RNCM Brochure Spring 2016 by RNCM

01-04/16

RNCM January - April 2016

EVENTS AND PERFORMANCE

P44

P30

P21 P37

P17

P33

P06 P32

P09 P13

P46

P22

P42

P27

P20

P47

Sat 09 – Sun 10 Jan

RNCM STRINGS FESTIVAL

Mon 11 Jan

Thu 14 Jan

The RNCM Strings Festival is a major event in the College’s calendar - a chance to see every single string student perform at some point over the weekend plus a showcase for internationally renowned artists who also happen to be our staff!

RNCM STRING ORCHESTRA

RNCM SAXOPHONE ORCHESTRA

DIVERSO STRING QUARTET

We’ve programmed 48 hours of incredible events – from performances to masterclasses to workshops – to appeal to string players and music lovers alike. On Saturday afternoon, the RNCM’s Haworth International Chair in Cello Miklós Perényi performs Kodály’s Cello Sonata and the Festival’s closing Gala ends with a performance of Brahms’ Double Concerto performed by Alexander Sitkovetsky and Leonard Elschenbroich. This Festival is a true celebration and a manifestation of how passionate we are about the music to be explored over the weekend by our students and special guests and we look forward to welcoming you to share this experience. For full details, please see www.rncm.ac.uk/stringsfestival

Sun 10 Jan

7pm RNCM Concert Hall

EVENING GALA CONCERT Joseph Lauber Quartet for Double Basses Gustav Mahler Adagietto from Symphony No 5 Anton Bruckner (arr Stadlmair) Adagio from String Quintet in F major Johannes Brahms Double Concerto in A minor Op 102 Henk Guittart, Alpesh Chauhan conductors Alexander Sitkovetsky violin Leonard Elschenbroich cello Jiří Hudec, Ronan Dunne, Toby Hughes, Roberto Carrillo-Garcia double basses Tickets £15 Full Weekend Ticket £40 Saturday/Sunday Day Tickets £25 Student/Under 18s £10 per day

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Johannes Brahms (arr Hudec) String Sextet No 2 in G major Op 36 Pavel Fischer

director

Free admission, no ticket required

Rob Buckland, Andy Scott directors The RNCM Saxophone Orchestra performs an engaging programme displaying the incredible versatility of the saxophone family. Free admission, no ticket required

Wed 13 Jan

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

RNCM BAROQUE SOLOISTS Programme to include: Vocal chamber duets by George Frideric Handel and Agostino Steffani Trio Sonata by Arcangelo Corelli Songs by Alessandro Scarlatti Roger Hamilton Tickets £10

director FS

‘What better way to celebrate the start of the year than with a festival of music for strings across ages, across styles and across genres? From harps and guitars to double-basses, from students playing alongside staff to alumni celebrities returning to perform at the College, and from masterclasses and workshops to a wonderful gala concert, this will be a lush yet fiery weekend!’ Dr Michelle Castelletti, Artistic Director

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

RNCM INTERNATIONAL ARTIST DIPLOMA RECITAL W A Mozart String Quartet in G major K 387 Leoš Janáček String Quartet No 1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’ Franz Schubert String Quartet in D minor D 810 ‘Death and the Maiden’ This is the first of five RNCM International Artist Diploma recitals taking place this season. See pages 7, 16, 23 and 45 for details of the other events in this series. The Diverso String Quartet is also performing at our Chamber Music Festival in March. See p30-31 for details. Tickets £10

Fri 15 Jan

Thu 21 Jan

Fri 22 Jan

RNCM WIND ORCHESTRA

TOBY HUGHES (double bass) BENJAMIN POWELL (piano)

RNCM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

THE MUSIC OF ROBERT RUSSELL BENNETT

Music to include: Robert Russell Bennett Autobiography (Part One & Part Two); Down to the Sea in Ships; Suite of Old American Dances; Symphonic Songs for Band Clark Rundell, Mark Heron, Sam Hairsine, Matt Weites conductors FS

Tickets £10

Mon 18 Jan

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES Joseph Haydn Piano Sonata in A flat major XVI:46 Emily Hooker

piano

Claude Debussy Chansons de Bilitis Francis Poulenc Le Bestiaire Lara Rebekah Harvey mezzo-soprano Rachel Fright piano Free admission, no ticket required

RNCM INTERNATIONAL ARTIST DIPLOMA RECITAL

Tue 19 Jan

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

ALEXANDRA DARIESCU (piano) Felix Mendelssohn Variations sérieuses in D minor Op 54 Gabriel Fauré 3 Préludes Op 103 Frédéric Chopin Prelude in C sharp minor Op 45 Karol Szymanowski 3 Preludes Op 1 Frédéric Chopin Polonaise in A flat major Op 53 Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (arr Pletnev) Nutcracker Suite Frédéric Chopin Scherzo No 2 in B flat minor Op 31 From the Royal Albert Hall to Carnegie Hall, RNCM alumna Alexandra Dariescu, recently named as one of ‘30 pianists under 30 destined for a spectacular career’ by International Piano Magazine, has impressed audiences worldwide with her effortless musicality and captivating stage presence. Named BBC Music Magazine’s Rising Star in 2011, Alexandra graduated from the RNCM in 2008 and went on to become the first pianist mentored by Imogen Cooper on the Royal Philharmonic Society/YCAT Philip Langridge Mentoring Scheme. We’re delighted to welcome her back for the first of our 2016 guest artist piano recitals. On 10 Mar Angela Hewitt visits the RNCM (see p36) and on 21 May, Richard Goode returns for an evening of Schubert. Tickets £17 £14 + 6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

SPOTLIGHT Tula Flutes – Music for four flutes Free admission, no ticket required

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Wed 20, Fri 22, Wed 27 Jan, Wed 03 Feb 6pm RNCM Theatre

RNCM OPERA SCENES RNCM singers further their on-stage experience in these performances of excerpts drawn from a wide variety of operas. Free admission, no ticket required

Thu 21 Jan

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM GUITARS Music to include: Leo Brouwer Cuban Landscape with Rumba for guitar ensemble Paulo Bellinati Baiao de Gude for guitar trio Manuel de Falla La vida breve for guitar and cello Craig Ogden

director

Free admission, no ticket required

Clark Rundell, Manoj Kamps conductors Kimi Makino viola

Programme to include: Giovanni Bottesini Gran Duo Concertante Vilmos Montag Sonata in E minor César Franck Sonata in A major This is the second of five RNCM International Artist Diploma recitals taking place this season. See pages 5, 16, 23 and 45 for details of the other events in this series. Toby Hughes will also be performing Joseph Lauber’s Quartet for Double Basses alongside Jiří Hudec, Ronan Dunne and Roberto Carrillo-Garcia in the closing Gala of the RNCM Strings Festival on 10 Jan and will guest with the RNCM Chamber Orchestra on 18 Mar. See p4 and p41 respectively for details. Tickets £10

Gary Carpenter The Listening Project Symphony Alfred Schnittke Viola Concerto Igor Stravinsky Petrushka

To launch New Music North West 2016, we’ve put together three fascinating works. RNCM Tutor in Composition, Gary Carpenter’s The Listening Project Symphony was originally commissioned as a spin-off from the BBC and the British Library’s Listening Project. It is designed to be played alongside a collage of conversations between people discussing things they had always wanted to, but never had, so it’s often highly emotional subject matter. Also featured is Alfred Schnittke’s Viola Concerto - a piece written for Yuri Bashmet in 1985 that actually has the musician’s name encoded in musical letters into the score - to be played by RNCM alumna Kimi Makino, plus the Petrushka suite from Stravinsky’s 1911 ballet. Tickets £17 £14

Based on Mark Twain’s Mysterious Stranger stories, this new opera raises issues of humanism,

Kevin Malone composer/librettist Caroline Clegg director

MYSTERIOUS 44 (world première)

7pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Mon 25 Jan

Free admission, no ticket required

This chamber ensemble challenges conventional ideas about notation and invites improvisation, including works by Cornelius Cardew, Anton Hunter and Tullis Rennie.

THE VONNEGUT COLLECTIVE

8pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Sat 23 Jan

NMNW HIGHLIGHTS

The BBC Philharmonic performs new works by Robin Walker, Adam Gorb and students from the RNCM and University of Manchester, whilst Psappha round off the

BBC PHILHARMONIC AND PSAPPHA

7.30pm Philharmonic Studio, MediaCityUK

Tue 26 Jan

Tickets £15, students £8

Originally commissioned by Manchester Opera Project with funds from Arts Council England, with support from the Ida Carroll Trust, University of Manchester and the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.

peer pressure, superstition and individual responsibility. The cast of 15 singers are accompanied by a surround-sound electronic score, a specially recorded narration by Richard Dawkins and a singing computer.

Free admission, no ticket required

The 5pm show explores ideas about transformation in music, with works by Larry Goves, Christian Winther Christensen, Elliot Carter and Ben Hackbarth. The later show looks at lo-fi electronic sound, nostalgia and memory, responding to music by David Fennessy, Max Matthews and Jon Robinson.

CHANGES AND NOSTALGIA

HOUSE OF BEDLAM

5.30pm and 10pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Thu 28 Jan

Tickets from £5 Advanced tickets available from psappha.com

Psappha conclude NMNW in a performance at St Michael’s in Ancoats, with music by Harrison Birtwistle, Joshua Brown, Leo Geyer, Daniel Kidane, Aaron Parker, Jack Sheen and Emma Wilde.

PSAPPHA

7.30pm St Michael’s, Ancoats

Fri 29 Jan

For full details, please see www.rncm.ac.uk/nmnw16

So this really is an incredible showcase for North West talent and as NMNW Artistic Director Clark Rundell says: ‘the fact that so many extraordinarily creative people live and work in our midst is a cause of huge celebration!’

And from Monday onwards, there is a major focus on Sir Harrison Birtwistle, who will be in residence in Manchester for a few days, working with both RNCM and University of Manchester students. You’ll be able to hear works by RNCM and UoM composers and there will be plenty of performances by ensembles from both institutions. There is a world première of Kevin Malone’s opera Mysterious 44, plus appearances by House of Bedlam, ACM Ensemble, Distractfold, ddmmyy, Chetham’s Contemporary Music Ensemble, plus Psappha and the BBC Philharmonic, who will also be performing works by RNCM and University of Manchester composers.

