Editing Nigel Kennedy (section)

==Musical career==
===Until 2000===
At the age of 16, Kennedy was invited by jazz violinist [[Stéphane Grappelli]] to appear with him at New York's [[Carnegie Hall]].<ref name="GuardArt1">{{cite web | author=Alfred Hickling | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/sep/29/classicalmusicandopera2 | title=If you need a pillock, call me | work=The Guardian | date=29 September 2006 | access-date=5 December 2007}}</ref> He made his recording debut in 1984 with [[Edward Elgar|Elgar's]] [[Violin Concerto (Elgar)|Violin Concerto]]. His subsequent recording of [[Antonio Vivaldi|Vivaldi]]'s ''[[The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)|The Four Seasons]]'' with the [[English Chamber Orchestra]] in 1989 sold over two million copies and earned a place as one of the best-selling of all classical recordings.<ref name="CNN1">{{cite web | author=Steve Wright | url=http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Music/9908/23/wb.kennedy/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427132629/http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Music/9908/23/wb.kennedy/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=27 April 2006 | title=Not quite Vivaldi: Nigel Kennedy remembers Hendrix | work=CNN | date=23 August 1999 | access-date=5 December 2007}}</ref> The album remained at the top of the UK classical charts for over a year, with total sales of over three million units.<ref>{{cite web | author=John Brunning | url=http://www.classicfm.com/artists/nigel-kennedy/news/vivaldi-four-seasons-conversation/ | title=How Nigel Kennedy changed classical music forever | work=Classic FM Magazine | date=3 September 2014 | access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref>

In 1992, Kennedy announced the end of his career in classical music.<ref name="DW2016">{{cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/the-classical-music-pop-star-nigel-kennedy-at-60/a-36923474|title=The classical music pop star: Nigel Kennedy at 60|work=DW|date=28 December 2016|access-date=25 September 2021}}</ref> Around this time, he recorded the album ''Music in Colours'' with [[Stephen Duffy]]. He returned to the international concert platform in the mid-1990s. In 1997, he received an award for [[Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music|Outstanding Contribution to British Music]] at the [[BRIT Awards]], and in 2001 received the 'Male Artist of the Year' award.<ref name="Church">{{cite web | author=Michael Church | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/nigel-kennedy-dont-just-sit-there-do-something-polish-1980487.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/nigel-kennedy-dont-just-sit-there-do-something-polish-1980487.html |archive-date=20 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | title=Nigel Kennedy: Don't just sit there. Do something Polish | work=The Independent | date=3 September 2014 | access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref>

In other music genres, Kennedy recorded a cover of [[Jimi Hendrix]]'s "[[Fire (The Jimi Hendrix Experience song)|Fire]]" for the 1993 album ''[[Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix]]''. The same year, he made an appearance on [[Robert Plant]]'s solo album [[Fate of Nations]] on the track "Calling to you". In 1999, [[Sony Classical]] released ''[[The Kennedy Experience]]'', which featured [[Musical improvisation|improvisational recordings]] based on Hendrix [[musical composition|compositions]].<ref>{{cite web | author=Mark Coles | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/368573.stm | title=Kennedy plays Hendrix | work=BBC News | date=18 June 1999 | access-date=5 December 2007}}</ref> Kennedy's autobiography, ''Always Playing'', was published in 1991.<ref>Nigel Kennedy ''Always Playing''. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1991 {{ISBN|0-297-81209-2}}</ref>

