Saffron Hall Spring 2016 Season Brochure

Concerts and Events

December 2015 –June 2016 Saffron Walden www.saffronhall.com

“Its evidently superb acoustics have already attracted an astonishing parade of top-flight classical musicians” The Telegraph

“An impressive new venue with equally impressive ambitions” BBC Music Magazine

“Splendid… pristine in appearance and acoustics”

COVER IMAGE: THE HOT SARDINES © LEANN MUELLER/DECCA RECORDS ANGELA DIXON: © PAUL ECCLESTON WWW.ARTHOUSEDIGITAL.COM

The Times

Welcome to our spring presentations at Saffron Hall.

We are now halfway through our 2015–16 season and already we have welcomed a vast array of outstanding artists and ensembles, and enjoyed some truly stunning evenings at Saffron Hall. The hall’s famed acoustic and world–class programme of events are seeing audiences flocking to the hall in growing numbers, from both the local community and from much further afield, and it is a pleasure to see the Saffron Hall family of audiences, performers, volunteers and participants continuing to grow.

Looking to our spring and summer season, I am particularly excited to welcome the celebrated Kronos Quartet, very old friends of mine, who have agreed to revive an iconic piece of their repertoire in a rare European performance of Steve Reich’s Different Trains.

And we welcome new friends, one of the best jazz bands in America today – the Hot Sardines, whose contemporary take on 1930s cabaret has seen them wow audiences around the world. Also look out for the legendary South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela with pianist Larry Willis, and the Family Jazz All–Stars whose concert pays tribute to iconic vocalists of the past. Family concerts are proving especially popular at Saffron Hall, and I am delighted to welcome back the London Philharmonic Orchestra this time for a special FUNharmonics concert of Roald Dahl’s BFG to celebrate the author’s centenary.

Saffron Hall is located within Saffron Walden County High School and it is very exciting to watch our programme weave its way into the fabric of the school day. Already this season our unique partnership has delivered a week–long immersive arts project with 12 and 13 year–old students working with the Brodsky Quartet, and seen Nicola Benedetti lead workshops and masterclasses with over 170 students from schools including County High, Sawston Village College and nine local primaries.

There’s still more to come too, including a four night–run of our newly commissioned school’s opera The Glass Knight featuring over 200 local students working and performing alongside professional artists.

Local groups are flourishing at the hall. Upcoming presentations include Saffron Opera Group’s in–concert performance of Das Rheingold, a singing day with Eamonn Dougan for Saffron Walden Choral Society and members of the public, and a special Valentine’s Day concert from Granta Chorale.

We are also delighted to welcome musical societies from our neighbouring counties, including Hertfordshire Chorus and Cambridge University Musical Society under celebrated conductor Stephen Cleobury.

I do hope you will join us for what promises to be an inspiring spring and summer season.

Angela Dixon Chief Executive, Saffron Hall

The Gruffalo © COURTESY OF MAGIC LIGHT PICTURES LTD

Sunday 6 December 3pm Friday 4 December 7.30pm

Chano Dominguez & Niño Josele Flamenco Jazz Chano Dominguez piano Niño Josele guitar

A unique performance brings together two of the most dynamic and original voices in Spanish music today. Hear Brazilian favourites, and hits by Michel Legrand and Henry Mancini, infused with heart–stopping tenderness and incandescent flamenco passion.

TICKETS £10–£25 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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Alison Balsom

Alison Balsom trumpet/director London Chamber Orchestra Programme to include Tartini Trumpet Concerto in D major D.53 Albinoni Oboe Concerto in B flat major Op.7 No.3 (arr. for trumpet) Vivaldi Concerto in F major RV.551 (arr. for trumpets) Handel Overture to The Occasional Oratorio Combining brilliant technique with a luminous stage–presence, award–winning trumpeter Alison Balsom explores the grandeur of Baroque music.

RETURNS ONLY PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Sunday 13 December 2pm and 4pm

The Gruffalo & The Gruffalo’s Child Film screening Southbank Sinfonia Terry Davies conductor Huw Davies guitar

A perfect pre-Christmas treat – the Southbank Sinfonia accompanies a double–bill screening of the delightful films based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s enchanting stories.

