Saffron Hall Spring 2017/18 Season Brochure

Concerts & Events

SPRING 17/18

Welcome Trustees Dr Nigel Brown OBE (Chairman) David Barrs Caroline Derbyshire Mark Hayes Professor Sir Barry Ife CBE Polly Lankester Geoffrey Lewis Dr John Padfield Hugh Parnell

Staff Angela Dixon Chief Executive Marketing & Development Will Harriss Development Director Joel Garthwaite Marketing & Communications Director Tom Dickinson Marketing & Development Co-ordinator Learning & Participation Natalie Ellis Learning & Participation Director Technical & Production Colin Allen Technical & Operations Director Imogen Poole Event Co-ordinator Jill Russell Event Co-ordinator Catering Louise Ovenden Catering Manager shared.institute Design

Welcome to Saffron Hall’s spring season, where we continue to welcome some of the world’s finest artists and ensembles to our stage. Here are a few of my highlights for the forthcoming season.

I am delighted to introduce our first Artist in Residence, Nicola Benedetti, an artist who needs no introduction in this community. In his 100th birthday year, we pay tribute to Leonard Bernstein, a hugely influential conductor and composer, with concerts by our resident orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

We welcome world-class artists Maxim Vengerov, The Sixteen, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Benjamin Grosvenor back to the Hall, but also welcome some new ones with Marin Alsop, Andreas Scholl, and the Academy of Ancient Music making debuts. We further our dance offering with the Alexander Whitley Dance Company, and for the first time present a series of Big Band and Swing events.

2017 saw our Music & Dementia programme ‘Together in Sound’ launch. It’s a valued activity for those living with dementia and their carers, and I am very happy that we continue this work into the spring. Hundreds of children will visit Saffron Hall to sing, play and be inspired, during concerts for children aged 2-5, and family participation days for those aged 2-99.

We couldn’t do this fantastic work without you, so many thanks to our audience, sponsors, members, volunteers, and everyone who makes Saffron Hall such a vital part of this community. If you would like to be part of our story please consider becoming a volunteer or joining our membership scheme.

We now also have a number of opportunities for businesses to partner with Saffron Hall – please visit our website for more information.

I look forward to welcoming you to Saffron Hall this spring.

Angela Dixon Chief Executive

Wed 22 Nov, 7.30pm I Fagiolini Monteverdi: The Other Vespers

“ Another example of musical monumentalism... sung and played with I Fagiolini’s typical vitality, freshness and immediacy.”

The Telegraph

Robert Hollingworth director Monteverdi The Other Vespers Imagine the glittering domes of St Mark’s, Venice in the early 17th century, ringing and resounding with majestic sacred music.

You might already know and love Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610: now, brilliantly, Robert Hollingworth and the virtuoso musicians of I Fagiolini have dived into Monteverdi’s other choral works and assembled another, alternative Vespers, every bit as magnificent. Music to ravish both heart and soul.

Tickets £14–28 Presented by Saffron Hall

I Fagiolini ©Riccardo Cavallari

Sat 25 November, 7.30pm Sun 26 November, 3pm Cambridge University Saffron Walden Symphony Chorus: Israel Symphony Orchestra in Egypt

East Anglia Chamber Orchestra Richard Wilberforce conductor Sophia Larsson soprano Iúnó Connolly soprano Christopher Lowrey alto Adam Temple-Smith tenor Garreth John bass Tristan Hambleton bass Handel Concerto Grosso in D minor Op.6 No.10 Handel Israel in Egypt Handel’s magnificent biblical oratorio and choral masterpiece Israel in Egypt tells the story of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, brilliantly depicted by Handel’s dramatic and colourful choral writing.

Richard Hull conductor Alex Redington violin Nielsen ‘Maskarade’ Overture Sibelius Violin Concerto Rachmaninov Symphony No.2 Nielsen’s rollicking overture to his opera Maskarade launches this concert which features two of the 20th Century’s greatest masterpieces: Sibelius’ stark but hauntingly beautiful Violin Concerto played by the Doric Quartet’s Alex Redington, and Rachmaninov’s emotional and tempestuous Symphony No.2.