Free admission, by ticket only. (Once open, ticket applications will be available at bbc.co.uk/ tickets and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.)

evening with works by James Wishart, Anthony Gilbert and Mark Simpson.

The opening weekend (a festival within a festival if you like) is curated by composer Larry Goves and includes diverse responses to Manchester-based bands including New Order and The Chemical Brothers, pieces exploring notation and performer freedom, pieces exploring scale and perception of time in music (with works ranging from 30 seconds to a 4.5 hour long video installation) and performances by The Vonnegut Collective, Trio Atem, Solem Quartet and Esther Swift.

Unbelievably, two years have now passed and it’s time for our biennial festival of contemporary music, New Music North West. And we’re about to embark on a monumental event! This year, NMNW spans eight days, there are over 30 individual events taking place in multiple venues and over 100 living North West composers are represented.

NEW MUSIC NORTH WEST

Fri 22 – Fri 29 Jan

Sun 24 Jan

12pm and 4pm RNCM Concert Hall

Sat 23 Jan

SING-A-LONG-AFROZEN

7.30pm RNCM Theatre

RNCM BIG BAND

WITH RYAN QUIGLEY Mike Hall

director

Our first Big Band show of 2016 features brilliant jazz improviser Ryan Quigley. Ryan is jazz trumpet tutor and one of the directors of the Big Band at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Born in Derry, he started playing the trumpet at 11 and was brought up on a diet of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Maynard Ferguson (but more of that later…). As a gigging musician, he has toured and recorded with The Bad Plus, Tim Garland, Bob Geldof, Del Amitri and Sharleen Spiteri, to mention but a few. Ryan will be joining forces with the RNCM Big Band to play some of his own arrangements, including Ticket to Ride and Rockin’ Robin, plus a few tunes from the Maynard Ferguson library, including the epic MacArthur Park. By the way, there’s another fabulous RNCM Big Band concert on 12 Mar when we welcome Clark Tracey to the venue to recreate his father’s envelope-pushing album Alice in Jazzland. See p37 for details. Tickets £18 £15

This year we’re launching a new Children’s Sunday Series and we’re doing it in style. If you’re not familiar with the phenomenon that is Frozen, then you’ve had your head in the sand for the last couple of years! So we’re delighted to embrace the spirit of this massively popular film and offer our own take on Elsa, Olaf and company with two daytime performances of Sing-A-Long-A-Frozen. Suitable for ages five and upwards, come along dressed as your favourite character, have your face painted and ‘Let it Go’… PS don’t forget that we have our next RNCM Family Day on 20 Mar. See p42 for details. Tickets £10 No concessions

Mon 25 Jan

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES Emily Howard Sky and Water for solo piano Edward Gregson Serenata Notturna for cello and piano David Ellis Two for Six Op 55 for saxophone quartet Simon Parkin Cellphone for cello and vibraphone Alan Williams Jazz Disasters for euphonium and piano This lunchtime concert is part of New Music North West. Read more about our contemporary music festival on p8-9. Free admission, no ticket required

Do you want to build a snowman?

‘The promotion of the art of our time is a constant priority for the RNCM. In the last six months we have welcomed Krzysztof Penderecki, Robert Saxton, and Brian Ferneyhough. Today we welcome alumnus Sir Harrison Birtwistle – testament of our strong commitment to contemporary music. From 60sec works to an opera and a 4.5hr– long installation, we have created our most exciting and contrasting NMNW to date.’

Mon 25 Jan 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MANCHESTER CHAMBER CONCERTS SOCIETY

Dr Michelle Castelletti, Artistic Director

ALBAN GERHARDT (cello) ANNE-MARIE MCDERMOTT (piano)

Free admission, no ticket required

Promoted by MCCS

PRE-CONCERT TALK

Free admission, to ticket holders

Tom Harrold Acrid Lines (world première of new version) Harrison Birtwistle Panic

This lunchtime concert is part of New Music North West and we’re delighted to confirm that Panic will be performed in the presence of the composer, Sir Harrison Birtwistle. Read more about our contemporary music festival on p8-9.

Tickets £25, platform seats £12.50

6.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM WIND ORCHESTRA Mark Heron, Matt Weites conductors Harry Fausing Smith saxophone

Samuel Barber Cello Sonata Op 6 Benjamin Britten Cello Sonata in C major Op 65 Lukas Foss Capriccio Leonard Bernstein Three Meditations from Mass George Gerswhin (arr Alban) Three Preludes Ástor Piazzolla Le Grand Tango

Thu 28 Jan

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Tue 26 Jan

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

PATTY GRIFFIN

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS Patty Griffin is a Grammy Award-winning artist who has achieved great acclaim for her songwriting as well as her powerful voice. She has proved herself a writer of uncommon perception, with a genius for character-driven storytelling. On her latest album, Servant of Love, she brings that genius to bear in its overarching themes. She travels through different musical terrains - folk and blues, rock and jazz, ancient sounds and modern - and a sparse, organic quality persists. Patterns and recurrence weave throughout the album in small ways and large: the drone of open tunings, modal riffs and bluesy moves, images of nature. Tickets £26.50 £21.50 No concessions Promoted by Edge St Live

Fri 29 Jan

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

LOUISE WINTER (mezzosoprano) JOHN GOUGH (piano) RNCM STAFF RECITAL This is the first in a new series of RNCM staff recitals. The programme will include works by works by Fanny Hensel, Clara Schumann, Poldowski, Rebecca Clarke, Muriel Herbert and Joan Trimble. See pages 23, 40 and 48 for details of the other events in this series. Free admission, no ticket required

Tickets £16 £14

Nicholas Childs conductor Gary Curtin euphonium Katrina Marzella baritone

Tickets £16 £14

James Gourlay, Michael Fowles David Thornton euphonium Anna-Clare Monk soprano Lauren Scott harp

conductors

cornets

Full Weekend Ticket £98 Early Booking Discount £78 (full Weekend Ticket only, book by 18 December) Student/Under 18s Weekend Ticket £49 Saturday Day Ticket £44 Sunday Day Ticket £42

Tickets £16 £14

This event is sponsored by Besson

Robert Childs conductor Roger Webster, Alexis Demailly

John McCabe Salamander Joseph Horovitz Concerto Classico Nigel Clarke Further Adventures of the Same (world première) Dean Goffin Rhapsodic Variations: My Strength, My Tower Eric Ball Sunset Rhapsody Michael Ball Whitsun Wakes

GRIMETHORPE COLLIERY BAND

FODEN’S BAND Benjamin Britten (arr Hindmarsh) King Arthur: Suite (world première of brass band version) Michael Ball Euphonium Concerto Joseph Horovitz Theme and Co-operation John Mackey Asphalt Cocktail (UK première) Andy Scott A Child like You Arthur Butterworth Odin – From the Land of Fire and Ice Op 76

BLACK DYKE BAND Michael Ball An English Suite Bruce Broughton (arr Argente) Fanfares, Marches, Hymns & Finale (world première of brass band arrangement) Joseph Horovitz Euphonium Concerto Philip Wilby Five Rivers, A Pastorale Symphony Jonathan Bates Panic on Pudding Lane (world première) Dean Goffin Rhapsody in Brass Simon Dobson Rampage (world première) Peter Graham Metropolis 1927

Sun 31 Jan

6.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Sat 30 Jan

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Fri 29 Jan

For full details, please see www.rncm.ac.uk/brassbandfestival

We’re very excited about this new chapter in the RNCM’s brass banding history and look forward to welcoming you to these wonderful performances.

The Festival pays tribute to the creativity of John McCabe (1939 - 2015), whose brass band works are among the most highly regarded in the brass band repertoire. A retrospective of the complete brass band music of Joseph Horovitz honours this distinguished composer and teacher in his 90th year. We celebrate the centenary of one of the Salvation Army’s finest composers and arrangers, New Zealander Sir Dean Goffin, and mark the 70th birthday of Manchester-born composer Michael Ball. This year we also première new and recent work from Nigel Clarke, Simon Dobson, Gavin Higgins, Paul McGhee and Lucy Pankhurst as well as first performances from rising stars Jonathan Bates and Tom Davoren.

The RNCM Brass Band Festival reaches its 26th year with a new name and a renewed focus on the finest music composed or arranged for brass band. Six of the foremost bands in the land will be joined by world-class soloists, an award-winning brass quartet, an ambitious youth band from Cheshire and outstanding student bands from the RNCM and the Junior RNCM.

RNCM BRASS BAND FESTIVAL

Fri 29 – Sun 31 Jan

Mon 01 Feb

Wed 03 Feb

Thu 04 Feb

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES

PIANO DUO PRIZE

RNCM CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

J S Bach Partita in A minor BWV 1013 Paul Bonneau Caprice en forme de valse Ivan Alekhin

flute

Andrew Downes Op 38 Joseph Turrin Two Portraits

Meditations

Louise Franks

trumpet

Psalm from

Free admission, no ticket required

Tue 02 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

THE FREDERIC COX AWARD FOR SINGING Come and hear the singing stars of tomorrow in the first of three major RNCM vocal competitions this year. The judging panel includes Richard Berkeley Steele. If you like this you might also enjoy the Elizabeth Harwood Memorial Prize (24 Feb - see p26) and later in the year, the Joyce and Michael Kennedy Award for the Singing of Strauss (7 Jun). Tickets £10

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Tonight’s competition for piano duos is adjudicated by Martin Roscoe. Tickets £7

Carlos Agreda, Edmon Levon, Chloe van Soeterstede conductors

Thu 04 Feb

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Neil Balfour, John Holland-Avery, Hollie-Anne Bangham, Xiang Ting, Juliet Montgomery singers

JEREMY SO (piano) RNCM INTERNATIONAL ARTIST DIPLOMA RECITAL

Free admission, no ticket required

Programme to include: Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata No 31 in A flat major Op 110 György Ligeti Etudes Book 1 Sergei Prokofiev Piano Sonata No 8 in B flat major Op 84 This is the third of five RNCM International Artist Diploma recitals taking place this season. See pages 5, 7, 23 and 45 for details of the other events in this series. Tickets £10

Aaron Copland Old American Songs (Set 1) Aaron Copland Appalachian Spring (chamber version)

+ 6.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

SPOTLIGHT The Novus Brass Quartet

– Shostakovich, Barber and 7/8 Funk Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 06 Feb

10.30am RNCM Venues

JUNIOR RNCM OPEN DAY An opportunity to visit the Junior RNCM, meet current staff, students and parents, and listen to the Juniors perform. For full details, contact the Junior RNCM on 0161 907 5264. Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 06 Feb

George Méliès, it is recognised as the first ever science fiction short film.