TICKETS £8–£20 (UNDER 18s HALF PRICE) AGE GUIDANCE: 0–6 YEARS PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

Saturday 19 December 7.30pm

BBC Singers at Christmas

David Hill conductor Matthew Sharp director Onyx Brass Richard Harrington actor/narrator Programme to include Jingle Bells, The 12 Days of Christmas, Good King Wenceslas and Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire Dylan Thomas A Child’s Christmas in Wales Welsh actor Richard Harrington (Poldark, Lark Rise to Candleford) narrates Dylan Thomas’s delightful homage to Christmases past. This enchanting prose poem, full of fun and memories, is illustrated with favourite carols and seasonal music for brass and choir.

TICKETS £10–£25 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

Sunday 20 December 7.30pm

The Sixteen The Virgin Mother and Child

Harry Christophers conductor Programme to include Plainsong Puer natus est nobis Tallis ‘Gloria’ from Puer natus est nobis Tavener The Lamb Traditional Rejoice and be merry Gabriel Jackson The Christ–child Byrd Ave Maria Howard Skempton Adam lay y–bounden Traditional A child is born in Bethlehem Alec Roth Song of the Shepherds In The Sixteen’s uplifting Christmas concert, the beauty of Renaissance choral music is complemented by new works rooted in the ethereal harmonies of sixteenth and seventeenth century polyphony.

RETURNS ONLY PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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Steven Isserlis © SATOSHI AOYAGI

Sunday 17 January 2.30pm

Saffron Opera Group Das Rheingold Saffron Opera Group Orchestra Michael Thorne conductor Cast includes Jeremy White Wotan Nicholas Folwell Alberich Stephen Rooke Loge Deborah Humble Erda Toby Girling Donner Inga–Britt Andersson Freia Sarah Pring Fricka Adam Tunnicliffe Froh Wagner Das Rheingold

Saturday 23 January 7.30pm

Academy of St Martin in the Fields Joshua Bell director/violin Steven Isserlis cello

Dvořák ‘Silent Woods’ from Bohemian Forest Beethoven Symphony No.8 Schumann Violin Concerto mv.II (codetta by Britten) Brahms Double Concerto

Saffron Opera Group continues its Wagnerian ascent with a new Ring Cycle.

This in–concert performance sets the epic story in motion and includes a superb team of international soloists.

From Brahms’ sweeping Double Concerto to Beethoven’s penultimate symphony, expect stylish playing when two of the world’s most inspiring musicians join the Academy of St Martin in the Fields for a truly unmissable programme.

TICKETS £16–£20 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON OPERA GROUP

TICKETS £14–£35 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Saturday 30 January 10am

Singing Day with Eamonn Dougan & Saffron Walden Choral Society A rare opportunity to take part in a day-long choral workshop with Eamonn Dougan, Associate Conductor of The Sixteen, and experience singing with this friendly and accomplished choral society in the stunning acoustic of Saffron Hall.

TICKETS £20 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON WALDEN CHORAL SOCIETY

Sunday 31 January 3pm

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Lahav Shani conductor Nicola Benedetti violin

Haydn Symphony No.92 ‘Oxford’ Szymanowski Violin Concerto No.2 Dvořák Symphony No.9 ‘New World’

Sunday 7 February 3pm

Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Richard Hull conductor

Programme to include popular film scores After last year’s sell–out success, this concert of film–score classics is back by popular demand. Blow away the winter blues with a sprinkle of Hollywood stardust.

TICKETS £12/£10 CONCESSIONS UNDER 16s FREE (TICKET REQUIRED) PRESENTED BY SAFFRON WALDEN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Saturday 13 February 7.30pm

Granta Chorale Music for Valentine’s Day Janet Wheeler musical director Richard Carr piano

Nicola Benedetti returns for a sensational concert to play Szymanowski’s ravishing, folk–tune influenced second concerto. It’s paired here with Dvořák’s Symphony from the New World, inspired by the dynamism and energy of New York.

Granta Chorale presents a feast of songs for Valentine’s Day. Composers from Purcell to Cole Porter and jazz standards including Blue Moon and Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love explore the pleasures, pains, and perils of love.