===Since 2000===
In 2000, he recorded ''Riders on the Storm: The Doors Concerto'' (with [[Jaz Coleman]]), a violin-based orchestral version of [[The Doors|Doors]] songs, including "[[Strange Days (Doors song)|Strange Days]]", "[[L.A. Woman]]", "[[The End (The Doors song)|The End]]", and "[[Riders on the Storm]]". On 27 November 2000, Kennedy joined rock group [[The Who]] at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] to play the violin solo in the song "[[Baba O'Riley]]", released three years later on the album ''[[Live at the Royal Albert Hall (The Who album)|Live at the Royal Albert Hall]]''. Kennedy also played on several tracks – including "[[Experiment IV]]" – by British singer-songwriter [[Kate Bush]], who was a guest on Kennedy's episode of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]''. He was featured on two of [[Sarah Brightman]]'s songs for her 2003 album ''[[Harem (album)|Harem]]''. He has explored [[Klezmer]] music with the Polish jazz band [[Kroke]].<ref>[[Richard Morrison (music critic)|Richard Morrison]], "Nigel Kennedy returns to the BBC Proms". ''[[The Times]]'', 11 July 2008.</ref> In late 2005, Kennedy recorded his first album for the [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]] jazz label, released as ''Blue Note Sessions'', with [[Ron Carter]] on double bass, [[Jack DeJohnette]] on drums and saxophonist [[Joe Lovano]].

Kennedy returned to the 2008 [[Proms]] after an absence of 21 years, performing [[Edward Elgar|Elgar's]] [[Violin Concerto (Elgar)|Violin Concerto]] and a late-night Prom with the Nigel Kennedy Quintet.<ref>{{cite web |author=[[Anthony Holden]]| url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/jul/27/classicalmusicandopera | title=Such affectation, but such virtuosity |work=[[The Observer]]| date=26 July 2008 | access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> He was appointed artistic director of the Polish Chamber Orchestra and in 2010, founded the Orchestra of Life, an ensemble of mainly Polish musicians.<ref name="DW2016" />

In August 2013, he again returned to the Proms performing ''The Four Seasons'' at a concert featuring Kennedy with a group of young Palestinian musicians, the Palestine Strings from the [[Edward Said National Conservatory of Music|Edward Said Conservatory of Music]], and the Orchestra of Life. According to Michael Church of ''The Independent'', in the first movement "Spring", Kennedy "swerved off-course with a flurry of bird-tweets followed by a jazz riff from his bassist; the staccato chords of the next movement were decorated by a microtonal Arabic riff from one of the guest players".<ref>{{cite news|last=Church|first=Michael|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/reviews/classical-review-proms-33-and-34-nigel-kennedy-orientalises-vivaldi-and-mitsuko-uchida-casts-spells-beethoven-8753856.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/reviews/classical-review-proms-33-and-34-nigel-kennedy-orientalises-vivaldi-and-mitsuko-uchida-casts-spells-beethoven-8753856.html |archive-date=20 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Classical review: Proms 33 and 34: Nigel Kennedy Orientalises Vivaldi and Mitsuko Uchida casts spells with Beethoven|work=The Independent|date=9 August 2013|access-date=25 September 2021}}</ref> Near the end of the concert, the BBC removed the violinist's attribution of [[Israel and apartheid|apartheid to Israel]] from the television broadcast on [[BBC4]]. The comments were broadcast live on [[BBC Radio 3]]. A representative of the Corporation said they did not "fall within the editorial remit of the Proms as a classical music festival."<ref name="Tgraph2013">{{cite news| last=Bingham|first=John | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10258077/BBC-accused-of-censorship-after-cutting-Nigel-Kennedys-Israel-statement-from-Proms.html | title=BBC accused of 'censorship' after cutting Nigel Kennedy's Israel statement from Proms | work=The Telegraph | date=21 August 2013 | access-date=25 September 2021}}</ref><ref name="JPost">{{Cite news|date=18 August 2013 | title=Report: BBC to cut Israel 'apartheid' comments from UK concert broadcast | url=http://www.jpost.com/International/Report-BBC-to-cut-Israel-apartheid-remarks-from-UK-concert-broadcast-323419 | work=The Jerusalem Post | access-date=18 August 2013}}</ref> Kennedy said:
{{Blockquote| Ladies and gentlemen, it's a bit facile to say it but we all know from experiencing this night of music tonight, that given equality, and getting rid of apartheid, gives a beautiful chance for amazing things to happen.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Dysch|first=Marcus|date=16 August 2013 | title=BBC to cut Kennedy slur from Proms broadcast|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/110366/bbc-cut-kennedy-slur-proms-broadcast|work=The Jewish Chronicle|access-date=18 August 2013}}</ref>}} Kennedy objected to the removal of his remarks from the broadcast. A condition of the booking, to which Kennedy had agreed, was not making such a comment, according to his manager.<ref name="Tgraph2013" />