ICARUS AT THE EDGE OF TIME

Commissioned by World Science Festival (New York) and produced by HOME, Manchester, Icarus at the Edge of Time is presented in association with artists AL and AL’s major new solo exhibition at HOME, Manchester: Incidents of Travel in the Multiverse, Sat 6 Feb - Sun 10 Apr 2016.

8pm RNCM Concert Hall

BRIAN GREENE AND PHILIP GLASS

A futuristic re-imagining of the classic Greek myth set in outer space, Icarus at the Edge of Time is based on a stunning book by the world-renowned theoretical physicist and Pulitzer Prize nominee Brian Greene. Featuring a spectacular science fiction film created and directed by AL and AL, with a brand new score by Philip Glass, this North West première is performed live by the BBC Philharmonic and conducted by RNCM alumnus Duncan Ward. Discover the boy who challenges the awesome power of a black hole and the unyielding forces of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Narrated live by Professor Brian Greene, the evening includes an additional companion score for piano, accompanying a screening of the recently restored Le Voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon, 1902). Directed by film-making pioneer

A new publication will be on sale on the night of the event, offering a compelling insight into the artist’s epic sci-fi trilogy. This cosmic travelogue includes a vivid account of the film-makers’ collaboration with composer Philip Glass and physicist Brian Greene, who provides his own essay elegantly describing the mathematics underpinning the Multiverse. The book continues its journey across time and space with insights on their work by worldrenowned mythographer and author Marina Warner and a sensational new account of the Multiverse from the mind of legendary graphic novelist Grant Morrison. Tickets £15 HOME production with BBC Philharmonic. Co-presented with Contact, as part of Queer Contact Festival 2016

Sun 07 Feb

RNCM DAY OF PERCUSSION We pride ourselves that our Day of Percussion is one of the most popular and established events of its kind. It’s our chance to throw open our doors and welcome percussionists of all ages and abilities to participate in a day packed with workshops, clinics, concerts and even one to one consultation lessons. This year, we’re joined by special guests Ney Rosauro, Randy Max, Elliott Henshaw, Nigel Shipway and Dave Hassell – all huge names in the percussion world. So with a special focus on youth and new music in the opening concert, a massive trade exhibition, two world premières and a glorious finale, the day is a brilliant resource for all percussionists – from those just starting out to professionals or indeed anyone with an interest in percussion… For full details, please see www.rncm.ac.uk/dayofpercussion 7pm RNCM Concert Hall

EVENING CONCERT Our Day of Percussion culminates with a concert featuring performances from all of today’s artists. Celebrating percussion from many angles, there will be some fascinating, original collaborations between the artists and we’re excited to present the world première of Ney Rosauro’s second vibraphone concerto played by the man himself accompanied by the RNCM Percussion Ensemble. Ticket £7 Day Ticket £25 Early Booking Discount £20 (book by 23 December) Student/Under 18s £12

Mon 08 Feb

Wed 10 Feb

Thu 11 Feb

MANCHESTER UNIVERSITIES STRING SOCIETY

RNCM CHILDREN’S OPERA PROJECT

WILLE AND THE BANDITS

6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

MUSS, an intercollegiate string ensemble featuring aspiring professional string players studying in Manchester, performs Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings conducted by participants of the RNCM Conducting Masterclasses, as part of the two day course for external conductors. Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM Conducting

Mon 08 Feb 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MANCHESTER CHAMBER CONCERTS SOCIETY

ENGEGÅRD QUARTET

W A Mozart String Quartet No 21 in D major K 575 Edvard Grieg String Quartet No 1 in G minor Op 27 Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No 15 in A minor Op 132 Tickets £25, platform seats £12.50 Promoted by MCCS

+ 6.30pm Forman Lecture Theatre

PRE-CONCERT TALK

Free admission, to ticket holders

2pm and 7pm RNCM Theatre

COMING HOME

Kate Pearson composer RNCM Students Primary Schools from across the North West Loosely inspired by the story of Watership Down, this new opera charts a journey filled with danger and excitement. Forced to leave a place where they are no longer wanted, a group of children battle to conquer their enemies and overcome a series of challenges. Will they manage to defeat the obstacles in their path and find their perfect home in a new land? Free admission, by ticket only

7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

+ DIVING STATION

Essentially a classic blues rock three piece - guitar, drums, bass - Wille and the Bandits always push their sound beyond that traditional format and were voted one of the top ten must see bands at Glastonbury 2014 by BBC Radio 1. Support comes in the shape of Diving Station and their harp-driven rock (they’re great!) who are students on our Popular Music course. Tickets £12

Fri 12 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

SOUNDSCAPE CHAMBER ORCHSTRA

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Maurice Ravel Ma Mère L’Oye (Suite) Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme Op 33 Ottorino Respighi Adagio con Variazioni George Gershwin (arr Farrington) An American in Paris Daniel Parkinson conductor Guy Johnston cello Kate Simmons choreographer KSDance dancers Tickets £15 Promoted by Daniel Parkinson

Tue 16 Feb Sat 13 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MANCHESTER INSPIRATIONAL

VOICES

COLOURS OF GOSPEL

Fri 12 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

FAY HIELD AND THE HURRICANE PARTY Folk singer Fay Hield was instrumental in putting together The Full English. But on this occasion, she visits with her long-standing band, The Hurricane Party. The line-up features Andy Cutting (button accordions, melodeon), Rob Harbron (English Concertina, fiddle, vocals), Sam Sweeney (fiddle, viola, cello, nyckelharpa, vocals) and Roger Wilson (fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocals). This Manchester date coincides with the release of Fay’s new solo album, Old Adam. FS

Tickets £15 + 6.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

LEARN MORE Pre-concert talk

In this informal session, folk musician, performer and musicologist Fay Hield is in conversation with the RNCM’s Deputy Artistic Director Jacqui Dale, discussing the influences and development of folk music today. Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 13 - Sun 14 Feb 9am RNCM Theatre

IDTA:

INTERNATIONAL THEATRE DANCE AWARDS Tickets £16 full day, £10 half day Promoted by International Dance Teachers Association Ltd

Manchester Inspirational Voices is a multicultural, cross generational blend of local singers who come together to create uplifting and joyful gospel music that inspires and promotes community togetherness. Tickets £13.50 Promoted by Manchester Inspirational Voices

Mon 15 Feb

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES Georg Philipp Telemann Cantata TWV 1:1884 ‘Ich will den Kreuzweg gerne gehen’ Edwin Kaye bass-baritone Henry Rankin violin Isabel Williamson cello Louis Perera harpsichord Frédéric Chopin 4 Mazurkas Op 24 Marc-André Hamelin Etude No 6 in D minor ‘Esercizio per pianoforte (Omaggio a Domenico Scarlatti)’ Yau Kit Pun

piano

Free admission, no ticket required

7.30pm RNCM Theatre

THE DEVIL INSIDE

MUSIC THEATRE WALES By Stuart MacRae and Louise Welsh

The Devil Inside is a gritty, glittery, Faustian folktale, set firmly in the 21st century. Inspired by The Bottle Imp, a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, this brand new opera echoes his most famous tale The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Two friends stumble upon a bottle that will change their lives, a bottle that can grant any wish. But there‘s a catch and the bottle demands a payment… Will the pair find their happy-ever-after or will the bottle be their undoing? This evening of magic and enchantment, with a touch of Tales of the Unexpected, will keep you guessing, and leave you thinking ‘be careful what you wish for’. The Devil Inside follows the outstanding success of Ghost Patrol, the previous opera written for Music Theatre Wales by composer Stuart MacRae and renowned novelist Louise Welsh which won a South Bank Sky Arts Award and was nominated for an Olivier. A co-commission and coproduction with Scottish Opera Tickets £15 + 6.30pm Forman Lecture Theatre

LEARN MORE Pre-concert talk The composer Stuart

MacRae in conversation with Michael McCarthy Free admission, no ticket required

Thu 18 Feb

Fri 19 Feb

RNCM CONCERT ORCHESTRA

KANA OHASHI (violin) MARTIN KLETT (piano)

YURI TORCHINSKY (violin) AND FRIENDS

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

W A Mozart Symphony No 41 in C major K 551 ‘Jupiter’ Free admission, no ticket required

Thu 18 Feb Doors 7pm RNCM Theatre

HOWARD JONES

AN INTIMATE EVENING OF SONGS AND STORIES SUPPORT ELISE YUILL Howard Jones was one of the defining figures of mid-80s synth pop. His music merged the technology-intensive sound of New Wave with the cheery optimism of hippies and late60s pop and he racked up a string of hits including New Song and What is Love? A classically trained pianist (including a stint at the RNCM!) Jones applied his technique to early synths and was one of the early pioneers to use sequencers live on stage while playing and singing. In this rare acoustic show, he’ll take a trip through his 30 year career sharing stories and the inspiration behind many of his songs. Tickets £22.50 No concessions Promoted by Gig Cartel

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM INTERNATIONAL ARTIST DIPLOMA RECITAL

J S Bach Largo and Allegro Assai from Violin Sonata No 3 in C major BWV 1005 W A Mozart Violin Sonata No 21 in E minor K 304 Giovanni Bottesini Gran Duo Concertante Sergei Prokofiev Violin Sonata No 1 in F minor Op 80 Ernest Chausson Poème This is the fourth of five RNCM International Artist Diploma recitals taking place this season. See pages 5, 7, 16 and 45 for details of the other events in this series. Tickets £10

