Britten Sinfonia 2015-16 Cambridge series brochure by Britten Sinfonia

2015-2016 cambridge concert season

thomas gould

Associate Leader, Britten Sinfonia

intro duction A very warm welcome to Britten Sinfonia’s 2015-16 Cambridge Season. Whilst the orchestra’s proﬁle is burgeoning internationally, with recent visits to four continents including New york’s Lincoln centre, the Amsterdam concertgebouw, the teatro colón Buenos Aires and the NcPA in Mumbai, our ﬁrst priority and home base is rooted in East Anglia from where we tour projects nationally and internationally.

“it is the spirit of adventure that has won Britten Sinfonia a reputation as one of the uk’s most forward-thinking musical ensembles”

our 2015-16 cambridge season comprises 9 concerts with 4 major orchestral performances and 5 lunchtime chamber recitals featuring stellar artists performing some of the greatest classical music, peppered with a typical Britten Sinfonia mix of the surprising and new. the orchestral series features sensational American pianist jeremy denk, famed for his Bach performances and we also showcase the british wunderkind, Benjamin Grosvenor, who joins jacqueline Shave directing a programme to celebrate 10 years

as Britten Sinfonia’s leader – please do come and join the party – including a directed performance of Strauss’ string masterpiece, Metamorphosen. there’s a matchless line-up of soloists, including carolyn Sampson and iestyn davies for our Messiah, and tenor ian Bostridge will sing Purcell and Britten in the ﬁnal concert of the season. our award-winning At Lunch series, now in its 10th season, includes chamber music classics by Bach, Brahms, Schumann and debussy, alongside new works by a range of exciting talents including New york-based British composer Anna clyne and icelandic prodigy daníel Bjarnason. We hope there’s something for everyone to enjoy and discover, and on behalf of myself and the Britten Sinfonia musicians, we look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be a thrilling season of concerts.

DAVID BUTCHER chief Executive, Britten Sinfonia

cambridge concert series 2015-16 Season

handel’s messiah

jeremy denk directs

carolyn sampson soprano iestyn davies countertenor allan clayton christopher purves bass britten sinfonia voices eamonn dougan conductor Messiah

jeremy denk piano/director jacqueline shave violin/director

bach arr. stravinsky Prelude and Fugue X stravinsky dumbarton oaks stravinsky ragtime hindemith ragtime bach keyboard concerto in E Major,

west road concert hall MONDAY 14 DECEMBER 2015

7.30pm

tenor

tickEtS £16-£33 coNcESSioNS AVAiLABLE

Handel’s remarkable oratorio Messiah, with its vivid portrayal of biblical scenes and high emotional charge, is staple ‘fare’ in many people’s christmas musical diet. in this performance Britten Sinfonia is joined by a stellar quartet of soloists for a festive performance that is sure to be both thrilling and jubilant.

BWV1053

bach arr. stravinsky Prelude

in conversation - 6.30pm

and Fugue XXiV

Pre-concert talk with tonight’s soloists about Handel’s Messiah.

bach arr. webern Fuga stravinsky Piano-rag-Music stravinsky tango bach keyboard concerto in A Major, BWV 1055

Denk

jeremy denk piano west road concert hall SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2015

7.30pm

tickEtS £15-£30 coNcESSioNS AVAiLABLE

Widely-acclaimed American pianist jeremy denk joins Britten Sinfonia fresh from his debut at this year’s BBc Proms. He directs a vibrant programme of music from two of history’s greatest composers, j S Bach and Stravinsky. From intellectual and distinguished baroque counterpoint to thrilling 20th-century reimagining of ragtime and tango, this programme and this exceptional pianist are sure to exhilarate and impress.

in conversation - 6.30pm Pre-concert talk with jeremy denk about the programme.

carolyn sampson soprano page 2

page 3

IAn BoStrIDGe directs ian bostridge tenor/director jacqueline shave violin/director bach arr. hogwood Fugue in B minor on a theme of corelli, BWV 579

tippett Fantasia concertante on a theme by corelli

corelli concerto Grosso in F major,

huw watkins three Welsh Songs britten Serenade for tenor, horn

op. 3 No. 2

Bostridge

purcell arr. britten Evening Hymn

piano/director

jacqueline shave

FRIDAY 24 JUNE 2016

7.30pm

tickEtS £15-£30 coNcESSioNS AVAiLABLE

Britten Sinfonia once again joins forces with acclaimed tenor ian Bostridge in a performance that includes one of Benjamin Britten’s seminal works, Serenade for tenor, horn and strings.

BenJAMIn GroSvenor directs benjamin grosvenor

west road concert hall

and strings

violin/director

in conversation - 6.30pm Pre-concert talk about tonight’s programme.