Kennedy also plays the viola, and has recorded Sir [[William Walton]]'s [[Viola Concerto (Walton)|Viola Concerto]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viola-in-music.com/Nigel-Kennedy.html |title=Nigel Kennedy and the viola |publisher=Viola-in-music.com |access-date=11 August 2010}}</ref> Kennedy's own compositions include incidental music for [[Chekhov]]'s play [[Three Sisters (play)|''Three Sisters'']].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kettle|first1=David|title=Review: My World – Kennedy: Dedications, Three Sisters|journal=The Strad|date=March 2017|url=http://www.thestrad.com/review/world-kennedy-dedications-three-sisters/|access-date=23 March 2017|location=Braintree, UK}}</ref> Kennedy published his second autobiography, ''Nigel Kennedy Uncensored!'', in 2021.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kennedy|first=Nigel|year=2021|title=Nigel Kennedy Uncensored!|publisher=Fonthill Media|isbn=978-1-78155-856-0}}; {{cite news|last=Morrison|first=Richard|author-link=Richard Morrison (music critic)|date=18 December 2021|title=''Nigel Kennedy Uncensored!'' review – plays like an angel, acts like a prat|work=[[The Times]]|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/nigel-kennedy-uncensored-by-nigel-kennedy-review-jcmg8grnt}}</ref>

===Image===

In 1991, the Controller of [[BBC Radio 3]] [[John Drummond (arts administrator)|John Drummond]] criticised Kennedy describing him as "a [[Liberace]] for the nineties" and objected to his "ludicrous" clothes and "self-invented accent".<ref>{{cite web | author=Paul Kelso | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/aug/30/paulkelso | title=Kennedy hits back at arts elitism | work=The Guardian | date=30 August 2000 | access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref>

Until 2006, Kennedy expressed his intention of not appearing on the classical London concert scene with a London orchestra, which was seen by some as arrogance,<ref name="GuardArt1"/> although he rationalised it in terms of frustrated perfectionism:

<blockquote>It all comes down to the amount of rehearsal you get, or don't get, in this country. I insist on three or four sessions prior to a concert, and orchestral administrators won't accommodate that. If I didn't care about getting it right, I could do three concerts in the same amount of time and earn three times the money. But you can't do something properly in less time than it takes.<ref name="GuardArt1"/></blockquote>

Kennedy expresses a preference<ref>booklet Beethoven violin concerto (1992)</ref> for the immediate appeal of live performance, and often records entire works or movements in single [[takes]] to preserve this sense in his recordings. He also introduces improvised elements to his performances, as in his [[Jimi Hendrix]]-inspired [[cadenza]] to [[Violin Concerto (Beethoven)|Beethoven's Violin Concerto]] and his [[jazz]] and [[jazz-rock fusion|fusion]] recordings.

In September 2021, Kennedy cancelled a performance at the Royal Albert Hall after the host, [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]], prevented him from including a Jimi Hendrix composition at the concert. He had intended to perform a version of "[[Little Wing]]" in the manner of [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Alberge|first=Dalya|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/20/violinist-nigel-kennedy-cancels-concert-after-classic-fm-stops-hendrix-tribute|title=Violinist Nigel Kennedy cancels concert after Classic FM stops Hendrix tribute|work=The Guardian|date=20 September 2021|access-date=25 September 2021}}</ref>