Just …a Note A look ahead at spring 2012 Photo: MC Photography
Education & Outreach Manager Polly Ives answers our questions… Favourite piece of music? The Laughing Policeman by Charles Jolly.
Who or what is your biggest influence? So many people but I have vivid memories of my grandma teaching me and my sister piano duets, teaching us to crinkle cut tickets, writing programmes, welcoming our extended family at the door, giving a concert and making tea and biscuits in the interval. What do you like to do in your spare time? I play netball twice a week – we are currently second in the league!
What book are you reading? The Chimpanzees of Happytown by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees and Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende. Favourite place in the world? Southwold, Covent Garden and Kenya . If you hadn’t worked in music, what do you think you would have chosen as a career? This really is the career I dreamed of when I was at school – I really can’t imagine doing anything else! In one sentence sum up your average working day. Every day is so different. I have to remind myself what I do each day by what colour shoes I am wearing!
Polly is narrating The Chimpanzees of Happytown alongside Ensemble 360 at the Crucible in Sheffield on 9 October, at Rotherham Civic on 9 February, at Emmanuel Church in Barnsley on 10 February and at Priory Place in Doncaster on 25 February, as well as on tour around the country.
Emmanuel Church, Barnsley
Fri 10 Feb, 1.30pm The Chimpanzees of Happytown Children’s Concert Fri 10 Feb, 7.30pm Ensemble 360 Schubert & Janáček Fri 9 Mar, 7.30pm Ensemble 360 Mozart, Strauss & Brahms
Priory Place, Doncaster
Sat 28 Jan, 7.30pm Ensemble 360 Bach, Czerny, Weber & Beethoven
Tue 31 Jan, 12.45pm Ensemble 360 Bach, Schumann & Klughardt Fri 3 Feb, 7.45pm Lawson Trio Mozart, Debussy, Knotts & Brahms Sat 4 Feb, 7.45pm The Webb Sisters Tue 7 Feb, 12.45pm Wu Quartet Mendelssohn & Ligeti Fri 17 – Sun 19 Feb Beethoven Mini-Festival
Sat 25 Feb, 3pm The Chimpanzees of Happytown Children’s Concert
With Ensemble 360, Navarra Quartet and guest speakers
Sat 25 Feb, 7.30pm Ensemble 360 Schubert & Janáček
Tue 21 Feb, 7pm PowerPlus
Rotherham Civic Theatre
Thu 9 Feb, 1.30pm The Chimpanzees of Happytown Children’s Concert
Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield
Tue 24 Jan, 10.30am & 1.30pm Igor, the Bird Who Couldn’t Sing Schools’ Concerts Tue 24 Jan, 6.30pm Igor, the Bird Who Couldn’t Sing Family Concert Wed 25 Jan, 7.45pm Ensemble 360 Bach, Berkeley & Brahms Sat 28 Jan, 7.45pm Steven Isserlis & Connie Shih Britten, Shostakovich, Ravel & Beethoven
4th Floor | Sheffield Central Library | Surrey Street | Sheffield S1 1XZ Tel: 0114 281 4660 Fax: 0114 281 4661 Email: info@musicintheround.co.uk www.musicintheround.co.uk | Registered Charity No. 326811
Fri 2 Mar, 7.45pm Stile Antico, Sheffield Cathedral Tudor & Jacobean music Thu 8 Mar, 7.45pm Donald Grant, Karen Matheson, Donald Shaw & Friends The Octagon Tue 13 Mar, 7pm PowerPlus Plus a variety of talks and Q&As More concerts to come in April onwards – watch out for a special premiere in April!
Issue No.56
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Forthcoming Highlight
Pay What You Want for Ensemble 360’s concert in the Crucible Theat re on Sunday 9 October! Our resident group will perform some of the best-loved pieces in cham ber music including Schubert’s magnificent Octet. This is a great chance to bring some new friend s along to see what they make of chamber music! See the Sheffield Autumn Series brochure for more details.
Friends Newsletter ’
October 2011
Contents...
page one Pa rampara page two A New Arrival On Yoolis N ight | A New Way to Pay | Date s for your D ia ry page three T im and Beeth oven Friends’ Eve nt page four Fo rthcoming H ighlight Just a Note | 2012 Con certs
Good news! We’re changing our Newsletter dates slightly in order to give you an exclusive look ahead at the next series. This issue features news on dates and artists in spring 2012.
Parampara
Angus Smith introduces us to Kuljit Bhamra, the inspiration and driving force behind a bold new project touring with MitR.
For all the undoubted brilliance of classical chamber music, it sometimes concerns me that the definition of chamber music repertoire can occasionally become so narrow as to be restricting. While there is a glorious and seemingly never-ending richness of trios, quartets, quintets and more in the Classical and Romantic traditions, an integral part of the concept of ‘chamber music’ is that it defines the manner of performance rather than the style of the music. In its most literal sense, this is music designed for performance in an intimate space by a small number of players for a small group of listeners. The rewards come from intimacy - for the players it is the joy of working in close partnership with fellow performers and for the audience it is the chance to witness at close hand the art of bringing music to life. It is this principle that led me to invite Kuljit Bhamra to set up a trio of musicians from different musical backgrounds that would explore the fundamental process of creativity – a sharing of knowledge, ideas and inspiration but above all, a demonstration of what can be achieved by musicians working in close partnership.
