NCEM Early Music Xmax Festival Autumn 2009

2 – 8 December 2009

Box Office 01904 658338

www.ncem.co.uk

Diary Dates Autumn 2009 Saturday 31 October 2.00pm – 5.00pm Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate,York Tickets £5.00 (book for both workshop and Qudduson concert and get £2.00 off)

Sunday 1 November 12 noon – 5.15pm National Centre for Early Music Tickets £20.00 including lunch, advanced booking essential

CHORAL WORKSHOP WITH EDWARD WICKHAM

HANDEL INSIGHT DAY presented by Donald Burrows and members of The Sixteen

Explore the beautiful and haunting music of The Clerks’ new Qudduson programme with the chant specialist Edward Wickham. Participants should be reasonably confident sight singers – and all voices (S/A/T/B) will be catered for. For details, please contact info@ncem.co.uk Saturday 31 October 8.00pm – 9.00pm National Centre for Early Music Tickets £15.00 (concessions £10.00)

Saturday 7 November 11.00am – 4.30pm National Centre for Early Music Tickets £15.00 including lunch, advanced booking essential

MENDELSSOHN INSIGHT DAY WITH DAVID OWEN NORRIS

QUDDUSON: SACRED SONGS OF EAST AND WEST

The Clerks

Join The Clerks as they present their award-winning performance of Qudduson with vocalists Merit Ariane Stephanos, George Qas-Barsoum and Abdul Salam Kheir.

“As the evening wore on the overlappings between the East and West traditions grew bolder .. the sheer sound was dizzying - and the metaphor it offered.” Daily Telegraph July 2009

David Owen Norris

Amateur pianists from across the UK are invited to join pianist, broadcaster and renowned Mendelssohn expert David Owen Norris in a daylong workshop looking at Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words and other short works.

DIARY DATES 2010

HOTEL INFORMATION

Baroque Day 1 May Beverley Early Music Festival 27-30 May York Early Music Festival 9-17 July

Hotel information:The NCEM warmly recommends a number of York hotels - please log on to www.ncem.co.uk for details.The York Visitor Information Centre offers help with accommodation and general information about the City. Ring 01904 550099 or email info@visityork.org

Box Office 01904 658338 www.ncem.co.uk

2009 Wednesday 2 December

Thursday 3 December

Event 1 7.30pm | National Centre for Early Music Tickets £12.00 (concessions £10.00;under16’s £5.00)

THE CARNIVAL BAND Andy Watts, Giles Lewin, Jub Davis, Steno Vitale, Steve Banks shawms, bagpipes, fiddle, guitars, bass, drums, melodica

A CARNIVAL OF CAROLS From medieval England to – well just about anywhere and any era! The Carnival Band go beyond the spirit of Christmas to the spirit of people the world over getting together to celebrate and have fun with LOTS of singing!

‘It was all beautifully done... the band is terrific’ Lancashire Evening Post www.carnivalband.com

Chapter House

Event 2 7.30pm | Chapter House,York Minster Tickets £20.00 (concessions £17.00)

Concert by Candlelight

ENSEMBLE GILLES BINCHOIS Anne-Marie Lablaude soprano Jan Thomer alto Dominique Vellard tenor, lute Cyprien Sadek baritone Giovanna Pessi harp Randall Cook flutes

IN NATIVITY For over 30 years the universally acclaimed Paris based ensemble Gilles Binchois, directed by Dominique Vellard, has been exploring the music of the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. We are delighted to finally be able to welcome them to the City of York for an appropriately festive celebration in one of the world’s finest Medieval buildings.

The Ensemble Gilles Binchois is supported by le Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles de Bourgogne - and le Conseil Régional de Bourgogne. www.gillesbinchois.com

WEEKEND SAVER Buy tickets for five events before 30 October, and get the first concert (La Serenissima) completely free of charge! Offer applies to events 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Full price saver £62.00; concessionary price £51.00. Please note that all five concerts should be booked at the same time to take advantage of this special offer.

