Editing Tasmin Little

{{Short description|British violinist (born 1965)}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
'''Tasmin Elizabeth Little''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}  (born 13 May 1965<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|last=Schrott |first=Allen |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tasmin-little-q37090/biography |title=Tasmin Little |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=19 December 2011}}</ref>) is an English [[classical music|classical]] [[violin]]ist. She is a [[concerto]] [[solo (music)|soloist]]<ref name=allmusic/><ref name=guardian/><ref name=telegraph3/> and also performs as a [[Concert#Recital|recital]]ist and [[chamber music]]ian.<ref name=allmusic/> She has released numerous albums, winning the Critics Award at the [[Classic Brit Awards]] in 2011 for her recording of [[Violin Concerto (Elgar)|Elgar's Violin Concerto]].<ref name=musicweek/>

==Early life and education==
Little was born in [[London]] and is the daughter of Bradford-born actor [[George Little (actor)|George Little]], best known for his role in ''[[Emmerdale Farm]]''.<ref name=telegraph2>{{cite news|author=Hewett, Ivan|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3653130/Sorry-but-Delius-isnt-soothing.html |title=Culture: Sorry, but Delius isn't soothing |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date= 15 June 2006|access-date=19 December 2011 |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Born into show business|url=https://www.classicfm.com/artists/tasmin-little/guides/facts/edward-ruskin-george-little/|access-date=17 November 2020|website=Classic FM|language=en}}</ref> She first learned to read music at age six while learning to play a [[Recorder (musical instrument)|recorder]] that her mother had given her.<ref>As recounted during an appearance on [[BBC Radio 3]]'s [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rr90d ''In Tune'' program] (10 April 2013)</ref> She grew up in northwest London, attending the [[Yehudi Menuhin School]] on a [[scholarship]] as a weekly boarder between the ages of 8 and 18; among her fellow pupils was violinist [[Nigel Kennedy]].<ref name=Telegraph/>

In 1982 she was a finalist in the string section of ''[[BBC Young Musician of the Year]]''.<ref name=chad>{{cite web|url=http://www.chad.co.uk/lifestyle/stage/top_violinist_to_play_in_mansfield_1_1997986 |title=Top violinist to play in Mansfield |work=Mansfield and Ashfield Chad |publisher=Johnston Publishing Ltd |date=8 October 2010 |access-date=19 December 2011}}</ref> After leaving school she went on to the [[Guildhall School of Music and Drama]], where she obtained a Performance Diploma<ref name=Rochdale>{{cite news|title=Top Violinist Becomes Honorary President|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/9650/top-violinist-becomes-honorary-president|work=Rochdale Online|date=17 March 2004|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> and won the [[Gold Medal of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama|Gold Medal]] in the school's annual music competition in 1986.<ref name=Rochdale/><ref>{{cite web|title=The Gold Medal|url=http://www.gsmd.ac.uk/music/performance_and_collaboration/the_gold_medal.html|publisher=Guildhall School of Music and Drama|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref>

She is known for her presence at the [[Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists|Menuhin Competition for Young Violinists]], both as a competitor in its early days and as a member of the competition jury in recent years. She was the third prize winner in the Senior Division at the inaugural 1983 competition in Folkestone, after which she earned second prize at the following competition in 1985. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Prizewinners since 1983|url=https://menuhincompetition.org/laureates-archive/|access-date=2021-09-01|website=Menuhin Competition|language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Career==
Little's first professional performance as a soloist was in 1988 with [[The Hallé]].<ref name=chad/> She made her first appearance at the [[The Proms|BBC Proms]] in 1990,<ref name=Telegraph>{{cite news|author=White, Michael|title=Little goes a long way|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalmusic/3601408/Little-goes-a-long-way.html|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London|date=27 August 2003|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> and has appeared regularly since.<ref>{{cite news|title=BBC Proms|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/archive/search/performers/tasmin-little/1|work=BBC Online|access-date=18 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325190246/http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/archive/search/performers/tasmin-little/1|archive-date=25 March 2013}}</ref> Over the course of her career Little has performed with the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]], [[London Symphony Orchestra]], [[Royal Liverpool Philharmonic]], the [[New York Philharmonic]] and other major orchestras,<ref name=Rochdale/> and has released over 20 albums.<ref name=allmusic/>