RETURNS ONLY PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

TICKETS £14, £4 UNDER 18s PRESENTED BY GRANTA CHORALE

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www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

The BFG © AP WATT AT UNITED AGENTS ON BEHALF OF QUENTIN BLAKE

Saturday 20 February 7.30pm

Maxim Vengerov in Recital Maxim Vengerov violin Roustem Saitkoulov piano

Beethoven Violin Sonata No.7 in C minor Op.30/2 Shostakovich Violin Sonata in G major Op.134 Ravel Violin Sonata No.2 in G major Ysaÿe Violin Sonata No.6 in E major Op.27 Ernst Introduction, Theme and Variations on the Irish Folksong ‘The Last Rose of Summer’ Paganini arr. Kreisler I Palpiti Op.13 The superstar violinist and showman Maxim Vengerov returns for another brilliantly varied recital – including classical reworkings of jazz, tango and folk.

TICKETS £20–£60 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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Sunday 21 February 2pm & 4pm

Roald Dahl’s The BFG FUNharmonics Family Concert

London Philharmonic Orchestra Tim Redmond conductor Actor to be announced Join the BFG and his sidekick Sophie as they plot to stop the ghastly giant Fleshlumpeater galloping all over the world and gobbling up humans. Roald Dahl’s delightful tale is brought to life by the London Philharmonic Orchestra in this enchanting FUNharmonics concert to mark the centenary of Dahl’s birth.

TICKETS £8–£20 (UNDER 18s HALF PRICE) AGE GUIDANCE: 6–11 YEARS PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Saturday 27 February 7.30pm

The Sixteen

The Sixteen © MOLINA VISUALS

The Sixteen choir and orchestra Harry Christophers conductor Grace Davidson soprano Charlotte Mobbs soprano Katy Hill mezzo–soprano Jeremy Budd tenor Simon Berridge tenor Eamonn Dougan bass Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon Handel Chandos Anthem No.11 ‘Let God Arise’ Handel Coronation Anthem ‘Let thy Hand be Strengthened’ Handel Overture to Jephtha Handel Dixit Dominus

Wednesday 9 – Saturday 12 March

The Glass Knight (World Premiere)

Philip Sunderland music Gareth Prior libretto

The Sixteen devote an entire evening to music by Handel, including the exuberant early work Dixit Dominus and two anthems from Handel’s period as a patriotic Englishman.

A mysterious knight must save Saffron Walden from a terrible basilisk, but nothing is quite as it seems. Five centuries of local history collide in this spectacular opera with students from SWCHS and local primary schools.

TICKETS £14–£35 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

ON SALE IN JANUARY PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Sunday 20 March 7.30pm

The English Concert Sunday 13 March 3pm

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

Harry Bicket conductor Nadja Zwiener violin Katharina Spreckelsen oboe Anna Devin soprano Robin Blaze countertenor

Grieg Lyric Suite excerpt: Gangar Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 Mahler Symphony No.5

Scarlatti Sinfonia from I Dolori di Maria Vergine Vivaldi Violin Concerto in C major RV.581 Albinoni Oboe Concerto in D minor Op.9 No.2 Vivaldi Sinfonia in B minor RV.169 ‘Al Santo Sepolcro’ Pergolesi Stabat Mater

Under its star music director, one of the world’s greatest orchestras performs Mahler’s achingly beautiful Symphony No.5.

In Rachmaninov, Vasily Petrenko and the globally acclaimed pianist Simon Trpčeski have already been hailed a ‘dream team’.

Europe’s leading baroque orchestra performs eighteenth–century masterpieces, including Albinoni’s Oboe Concerto in D minor – celebrated for its sublimely beautiful slow movement – and Pergolesi’s much–loved Stabat Mater.

TICKETS £16–£40 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

TICKETS £14–£35 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

Saturday 19 March 7.30pm

Thursday 31 March 7.30pm

Chameleon Arts Orchestra Janet Wheeler conductor Soloists to be announced

András Schiff piano

Vasily Petrenko conductor Simon Trpčeski piano

Saffron Walden Choral Society

Sir András Schiff in Recital

Puccini Messa di Gloria Rossini Stabat Mater

Haydn Piano Sonata in C major HXVI:50 Beethoven Piano Sonata in E major Op.109 Mozart Piano Sonata in C major K.545 Schubert Piano Sonata in C minor D.958

Full of youthful exuberance and irresistible melodies, Puccini’s miraculous Messi di Gloria – written when the composer was just 21 – is paired here with Rossini’s equally seductive Stabat Mater.

