Although I had often heard of the legendary Craxton Studios in West Hampstead – home of Professor Harold Craxton, his daughter, distinguished oboist Janet Craxton and now the Professor’s granddaughter, Jane Craxton – I had never been there. So when an invitation came from guitarist James Girling for the Craxton Studios launch of his record-funding Kickstarter Campaign, I accepted post haste. (James, you may remember, was the guitarist at our Thomas Hardy concert back in July 2023.)
The house had been designed and built in full on Arts and Crafts style in 1901 by the artist George Hillyard Swinstead; forty years on it was bought by Professor Harold Craxton, an eminent and much-loved pianist and teacher. Over the next 30 years every member of the musical glitterati – from Larry Adler to Yehudi Menuhin and Pierre Boulez to Cleo Laine – were to be found at the studios, either visiting or working with the professor. After his death in 1971, his oboist daugher Janet continued to live there using the house for rehearsals, auditions and in due course recordings. And now the tradition continues with Jane, Sir Harold’s granddaughter. (For a fuller history see the Craxton Studios site here.). And if you get a chance, visit. It is as delightful as it sounds.
The Meraki Duo
James and flautist Meera Maharaj met in 2013 at the Royal Northern College of Music. Almost immediately they formed a duo, the Meraki Duo, playing an eclectic range of music (jazz, chamber music, Latin American styles, contemporary works) much of which has been arranged by James for their slightly unusual pairing of instruments.
But despite their long association, their many appeareances at festivals, the prizes that they have won and their work in the wider community, they have never made a record. So, for their tenth anniversary, they have decided that this is the moment.
They have the repertiore, they have a record company, Delphian Records, they have a date – all they need now is the money! Well, actually they already have over half the money too, but they need the rest – £1,995 to be strictly accurate – if they are to get the record made.
Would you like to Kickstart their record?
To give you a very brief taste here thay are playing a snatch of Tōru Takemitsu’s Toward The Sea – followed by ‘some splendid rhythm’. But if you would like to get a much fuller idea of what will be on the record, check in to their Kickstarter site where there are links to a half a dozen other tracks – and lots more about them both.
And if you like what you hear, there are a fine range of ‘rewards’ for backers – from exclusive digital access to the full album tracks in advance of the official release to free tickets to the launch concert and reception and credit as a co-commissioner.
And maybe we can persuade them to come and play for us one day too?
To support the Meraki Duo’s Kickstarter campaign go here.
Next Post – what is coming up in January but meanwhile –
For future happenings in at Hampstead Lane and elsewhere – see our Upcoming Events page.
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