RNCM STAFF RECITAL

Dmitri Shostakovich (arr Barshai) Chamber Symphony in C minor Op 110a

This is the second in a new series of RNCM staff recitals. See pages 13, 40 and 48 for details of the other events in this series. Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 20 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MAGIC VOICES CONTEMPORARY SINGERS

MOVIES AND MUSICALS Ticket £20 No concessions

Promoted by Magic Voices Ltd

Sat 20 Feb 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

Mon 22 Feb

RNCM STUDENT GALA CONCERT

ORGAN RECITAL PRIZE

6pm RNCM Concert Hall

STEFAN REDTENBACHER’S FUNKESTRA

WITH RNCM SESSION ORCHESTRA

‘Stefan, you know what the funk is about’ – praise indeed from Fred Wesley of James Brown’s old band the JB’s. And the funk will indeed take over the RNCM come February when Stefan Redtenbacher’s Funkestra get together with our very own Session Orchestra. Funkestra’s key personnel are Stefan (bandleader, composer/arranger, bass), Mike Sturgis (drums), Eran Kendler (guitar), Paul Jordanous (trumpet) and Simon Allen (tenor saxophone). They have just released their 9th album, Dr Hypenstein, and they regularly pack out London’s 606 Club and other established venues in the capital. They have shared the stage with an unbelievable array of guest artists - from Fred Wesley and Alfred ‘Pee Wee’ Ellis to the horn sections from Prince’s band, Incognito and the Brand New Heavies. They are also keen to work with upcoming musicians and give regular masterclasses across the UK in music colleges, and now it’s our turn to be part of the Funkestra story... Tickets £12

Sun 21 Feb

We’re delighted to present this fundraising event in aid of The Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS). A wonderful showcase for RNCM talent, our students will organise every aspect of this concert as well as performing the music on the day. So it’s a unique opportunity to see students from a variety of RNCM Schools collaborating and exploring different ways of performing together - all in a good cause. Tickets £20

+ 6.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

SPOTLIGHT Bethlehem Casuals Free admission, no ticket required

‘The Session Orchestra is the only major ensemble that brings together students from every school of study at the RNCM. Since its début concert in 2011, it has built a loyal fan base and has become a popular music phenomenon, regularly performing to sellout audiences at the College and across the UK. There is something very special about this Orchestra, the only one of its kind in UK conservatoires, as it not only offers a unique musical education for its performers, but it reaches a large and diverse audience… Tonight’s concert represents our first collaborative project with a major artist, enabling us to showcase the musicianship, versatility and professionalism of our performers… enjoy!’ Andy Stott, Head of Popular Music RNCM

Mon 22 Feb

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES Edward McGuire Folk Memories in Autumn Joseph Jongen Danse lente Op 56b Stephanie Halsey harp Jenna Thackray flute Samuel Barber Songs Op 29

Hermit

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM organists take to our Concert Hall stage for this annual prize. Tickets £7

Tue 23 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

ALCINA

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Cast to include: Bryony Williams Alcina Elizabeth Humphries Bradamante Heather Lowe Ruggiero Joanna Norman Morgana Chase Hopkins Oronte Harvey Davies piano A cast of RNCM alumni, including the star leads of recent RNCM Opera productions L’elisir d’amore and Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, return for this semi-staged concert performance of excerpts from Handel’s Alcina performed with piano accompaniment. Tickets £12

+ 6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

SPOTLIGHT Women Scorned – Dramatic

Charlotte Badham mezzosoprano Rachel Fright piano

baroque cantatas and duets for voice and continuo ensemble

Free admission, no ticket required

Wed 24 Feb

Thu 25 Feb

Fri 26 Feb

THE ELIZABETH HARWOOD MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR SINGERS

RNCM STRING AND WIND ORCHESTRAS

THE EMPEROR’S WIND BAND

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Tonight marks the 25th anniversary of this special award, founded in memory of the muchloved Yorkshire soprano and which provides support for an outstanding final year singer. Tonight’s adjudicating panel includes Russell Smythe. Tickets £10

Wed 24 Feb

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

MASTERCLASS WITH TINE THING HELSETH (trumpet) Tine Thing Helseth is curating Manchester Camerata’s 2015/16 Up Close experimental series so while she is in the city, we’re thrilled that this extraordinary young Norwegian trumpet sensation will host a masterclass with our students. Tickets £8

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

1pm Carole Nash Recital Room

George Frideric Handel Concerto Grosso in B flat major Op 6 No 7 HWV 325 Chris Hoyle

conductor

Han Xu New work Kenneth Hesketh Diaghilev Dances Mark Heron, Matt Weites conductors Free admission, no ticket required

Thu 25 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Hear Mozart’s Così fan tutte arranged by Johann Wendt for the Emperor Joseph II’s wind band, alongside the first modern performances of numbers from other operas of the 1789–90 Vienna opera season by Salieri, Sarti and Martín y Soler. Dr Martin Harlow will explain the late 18th century craze for the small wind band known as the ‘Harmonie’. Read more about RNCM Opera’s production of Così fan tutte on p34-35.

OTAVA YO Steaming out of St Petersburg in white vests, peasant dress, and ushankas on head with ear-flaps akimbo, Otava Yo bring the abandoned traditions of Russian folksong into the 21st century. They offer a glimpse into life in an old Russian village, replete with romance, melancholy and merrymaking, a fierce sense of pride and a good dose of surreal humour. The next gig in our Making Tracks series features Perotá Chingó and takes place on 15 Apr. See p44 for details. Tickets £15

MOZART’S COSÌ FAN TUTTE

Free admission, no ticket required

‘I am thrilled that just before his Wigmore Hall performances, Ralph Kirshbaum has accepted our invitation to start his 70th celebrations here with us at the RNCM. And what better way to do so than with a powerful programme of Beethoven sonatas together with pianist Shai Wosner, and, of course, his 1729 Montagnana Cello’ Dr Michelle Castelletti, Artistic Director

Fri 26 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RALPH KIRSHBAUM (cello) SHAI WOSNER (piano) Ludwig van Beethoven Cello Sonata No 1 in F major Op 5 No 1; Cello Sonata No 4 in C major Op 102 No 1; 12 Variations in G major on a Theme by Handel WoO 45; Cello Sonata No 5 in D major Op 102 No 2 Tonight, we’re delighted to welcome American cellist Ralph Kirshbaum back to our stage to perform a Beethoven cycle as part of his 70th birthday celebrations. Mr Kirshbaum has a long association with the College – he served on our faculty for almost 40 years and founded the hugely successful RNCM Manchester International Cello Festival. He also recently performed with Martin Roscoe and James Campbell at the RNCM Concert Hall in the opening concert of Manchester Chamber Concerts Society’s 2015/6 season:

‘Ralph Kirshbaum is still a favourite with Manchester music-lovers after his long association with the RNCM… His singing tone in the upper register of the cello is something you don’t easily forget: we heard it to best advantage in the Beethoven Cello Sonata in A major Op 69.That had a touch of manic quality in its scherzo and wonderfully positive ending’. Manchester Evening News 4* review, September 2015 Tickets £20 £18 + 6pm Carole Nash Recital Room

SPOTLIGHT Intimately Expansive – Mahler’s 4th Symphony reduced to 12 players

Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 27 Feb

Sun 28 Feb

12.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

11am RNCM Concert Hall

JUNIOR RNCM MANCHESTER FORMAL AMATEUR CONCERT CHORAL A showcase performance COMPETITION featuring talented 2016 soloists from Junior RNCM. Free admission, no ticket required

ADULT CHOIRS

Ticket £10 Promoted by Jon Atkin

Sat 27 Feb

Mon 29 Feb

7pm RNCM Concert Hall

MANCHESTER WELSH SOCIETY

ST DAVID’S DAY CELEBRATIONS WITH BRYTHONIAID MALE VOICE CHOIR Charlotte Trepess

soprano

Ticket £18.50 Promoted by Manchester Welsh Society

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES J S Bach BWV 971 Fan Liu

Italian Concerto piano

Béla Bartók (arr Arma) Suite Paysanne Hongroise Anna Murphy flute Wyn Chan piano Free admission, no ticket required

Mon 29 Feb

Tue 01 Mar

NORMAN GEORGE VIOLIN SCHOLARSHIP

BRAND NEW ORCHESTRA

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

RNCM violinists compete for this prestigious annual award, adjudicated by Paul Barritt. Tickets £7

Mon 29 Feb

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MASTERCLASS WITH CHRISTIAN LINDBERG (trombone) Christian Lindberg is perhaps the first classical trombonist to maintain a successful full-time performing career as a soloist and tonight, he works with our students in this public masterclass. Tickets £8 + 6.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

SPOTLIGHT A Homage to Philip Jones – Diverse works for brass ensemble

Free admission, no ticket required

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

‘I am looking forward enormously to coming back to the RNCM to work with the singers in a masterclass. I am not a great fan of the term ‘masterclass’ actually, as it gives the idea of one person being in charge and the other having to obey… I much prefer it to be seen as a working session between two colleagues, a way of the experienced singer providing new pair of ‘ears’ for a younger singer, and a chance to explore the music together. A great voice is wonderful but it is not enough… we are storytellers and have to have imagination and intention in the way we tell the story to the audience.’ Susan Bullock, soprano

Tom Goff, Edmon Levon, Harish Shankar conductors Our Brand New Orchestra concerts give a fascinating insight into the process of composing, conducting and performing at the RNCM. This is a wonderful showcase for RNCM Composition students and a chance to hear brand new pieces before they are performed anywhere else. Free admission, no ticket required + 9.15pm RNCM Studio Theatre

LATE NIGHT SPOTLIGHT MICHAELBRAILEY

– Emotive electronic music, performed live Free admission, no ticket required

Thu 03 Mar 1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE Ivan Trevino Catching Shadows Damien Harron Manual Mode Nathan Daughtrey Halcyon Days Tim Garland The Fullness of Time Simone Rebello

director

Free admission, no ticket required

Wed 02 Mar 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MASTERCLASS WITH SUSAN BULLOCK (soprano) Susan Bullock is one of the world’s most sought-after British dramatic sopranos and she recently took part in our sellout Michael Kennedy Memorial Concert. This is a wonderful opportunity to observe the creative process as this talented singer works with our vocal students to develop their technique and understanding of the pieces chosen for this public masterclass. Tickets £8

Tickets £17

Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet No 12 in E flat major Op 127 Franz Schubert String Quintet in C major D 956

WITH PETR PRAUSE (cello)

TALICH QUARTET

MICHELANGELO QUARTET

Tickets £17

Felix Mendelssohn 4 Pieces Op 81 Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet No 4 in E minor Op 44 No 2 Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet No 1 in E flat major Op 12

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Sat 05 Mar 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Fri 04 Mar

For full details, please see www.rncm.ac.uk/chamberfestival

So please join us and immerse yourself in this weekend of lush musical landscapes.