Kuljit, Indian music often has a reputation of being very mysterious. Would you support this view? Indian music (and Eastern music generally) seems to have been shrouded in magic and mystery for the past 300 years or so. Not surprisingly, one can probably guess that this attitude doesn’t exist in India itself! However, since the days of the British Raj ‘the east’ has played a strong role in satisfying the western hunger for exoticism, eroticism, magic and spiritualism through its intriguing and mysterious weave of art and tales of rope tricks and flying carpets. Musically speaking, the absence (until very recently) of a systematic approach to learning music and playing instruments has added to this mystery.
been a part of with musicians from different musical traditions? I have worked with many artists who visited my studio to record. Many of them were Indian musicians and bands, but occasionally I would feature on recordings of pop and jazz artists as a tabla player. Such artists included The Oyster Band, Sine, Luke Haynes, Anne Dudley, Ringo Starr, Mike Lindup (Level 42) and more recently Shakira and The Sugababes. In terms of actual partnerships, my work with Andy Sheppard, Alex Wilson, The Britten Sinfonia, The BBC Concert Orchestra and also The Orlando Consort has been delightful - and well-received by audiences.
Can you tell us about your own musical training? I am a self-taught musician, composer and record producer. At the age of six, I watched my father one evening as he struggled to learn to play the tabla. According to my mother, I sneaked into our living room where the tablas were kept and began to play simple rhythms almost immediately! As I grew, I learnt by watching other players at performances at community and religious events at the temple. Later, as a teenager, I recorded music on to my father’s Grundig reel to reel tape recorder so that I could slow the tape down and analyse the music. Eventually, I began to cut up the tape into ‘musical loops’ and record myself as I played along to it!
Have these partnerships thrown up any specific discoveries, surprises or highlights? It has become clear to me that the tabla (and other Indian instruments) can blend beautifully with other western instruments and operate in many other genres of music. All that is required is a different discipline plus a basic understanding of the various styles and systems. You have to be open-minded when collaborating, otherwise it just won’t work. One inspiring discovery was the replacement of the drum kit by the tabla in Andy Sheppard’s Movements in Colour quintet. One wouldn’t normally imagine that a jazz quintet could work without a drummer - but it does! Also, I was thrilled whilst working with The Orlando Consort to find that I could compose a piece using the tabla phonetic sounds instead of lyrics.
Can you tell us something about partnerships you have previously
Continued overleaf...
Parampara continued...
How have you, Jacqueline and John gone about developing the music for Parampara? Initially, each one of us brought ideas and sketches to the mix. We discussed, played and experimented with the pieces and took them away to develop. We hope to make professional recordings of the compositions in order to familiarise ourselves with the pieces and hopefully, produce a CD in time for our tour! Would you like to say something in advance to your audience about what they will hear in the concert?
A New Arrival On Yoolis Night
It’s difficult to predict the overall ‘sound’ of our trio right now. But for sure it will be a sort of ‘musical rendezvous’ which will simultaneously entertain and educate audiences with a fresh, new repertoire of beautiful sounds - a blend of familiar and little-known instruments.
You can hear Parampara at the Studio in Sheffield on Thursday 10 November (including a schools’ concert), at the Wiltshire Music Centre on Sunday 20 November (including a family concert) and at the New Vic in Newcastle-underLyme on Wednesday 18 January.
le bassist Ensemble 360’s doub at th ce un no an to l, Isoline, on 19 We are delighted a beautiful little gir to th bir ve ga el nt with the Ensemble! Laurène Dura dy back performing ea alr is e èn ur La d er. y and healthy, an ynes on 23 Novemb and Isoline are happ e group in Milton Ke th th a very sweet and wi is e ck Sh May. Both Laurène ba e. be lin ll Iso wi roduce you to 9 October but int on to y nt!” y pla pp to ha le ry ab ve e un “We ar She is e enjoying every mome dy likes music. We ar ea ène alr ur e La sh d an rl gi energetic little
This December Joglaresa, a group of voices, vielles, voices and bells, will perform a programme of Christmas music from the 12th to the 15th century, featuring medieval instrumental dances to Middle English lullabies using historical instruments. Here’s a little about the music the group will play… Carols have been sung in Europe for thousands of years. Originally of pagan origin, they would have been sung around stone circles to celebrate solstices. The carol as we know it flourished in the English 15th century, which was when the word ‘carol’ began to be used in the way we use it now. Both polyphonic (music with two or more melodic voices) as well as monophonic (music with a single melodic line) carols were composed and preserved in manuscripts, though usually without attribution to any particular composer. Joglaresa’s work focuses on connecting ancient and traditional music but, rather than create a ‘fusion’ or a surreal mix of these styles, they aim to use their combined experiences (Irish, English, Maghrebi, Balkan and Middle Eastern) to create a homogenous sound. Belinda Sykes, Joglaresa
Joglaresa will perform at the Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield on Friday 9 December
A New Way to Pay Our multi-ticket subscription offers reduce the price you pay for each concert, allowing you to experience music for less. The subscriptions proved to be popular with audiences during the May Festival but we also received some feedback that while they lower the price paid per ticket not everyone could afford to buy all their concert tickets in one transaction. We have therefore introduced a Direct Debit scheme into our Sheffield series that allows you to spread your total ticket cost across three months, making payment easier and our subscriptions more affordable.