2009 Friday 4 December

Saturday 5 December

Event 3 7.30pm | Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York Tickets Reserved seating £20.00 (concessions £17.00; students £5.00)

WEEKEND SAVER

LA SERENISSIMA Katy Bircher flute Peter Whelan bassoon Adrian Chandler director, violin

Oberlin Piano Trio

Event 4 1.00pm | National Centre for Early Music Tickets £15.00 (concessions £12.00)

VIVALDI: THE FRENCH CONNECTION

OBERLIN PIANO TRIO

Concertos for Flute,Violin, Bassoon and Strings

Elizabeth Wallfisch violin Jaap ter Linden cello David Breitman fortepiano

A most glorious compilation of Vivaldi concertos – all in the fashionable French style of the 1720s – presented by the award-winning orchestral ensemble La Serenissima – shortlisted for the Classic FM Gramophone Awards Autumn 2009.

Schubert:

Notturno in E flat D 897

Mendelssohn:

Song without Words for Cello and Piano

Mendelssohn:

Piano Trio No 2 in C minor Op 66 (1845)

‘ La Serenissima bring a smooth beauty to some of the composers’ most elegant music’ Daily Express June 2009 www.laserenissima.co.uk

WEEKEND SAVER

“Wallfisch showed herself to be a truly great soloist, tremendously poised, absolutely in tune, sparkling with musicality” Donau Kurier “Ter Linden’s rubatos were breathtaking: this was playing of great freedom and, where appropriate, passion.” Vancouver Sun www.elizabethwallfisch.com www.jaapterlinden.com

La Serenissima

Box Office 01904 658338 www.ncem.co.uk

Saturday 5 December

Sunday 6 December

Concordia

Robin Blaze

Event 5 7.30pm | National Centre for Early Music Tickets £20.00 (concessions £17.00;students £5.00)

Event 6 1.00pm | National Centre for Early Music Tickets £12.00 (concessions £10.00)

WEEKEND SAVER

WEEKEND SAVER

CONCORDIA

Robin Blaze countertenor Pamela Thorby recorders Elizabeth Kenny lute

Mark Levy, Susanne Heinrich, Joanna Levine, Reiko Ichise, Alison McGillivray viols with ELIZABETH KENNY lute ROBIN BLAZE countertenor and singers from the University of York Chamber Choir

A CAROWLE FOR CHRISTMAS DAY Elizabethan Music for the Christmas Season with Original Carols by William Byrd A Christmas treat inspired by the words of the Earl of Worcester, patron of William Byrd, including carols written for Epiphany, Christmas and New Year's Day, and a few of the foot-tapping dances which Queen Elizabeth enjoyed so much.

"These songs are pure heaven: melancholic and moody, sweet and sad.

Blaze supported by the excellent viol consort Concordia, captures their heart with deceptive ease." Independent www.violconsort.com

Pamela Thorby

Elizabeth Kenny

THE SECRET GARDEN Songs, ballads, dances and virtuoso instrumental fantasias designed for the pleasure gardens of Europe – written by flute and bell player Jacob Van Eyck and lutenist Nicolaes Vallet.

“Robin Blaze exudes radiance” BBC Music Magazine www.pamelathorby.com www.rayfieldartists.com/robinblaze.html

2009 Sunday 6 December

Monday 7 December

Event 7 7.30pm | National Centre for Early Music Tickets £15.00 (concessions £12.00;under 16’s £5.00)

Event 8 7.30pm | National Centre for Early Music Tickets £12.00 (concessions £10.00;under 16’s £5.00)

WEEKEND SAVER

JOGLARESA Belinda Sykes voice, sälgflöjt, director Sally Pomme Clayton storyteller Tim Garside kantele, percussion Jean Kelly cláirseach Dermot Crehan fiddle, Hardanger fiddle

FOUR THOUSAND WINTERS DUFAY COLLECTIVE Peter Skuce harp, percussion William Lyons flute, recorder, bagpipes, dulcian Vivien Ellis voice Jon Banks harp, guitar, percussion Clare Salaman violin, hurdy gurdy, rebec

Joglaresa is joined by storyteller Sally Pomme Clayton and three times ‘All Ireland Fiddle Champion’ Dermot Crehan for a programme of stories and song from the Northwestern fringes of Europe - tales of polar bears, princesses, snow, darkness, frost, firesides, love, trickery and some happy endings... for adults and children of eight years and older.