This year’s line-up features some of the finest musicians performing today including the Talich Quartet, Elias Quartet, Michelangelo Quartet, plus RNCM Junior Fellows the Solem Quartet and our International Artist chamber ensemble the Diverso String Quartet. We also welcome chamber groups from Chetham’s, St Mary’s, Junior RNCM, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Sheffield Music Academy.

We focus particularly on the music of Mendelssohn and Schumann and our students will be involved in a major composition project, as they are asked to create responses to Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words. So the Festival will include works from across the 19th century but will also dip into the 20th century with composers such as Richard Strauss.

Every year, the Chamber Music Festival goes from strength to strength, presenting the opportunity to see our wonderful students, internationally renowned staff and special guests perform beautiful music across a jam-packed weekend. This year is no exception, as we explore German Romanticism in Songs Without Words.

The RNCM Chamber Music Festival plays an enormous role in the story of the College and is a major event in our calendar. Chamber music is at the core at what we do - the RNCM has a proud tradition of chamber ensemble training and our alumni appear with high profile ensembles such as the Elias, Heath and Navarra String Quartets plus the Gould Piano Trio to name but a few.

SONGS WITHOUT WORDS

RNCM CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

Fri 04 – Sun 06 Mar

Tickets £17

Felix Mendelssohn (arr C Matthews) Three Songs Without Words Robert Schumann String Quartet in F major No 2 Op 41 No 2 Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat major Op 44

ELIAS QUARTET

WITH JEREMY YOUNG (piano)

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Sun 06 Mar

Audience member, RNCM Chamber Music Festival Má Vlast 2015

‘Dawn to midnight for three successive days is not yet too much to pay for the buzz of this Festival… I took, as always, a delight in the fresh energy of the young musicians’ performances. Roll on next year!’

Tue 08 Mar

8pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Mon 07 Mar

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES Alfred Schnittke Sonata No 1

Violin

Cecilia Blanes-Coloma violin Liga Korne piano Nebojša Živković To the Gods of Rhythm Ivan Trevino Catching Shadows Sophie Smith, Elizabeth Brightwell-Gibbons percussion Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 05 Mar 8pm RNCM Theatre

BALLAKÉ SISSOKO & VINCENT SÉGAL MUSIQUE DE NUIT

When Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal released their first collaborative album, Chamber Music, they caught the music world by surprise. Everything about this duo was unexpected: Sissoko is one of Mali’s greatest exponents of the kora; joining forces in an unlikely pairing with a French cellist who worked on Tom Waits’ Black Angel and many other specially-created shows. Like Toumani Diabaté, Sissoko is a griot, whose music is steeped in ancient West African traditions. He’s also a staunch innovator, as demonstrated through this collaboration with Ségal. Their complicity is such

that the kora and the cello seem to express themselves with a single voice; two sensibilities in unison. Now, these two sonic voyagers have returned with Musique de Nuit - an album even more spellbinding than its predecessor. Perhaps the most magical thing about the new album is that after years of touring, and performing together on hundreds of stages around the world, the album has the feeling of eavesdropping on a late-night jam session – it was recorded in two sessions in the Malian capital of Bamako – one at night on Ballaké’s rooftop, and the other during the day in the famed Bogolan studio. There’s a second kora performance this Spring when Stringboxes play an intimate set in our Carole Nash Recital Room (11 Mar). See p36 for details. Tickets £15 Promoted by Serious in association with RNCM

Mon 07 Mar 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MANCHESTER CHAMBER CONCERTS SOCIETY NAVARRA QUARTET WITH ALEKSANDAR MADŽAR (piano) Joseph Haydn String Quartet in C major Op 20 No 2 Pēteris Vasks String Quartet No 4 Johannes Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor Op 34 Tickets £25, platform seats £12.50 Promoted by MCCS

DECONTAMINATION 6

GOOD BEHAVIOUR: BAD BEHAVIOUR

Our latest Decontamination adventure features extracts from Tom Johnson’s Music for 88 and Chord Catalogue performed by pianist Philip Thomas, alongside recent music by James Saunders performed by the ensemble Distractfold. Tickets £8

+ 6pm RNCM Studio Theatre

LEARN MORE Pre-concert talk

Playing games, playing music - James Saunders talks about his recent composition Free admission, no ticket required

Deep down, Cosí provides a sharp reminder of how personal choice plays as important

Mozart’s opera is the great composer’s most divisive and controversial work. Some say that the music and libretto simply don’t match – that sentiments the libretto states routinely are heard in music so deeply stirring that the words and the score seem to be at odds with each other. Maybe though, that emotional disparity is Mozart’s way of making sure this unlikely story hits its mark...

The bay of Naples. Sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella are engaged to Guglielmo and Ferrando. The men trust their fiancées’ faithfulness implicitly but when their friend Don Alfonso tells them a woman’s fidelity is never guaranteed, he is challenged to prove his theory. So a wager is made. Don Alfonso tells the sisters that their sweethearts are to be sent away with their regiment. A tearful farewell follows. Then things really start to get complicated…

See full cast information at www.rncm.ac.uk/cosi

Roger Hamilton conductor Manoj Kamps assistant conductor Thomas Guthrie director Rhiannon Newman Brown set and costume designer Rachael McCutcheon lighting designer Kevin Thraves chorus master RNCM Opera Orchestra RNCM Chorus

W A MOZART

COSÌ FAN TUTTE

3pm RNCM Theatre

Sun 13, Sat 19 Mar

7pm RNCM Theatre

Wed 09, Fri 11, Tue 15, Thu 17 Mar

Tickets £34 £28 £21 (weekdays) £36 £30 £23 (weekends) FS

This production will be performed in Italian with surtitles.

We’re delighted to welcome alumnus Thomas Guthrie to direct his first RNCM Opera production. An accomplished singer and actor himself, Tom has directed performances for the Royal Opera House, Classical Opera Company, English Touring Opera, Glyndebourne Youth Opera and Brighton Festival. He is founding director of GOTcompany. And as a guest director, he will continue the amazing work of our Head of Opera Stefan Janski, who retires this Summer as we continue to nurture talent and produce the stars of the future.

a part as fate in our relationships. It underlines how relationships can so often be fragile and tenuous, and in doing so, highlights our true human vulnerability.

PS On 26 Feb The Emperor’s Wind Band will perform an arrangement of Così fan tutte as part of a special event presented by Dr Martin Harlow. See p26 for details.

perform songs and arias by Mozart, Haydn, Salieri, Paisiello, written at the same time as Così fan tutte.

HEAR MORE Pre-opera performance RNCM singers

5.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Thu 17 Mar

closer insight into the music and historical context of Mozart’s opera.

LEARN MORE Pre-opera talk Roger Hamilton offers a

12pm RNCM Theatre

Sun 13 Mar

Group booking discounts are also available. Please contact our Box Office on 0161 907 5555 to find out more.

For this production of Cosí, we’ve introduced an Early Booking Discount on the four weekday performances. So if you book your tickets by Wednesday 3 February, you can save 20% on your tickets. (Please note that this offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other concessions or offers).

SAVE MONEY ON YOUR COSÌ TICKETS

Thu 10 Mar

Fri 11 Mar

RNCM CONCERT ORCHESTRA

ANGELA HEWITT (piano)

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene Onegin

Franz Schubert Moments Musicaux D 780 Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata in D minor Op 31 No 2 ‘The Tempest’ Joseph Haydn Fantasia in C major Hob XVII:4 Alessandro Scarlatti Sonatas (selection) Isaac Albéniz Suite española (selection) Manuel de Falla Fantasia Bætica

TRINITY CHURCH OF ENGLAND HIGH SCHOOL

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major Op 35 Matthew Wood, Tom Goff conductors Philip Brett violin Free admission, no ticket required

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

The Sunday Times’ Paul Driver described Angela Hewitt as ‘one of the reliably mesmerising musicians of the day’. This high profile Canadian pianist regularly appears in recital and with major orchestras across the globe and is a hugely successful recording artist with the Hyperion label, being especially well-known for her recordings of Bach’s major keyboard works. Tickets £17 £14

‘I regard this opportunity to play Stan’s big band charts as an honour and a joy. Part of the programme is from ‘Alice in Jazzland’… The charts had been lost so this will be a rare insight into Stan’s first big band arrangements. I’m really looking forward to performing this music with a generation who are mostly unaware of our own rich history of musical talent in jazz… I am expecting to hear some outstanding musicians and greatly anticipate a concert we will all remember for a long time.’

+ 6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

SPOTLIGHT Five Reeds

– Much-loved classics for Reed Quintet Free admission, no ticket required

Clark Tracey

Sat 12 Mar 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

RNCM BIG BAND WITH CLARK TRACEY

Tickets £5

STAN TRACEY NIGHT

Promoted by Trinity Church of England High School

Mike Hall

Our second Big Band show of the season is something very cool indeed. Drummer, band leader, educator and composer Clark Tracey will join us as special guest when we present an evening of his father Stan’s music.

