Julia Thornton
Encyclopedia
Julia Thornton is a professional harpist, who to date has released two albums: Harpistry (2003) and Eye of the Storm (2004).
aged 11. Having wanted to do so since the age of three, her parents initially managed to stave off her persistence, allowing her piano
lessons at the age of 9. Eighteen months later, having taken well to the piano, she was allowed to have her first harp lesson.
Beginning on an Irish instrument called the clarsach
(an instrument that isn't as big as a concert harp and doesn't have the pedal mechanism), she was taught by a local teacher initially who had to return to her native Czechoslovakia after a year. After this she was taught by Daphne Boden (who eventually became Thornton's professor at the Royal Academy of Music).
Within the year, Boden asked Thornton's parents if they would buy her a concert harp - a huge financial investment. Thornton's first harp belonged to Boden - a Japanese instrument called Ahomaya.
Thornton extended her studies by attending the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music
on Saturdays, where she began also to learn percussion. At this time she also became a member of the National Youth Orchestra
.
Having won a scholarship
to the Royal Academy of Music
, she studied there for 5 years, winning many prizes for her harp-playing (including the Julia Leney and Renata Schefelstein harp awards, and both the harp prizes at the Royal Overseas League competition). She was also awarded the Mathias Prize for the best performance of his Sante Fe Suite at the International Harp Competition in Cardiff
. After finishing at the R.A.M., Thornton's work consisted of a mixture of teaching, orchestral and solo work. She performed with a wide variety of orchestras, opera and ballet companies, and gave recitals including performances at the Cambridge, Beaumaris and Cheltenham music festivals.
She also joined the panel of Yehudi Menuhin
's "Live Music Now!", which enables young musicians to perform in various communities around the country, such as in schools, day-care centres, homes for the elderly, homes for those suffering from Alzheimers or dementia, prisons and young offenders' institutes.
Julia's main breakthrough came at a yoga demo in 1999, where she was playing the harp, and was thus spotted by one of the attendees - Clare Davies, wife to Bryan Ferry
's producer, Rhett Davies.Following an audition, she began working with Bryan Ferry, performing on the harp and percussion instruments on his "As Time Goes By" tour, which comprised a collection of 1930s standards such as the title track. In 2001 she was asked to join the Roxy Music
reunion tour - a tour that would involve 50 days of percussion-playing only, and despite her love for the harp, Thornton took this opportunity. The tour involved visits to Australia
and Japan
, and playing in some of the world's biggest stadia such as Wembley.
The seeds of "Harpistry" were sown during her involvement with a mediaeval instrumental group, Arcana Mundi, a concept dreamt up by Craig Leon
, who would later become her producer. Sure enough, she signed a deal with EMI
in 2002, and between trips abroad with Bryan Ferry, she sourced the material for her first album, with help from Leon. She recorded her first album, "Harpistry", in Holland in 2003, before going to Brazil
on another Bryan Ferry tour.
On Sept 1 2005, www.PlaybillArts.com reported that Harpistry charted no. 13 on the Billboard Classical chart. She released her second album, "Eye of the Storm", on her own label, Crossways Records, due to frustrations with EMI.
In the spring of 2007, Julia became a member of a new band, The Metaphors, started with Roxy Music founding members Andy MacKay and Paul Thompson, on reeds and drums. Filling out the band are Hazel Mills on Keyboards and T J Allen on guitar and effects. That summer they went into the studio to record their first album. The 6 song collection called London! Paris! New York! Rome! was released to ITunes in March of 2009, and became available as a disk from their website a month later. To date The Metaphors have played a limited number of live dates.
In June & July 2009, Julia returned to her percussion and harp duties for the 30th anniversary tour of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the World for a 21 concert tour of England and Europe.
According to her webpage, Julia has plans to go into the studio and record her own music and record with members of Lunar Dunes, a band that she has sat in with. Julia is also following up on her interest in yoga by taking classes towards becoming a yoga instructor.
. Commenting on her wide range of musical tastes from Mahler to Joni Mitchell
, she said "My parents were hippies!"
Her date of birth is unknown, and on one website is even listed as 'secret'.
Roxy Music Live At The Apollo 2001
Classic FM TV Greatest Hits Vol.1
Live 8 w/Roxy Music 2005
Jeff Waynes' Musical Version of the War of the Worlds Live on Stage 2006
Bryan Ferry Konixxtreffen 2002 DVD extra on Bryan Ferry's Bene Noire Tour video.
Bryan Ferry Frantic 2002
Julia Thornton Harpsitry* 2003
Julia Thornton Eye Of The Storm 2004
Susheela Raman Salt Rain 2005
Athena Breathe With Me 2007
The Bench Connection Around The House In 80 Days 2007
Andy MacKay & The Metaphors London! Paris! New York! Rome! 2009
Roxy Music Reunion Tour 2001-2002 Percussion/Keyboards
Bryan Ferry Frantic Tour 2002 Harp/Percussion
Roxy Music Summer Festivals 2005 Percussion/Keyboards
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds 2006 Harp/Percussion
Russell Watson Spring Tour 2007 Harp/Percussion
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds Australia Sept 2007 Harp/Percussion
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds Re-Invasion of England Dec. 2007 Harp/Percussion
Andy MacKay & The Metaphors 2008 Harp
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds 30th Anniversary Tour 2009 Harp/Percussion
Musical life and career
Julia Thornton began to play the harpHarp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
aged 11. Having wanted to do so since the age of three, her parents initially managed to stave off her persistence, allowing her piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons at the age of 9. Eighteen months later, having taken well to the piano, she was allowed to have her first harp lesson.
