got talent? Flaunt it.
Or maybe not.
And why not!
Tickets?
From her agent’s website, some rich ironies: “Alex Parker – A Female Violinist who is available for Weddings, Receptions, Corporate functions, Events and Concerts of every kind… As a classically-trained violinist, personally tutored by the Principal violinist of the London Symphony Orchestra…”
More entrepreneurship….
The photo gallery of the Candy Farm campsite looks extremely attractive (…..Not)
A naturist festival near Doncaster in May? They’ll freeze.
Ms. Parker aside, women in classical music are often sexualized in their promotional materials in ways that sometimes seem slightly demeaning. Sexiness can be part of classical music, but it should be fair. Would this image of Sarah Chang (the second one down in the green dress) on the Houston Symphony blog be an example:
http://houstonsymphonyblog.org/10/01/dress-like-virtuoso-sunday-beach-sarah-chang/
The image isn’t just a fashion statement. It’s one of her regular promotional photos. Why picture a violin soloist lying on a bed? Notice also her instrument is not even in the picture.
Anyway, today is International Women’s Day, so I thought I’d mention it in spite of the usual reactionary attitudes of SD’s commentators.
Eerily similar to current Viagra commercials playing on US TV. Then, there’s always Yuja Wang……..
But (a) for the artist under discussion, the portrayal on her own website is not overtly sexualised in any way; and (b) if an artist wishes to portray themselves or to be portrayed in an overtly sexualised way, who are we to say they shouldn’t be allowed to?
And as far as Sarah Chang goes, you link to a blogpost written by, and concerned with fashion and appearance. The blog is about the dresses and Sarah’s sense of style, so why should anyone expect a violin in every picture?
William, who do you think is to blame for sexualized promotion of female musicians? I can think of some attractive looking famous famle musicians whose publicity pictures are full of dignity, and others whose pics in their own websites are a shame. Aren’t the musicians themselves responsible?
Mad! If this was on the South Coast I’d say, good, fine, dandy! Have fun, invite Bryn Terfel and get him in the buff and I’ll be there!
But South Yorkshire in May is practically still arctic!
enjoy it on the nudist festival!
I don’t know, what about these pictures–of male musicians who record for DG?
http://operachic.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451c83e69e201901d188e08970b-450wi
Maybe people say Mr. Ottensamer is not serious (?).
How bout this?
http://static.universal-music.de/asset_new/326619/881/view/Daniil-Trifonov.jpg
Let’s hear Mr. Lebrecht attempt to explain how the “pianist for the rest of our lives” who “doesn’t care about marketing” let himself be photographed like that.