Direct Debit is a convenient and easy way to pay for your concert tickets as your monthly bill is paid automatically from your bank account, and it’s safe and secure because you are protected by a comprehensive guarantee which means you get a full and immediate refund from your bank if a mistake is made. Applications to pay by Direct Debit are now closed for the Autumn Series but if you are interested in learning more about the Direct Debit scheme or would like to receive an application form with your Spring Series brochure then please contact Marty on 0114 281 4660 or marty@musicintheround.co.uk.
Dates for your Diary
19 May. The May Festival 2012 will take place on Friday 11 – Saturday the January Newsletter. Look out for news of its theme, which will be announced in
www.musicintheround.co.uk | 0114 281 4660
Tim and Beethoven Tell us about your new solo project with MitR My new solo project is possibly the ultimate dream of any pianist, to play the complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas. I have divided them into eight programmes over four years at the Studio in Sheffield and will be taking some of the programmes to MitR’s venues in Barnsley and Doncaster. I am planning to take the project to other venues in the coming years.
How many piano sonatas are there? There are thirty two in the cycle. Some people only play thirty but I’ll be including the two “easy” sonatas Op.49 as encores. Unless people don’t applaud of course! I won’t be including the very early sonatinas that don’t have opus numbers. What made you want to do a Beethoven cycle? I’ve always thought that I’d attempt the cycle when I’m older but I was becoming a bit scared that if I got any older it would never happen. I also feel that being in residence at MitR gives each member of the Ensemble a unique opportunity to share their passions with our audience; the Beethoven Sonatas have been one of the chief influences on my life from a very early age. What is it about Beethoven’s piano sonatas that are so great? I think it was the great Artur Schnabel who referred to Bach’s 48 [The Well-Tempered Clavier] as the Old and the Beethoven sonatas as the New Testament of music and of course I agree. All the great composers, up to the present day, have turned to the piano at crucial moments of their development and this is particularly true of Beethoven. I think that, arguably even more than quartets, these sonatas show the experimentation and maturity of each period of Beethoven’s output. For example, the sonatas Op.101 and 106 herald the late period in a way that still shocks. Without the fugue of the Hammerklavier there would be no Grosse Fuge!
Photo: Benjamin Ealovega
When we invited you to create a new trio, you immediately said that you would love to work with Jacqueline Shave and John Parricelli. Why these musicians? Both John and Jacqueline are open minded musicians with solid backgrounds and a mastery of their instruments. I met Jacqueline whilst working with Joanna MacGregor and The Britten Sinfonia, and John whilst with Andy Sheppard. We enjoyed each others company and playing together. I think this trio will be an inspiring and beautiful combination of personalities and instruments.
If you had to choose one as your favourite, which would it be? That is impossible to answer, akin to the question “who is your favourite composer?” The wonder of this cycle is that each piece has something different to say about human emotions. For me each one epitomises Beethoven’s ` into ability to delve deeper the human psyche than almost any other composer. Are you looking forward to playing solo concerts at the MitR venues, or is it strange to think of playing there without the rest of E360? It’s always more nerve-wracking playing on one’s own at the Studio than with others but ultimately I feel privileged to be able to share one of humanity’s greatest achievements with such a warm and supportive audience. Do you perform solo recitals elsewhere? I do some solo work but I haven’t performed so much on my own since joining the Ensemble. The experience of playing so often and so intensely with such wonderful musicians has fuelled my musical imagination. This is one reason why playing chamber music should be important for all musicians. Exploring music with others to the extent that is possible within this Ensemble has allowed me to develop and hone my own imagination in ways that I don’t think would be possible otherwise. I can’t imagine exploring any solo repertoire without a total immersion in chamber playing as a staple. It is precisely because of this that I now feel ready to embark on this cycle. What concerts can we look forward to soon? By the time you read this I’ll have done the first instalment, which included the Appassionata Op.57. The next concert will include the Pathétique Sonata and one of the
greatest but least-known, the Sonata Op.7. This is actually the second longest sonata and the one that Beethoven thought more deserving of the epithet Appassionata than Op.57.
Tim continues his cycle in Sheffield on Thursday 12 April. Visit the podcasts and videos page of our website to hear Tim talk more about the cycle
Congratulations ...to Michael and Valerie Oxley who won the Friends’ Choice prize draw for two free tickets to the Autumn Series, following the Friends’ Choice concert in the May Festival. Thank you again to all of you who donated and voted.
If you would like to save us postage and printing costs and would be happy to view this Newsletter online (you will receive an email alert to let you know when a new issue is available) please contact Daisy on 0114 281 4660 or daisy@musicintheround.co.uk.
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