Long revered for his elegant, honest, and emotionally direct accounts of the core Austro–German piano repertoire, Sir András Schiff has chosen a luminous programme of masterpieces for his Saffron Hall debut.

TICKETS £16–£20, £10 STUDENTS, £2 UNDER 18s PRESENTED BY SAFFRON WALDEN CHORAL SOCIETY

TICKETS £12–£30 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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Juliet Kelly © ANNABELLE NAREY

Sunday 10 April 7.30pm

Bach Collegium Japan

Sunday 3 April 3pm

Family Jazz All–Stars featuring Juliet Kelly Juliet Kelly vocals

A perfect introduction to jazz classics for all ages, the Family Jazz All–Stars concert features the fabulous vocals of Juliet Kelly in a lively, fun–packed afternoon that pays tribute to the most iconic stars of the past – including Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone.

TICKETS £12/£6 UNDER 18s PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

Masaaki Suzuki conductor Hana Blažíková soprano Joanne Lunn soprano Robin Blaze countertenor Colin Balzer tenor Dominik Wörner bass

Bach Cantata BWV.21 ‘Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis’ Bach Cantata BWV.170 ‘Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust’ Bach Magnificat in D major BWV.243 A rare visit from Japan by Bach specialist Masaaki Suzuki and his world-renowned baroque ensemble. Their concert of dramatic Bach cantatas presents periodinstrument performance at its very best.

TICKETS £14–£35 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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Announcing for next season...

We are delighted to announce Britten Sinfonia as Saffron Hall Resident Orchestra from the 2016–17 season.

Full details in our next season brochure.

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Introducing...

For priority booking, behind the scenes access and more...

l l a H p n o shi r f f Sa mber me

Find out more and become a member at saffronhall.com 13

www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

“Classical music's Fab Four” Rolling Stone on the Kronos Quartet

Saturday 23 April 7.30pm

Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Richard Hull conductor Yume Fujise violin

Beethoven ‘Coriolan’ Overture Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Beethoven Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’

Sunday 17 April 11am

Benjamin Baker in Recital Young Artist Coffee Concert Benjamin Baker violin Daniel Lebhardt piano

Britten Suite Op.6 for Violin and Piano Schubert arr. Ernst Der Erlkönig Op.26 Elgar Violin Sonata in E minor Op.82 New Zealand violinist Benjamin Baker offers a virtuosic programme of Britten, Schubert and lush Elgar. An hour–long recital, with a chance to meet the artists over tea, coffee or sherry afterwards.

TICKETS £12/UNDER 18s FREE (TICKET REQUIRED) PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

Masterclass @SWCHS 1.30pm Watch Benjamin as he gives a masterclass to the school’s Music Academy students. FREE EVENT

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One of Beethoven’s most dramatic overtures ‘Coriolan’ and his great ‘Eroica’ Symphony frame Mendelssohn’s evergreen Violin Concerto.

TICKETS £12/£10 CONCESSIONS, UNDER 16s FREE (TICKET REQUIRED) PRESENTED BY SAFFRON WALDEN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Saturday 7 May, 7.30pm

Hertfordshire Chorus Cantate Youth Choir Daniel Norman tenor Forest Philharmonic Orchestra David Temple conductor

Haydn Te Deum in C major Hob XXIIIc:2 Beethoven Choral Fantasy in C minor Berlioz Te Deum For its Saffron Hall debut, Hertfordshire Chorus performs Berlioz’s Te Deum, a work of epic scope and breathtaking power.

TICKETS £15–£25 UNDER 18s HALF PRICE PRESENTED BY HERTFORDSHIRE CHORUS

www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Kronos Quartet © JAY BLAKESBERG

Sunday 8 May 11am

Anna Huntley & James Baillieu in Recital Young Artist Coffee Concert

Saturday 14 May 7.30pm

Programme to include lieder, folk and theatrical songs by Brahms, Frank Bridge, Kurt Weill, Cecil Armstrong and Cole Porter

Steve Reich Different Trains Terry Riley One Earth, One People, One Love Laurie Anderson Flow and other works announced from the stage

Rising mezzo Anna Huntley sings German Lieder, English pastoral classics, and American Songbook favourites. An hour –long recital, with a chance to meet the artists over tea, coffee or sherry afterwards.