Beginning on an Irish instrument called the clarsach
Clàrsach
Clàrsach or Cláirseach , is the generic Gaelic word for 'a harp', as derived from Middle Irish...
(an instrument that isn't as big as a concert harp and doesn't have the pedal mechanism), she was taught by a local teacher initially who had to return to her native Czechoslovakia after a year. After this she was taught by Daphne Boden (who eventually became Thornton's professor at the Royal Academy of Music).
Within the year, Boden asked Thornton's parents if they would buy her a concert harp - a huge financial investment. Thornton's first harp belonged to Boden - a Japanese instrument called Ahomaya.
Thornton extended her studies by attending the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
on Saturdays, where she began also to learn percussion. At this time she also became a member of the National Youth Orchestra
National Youth Orchestra
The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain is an orchestra of 163 young musicians from the United Kingdom. The members of the orchestra are all aged between 13 and 19 years. The players are selected by auditions which take place in the autumn each year at various locations in the country...
.
Having won a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, she studied there for 5 years, winning many prizes for her harp-playing (including the Julia Leney and Renata Schefelstein harp awards, and both the harp prizes at the Royal Overseas League competition). She was also awarded the Mathias Prize for the best performance of his Sante Fe Suite at the International Harp Competition in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. After finishing at the R.A.M., Thornton's work consisted of a mixture of teaching, orchestral and solo work. She performed with a wide variety of orchestras, opera and ballet companies, and gave recitals including performances at the Cambridge, Beaumaris and Cheltenham music festivals.
She also joined the panel of Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
's "Live Music Now!", which enables young musicians to perform in various communities around the country, such as in schools, day-care centres, homes for the elderly, homes for those suffering from Alzheimers or dementia, prisons and young offenders' institutes.
Julia's main breakthrough came at a yoga demo in 1999, where she was playing the harp, and was thus spotted by one of the attendees - Clare Davies, wife to Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
's producer, Rhett Davies.Following an audition, she began working with Bryan Ferry, performing on the harp and percussion instruments on his "As Time Goes By" tour, which comprised a collection of 1930s standards such as the title track. In 2001 she was asked to join the Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
reunion tour - a tour that would involve 50 days of percussion-playing only, and despite her love for the harp, Thornton took this opportunity. The tour involved visits to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and playing in some of the world's biggest stadia such as Wembley.
The seeds of "Harpistry" were sown during her involvement with a mediaeval instrumental group, Arcana Mundi, a concept dreamt up by Craig Leon
Craig Leon
Craig Leon is an American born record producer, composer and arranger currently living in England. Leon was instrumental in launching the careers of many recording artists including The Ramones and Blondie...
, who would later become her producer. Sure enough, she signed a deal with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in 2002, and between trips abroad with Bryan Ferry, she sourced the material for her first album, with help from Leon. She recorded her first album, "Harpistry", in Holland in 2003, before going to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
on another Bryan Ferry tour.
On Sept 1 2005, www.PlaybillArts.com reported that Harpistry charted no. 13 on the Billboard Classical chart. She released her second album, "Eye of the Storm", on her own label, Crossways Records, due to frustrations with EMI.
In the spring of 2007, Julia became a member of a new band, The Metaphors, started with Roxy Music founding members Andy MacKay and Paul Thompson, on reeds and drums. Filling out the band are Hazel Mills on Keyboards and T J Allen on guitar and effects. That summer they went into the studio to record their first album. The 6 song collection called London! Paris! New York! Rome! was released to ITunes in March of 2009, and became available as a disk from their website a month later. To date The Metaphors have played a limited number of live dates.
In June & July 2009, Julia returned to her percussion and harp duties for the 30th anniversary tour of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the World for a 21 concert tour of England and Europe.
According to her webpage, Julia has plans to go into the studio and record her own music and record with members of Lunar Dunes, a band that she has sat in with. Julia is also following up on her interest in yoga by taking classes towards becoming a yoga instructor.
Personal life
Julia grew up in IpswichIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
. Commenting on her wide range of musical tastes from Mahler to Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
, she said "My parents were hippies!"
Her date of birth is unknown, and on one website is even listed as 'secret'.
Video
Bryan Ferry Live At The Gran Rex 2000Roxy Music Live At The Apollo 2001
Classic FM TV Greatest Hits Vol.1
Live 8 w/Roxy Music 2005
Jeff Waynes' Musical Version of the War of the Worlds Live on Stage 2006
Bryan Ferry Konixxtreffen 2002 DVD extra on Bryan Ferry's Bene Noire Tour video.
Recordings
Roxy Music Live 2001Bryan Ferry Frantic 2002
Julia Thornton Harpsitry* 2003
Julia Thornton Eye Of The Storm 2004
Susheela Raman Salt Rain 2005
Athena Breathe With Me 2007
The Bench Connection Around The House In 80 Days 2007
Andy MacKay & The Metaphors London! Paris! New York! Rome! 2009
- Tracks from Harpsitry appear on various EMI compilation disks.
Tours
Bryan Ferry As Time Goes By 1999-2000 Harp/PercussionRoxy Music Reunion Tour 2001-2002 Percussion/Keyboards
Bryan Ferry Frantic Tour 2002 Harp/Percussion
Roxy Music Summer Festivals 2005 Percussion/Keyboards
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds 2006 Harp/Percussion
Russell Watson Spring Tour 2007 Harp/Percussion
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds Australia Sept 2007 Harp/Percussion
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds Re-Invasion of England Dec. 2007 Harp/Percussion
Andy MacKay & The Metaphors 2008 Harp
Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds 30th Anniversary Tour 2009 Harp/Percussion