[[File:Tasmin Little Music Centre University of Bradford.jpg|thumb|The Tasmin Little Music Centre at the University of Bradford]]
Little has been an exponent of the works of composer [[Frederick Delius]] throughout her career,<ref>{{cite news|author=Taite, Lawson|title=Delius sonatas perfectly match artist, music|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3DAD0D2B46EB0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s|work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|date=5 July 1998|access-date=18 June 2012|quote=Tasmin Little has championed Frederick Delius' music for her instrument since the beginning of her career}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Greenhalf, Jim|title=Devotee Tasmin Little on why Delius swings|url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/geniusofdelius/9500361.Devotee_Tasmin_Little_on_why_Delius_swings_/|work=[[Telegraph & Argus]]|publisher=[[Newsquest]]|location=Bradford|date=30 January 2012|access-date=23 June 2012}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and was the artistic director of "Delius Inspired", an eight-day festival held in Bradford in July 2006 celebrating his work which was broadcast on [[BBC Radio 3]].<ref name=BBC/> She has also made a documentary about Delius for [[BBC Two]].<ref name=allmusic/><ref name=telegraph2/>

In 2008 Little released a three-track recording, ''The Naked Violin'', as a free download from her website in a move aimed at making classical music more accessible.<ref name=guardian>{{cite news|author=Brown, Mark|title=Top violinist's free digital download targets classical elitism|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/jan/08/music.musicnews|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=8 January 2008|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref><ref name=telegraph3>{{cite news|author=Cleland, Gary|title=Violinist offers free download to reach masses|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1574930/Violinist-offers-free-download-to-reach-masses.html|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London|date=8 January 2008|access-date=18 June 2012}}</ref> The recording featured Bach's [[Partita for Violin No. 3 (Bach)|Partita No. 3 in E major]], Eugène Ysaÿe's [[Six Sonatas for solo violin (Ysaÿe)#Sonata No. 3, D minor, "Georges Enesco"|Sonata No.3 in D minor]], and "Luslawice" by [[Paul Patterson (composer)|Paul Patterson]], all performed unaccompanied.<ref name=telegraph3/> The project won the 2008 ''[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramophone]]''/[[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]] Award for Audience Innovation,<ref>{{cite news|title=Classic FM Award for Audience Innovation|url=http://www.gramophone.co.uk/awards/2008/classic-fm-award-for-audience-innovation|work=[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramophone]]|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> and was featured in an episode of ''[[The South Bank Show]]''.<ref>{{cite news|author=Thomas, Matt|title=Music preview: Tasmin Little|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/arts-in-wales/2010/06/08/preview-tasmin-little-the-naked-violin-torch-theatre-milford-haven-91466-26607508/|work=Western Mail|date=8 June 2010|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref>

Little received an [[honorary doctorate]] from the [[University of Bradford]] in 1996,<ref>{{cite news|author=Izbicki, John|title=Word of Mouth|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/word-of-mouth-1238475.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130420123703/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/word-of-mouth-1238475.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 April 2013|work=[[The Independent]]|date=11 September 1997|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> and the University's music school, the Tasmin Little Music Centre, is named after her.<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|title=Delius comes home!|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/06/29/delius_bradford_feature.shtml|publisher=BBC Bradford and West Yorkshire|date=29 June 2006|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> In 2009 she received a British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors [[Gold Badge Award]],<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Sexton, Paul|title=Robert Wyatt, Hank Marvin Honored at Gold Badge Awards|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/news/e3i24573f225230a2e238c3aab0a7b224c6|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=28 October 2009|access-date=18 June 2012|archive-date=15 January 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115083326/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/news/e3i24573f225230a2e238c3aab0a7b224c6|url-status=dead}}</ref> and in 2011 her album ''Elgar: Violin Concerto'' won the Critics Award at the [[Classic Brit Awards]].<ref name=musicweek>{{cite news|author=Otter, Charlotte|title=Il Divo, Tasmin Little and Andre Rieu honoured at Classic Brits|url=http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1045210&c=1|work=[[Music Week]]|date=13 May 2011|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> She was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[2012 Birthday Honours]] for services to music.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60173|supp=y|page=11|date=16 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/16/queens-birthday-honours-obe?newsfeed=true|title= Queen's birthday honours list 2012: OBE|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=16 June 2012|access-date=16 June 2012}}</ref>

On 24 January 2020, Little announced her retirement from the concert platform for the summer of 2020, which was deferred to the end of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tasmin Little announces retirement from the concert platform|url=https://www.thestrad.com/news/tasmin-little-announces-retirement-from-the-concert-platform/8583.article|publisher=thestrad.com|date=25 January 2020|access-date=11 March 2020}}</ref>

She was appointed [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) in the [[2023 Birthday Honours]] for services to music.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=64082|supp=y|page=B10|date=17 June 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.tasminlittle.org.uk/}}
*[http://www.ram.ac.uk/find-people?pid=515 Royal Academy of Music biography]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Little, Tasmin}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from London]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama]]
[[Category:Academics of the Royal Academy of Music]]
[[Category:English classical violinists]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People educated at Yehudi Menuhin School]]
[[Category:British women classical violinists]]
[[Category:20th-century British classical violinists]]
[[Category:20th-century English musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century British classical violinists]]
[[Category:21st-century English musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English women musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century English women musicians]]
[[Category:British music educators]]
[[Category:British women music educators]]