2010 NEWS

March 2010

Rachel writes - 'I've been working on a number of movie soundtracks since the New Year such as Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, Kick Ass and How to train your dragon. (With both Astro Boy and Avatar - on which I'm also singing - currently showing, I feel very connected with the movie scene at the moment!)  

I've just had a day at AIR Studios recording vocals for the soundtrack of upcoming movie Clash of the Titans. In the morning there was a big group of us, after lunch I was one of three women recording some trio sections, and then I did quite a few solo bits to finish the day.  Phew!  But it was a lovely team of people behind the glass (ie in the control room), and as AIR is my favourite studio in the world, it's always a pleasure to sing there.  (Oh - and AIR is also where I recorded my album gentle rain, by the way!)' 

2009 - PAST EVENTS 

Judee Sill Anniversary Concert

MONDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2009, 7pm

St Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London 

This concert will celebrate the life and music of the singer songwriter Judee Sill. She was a direct contemporary of Joni Mitchell and Carole King, toured with Graham Nash and David Crosby, and was the first artist to be signed to David Geffen's Asylum label. Judee Sill died on 23rd November 1979 after a drug overdose.

For this concert at St Bride's, various musicians will perform songs from Sill's two albums Judee Sill and Heart Food, including her UK hit Jesus was a Cross Maker .  Rachel will be singing that particular song, as well as half a dozen others.  She'll also play piano.

Proceeds from the evening will go to HopeUK, a charity offering drug awareness sessions to children, young people and their parents.

In the studio with Ennio Morricone

October 2009

Rachel writes - 'I've just had the great pleasure and honour of recording some solos with Ennio Morricone.  He conducted each note with such commitment and expression - pretty remarkable at the end of an entire day conducting, but clearly all in a day's work for this extraordinary 80-year-old maestro. 

I've sung Morricone's music on albums before: Deborah's Theme with pianist Maksim, and Gabriel's Oboe (from The Mission) on the Swingle Singers album Screen Tested.  Only this June I sang Once upon a time in the West onstage with the RTE Concert Orchestra in Dublin... little knowing I'd be in the studio with the man himself in October!'  

An Abbey Road summer... and autumn too!

September 2009

Rachel writes - 'During July and August I seemed to beat a path to Abbey Road Studios pretty regularly, working on 3 different projects: a new children's movie, a 5th ERA album, and the soundtrack of a video game.  Because all of this was happening at Abbey Road, each morning I walked over THAT zebra crossing - 40 years exactly after THAT album cover!  To add to the vibe, ERA V is being recorded in Studio Two, which remains pretty much as it was when the Beatles were there.  All very groovy.'  

Michael Jackson - This is it

Rachel writes - 'It was Abbey Road again for a session (for which we had only 24 hours notice) to add vocals to a couple of songs which will appear in the upcoming Michael Jackson film, This is it.  It's going to show in cinemas around the world for only 2 weeks from October 28.'  

One Small Step for Man - 
A 40th Anniversary Celebration of 1969
and the Lunar Landing

FRIDAY 5 JUNE 2009, 8pm

National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland

RTE Concert Orchestra
Rachel Weston and Gary Williams vocalists
Benjamin Pope conductor

The year 1969 saw Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon, David Bowie's Space Oddity become a huge hit and Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald release My Way and Sunshine of Your Love. Tonight the RTE Concert Orchestra celebrate the movies and television of 1969, and all things lunar.  The programme includes Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town, Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head, and Son of A Preacher Man.

Funny Face -
a Tribute to the Movies of Audrey Hepburn

TUESDAY 21 APRIL 2009, 8pm

National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland

RTE Concert Orchestra
Glyn Kerslake & Rachel Weston vocalists
John Wilson  conductor

Academy-Award-winning actress Audrey Hepburn, the epitome of elegance, style and sophistication, would have celebrated her 80th birthday on May 4th this year. Films such as Paris When it Sizzles, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady, and musicals such as Funny Face made her a household name. Tonight's concert includes music from these films and musicals, with scores from The Nun's Story, Two for the Road and Wait Until Dark.

Read about 2008, 2007, 2006 events here