Steve Reich’s iconic work about train journeys during WWII is played by Kronos, the legendary string quartet who commissioned and premiered it nearly 30 years ago. It’s performed alongside a thrilling commission based on music from Mali, a new work by Martin Green from folk group Lau, and music by Laurie Anderson and Terry Riley. Kronos – breaking boundaries with fresh ears!

Anna Huntley mezzo–soprano James Baillieu piano

TICKETS £12/UNDER 18s FREE (TICKET REQUIRED) PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

Masterclass @SWCHS 1.30pm Watch Anna and James as they give a masterclass to the school’s Music Academy students. FREE EVENT

Kronos Quartet

TICKETS £10–£25 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

“Immaculate and witty showmanship” The Times on The Hot Sardines

Sunday 29 May 7.30pm

Hugh Masekela & Larry Willis Sunday 15 May 3pm

Britten Sinfonia

Alice Coote mezzo–soprano Mahan Esfahani harpsichord/director Jacqueline Shave violin/director Programme to include Purcell Rondeau from ‘Abdelazar Suite’ Purcell Dido’s Lament Handel Mi lusinga il dolce afetto; Verdi prati from Alcina Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.3 Bach Keyboard Concerto in D minor BWV1052 Britten Phaedra Op.93 The joy of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.3 and the unstoppable energy of his Keyboard Concerto in D minor are complemented by ravishing arias from Handel’s Alcina sung by renowned mezzo Alice Coote. An evening of eighteenth–century glories from the superb Britten Sinfonia.

TICKETS £10–£25 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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When legendary South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and pianist Larry Willis met at Manhattan School of Music in the ‘60s, they began a friendship that has lasted all their lives. In this intimate jazz show, they play and sing some of the great tunes they heard then, and update the story to take in hits like Grazing In The Grass and touring the world with great South African music.

TICKETS £10–£25 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

The Hot Sardines © LEANN MUELLER/DECCA RECORDS

Sunday 5 June 7.30pm

Leonidas Kavakos, Gautier Capuçon & Nikolai Lugansky Saturday 4 June 7.30pm

The Hot Sardines Blustery brass, salty stride piano, and gypsy swing – the Hot Sardines offer a contemporary take on between–the– wars cabaret, whisking you from the smoky dives of New Orleans to the steamy boîtes of Paris. Fronted by a singer with the style and attitude of a 1930s diva – the Sardines experience is nostalgia at its most exuberant.

TICKETS £10–£25 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

Leonidas Kavakos violin Gautier Capuçon cello Nikolai Lugansky piano

Brahms Piano Trio No.1 in B major Op.8 Brahms Piano Trio No.2 in C major Op.87 Brahms Piano Trio No.3 in C minor Op.101 We welcome back Leonidas Kavakos after his breathtaking season–opening performance of Sibelius’s Violin Concerto. With his equally illustrious friends and colleagues Gautier Capuçon and Nikolai Lugansky, these renowned soloists delve deep into Brahms’s complete works for piano trio.

TICKETS £12–£30 PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

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www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Saturday 18 June 7.30pm

Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Richard Hull conductor Alex Redington violin John Myerscough cello Siu Chui Li piano

Saint–Saëns Bacchanale Beethoven Triple Concerto Martinů Symphony No.3 The wild Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila makes a thrilling overture to Beethoven’s delightful Triple Concerto, performed by Alex Redington and John Myerscough of the Doric String Quartet and pianist Siu Chui Li.

Saturday 11 June 7.30pm

Cambridge University Musical Society The Dream of Gerontius CUMS Chorus CUMS Symphony Orchestra Stephen Cleobury conductor Jennifer Johnston mezzo–soprano Andrew Kennedy tenor Ashley Riches bass Elgar The Dream of Gerontius Stephen Cleobury, Director of Music at King’s College Cambridge, conducts Elgar’s profoundly spiritual and dramatic masterpiece – with three acclaimed soloists who all began their careers in Cambridge – to mark his final concert as CUMS Chorus Principal Conductor.