Fri 11 Mar

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

STRINGBOXES Following their packed Studio show at the RNCM Big Weekender, the kora/ voice and double bass duo of Holly Marland and Michael Cretu return with their new compositions and exciting fusion of West African, Gypsy, Folk, Contemporary, Classical and Jazz. If you like the kora, check out Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal on 5 Mar. See p32 for details. Tickets £12

director

A legendary character on the British jazz scene, pianist and composer Stan Tracey was a master musician in his own quiet way. He produced beautiful work such as Under Milk Wood, one of the best known British jazz albums ever, and Alice in Jazzland, the follow-up that pushed the envelope with its confidence and wild musical invention and was truly a product of its time (it was no coincidence that it was recorded at Abbey Road in the mid-60s). Clark has been busy having his father’s big band charts transcribed. As a result, tonight’s show will feature music from Under Milk Wood, Seven Ages of Man and Alice in Jazzland (and that’s particularly exciting as the Alice chart actually went missing after a gig at Ronnie Scott’s…) One final thing, there’s another RNCM Big Band show on 23 Jan when trumpeter Ryan Quigley pays a visit. See p10 for details. Tickets £18 £15

+ 10pm Carole Nash Recital Room

SPOTLIGHT Wild About Gershwin! Well-loved songs beautifully transcribed for solo piano Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 12 Mar

Sun 13 Mar

Mon 14 Mar

MANCHESTER CAMERATA

MANCHESTER AMATEUR CHORAL COMPETITION 2016

MONDAY RECITAL SERIES

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

11am RNCM Concert Hall

THE MOZART SESSION WITH JEAN-EFFLAM BAVOUZET W A Mozart Symphony No 1 in E flat major K 16; Piano Concerto No 17 in G major K 453; Divertimento in B flat major K 137; Piano Concerto No 18 in B flat major K 456 Gábor Takács-Nagy conductor Jean-Efflam Bavouzet

piano

Tickets £35 £28 £20 £12 £3 students Promoted by Manchester Camerata

YOUTH CHOIRS Tickets £10 Promoted by Jon Atkin

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

André Jolivet Linos

7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Mon 14 Mar

RNCM COMPOSERS CONCERT

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Chant de

Meera Maharaj flute Emily Hooker piano Francis Poulenc Op 100

Tue 15 Mar

Sextet

Timothy Bingham flute Katie Lewis oboe Annita Skoutella horn William Curran clarinet Alice Braithwaite bassoon Victor Lim piano Free admission, no ticket required

PARIS-MANCHESTER

MUSICIANS FROM THE RNCM AND PARIS CONSERVATOIRE Pierre Boulez Bel édifice et les pressentiments from Le marteau sans maître Peter Maxwell Davies Birthday Music for John Mark-Anthony Turnage A Slow Pavane; Hilary’s Hoedown Jérôme Combier Dawnlight Stanislas Makovskyi New work Aaron Breeze New work This evening, Paris comes to Manchester as we welcome musicians from the Paris Conservatoire to the RNCM. This collaboration provides our audience with the opportunity to witness Paris-based students playing alongside some of our own, which should provide an interesting new synergy. Moreover, this exchange also provides an exciting opportunity for RNCM students, as they will go to Paris to play the same programme with their French counterparts. This evening of English and French contemporary music also includes brand new work by composers from both institutions, so it’s a wonderful showcase for our Composition students and a chance to hear brand new pieces before they are performed anywhere else.

Adam Gorb, RNCM Head of Composition, introduces this concert of new and recently premièred works, written by RNCM composers and performed by their fellow students. Free admission, no ticket required

Wed 16 Mar

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

CHOPIN PRIZE RNCM pianists and students from Chetham’s School of Music compete for this prestigious annual prize, adjudicated this year by Bruce Brubaker, Chair of Piano at New England Conservatory, Boston. Tickets £7

Supported by Diaphonique Tickets £7

+ 6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

SPOTLIGHT Baroque in the Mirror

reflections for cello and piano

Free admission, no ticket required

– Modern

‘Diaphonique enables partnerships such as this to be created, fostered and grown. It is wonderful to be able to work with our counterparts in Paris Conservatoire and for students on either side of the channel to be given the possibility and platform to create a new beautiful language that is born only through performing together.’ Dr Michelle Castelletti, Artistic Director

‘Our students have not forgotten working with Henk Guittart on the Verklärte Nacht 80-strong string orchestra project last year. It is a pleasure to be working with Henk again, this time with chamber forces, as we present a delightful programme of cheeky, tantalising and immortal classical works.’ Dr Michelle Castelletti, Artistic Director

Thu 17 Mar

Fri 18 Mar

RNCM HARP ENSEMBLE

PETER LAWSON (piano)

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Bernard Andrés A Fresca Marcel Tournier Preludes Paul Patterson Mosquito Massacre arr Starfish Duo The Emerald Isle Eira Lynn Jones

director

Free admission, no ticket required

Wed 16 Mar

This is the third in a new series of RNCM staff recitals. See pages 13, 23 and 48 for details of the other events in this series. Free admission, no ticket required

7.30pm RNCM Theatre

JEFF WILLIAMS GROUP Legendary London-based American drummer Jeff Williams brings his Quintet to the RNCM to showcase the band’s new album, Outlier, due out in March 2016. Jeff sees this release as a journey through the different aspects of his musical life, which has seen him play with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Wheeler and Mike Gibbs. Much of the material was developed in concert at London Jazz Festival, the Vortex, Derby Jazz and Birmingham’s CBSO Centre. The stellar touring line-up features Josh Arcoleo (tenor sax), Kit Downes (piano), John O’Gallagher (alto sax), and Sam Lasserson (double bass). Tickets £15

RNCM STAFF RECITAL

Alberto Ginastera Malambo Heitor Villa-Lobos Prole do Bebe I Alberto Ginastera Sonata

Fri 18 Mar

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM CHAMBER ORCHESTRA W A Mozart Overture to The Magic Flute Nino Rota Divertimento Concertante for double bass Sergei Prokofiev Symphony No 1 in D major ‘Classical Symphony’ Franz Schubert Symphony No 8 in B minor D 759 ‘Unfinished’ Henk Guittart, Harish Shankar Toby Hughes double bass

conductors

As part of this imaginative programme, Toby Hughes performs Nino Rota’s composition for double bass which in the first movement, offers a reminder of the instrument’s extraordinarily wide pitch (it covers nearly four octaves). Toby made history by becoming the first ever double bassist to win the Strings Section Final of the Royal Over-Seas League ARTS Competition. You can see his International Artist Series recital on 21 Jan and also see him perform Joseph Lauber’s Quartet for Double Basses alongside Jiří Hudec, Ronan Dunne and Roberto Carrillo-Garcia in the closing Gala of RNCM Strings Festival on 10 Jan. See p7 and p4 respectively for details. Tickets £15 + 6.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

SPOTLIGHT Lavena Trio – Flute, viola and harp music from the 20th century Free admission, no ticket required

Sat 19 Mar

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

AN EVENING WITH SHANE THOMAS 16 year old British pianist Shane Thomas will showcase his own original compositions, playing solo pieces. He’ll also be joined by RNCM musicians for some of the works. Tickets £10 Promoted by Clayton Thomas

Sat 19 Mar

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

PLASTIKES KAREKLES

THEODORAKIS ‘EPITAPHIOS’ HOMAGE TO REBETIKO Tickets £15 Promoted by Rebetiko Carnival

Sun 20 Mar

RNCM FAMILY DAY Our Family Days have become a huge success and are a great, fun-filled way for everyone to explore the work we do here at the RNCM whatever their age or musical ability. So please come and join us for our latest adventure. Tickets £5 adults. Admission for children is free, by ticket only, accompanied by an adult. Suitable for ages 5 and above.

Thu 24 Mar

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

FASCINATING AÏDA’S DILLIE KEANE Dillie Keane takes a short break from her Fascinating Aïda’s gal pals to present her first solo show in 557 years (she claims…) With some brand new songs, some grand old favourites, gorgeous songs of love and songs of disgraceful behaviour, Dillie will break your heart, mend it again and have it sent to the cleaners for pressing. Tickets £21

No concessions Promoted by Password Productions

Sat 09 - Sun 10 Apr 9am RNCM Venues

THE NATIONAL CONCERT BAND FESTIVAL Tickets £7.50 (£15 family ticket covers up to 2 adults and 3 children) Promoted by NCBF

Mon 21 Mar

Tue 22 Mar

Wed 23 Mar

THE MANCHESTER GRAMMAR SCHOOL

CHEADLE HULME SCHOOL

MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

EASTER CONCERT Tickets £6

Promoted by The Governors of Manchester Grammar School

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

7pm RNCM Concert Hall

SPRING CONCERT

Tickets £8

Tickets £5

Promoted by Cheadle Hulme School

Promoted by Manchester High School for Girls

Sat 02 Apr

Sun 03 Apr

CONGLETON AND SALFORD CHORAL SOCIETIES

THE NATIONAL RNCM STRING YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE ORCHESTRA OF Felix Mendelssohn String 10 in B minor MWV GREAT BRITAIN Symphony N 10

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

2.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Edward Elgar The Dream of Gerontius Op 38

MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Tickets £17

Rodney Winther conductor Paul Edmund-Davies flute

Promoted by Congleton Choral Society

Tickets £15

Promoted by NYWO

Thu 14 Apr

1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Benjamin Britten Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge Op 10 Ruth Rogers

director

Free admission, no ticket required

Fri 15 Apr

7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

PEROTÁ CHINGÓ None of this was planned… but a chance meeting, a hitch-hiking trip and a viral video clip later, Lola Aguirre and Julia Ortiz found themselves fronting a band with fans already numbering hundreds of thousands. Since that seminal Summer of 2011, Perotá Chingó have toured all over Latin America, and more recently Europe, in a camper van, mobilising audiences everywhere they go by the power of social networking. They’ll play anywhere they are invited to: living rooms, city streets, parks and theatres; an impressive YouTube trail seems to track their every appearance. Their music is inspired by their travels: original songs appear alongside chacareras, sambas, reggae, and much in-between. Everything revolves around the two voices; singing in harmony or unison, or meandering off track to find each other again, they create a rich palette of sound colour, while guitar and percussion accompany with minimal, careful arrangements. Another gig in our Making Tracks series features Otava Yo and takes place on 25 Feb. See p26 for details. Tickets £15

Fri 15 Apr

Mon 18 Apr

BBC RADIO 2 YOUNG BRASS AWARD THE FINAL

BELLEVUE PRIMARY SCHOOL

8pm RNCM Concert Hall

Ken Bruce and Frank Renton present this live broadcast of Radio 2’s nationwide search for its next brass star. Accompanied by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, the four talented finalists play music of their own choice then as the judges decide who will take the title, the band give a concert of their own. Free admission, by ticket only (maximum 4 tickets per person) Promoted by Radio 2 in association with RNCM

