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Name:
Escala
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Joined:
Apr 11, 2008
Latest Activity:
Apr 11, 2008
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About Me:
The quartet comprises four sophisticated, beautiful and intelligent girls in their twenties. These talented, dedicated and disciplined musicians studied at Londons most prestigious music colleges, becoming highly trained, professional classical performers. The four girls became close friends after being recruited as part of a large string section for a UK arena tour by boyband McFly, and decided to work together to create a new musical phenomenon. After entering Britains Got Talent 2008, performing in front of 14 million viewers on the shows final, the band were signed by Simon Cowell to company, Syco Entertainment.
ESCALA are violinists Victoria Lyon, aged 25, and Izzy Johnston, 25. Chantal Leverton, a viola player aged 25 and cellist Tasya Hodges, 26 complete the line up. The ladies are deadly serious about their music, playing both acoustic and electric instruments and bringing stylish high-octane showmanship to their performances. With their unique formula of fun and integrity, the girls believe their approach will encourage many (in particular the young) to overcome prejudices about classical instruments.
A year ago, ESCALA were performing at private functions, among them a wrap party for X Factor and the GQ party at the Cannes film festival. Today, the quartet have been choosen to lead BSkyBs television promotional campaign for the new Premiership football season (in succession to bands such as Simple Minds, Queen and Oasis) and the bands first album will make them household names.
Simon Cowell was bowled over by ESCALA the moment he first heard the girls in the semi-finals of Britains Got Talent. He says: They are completely original and they have got it all; remarkable dedication and training, looks, intelligence, the right attitude to make it big and music that has wide appeal. With their amazing stage presence as well, they are a very rare talent and I believe there will be a huge interest in them, particularly in America.
Victoria Lyon is the great-great-grand-daughter of the renowned 19th century opera singer, Jenny Lind, known as The Swedish Nightingale. With her five siblings, who were also music scholars, she formed a family sextet that would busk in the streets, instead of taking summer jobs. She later attended the Royal College of Music and joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as its youngest player.
Izzy Johnston, who gained a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, is from an extremely musical family. Her parents run a music school, her brother Guy is a cellist, Magnus a violinist and Rupert a Horn player who unfortunately was left severely brain damaged after a car accident in 1997. Her family continues to raise money for Ruperts charity BIRT. Izzy performed an arrangement of the four seasons with Magnus at the Royal Albert Hall prom in 2005 and was a guest soloist with Michael Ball at his prom in 2007.
Tasya Hodges, who speaks four languages, was born in England but is half Croatian. Passionate about music from an early age, she started playing Cello while living in Croatia. However, her life was interrupted by war in the county and she and her family were forced to leave, relocating to Brussels for two years until Tasya won a scholarship to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey, England. Later came four years at Guildhall where she performed with the London Symphony Orchestra for three months.
Chantal Leverton, who took up music at seven, was a member of the prestigious National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, before she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. Aged 13, Chantal won The Henry Wood prize for most promising string player from the Trinity College of Music. Chantal also played at the Wigmore Hall aged 14 in a masterclass with the Vienna piano trio.
ESCALAs debut album is to feature the girls wide-ranging love of contemporary music. The tracks will include the Chi Mai theme by Ennio Morricone, Craig Armstrongs haunting Finding Beauty, Led Zeppelins Kashmir, Children, by the Swiss Italian DJ Robert Miles, Snow Patrols Chasing Cars, Live and Let Die by Wings and Escalas signature tune, Palladio.
The album will be produced by the Grammy Award-winning British musician Trevor Horn who has produced for Cher, Seal, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Charlotte Church, Mike Oldfield and many others.
Perhaps Izzy Johnston sums up the quartet best. We all absolutely love performing and to do it with your closest friends is just the best thing you could imagine. I can only say that this feels like it was meant to be.
Country:
United Kingdom
You're really, really great! and I wish you can get everything you want. My best wihes for you.
Love you all <3
Kisses from Spain.
XXX