Foyer Jazz Club 8 December Simon Brown Quartet

12 January Rebecca Nash & Sara Colman

14 February 2 March Dan Forshaw Django’s Quintet ft. Tiger Alison Beck

6 April Zoe Gilby Quartet

11 May Luca Stoll Quartet

8 June Kate Williams Trio

Foyer Folk Club 17 Nov 2 February

See website for artist details

29 March 18 May

Tickets £10–28 (plus concessions) Tickets £15 / £3 under 18 Presented by Cambridge Presented by Saffron Walden University Musical Society Symphony Orchestra

All foyer events begin at 8pm Bar and food from 7pm

It’s Friday night – so come and unwind in the unique atmosphere of the Saffron Hall foyer, with its cabaret vibe, lively bar and sizzling street food. Plus, of course, the special Saffron Hall ingredient: great live music from local groups and the best rising stars of the jazz and folk worlds. Tickets sell fast, so be sure to book early – then join us to get the weekend off to a truly swinging start!

Fri 1 December, 7.30pm City of London Sinfonia: The Protecting Veil

Alexandra Wood leader / director Matthew Barley cello / presenter Tavener The Protecting Veil Listeners are often lost for words when they hear John Tavener’s The Protecting Veil. It’s so sincere, so warm, and so beautiful that it speaks to listeners of all faiths and none. Short listed for the 1992 Mercury Prize, it remains one of the most popular and moving works for cello ever written. This evening’s cellist, Matthew Barley, and the musicians of the City of London Sinfonia give their own personal reflections on this piece through living programme notes.

Tickets £12–26 Presented by Saffron Hall

Matthew Barley ©Madeleine Farley

Young Artists at Saffron Hall

Castalian Quartet ©Kaupo Kikkas

Benjamin Baker ©Kaupo Kikkas

Classical music never stands still, and at Saffron Hall we know that tradition is about the future as well as the past. That’s why young artists feature strongly in our annual programme, with each season offering the chance to hear emerging stars, who are some of the finest musicians of their generation. Their performances are charged with energy, freshness and genuine insight.

Young British violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen chose to make her debut recording in Saffron Hall (she’s since been nominated for a Gramophone award). Tamsin’s back in March 2018 with a beautifully-chosen programme of Mozart, Dvořák and Beethoven, and that sort of imagination is typical of our young artists. The

viola player Timothy Ridout pushes the boundaries of his instrument’s repertoire with a striking new version of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, while the award-winning young Hungarian pianist Daniel Lebhardt explores what happens when Beethoven and Liszt encounter Shakespeare and Dante.

On Sunday 3 December, our Young Artists Sessions will blaze a trail with three gloriously colourful concerts, one after the other. Nine outstanding young musicians (including the fast-rising Castalian String Quartet, who wil return with two concerts of their own in March 2018) play together as soloists, duet-partners and friends, in music that ranges from Haydn and Brahms to the French delicacies of Reynaldo Hahn – and a new work

by Roxanna Panufnik. Word has got out that Saffron Hall has an ear for young talent, and Classic FM is recording these concerts for broadcast, with Tim Lihoreau presenting direct from the hall. But you can go one better: join us to hear them live!

Sunday 3 December, 1.30pm, 3.30pm and 5.30pm The Young Artists Sessions Sunday 14 January, 2pm Timothy Ridout & Frank Dupree Thursday 1 March, 7.30pm Friday 9 March, 7.30pm Castalian String Quartet Sunday 11 March, 2pm Tamsin Waley-Cohen & Huw Watkins Sunday 15 April, 2pm Daniel Lebhardt

Timothy Ridout ©Kaupo Kikkas Tamsin WaleyCohen ©Patrick Allen

Sun 3 December The Young Artists Sessions Session 1, 1.30pm Benjamin Baker violin Daniel Lebhardt piano Amy Harman bassoon Richard Uttley piano Olivier Stankiewicz oboe Castalian Quartet Mozart Oboe Quartet in F, K.370 Janáček Violin Sonata (1914) Saint-Saëns Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op.168 Poulenc Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano, FP 43

For over three decades the Young Classical Artists Trust has given audiences a chance to discover outstanding young musicians and follow their progress. YCAT’s superb current roster will feature across three concerts that would be delightful on any terms.

Amy Harman ©Kaupo Kikkas

Session 2, 3.30pm Amy Harman bassoon Richard Uttley piano Benjamin Baker violin Daniel Lebhardt piano Castalian Quartet Hahn Le Printemps Hahn À Chloris Roxanna Panufnik Cantator and Amanda for Bassoon and String Quartet Hahn Nocturne Wagner Albumblatt Strauss Sonata for Violin and Piano Op.18

Superb artistry and fresh insights are assured. So join Classic FM presenter Tim Lihoreau, and fill your whole afternoon with truly inspirational music-making.