6.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

BELLEVUE NORTHERN CELEBRATION OF MUSIC Tickets £5 Promoted by Bellevue Education

Wed 20 Apr 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

Wed 20 Apr

KATHRYN TICKELL AND THE SIDE

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

KATIE LOWE (soprano) ROBIN HUMPHREYS (piano)

Kathryn Tickell Northumbrian pipes, fiddle Ruth Wall harp Amy Thatcher accordion, clog dancing Louisa Tuck cello Channeling their diverse musical experiences into a powerful new sound, The Side stay true to the spirit and essence of Kathryn’s own Northumbrian folk tradition whilst unleashing the talent and creativity of each individual musician. Evocative slow airs that could break your heart move seamlessly into lifeaffirming jigs and reels; Amy storms into a clog dance; Kathryn’s dizzying rapidfire piping contrasts with the richness of the cello and Ruth’s sparkling harp playing blends it all together. Tickets £18 £15

RNCM INTERNATIONAL ARTIST DIPLOMA RECITAL This is the final RNCM International Artist Diploma recital taking place this season and the programme will include works by Wagner, Puccini and Sibelius. See pages 5, 7, 16 and 23 for details of the other four events in this series. Tickets £10

Wed 27 – Sat 30 Apr 7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

CABARET

RNCM YOUTH PERFORM Book by Joe Masteroff Based on the play by John Van Druten and Stories by Christopher Isherwood Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb Broadway production directed by Harold Prince Produced for the Broadway Stage by Harold Prince

Fri 22 Apr

7.30pm Forman Lecture Theatre

CONCERTO: A BEETHOVEN JOURNEY In this 2015 documentary, director Phil Grabsky follows Leif Ove Andsnes on his recently-completed Beethoven Journey. This four-year project with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra allowed pianist Leif Ove to immerse himself in the music of Beethoven and culminated in three critically-acclaimed concerts at the 2015 BBC Proms. The screening will be introduced by Phil Grabsky and there will be a post-screening Q&A. Tickets £7

Caroline Clegg director Daniel McDwyer musical director Francesca Letch, Robert Brooks, Edwin Kaye, James Penniston assistant directors Stewart Bartles lighting designer

Sat 23 – Sun 24 Apr

RNCM WIND AND BRASS WEEKEND

SPOTLIGHT From Down Under – The Music of

Join us for an exciting new festival that celebrates all things wind. This event will bring together wind and brass players from around the UK in the vibrant surroundings of the RNCM. Open to players of all ages, levels and abilities, there will be opportunities to play alongside our staff and students, in the Massed Wind Orchestra and the chance to gain insights into technique from some of the UK’s finest wind players. There will also be plenty of performances by various student chamber groups and guest artists including the Wallace Collection.

Free admission, no ticket required

For full details, please see www.rncm.ac.uk/ windandbrassweekend

Thu 21 Apr

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

BRAND NEW ORCHESTRA The RNCM’s Brand New Orchestra presents its second showcase of the season featuring the work of our Composition students. Free admission, no ticket required + 6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Nigel Westlake

‘Life is a cabaret old chum’ belts out singer Sally Bowles from the stage of Berlin’s Kit Kat Club at the dawn of the 1930s. And since its Broadway première in 1966, this anthem, plus other iconic songs such as Willkommen, Don’t Tell Mama and Tomorrow Belongs to Me, have ensured the huge success of Kander and Ebb’s award-winning musical across the globe.

Cabaret tells the story of Cliff Bradshaw, an American author working on a novel in Berlin, who encounters singer Sally at the seedy Kit Kat Club. When she is fired by the club’s owner, also her jealous boyfriend, she moves in with Cliff and the two fall in love. As the Nazis begin taking control of the German government, the atmosphere of the Kit Kat Club and the lives of Cliff and Sally begin to change dramatically… With its brilliant choreography, dark wit and iconic songs, Cabaret is the perfect showcase for our musical theatre group, RNCM Youth Perform. Established for young people of secondary school age, RNCM Youth Perform has enjoyed great reviews over the last few years with its sell-out productions of The Wiz, The Threepenny Opera, On the Town, Kiss Me, Kate, Guys and Dolls and Little Shop of Horrors. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with MusicScope and Stage Musicals Limited of New York. Tickets £12

Thu 28 Apr

7pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Fri 29 Apr

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

PIANO RNCM RECITAL PRIZE SYMPHONY Talented students from the ORCHESTRA RNCM School of Keyboard Studies play a variety of piano repertoire to compete for this prize, which this evening is adjudicated by Piers Lane. Tickets £7

Fri 29 Apr

1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

GRAHAM SCOTT (piano)

RNCM STAFF RECITAL

Alban Berg Piano Sonata Op 1 Adam Gorb New work Frédéric Chopin Polonaise-fantaisie in A flat major Op 61 This is the fourth in a new series of RNCM staff recitals. See pages 13, 23 and 40 for details of the other events in this series. Free admission, no ticket required

Pietro Mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana Aram Khachaturian Piano Concerto in D flat major Op 38 Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No 5 in D minor Op 47 Harish Shankar conductor Iyad Sughayer piano Tickets £17 £14

Fri 29 - Sat 30 Apr 8pm RNCM Theatre

MARIKA KLAMBATSEA

BUTTERFLY IN BLOOD Based on Fania Fenelon’s book Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz, Butterfly in Blood is an avant-garde chamber opera involving classical contemporary and free improvisational parts. Tickets £17

Promoted by Marika Klambatsea

‘Only Beethoven survived the Soviet ban… until Shostakovich 5. The Junior Fellowship in Conducting is one of the RNCM’s most prestigious and sought-after courses. Our alumni are now leading orchestras across the world. Tonight we have the privilege to listen to the RNCM Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Junior Fellow Harish Shankar together with one of our concerto competition winners, Iyad Sughayer’s dazzling interpretation of Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto and Shostakovich’s heroic Symphony No 5.’ Dr Michelle Castelletti, Artistic Director

Coming Soon Sun 15 May 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

KRONOS QUARTET The ever-adventurous Kronos Quartet returns to the RNCM with a programme that includes Terry Riley’s One Earth, One People, One Love, Fodé Lassana Diabaté’s Sunjata’s Time and the world première of a new piece by Lau’s Martin Green.

Sat 21 May

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RICHARD GOODE (piano) Franz Schubert Piano Sonata in C minor D 958 Franz Schubert Piano Sonata in A major D 959 Franz Schubert Piano Sonata in B flat minor D 960

Sat 21 May 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

Thu 23 Jun

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

MAX RICHTER RNCM ENSEMBLE CHAMBER The electro-acoustic ORCHESTRA polymath will perform From Sleep, a new piece drawn from his eighthour landmark work, described by Richter as his ‘personal lullaby for a frenetic world’, as well as a performance of The Blue Notebooks, which Pitchfork described as ‘a gigantic beacon for composers searching for ways to introduce dance music’s visceral qualities into the classical sphere.’

Wed 22 Jun

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

COLIN CURRIE (percussion) The foremost solo percussionist of his generation, Colin Currie performs a highly virtuosic, multiinstrumental programme.

Programme to include: Richard Strauss Serenade in E flat major Op 7 Johannes Brahms Symphony No 4 in E minor Op 98 Philippe Bach

conductor

Fri 24 - Sat 25 Jun

7.30pm RNCM Theatre

RNCM BIG BAND

THE VOICE IN JAZZ The voice is the focus of this two night Summer Big Band special, featuring some classic jazz melodies performed by RNCM singers.

Thu 30 Jun

7.30pm The Bridgewater Hall

RNCM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Programme to include: Sergei Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 2 in G minor Mark Elder conductor Jeremy So piano

Get Involved We’re inviting you to join the RNCM ensemble. Producing world-class artists, operating as a leading international conservatoire and inspiring communities both at home and beyond is a shared effort. It requires the specialist knowledge of our staff, the exceptional talents of our students and more than a little help from our friends. There are so many ways to support the College as we strive to deliver the very highest standards of training underpinned by an artistic programme of the finest quality.

Friends Join our community of RNCM Friends to receive exclusive benefits and special behind-the-scenes access to our work. Visit our Friends of RNCM page at www.rncm. ac.uk/friends for more information or contact stephanie.clark@rncm.ac.uk

Benefactors Despite awarding over one million pounds every year in bursaries, many more gifted students need help to access our training. Become an RNCM Benefactor to help a talented musician fulfil their potential. Visit our Benefactors page at www.rncm.ac.uk/benefactors for more information or contact daniel.porterjones@rncm.ac.uk

Learning and Outreach Take Your Seat Leave a lasting legacy in the newly refurbished Concert Hall by naming a seat. For more information please visit our Take Your Seat page at www. rncm.ac.uk/takeyourseat or contact stephanie.clark@ rncm.ac.uk

This Season’s Friends Events Tue 09 Feb 10.30am Carole Nash Recital Room

THOMAS BARON PITFIELD: A LOOK INTO THE RNCM ARCHIVES Join RNCM Archivist, Heather Roberts for a fascinating exploration into the College records focusing on Thomas Baron Pitfield 1903-1999. Pitfield was a composer, artist and poet. Despite very little encouragement throughout his strict upbringing, he studied and later taught at the Royal Manchester College of Music (RMCM). Amongst other artefacts, his beautiful collection of sketchbooks will be on display. Free admission, booking essential. Tickets available from the RNCM Box Office.

Sun 06 and Tue 08 Mar 3pm

COSÌ FAN TUTTE DRESS REHEARSAL Take an exclusive look behind the scenes as our Vocal Studies students prepare for the opening of Cosi fan tutte. Tickets available from the RNCM Box Office. Bronze Friends £12.50, Silver and Gold Friends free. Fri 08 Apr 10.30am RNCM Concert Hall

IN CONVERSATION WITH HARISH SHANKAR Harish Shankar is the Junior Fellow of Conducting at the College. During this session, we will be talking to Harish about his flourishing career and exactly what it takes to attain a coveted RNCM Junior Fellowship. Originally hailing from Malaysia, Harish Shankar enjoys a growing presence on the international stage. Having completed his Master’s Degree in conducting at the prestigious Conservatory of Weimar, engagements have taken him as far as South America and Australasia. Now based in Manchester, Harish has completed assistantships with the Royal Liverpool and BBC Philharmonic and has enjoyed his conducting début with the Hallé Orchestra. Free admission, booking essential. Tickets available from the RNCM Box Office.