TICKETS £10–£28 PRESENTED BY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY

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TICKETS £12/£10 CONCESSIONS, UNDER 16s FREE PRESENTED BY SAFFRON WALDEN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Sunday 26 June 3pm

The Rattler The true and original story of Rumpelstiltskin Mahogany Opera Group Stephen Deazley music Martin Riley words Frederic Wake–Walker director

Alyson the weaver’s daughter and Crown Prince Aiden discover that wanting too much comes at a price in this new, interactive retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. A feast of puppetry, folk-infused music, and inventive storytelling.

This performance begins with a series of music and craft workshops and a colourful pageant.

TICKETS £16/£8 UNDER 18s AGE GUIDANCE 7+ YEARS PRESENTED BY SAFFRON HALL

www.saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650

Saffron Walden County High School presents Saffron Walden County High School has been at the heart of the community in Saffron Walden since 1950 and is now one of the top performing non–selective state schools in England. Saffron Hall is a magnificent addition to the facilities at the school and one that the students benefit from every day.

Over 2,500 people saw the school’s outstanding production of Oliver in March 2015 and termly school concerts showcase the work of the large number of SWCHS ensembles. The school launched a Sixth Form Music Academy in September 2014, providing incredible opportunities for talented musicians to improve their skills through an excellent teaching programme and connections with artists who appear at Saffron Hall.

For more information and on sale dates visit www.swchs.net Oliver © ELLIOT HINGSTON

Wednesday 16 March

Spring Concert

Each term SWCHS’s music ensembles – from string quartets to big bands – give outstanding student performances.

Wednesday 9 – Saturday 12 March

The Glass Knight

SWCHS joins forces with Saffron Hall to present The Glass Knight, a stunning new youth opera performed by SWCHS students and local primary schools.

Wednesday 3 February

SWCHS presents Dance

SWCHS’s dance presentation is a galaxy of dance styles and genres involving students of all ages.

Friday 26 – Sunday 28 February

Saffron Walden Music Festival

Saffron Walden’s very own Young Musician Competition – see the community’s most talented young people compete for the Mullucks Wells Trophy.

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About Saffron Hall Saffron Hall is an award–winning 740–seat performance space built in the grounds of Saffron Walden County High School. The hall’s critically acclaimed acoustic and state–of–the–art facilities surpass many of the world’s more established venues and since the hall opened in November 2013, artists including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Maxim Vengerov, Penguin Cafe, Nicola Benedetti, Courtney Pine and The Sixteen have performed on its stage. Close to Saffron Walden’s historic town centre, the £10–million venue is the result of a partnership between the School and Yellow Car Charitable Trust and is believed to be the largest gift of its kind to a state school.

Thanks to on–going support from Yellow Car, Saffron Hall is becoming a vibrant cultural centre for the region, offering outstanding artistic encounters in an expanding programme that weaves international artists together with local performance groups and learning & participation activities. The hall’s location within the County High allows it to be deeply involved in the life of the school, and to work closely both with its students and children from the surrounding primary schools.

In its second full season Saffron Hall continues to realise its aim – to be a trail–blazing model of state school and community music provision, producing outstanding events with world–class artists, inspiring through music and the arts.

REGISTERED CHARITY NO.1153685.

CHAIRMAN: DR NIGEL W BROWN OBE. 20

Saffron Hall gratefully acknowledges generous support from the Yellow Car Charitable Trust.

Founded in 2008, Yellow Car was set up to make grants to projects identified by the Trust as offering particular educational and social benefits. Based in Saffron Walden, it has a special interest in supporting initiatives that benefit the local community.

The building of Saffron Hall was conceived and made possible as a result of substantial grants from the Trust.

Visiting us Saffron Hall is just minutes from the centre of Saffron Walden, a picturesque medieval town in north–west Essex. Saffron Hall is situated in the grounds of Saffron Walden County High School.

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MINIBUS

Saffron Hall is a 30–minute drive from Cambridge and Bishop’s Stortford and easily accessible from the M11. Directions are available on our website.

Saffron Hall operates a free minibus between Audley End Station and the Hall from 60 minutes before and until 60 minutes after most events. Please visit our website for more information.

Parking Ample free parking is available on–site. Our address is: Saffron Hall Audley End Road Saffron Walden CB11 4UH

BUS

Limited local services to Saffron Walden operate between Bishop’s Stortford, Cambridge, Haverhill and Stansted Airport.