‘Thrilling and haunting’ The Times

TO DRIVE THE COLD WINTER AWAY

www.joglaresa.com

Christmas Revels in Renaissance England A cockle-warming concert of Carols, dances and ballads for the Christmas season with music from the court of Henry VIII through to the 16th and 17th century music of the streets, taverns and miracle plays of the people - including heartfelt and foot-tapping Christmas ballads, morris and dance tunes.

‘The Dufay Collective knows how to win an audience's heart’. The Daily Telegraph www.dufay.com

Joglaresa

Box Office 01904 658338 www.ncem.co.uk

Booking Information Tuesday 8 December

National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church,Walmgate, York YO1 9TL

0190 4 6 5 8 3 3 8 www.ncem.co.uk BOOKING OPENS on MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER John Potter & Ambrose Field

Event 9 7.30pm – c.8.30pm National Centre for Early Music Tickets £12.00 (concessions £10.00; students £5.00)

By telephone: Contact the Box Office on 01904 658338 open Mon - Fri, 9.00am - 5.00pm.

On-Line: Visit our website at www.ncem.co.uk and use the secure on-line booking service

JOHN POTTER & AMBROSE FIELD BEING DUFAY

By post: To Box Office, The National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL enclosing an SAE. Cheques should be made payable to the National Centre for Early Music.

A setting of vocal fragments by Guillaume Dufay, sung by tenor John Potter, formerly of the Hilliard Ensemble, composed by UK digital artist Ambrose Field. This rich, contemporary sound-world retains the essence of 15th-century polyphony. There will be PA and a projection screen for the background video commissioned from Mick Lynch.

By credit card: Tickets can be booked by Visa, Mastercard, Delta, Access and Maestro. Please note that surcharges apply.

“Mesmerising and quite beautiful” Classic FM magazine www.beingdufay.com

In person: The NCEM box office is open Mon - Fri, 9.00am – 5.00pm via the Percy’s Lane entrance.

Reservations: All tickets are unreserved except the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall. Tickets must be paid for within three working days of reservation and at least 24 hours prior to the performance. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the venue 30 minutes prior to the performance.

Party bookings: Buy 10 get one free! We welcome group bookings (subject to availablilty).

We ask that all tickets are booked in the same transaction.

Refunds and concessions: Concessions apply to those aged 60 and over, registered disabled and their carers, the unemployed and children under the age of 18. Student tickets are as indicated.

We regret that tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded.

N

Access: We offer a warm welcome to the disabled. The Centre is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with suitable toilets and designated car parking spaces. It is also fitted with an induction loop and we have an RNIB Braille map of York available on request. If you have any special needs, please let us know when booking your tickets. The NCEM is a Typetalk Approved business.

Registered assistance dogs welcome.

General enquiries email: info@ncem.co.uk

2 – 8 December 2009

at a glance Wednesday 2 December

THE CARNIVAL BAND Thursday 3 December

ENSEMBLE GILLES BINCHOIS Friday 4 December

LA SERENISSIMA Saturday 5 December

Front and back cover image: An Angel in Red with a lute, Associate of Leonardo © The National Gallery, London

OBERLIN PIANO TRIO CONCORDIA Sunday 6 December

PAMELA THORBY & FRIENDS DUFAY COLLECTIVE Monday 7 December

JOGLARESA Tuesday 8 December

JOHN POTTER & AMBROSE FIELD

The York Early Music Christmas Festival is directed by Delma Tomlin and administered by the National Centre for Early Music through the York Early Music Foundation registered charity number 1068331. All details are correct at the time of going to press but NCEM reserves the right to amend the published programme if necessary.

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Box Office 01904 658338

www.ncem.co.uk