Bartholomew Lafollette
Ensemble:
Booking
To engage Bartholomew Lafollette for a concert, please call us on: +44 (0)20 7379 8477 or contact us
Press
'Bartholomew LaFollette was the young soloist in Dvorák's Cello Concerto. The concerto is on the scale of a symphony with a full orchestral exposition before the cello makes its dramatic entrance, and what an entrance. LaFollette played with huge conviction and attack, drawing an enormous range of colours from the many fabulous tunes that characterize this lovely work.'
Newbury Weekly News, November 2007
'Bartholomew LaFollette was spellbinding in Sibelius' impressive and rarely-heard Malincolia Opus 20 and fully captivating in Stravinsky's Suite Italienne, before Dinicu's hora Staccato ended the evening brilliantly.'
Musical Opinion, Purcell Room, September 2007
'The Haydn cello concerto proved a stunner, not least because it introduced to Dublin an outstanding new talent in cellist Bartholomew LaFollette. He is the first recipient of ICO's Ardan award, as recently introduced patronage by the ICO for outstanding talent.'
Sunday Business Post Agenda, National Concert Hall Dublin with ICO, April 2007
'The 23-year-old virtuoso cellist captures the music's courtly refinement as well as its earthy realism. LaFollette's phrasing has a static beauty in the Adagio's rarefied atmosphere, but he reacts with effervescent energy to the capering gallop Takacs-Nagy drives in the Finale. His nimble fingering never allows of even one false move.'
Irish Independent, National Concert Hall Dublin with ICO, April 2007
'LaFollette is an easy and graceful performer, and showed a rhythmically nimble facility of movement. He was as free in touching the heartstrings as he was in dashing off dazzling runs.'
Irish Times, National Concert Hall Dublin with ICO, April 2007
'Bartholomew LaFollette's approach to Haydn's delightful Cello Concerto in C was stylistic, elegant, poised, tasteful, technically brilliant and, together with the ICO, absolutely exhilarating.'
Irish Examiner, Irish Chamber Orchestra in Cork, April 2007
Bartholomew Lafollette has recently given recitals at Wigmore Hall, Aldeburgh, Leeds International Concert series, Lichfield and Paxton festivals and appeared as soloist with the City of London Sinfonia. This season he records his debut CD for Sonimage.
Born in Philadelphia in 1984, from 1997 Bartholomew LaFollette was a pupil at the Yehudi Menuhin School. In 2003 he won a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where he continued his studies with Louise Hopkins, graduating in 2008. He was selected by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) in 2007 and was a Fellow at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama until 2011.
During his studies Bartholomew won numerous prizes including the Guilhermina Suggia Gift which led to performances of Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme with orchestras throughout Europe and the USA. In 2007 he was the first recipient of the Irish Chamber Orchestra's prestigious Ardán Award which offers a young emerging international soloist a platform.
As a concerto soloist highlights have included Haydn with the Irish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Gabor Takacs, Dvorak with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jugend Sinfonie Orchester des Landes Hessen, Brahms Double with Daniel Stabrawa and the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra in Poland, Elgar with Sian Edwards in Helsinki and a performance of the Walton at the Barbican. He has appeared at major venues and festivals throughout the UK including an IMS Prussia Cove Ensemble tour, and concerts at Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, King's Place, St. George's Bristol, the Brighton, Paxton, Sheffield and Ravinia Festivals.
Over the last year Bartholomew has given recitals at Wigmore Hall, Aldeburgh, the Leeds International Concert series, Lichfield, Music at Paxton and Northern Chords Festivals and appeared as soloist with the City of London Sinfonia. He also performed solo Bach with the Henri Oguike Dance Company at the ROH Linbury Studio and gave the premiere of George Lloyd's Concerto. Bartholomew regularly collaborates with the Doric String Quartet and in 2011 recorded with them for Chandos. This season he records his debut solo disc for Sonimage.
In 2007 Bartholomew participated in workshops with the Emerson Quartet in New York culminating in a performance of Dvorak'sPiano Quintet in the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. He has appeared in masterclasses at IMS Prussia Cove and with Steven Isserlis, and elsewhere with Mstislav Rostropovich, Alexander Rudin and Natalia Gutman.
He is grateful for support from the Musicians Benevolent Fund, the Martin Musical Scholarship Fund and the Hattori Foundation.