Tasmin Little’s last bow
mainThe violinist has posted from her farewell tour as Britain goes back into lockdown:
Well, if this is how it ends, it’s truly ok. I have just given three performances with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra in the space of less than 24 hours – each performance was unique and enjoyable, spontaneous and lively, optimistic and peaceful. What more could I wish for?  I began my first professional concerts in 1985 playing with this orchestra and I have given 55 performances in total with them, which is, I gather, the most performances any soloist has ever given with them! I have known various members of the orchestra since my days at the Guildhall School of music and drama – several of them were on stage with me for the last two days. A beautiful speech was made about me before the final concert, outlining all the things that I have done over the years with young musicians in the area, and the breadth of concerts and recordings I have given with the orchestra. At the end of the concert, I received a heartwarming standing ovation. I loved playing each concert and am content. Who knows what the coming two months will bring? But one thing I know is that my last few concerts have been full of joy and personal connections with people and players whom I truly value.
Behind the mask is Sandra, Merseyside’s friendliest face.
The first time I went to an orchestral concert Tasmin was playing the Tchaikovsky concerto in St David’s Hall, about 20 years ago. I remember being stunned at how the solo violin sounded live and up close. I was at Uni then, and it started, for me, a lifetime love of orchestral concerts. 20 years so far, and hopefully another 40 to go. I’ve heard many other wonderful violinists since then, but the surprise of that first time will never be forgotten. Life is so much better for being able to hear music and artists of this quality regularly. Let’s hope it resumes soon, and best wishes to the Tasmin, who will have brought similar joy to many to others.
First time I heard it live was from my own child’s hands. I had no knowledge of the beauty of the cello, it was my child who introduced me to it. At first of course it was rough to hear..now two years later, I’m blown away. I hope the pandemic is eradicated soon. We cannot lose our musicians.
Lovely of her to reference the pandemic and the huge amount of physical and financial suffering by those in the industry.
Oops, hang on, nope, she didn’t.
Actually, rarely have I read such vacuous, chocolate-box words – not to mention totally egotistical. Especially at a time like this.
Prize if you can count – without losing count – the number of times she writes ‘I’ in the above.
She’s been working with HelpMusiciansUK for months, raising funds and awareness, petitioning politicians, giving concerts to raise funds etc, speaking up in the national press about the physical and financial suffering caused to those in the industry.
Firing Back : you are a mean minded, snivelling , little wretch. Do let us know what you have ever done for music ?
Thanks for trying, but this isn’t about me.
Little ‘posted’ the statement, it was deemed newsworthy and appeared as news on a news forum blog, and I gave an opinion.
Get over it, or move to N. Korea, ignorant one.
Sorry she didn’t send her statement to you for approval before making it public. That must have really hurt.:-(
If you’re looking for vacuous, check out this “Firing Back” character…
Yeah, shocking how a musician writing a personal story about her own experience uses the first person.
I would have much preferred if she wrote it in the third: “At the end of the concert, Little received a heartwarming standing ovation. Little loved playing each concert and am content.”
Sadly, a typical and vile example of online comment. This is one specific comment from the artist – do you know what other public comments she might have made?
Are people not allowed to speak about themselves ( hence so many uses of ‘I’)? Do you know if this comment was made in response to a question about herself?
All those years in the public eye, and she still hasn’t worked out how to pose for a photo. Always pulls those silly faces
Another mean minded commentator.
A truly wonderful musician and artist,but perhaps of the wrong nationality to haved recieved the plaudits she very much deserved.
Reading some of the comments here, I thought I had stumbled on a Daily Telegraph article! What unpleasantness there is around these days – or has this always been the case?
I had been around the music business for some time until retirement. I always had an immense respect for everything that Tasmin has contributed over the years. I particularly remember that, while being considered one of the ‘elite’ string students at the GSMD, she always did her fair share of orchestral playing, and that willingly (unlike some others).
I particularly remember a Brahms Violin Concerto performance she gave. Having had it spoiled for me by a college room mate practising it for over 3 months, Tasmin’s performance finally removed the bad taste that that had left in my mouth.
With very best wishes for the brave decision to move on to other things. I am sure she will continue to make a great contribution to the making of music.
What happened to “Rules When posting on Slipped Disc”, numbers 1 and 3? Abuse? Personal attacks? Shouldn’t a couple of the above comments have beeb “spammed out”?
The Firing Back comment is beneath contempt. Apart from hearing her in concert, I was lucky enough to see her talking with and playing to an audience of prisoners. Although it must have been some way beyond her comfort zone she engaged with them and they responded to her and her playing with enthusiasm. As one of them remarked to me after, “Well she didn’t have to come here, did she.” More than that, my impression is that she is well liked by orchestras and understands the intricacies of their life. My own and my wife’s experience is that she is warm and generous both as person and as musician. Firing Back could not be more wrong.
I take it from the story (which doesn’t quite say so specifically) that Tasmin Little has finally given her last public concert – having held on beyond her intended retirement date in the summer when performances weren’t possible.
In which case I feel privileged to have heard her just a week ago, in a recital with Martin Roscoe. She made a strong case for a Romance by Amy Beach I hadn’t heard before, and ended with the Franck Sonata: the passion in her interpretation of the third movement will stay in my memory. I hope she feels she has signed off her long career adequately.