Boost for Hastings Philharmonic Choir

It means a great deal in respect of the musical life of Hastings, now that the choir can realistically hope that he is here for the long haul.

Apart from directing and conducting choirs around Brazil, the USA, Europe and the UK, Márcio also conducts and directs opera and his own orchestra, formed a few years ago. For his years, Márcio is barely over thirty, he has an incredible wealth of experience in musical performance accumulated since his early teens in the Phoenix Boys Choir in the USA, leading to setting up and conducting his first choir at age 15. At the same time he has studied and qualified in some of Europe’s most prestigious music schools; in Toulouse, France, Freiburg, Germany and most recently at the Royal College of Music in London.

Márcio thinks St Leonards offers a better lifestyle than London for his growing family and he is very proud of the accomplishments of his Hastings choir and recognises the talent and musical potential in Hastings.

Aysen, his wife, is a virtuoso in the violin and works all over Europe - she is a favourite of several orchestras as a soloist in her Bulgarian and Turkish home territory. Aysen’s brother, Özcan Ulucan, will be performing the 4 seasons with the Philharmonic Choir on 14 November and her sister is a pianist; together they form the Ulucan trio which is well known in Turkey. With the promise of prospering international careers, a convenient link to Gatwick is useful for the couple. Both Márcio and Aysen are great teachers and they would love to have the opportunity to develop our local talent in singing and playing the violin with one-to-one lessons

Marcio and Aysen often perform together; they performed Brahms’ difficult violin concerto both in Hastings and Adana, Turkey, to great acclaim and in May 2016 Aysen will perform the Sibelius Violin concerto as part of a Hastings Philharmonic concert featuring Brahms’ Requiem.

Márcio da Silva conducts the Hastings Philharmonic Choir and Ensemble OrQuesta in a performance of Vivaldi’s Magnificat, Credo and Gloria, featuring also Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’ with world-class violinist – Özcan Ulucan - on Saturday November 14 7pm in St Clements Church in Hastings Old Town. Tickets £15 (£13 for concs, and £3 under 17yrs). £1.50 booking fee applies.