Grosvenor

bartók String Quartet No. 2 (2nd movement) elena langer New work (world premiere tour) mozart Piano concerto No. 27 in B flat Major, k595 strauss Metamorphosen west road concert hall WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL 2016

7.30pm

tickEtS £15-£30 coNcESSioNS AVAiLABLE

in a long list of young composers and musicians to have worked with Britten Sinfonia, few come with a higher pedigree than pianist Benjamin Grosvenor. Praised for his electrifying performances, he makes his Britten Sinfonia debut directing Mozart’s last Piano concerto from the keyboard.

pre-concert event - 6.30pm the world premieres of three new works by 2015 cambridge university composers Workshop winner, Alex tay. page 4

page 5

britten sinfonia at lunch

At lunch two Tuesday 19 January 2016

Now in it’s 10 players performing chamber music. Each hour-long concert pairs major works from the chamber repertoire with new pieces co-commissioned by Britten Sinfonia and Wigmore Hall. th year, Britten Sinfonia’s award-winning At Lunch series showcases our principal

julia doyle soprano tbc oboe jacqueline shave violin miranda dale violin clare finnimore viola caroline dearnley cello maggie cole harpsichord bach Gott versorget alles Leben

At Lunch

(from Cantata BWV187)

west road concert hall 1.00pm

tickets £9

£3 students & under 18s

Subscribe to the evening concerts & pay just £7 for At Lunch tickets (see page 8)

horn

jacqueline shave

huw watkins Horn Trio edward nesbit (winner of opus2015)

violin

huw watkins

Not (from Cantata BWV21)

piano

notturne dal campo

At lunch three Tuesday 23 February 2016 emer mcdonough

At lunch one Tuesday 1 December 2015 richard watkins

bach Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer,

ligeti Continuum anna clyne This Lunar Beauty (world premiere tour) scarlatti arr. sciarrino Due arie

flute

clare finnimore

debussy Syrinx donatoni Small II daniel bjarnason New work

viola

lucy wakeford

harp

donatoni Marches debussy Sonata for flute, viola and harp

(world premiere tour)

Lifesize Gods (world premiere tour)

brahms Albumblatt brahms Horn Trio

At lunch four Tuesday 12 April 2016 thomas gould violin clare finnimore huw watkins piano bartok Duos (selection) bryce dessner New work

viola

caroline dearnley

schumann

cello

Piano Quartet

(world premiere tour)

At lunch five Friday 1 July 2016 britten sinfonia academy and members of britten sinfonia Celebrating the Fitzwilliam Museum’s Bicentenary, a performance of music by Handel and a new work inspired by original Handel manuscripts unearthed from the Founders Bequest to the Fitzwilliam Museum.

page 7

BooKInG InforMAtIon

Leader, Britten Sinfonia

tickEtS

subscription offer

evening concerts sUn 27 sePteMBer 2015 Mon 14 deceMBer 2016 wed 27 aPrIl 2016 FrI 24 JUne 2016

jacqueline shave

Book for all four evening concerts at the same time and save 20%

£30, £25, £15 £33, £28, £16 £30, £25, £15 £30, £25, £15

at lunch concerts £9

Season subscribers also enjoy an annual reception and £7 tickets for Britten Sinfonia At Lunch concerts.

eVening concerts concessions

under 18s and full time students

jobseekers

All tickets £5 (must show valid id)

At LuNcH coNcESSioNS

under 18s and full time students All tickets £3 (must show valid id)

Please note only one concession applies per customer.

Patrons with a disability are eligible to a free companion ticket if they require a carer to accompany them. Please note there is limited space for wheelchair users.

how to book online at www.brittensinfonia.com By phone 01223 357851 Monday – Saturday 10am-6pm (closed Sundays and Bank Holidays) In person cambridge Live Box ofﬁce, Wheeler Street, cB2 3QB (Box ofﬁce open Monday to Saturday 12noon-6pm. closed Sundays and Bank Holidays)

venue

info

booking fees and refunds £1.00 postage and packing fee charged for tickets booked online or by phone. Britten Sinfonia has a no refunds policy.

schools and families We welcome school groups and families to all our concerts. For discounted tickets, schools’ programme notes and additional beneﬁts please contact our creative Learning team.

West Road Concert Hall, 11 West road, cambridge, cB3 9dP | www.westroad.org West road concert Hall is fully accessible and there are hearing loops.

All information and booking fees correct at time of going to press. Britten Sinfonia reserves the right to make changes to advertised programmes and artists as necessary.

Britten Sinfonia 13 Sturton Street cambridge cB1 2SN united kingdom Telephone: 01223 300795 Email: info@brittensinfonia.com www.brittensinfonia.com