Esprit Ensemble

THE ESPRIT ENSEMBLE LTD is a classical music group of any size from chamber to full symphony orchestra incorporating London’s greatest musicians hand picked and led from the front or the bottom by Principal Conductor or Principal Bass, Artistic and Managing Director Stacey Watton. “A remarkable talent” Nigel Kennedy. The group prides itself on giving a “Spirited” visual as well as audio performance and it’s slogan?
‘See The Music Like You’ve Never Heard It Before”

  • “He knows instinctively what musicians need!”

    Tristan Fry, Principal Timpanist, Academy of St Martin in the Fields

  • “Stacey has a great future as a conductor. He has a very positive charisma combined with a humble way of working with others – and the music? the essence of it!”

    Atso Almila, Head of Conducting, Sibelius Academy

  • “ Stacey communicates with great assurance, impressive for his clear communication of ideas as well as the astute efficiency of his rehearsal technique.”

    Ian Jones, Assistant Head of Keyboard, Fellow of the Royal College of Music

  • “A total pleasure... All the music flowed totally naturally. Wonderful!”

    Ben Dawson, Concert Pianist

  • “Impressed! I enjoyed his stick technique very much, fluid and clear... loved the way he coloured, dynamics and articulation all so clear in left hand, it was really exciting! ”

    Stephen Brooker, Global Music Supervisor, Cameron Mackintosh

  • “With Stacey at the front we were enabled. A bunch of musicians became a group, much greater than the sum of its parts”

    Kate Musker, Principal Violist, Nyman band

  • “Stacey looks in control while letting the orchestra play…I like that!”

    Matthew Coman, Concert Promotor, Spain

  • “Stacey’s début solo disc, in the company of pianist Jenny Trew and Tristan Fry on percussion, shows him to be a versatile and accomplished artist.”

    Bassist Magazine (Classical Music Magazine)

  • “Charismatic, engaging musician, conducts with total passion, thoroughly enjoyable. Full of flair and energy, combining his musicianship with a natural ability to communicate.”

    Fiona Cross, Principal Clarinettist

  • “a natural musician that as a Conductor is extremely alert to nuances in the score, lifting the music well off the page. A really enjoyable experience.”

    Lynda Houghton, Principal Bass, Academy of St Martin in the Fields Orchestra

  • “Stacey clearly has an incredibly natural facility for conducting! Clear and expressive and I like the way he shows the musical ideas. All his experience as a musician shines through.”

    Neil Thompson, Conductor

  • “He performs in a relaxed, happy, meaningful way, This man is certainly ready to conduct anything from the entire repertoire.”

    Tristan Fry, Principal Timpanist, Academy of St Martin in the Fields

  • “Yes! You describe the music!” Dvorák 9

    Jorma Panula

  • “A versatile and accomplished artist”

    Classical Music Magazine

  • “A Wizard of the Double Bass.”

    Scottish Herald

  • “...his fiendishly difficult Double Bass solo Bottesini’s second concerto- a flowery and flowing. Perhaps Double Bass players of this calibre are hard to come by?”

    Western Evening Standard

  • “What a group, talk about ESP! It’s always nice to see musicians enjoying themselves and Stacey had a wail of a time!”

    Guardian