Details are available on our website.

Saffron Hall and the entire school grounds are smoke–free.

TRAIN

The nearest station is Audley End Station, two miles away. Regular services operate between London Liverpool Street, Cambridge, Birmingham and Stansted Airport. Taxi information is available on our website.

www.saffronhall.com

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Booking information BUYING TICKETS

Online: www.saffronhall.com

By Phone: 0845 548 7650 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday inclusive (excluding Public Holidays) In person: Saffron Walden Tourist Information Centre, 1 Market Place, Saffron Walden 9.30am–5pm Monday to Saturday 10.30am–1pm Public Holidays (closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day) On the door: Saffron Hall box office will open for ticket sales and collection an hour before each performance begins.

BOOKING FEES

Saffron Hall charges a £1 fee per transaction for phone and in person bookings. A charge of £1 also applies if you would like your tickets posted.

REFUNDS AND EXCHANGES

Tickets can only be refunded or exchanged if a performance is cancelled. Returns may be taken for sold–out events; please visit our website for more information.

CONCESSIONS

For Saffron Hall presented events, children’s tickets are half price.

ACCESSIBILITY

Saffron Hall is fully accessible. Patrons with access requirements can book their tickets by contacting the Box Office on 0845 548 7650 or visiting the Saffron Walden Tourist Information Centre.

There are 6 wheelchair spaces and 10 level access seats reserved for patrons with very limited mobility (subject to availability).

Assistant dogs are welcome.

Parking for Blue Badge holders is available on a first–come, first served basis.

For Saffron Hall presented events, wheelchair patrons are eligible for a half–price ticket (excluding lowest price band) and one free ticket for their assisting companion. Registered disabled patrons who require full–time support to attend an event are also eligible for a free ticket for their assisting companion.

For full details about our accessibility facilities and conditions of sale please visit www.saffronhall.com

All information is correct at time of going to print. Saffron Hall reserves the right to substitute artists and vary the programme if necessary.

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Concert & Events 2015–16 DECEMBER

Friday 4 7.30pm Sunday 6 3pm Sunday 13 2pm & 4pm Saturday 19 7.30pm Sunday 20 7.30pm

Chano Dominguez & Niño Josele Alison Balsom The Gruffalo & The Gruffalo’s Child BBC Singers The Sixteen

JANUARY

Sunday 17 2.30pm Saturday 23 7.30pm Saturday 30 10am Sunday 31 3pm

Saffron Opera Group Academy of St Martin in the Fields Singing Day with Eamonn Dougan City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

FEBRUARY

Sunday 7 3pm Saturday 13 7.30pm Saturday 20 7.30pm Sunday 21 2pm & 4pm Saturday 27 7.30pm

Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Granta Chorale Maxim Vengerov in Recital Roald Dahl’s The BFG The Sixteen

MARCH

9–12 TBA Sunday 13 3pm Saturday 19 7.30pm Sunday 20 7.30pm Thursday 31 7.30pm

The Glass Knight Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra Saffron Walden Choral Society The English Concert Sir András Schiff in Recital

APRIL

Sunday 3 3pm Sunday 10 7.30pm Sunday 17 11am Saturday 23 7.30pm

Family Jazz All–Stars Bach Collegium Japan Benjamin Baker in Recital Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra

MAY

Saturday 7 7.30pm Sunday 8 11am Saturday 14 7.30pm Sunday 15 3pm Sunday 29 7.30pm

Hertfordshire Chorus Anna Huntley & James Baillieu in Recital Kronos Quartet Britten Sinfonia Hugh Masekela & Larry Willis

JUNE

Saturday 4 7.30pm Sunday 5 7.30pm Saturday 11 7.30pm Saturday 18 7.30pm Sunday 26 3pm

The Hot Sardines Kavakos, Capuçon & Lugansky Cambridge University Musical Society Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra The Rattler

Saffron Hall Audley End Road Saffron Walden CB11 4UH United Kingdom Box office: 0845 548 7650 www.saffronhall.com

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Administration: 2 Great Chesterford Court, Great Chesterford, Essex CB10 1PF, United Kingdom. 01799 588 545.

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