RNCM Engage is the Royal Northern College of Music’s learning and participation programme, and the training ground for its students in creative and professional practice. It provides opportunities for engagement with music, for people of all ages and with tastes for all types of music, and supports the development of the next generation of dynamic music educators. RNCM Engage brings together students, professional artists, and community and business leaders to exchange and develop ideas, and to reach out to new and increasingly diverse audiences. For more information please visit www.rncm.ac.uk/engage

Learning and Participation The Learning and Participation team engages with the RNCM’s wider community through a year-round programme of events including an annual Children’s Opera Project (see p19), Family Days (see p42), and the Youth Perform musical theatre group which runs on Wednesday evenings and is a low-cost, non-audition group for all young people of secondary school age (see p47). In addition the Learning and Participation team designs bespoke projects for a range of community groups and is always happy to discuss new ideas.

To find out more about any of our projects contact Fiona Stuart on 0161 907 5281 or communityoutreach@rncm. ac.uk or visit www.rncm. ac.uk/communityoutreach The RNCM Learning and Participation team is grateful for the support of the Eric and Margaret Kinder Charitable Trust.

The Sir John Manduell Research Forum Series at the RNCM Our Research Forums are FREE and open to the public; RNCM staff and guest speakers give presentations on an aspect of their work - whether it’s musicological, creative, educational, music-psychological or other kinds of research. The talks last about 45 minutes and then the floor is open for questions and discussion. Open to all, free admission, no ticket required. You can read more about these sessions at www.rncm.ac.uk/ researchforums

RNCM Historic Instrument Collection The RNCM Historic Instrument Collection can be accessed using the staircase behind the Box Office or by the lift situated opposite the RNCM Library. Spring 2016 opening hours can be found at www.rncm.ac.uk/ instrumentcollection

Looking for musicians? The RNCM’s Professional Engagements team coordinates a large number of engagements on behalf of music societies, clubs, companies and individuals throughout the year. From background music for weddings to corporate events. Contact the Professional Engagements team on 0161 907 5352 or janet.dunnett@rncm.ac.uk for further details.

RNCM on the Road RNCM ensembles and soloists perform regularly at prestigious venues and festivals throughout the UK. For more information about future external events please visit www.rncm.ac.uk/ontheroad

Artistic Proposals We are always interested in hearing your suggestions for future programming. If you would like to talk to a member of the Artistic Team, email programming@rncm.ac.uk

Looking for a Venue?

Eating & Drinking at the RNCM The RNCM STUDIO THEATRE is a flexible black box space which has an audience capacity of up to 140 seats. The space is equipped with projector, screen and a flexible lighting rig, suitable for a variety of events and can be configured in a variety of set-ups.

The RNCM has a wide selection of excellent purpose-built spaces to hire for every type of event, performance or conference. Following a £7.1 million refurbishment project completed in November 2014, our largest spaces have now been revitalised with excellent back of house facilities and the latest technical set−up including a new lighting rig and sound equipment. For dates and rates please contact our Events Manager, Paul Cobban on 0161 907 5289 or paul.cobban@rncm.ac.uk or for full venue information and technical specifications please visit www.rncm.ac.uk/hire

Our Venues The RNCM CONCERT HALL has a variety of flexible options for your event with layouts including 445 capacity seating on Level One, 610 capacity seating with our new Balcony and Oglesby Balcony open, or even up to 730 capacity seating with a reduced stage size for amplified bands and small ensembles (NB – please speak to our Events Manager for further details about the 730 layout). The RNCM THEATRE boasts one of the largest black box stages in Manchester with ample wing space, orchestra pit, lighting box area and space for a sound desk in addition to the seated capacity. There are 607 seats in the Theatre with an option to place additional audience seating over the orchestra pit, taking the total maximum capacity to 657 seats.

The CAROLE NASH RECITAL ROOM is a stunning shoebox venue which has up to 100 seats in a Theatre Style configuration. The room has a wonderful acoustic making it a great venue for small-scale performances as well as being a beautiful room for conferences and catering receptions. The FORMAN LECTURE THEATRE has a 150 capacity and has been completely updated following the refurbishment project. It comes equipped with projector, screen and is ideal for pre-concert talks, discussions and presentations. For full venue information and technical specifications please visit www.rncm.ac.uk/hire The RNCM also has a wide range of smaller spaces suitable for social functions, training events, dinners, meetings and conferences. Please contact our Conference and Catering Team for further details on 0161 907 5353 or hospitality@rncm.ac.uk

There are refreshment facilities available at the RNCM with the Café, Brodsky Restaurant and Bar and the Concert Bar offering a range of fresh, home cooked and locally sourced food from just a coffee and a pastry to a three course meal.

Brodsky Brodsky is open from 11am Monday to Friday and 5pm Saturday with last food orders at 7pm on performance nights (and 7.30pm for concerts with an 8pm start time.) We recommend that you reserve a table in Brodsky by calling 0161 907 5353 or 5252.

Café The Café is open from 8am until the interval on performance nights.

Concert Bar The Concert Bar is open from 5pm until 11pm. During vacations the Concert Bar opens one hour prior to the performance time. Please note the above opening times are during term time only and all food items and menus are subject to availability. Outside of term time and at weekends, opening hours are dependent upon the performance programme. For full details of menus and opening hours please call 0161 907 5353 or 5252 or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/ brodsky or www.rncm.ac.uk/ cafeandbar

Hospitality at the RNCM The RNCM can also provide catering for social functions, events, dinners, training events, meetings and conferences in our venues. Please contact our Conference and Catering Team on 0161 907 5353 or hospitality@rncm. ac.uk for further details.

Booking Information and Getting Here Stop press!

Concessions

We’re delighted to announce that you can now select your own seat online when booking tickets. Check this out at www.rncm.ac.uk/whats-on

For events promoted by the RNCM, concessions are available to under 18s, students, over 60s, claimants (in receipt of JSA or ESA) and disabled patrons (plus essential companion). For other events please check with the Box Office on 0161 907 5555 or go to www.rncm.ac.uk/whats-on for more details. Please note proof of concession may be required. For full details of concessionary tickets please check with the Box Office or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/discounts

Booking by phone 0161 907 5555

Booking in person or by post Box Office, RNCM, 124 Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9RD

Booking Fees A booking fee of £1 per ticket applies to most transactions. No booking fee applies to tickets bought in person at the Box Office.

Payment Payment can be made by cash, Mastercard, Visa or Maestro.

Enquiries by email box.office@rncm.ac.uk

Box Office opening hours 11am - 6pm Monday to Saturday (later on performance nights)

Sunday 1 hour before performances (closed on non-performance Sundays)

For full terms and conditions visit www.rncm. ac.uk/whats-on/terms or contact the Box Office.

Ticket Exchange & Refunds For full details on ticket exchanges and our refund policy please visit www.rncm.ac.uk/exchanges Please note, refunds are only made in the case of a cancelled performance.

Group Discounts Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more for all events promoted by the RNCM. For more information contact the Box Office or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/groups

Sonic Manchester

Parking

Sonic Manchester is a free scheme for students run by the RNCM, The Bridgewater Hall, BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata. It gives students the opportunity to buy tickets from as little as £3. For more information and to sign up for the latest offers, please visit www.facebook.com/ sonicmanchester

The RNCM car park is located next to the College in the basement of the Sir Charles Groves Hall of Residence, off Rosamund Street West. Open from 5pm weekday evenings and anytime over weekends and bank holidays, costing £3.50 (payable on foot at the machine). Closes at 11.30pm. Other car parking options are available at www.rncm.ac.uk/parking

Email & Mailing List Keep in touch with events at the RNCM by joining our free mailing list for regular updates. Sign up at www.rncm.ac.uk/ mailinglist or contact the Box Office for details.

RNCM Concert Hall

Save 15% or more on your tickets by creating your own flexible series. Simply choose at least 3 concerts you’d like to attend (marked with FS logo).

Upper Hall Balcony Oglesby Balcony Platform Seats Stage Seats

N1 M1

STAGE C1 B1 D1

Additional stage seats

E1 F1 G1

A18

A11

Artists and programmes are correct at the time of going to press and we reserve the right to change artists and/or programmes without notice if necessary. If you have any comments please contact Head of Marketing & Communications, RNCM, 124 Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9RD.

D28

D17

E28

E16

F28

F15

G29

G14

H17

I17

J17

K17

L27

Q1 R1 S1

P11

P23 Q23

Q10 R9

Access All public spaces and facilities are accessible to wheelchair users (via lifts). Free parking is also available for disabled patrons, reserve your space with reception on 0161 907 5300. Please contact the Box Office or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/ access for detailed access information.

Oxford Road station is the closest railway station and is a 15 minute walk away. Go to www.tfgm.com for details of public transport in the Greater Manchester area. For more detailed information and a map of how to find us please visit www.rncm. ac.uk/visit

R23 S23

Seating Plans For a more detailed layout of our venues please visit www.rncm.ac.uk/ seatingplans

RNCM Theatre STAGE PIT SEATS

A5 B5

F3 G3

How to find us

C24

C15 GG1

B21

B13

Flexible Series

Lower Hall

J2 K1 L1 M1 N1 P1 Q R1 S2

B11

B29

C11

C29

D11

D29

E11

E29

F11

F29

G11

G29

H11

H29

J11

J29

K11

K29

L11

L29

M11

M29

N11

N29

P11

P29

Q11

Q29

R11 T3

A11

S11

R29 S24

S29 T29 U29

Sponsors and Supporters

ERIC AND MARGARET KINDER CHARITABLE TRUST

IDA CARROLL TRUST

JOHN GOLLAND TRUST THOMAS JELLIS BEQUEST

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