Session 3, 5.30pm Daniel Lebhardt piano Castalian Quartet Haydn String Quartet in E flat, Op.76 No.6 Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, Op.34

Presented by Tim Lihoreau All concerts recorded for broadcast by Classic FM.

Tickets £10 per concert or book all 3 for £24 (under 18s free) Presented by Saffron Hall

Wed 6 December, 7.30pm Thu 21 December, 7.30pm London Symphony Orchestra of the Age Orchestra of Enlightenment: Christmas Oratorio

Sun 7 January, 3pm Paul Lewis in Recital

Nikolaj Znaider conductor / violin

Paul Lewis piano

Mozart Violin Concerto No.2 Mozart Violin Concerto No.3 Tchaikovsky Symphony No.6 The London Symphony Orchestra performs at Saffron Hall for the first time. Tchaikovsky’s sweeping melodies and heart-on-sleeve emotions are the perfect match for this great orchestra’s lustrous sound. Conductor Nikolaj Znaider takes up his violin to perform two concertos by the composer who Tchaikovsky called “the Christ of music”: Mozart.

Tickets £24–55 Presented by Saffron Hall

Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge Stephen Layton conductor Anna Dennis soprano Helen Charlston mezzo-soprano Gwilym Bowen tenor Laurence Williams bass-baritone Bach Christmas Oratorio, parts 1, 2, 3 & 6 Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage – Celebrate, rejoice, rise up and praise these days!

And when the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s trumpets blaze out, and the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge shouts with joy, you’ll know that the festive season has truly arrived. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio is so inspired that you don’t need to be a believer to respond to it. Refresh your spirit this Christmas.

Tickets £16–35 Presented by Saffron Hall

Haydn Sonata in C major Hob.xvi:50 Beethoven Six Bagatelles Op.126 Brahms Six Pieces Op.118 Haydn Sonata in G major Hob.xvi:40 Pianist Paul Lewis is always a popular visitor to Saffron Hall. This is the first of four concerts over two seasons where Lewis brings together three composers, Haydn, Beethoven, and Brahms, tracing the musical threads that link them all. Here, Lewis showcases the brilliance of Haydn’s two sonatas, the romantic sunset of Brahms’ late piano pieces, and the elusive humour of Beethoven’s Bagatelles.

Tickets £14–26 Presented by Saffron Hall

Sun 14 January, 2pm Timothy Ridout & Frank Dupree Young Artist Coffee Concert

Timothy Ridout viola Frank Dupree piano Brahms Sonata in F minor Op.120 No.1 Tertis Song transcriptions Prokofiev 6 Pieces from the ballet ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Brahms’ Sonata No.1 combines profound beauty with some of the most impassioned music he ever wrote. The remarkable young British viola player Timothy Ridout has placed it at the start of this recital; a perfect vehicle for “the warmth and eloquence of his tone” (‘The Strad’) and a wonderful contrast to song transcriptions by Lionel Tertis and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.

Tickets £10 (under 18s free) Presented by Saffron Hall

Fri 19 January, 7.30pm Emerson String Quartet

Haydn String Quartet No.2 Op.20 Ives String Quartet No.1 Op.57 Schumann String Quartet No.3 in A major Op.41 Is this the world’s finest string quartet? The Emerson String Quartet’s nine Grammys and three Gramophone Awards make a powerful case. For their Saffron Hall debut they’re playing the visionary first quartet by American maverick Charles Ives.

But Haydn and Schumann frame the programme, and when you hear the Emersons play them you’ll agree with ‘The Times’, who said: “with musicians like this there must be some hope for humanity”.

Tickets £14–28 Presented by Saffron Hall Emerson String Quartet ©Lisa Mazzucco

Sat 20 January, 10.30am Singing Day with Janet Wheeler and Saffron Walden Choral Society

Sun 21 January 11am & 2pm Family Jam – Percussion!

Family Event

Time to make some noise! This hands-on percussion workshop for the whole family is led by the Programme to include incredible Colin Currie – the man movements from: they call “the world’s most daring Mozart ‘Great’ Mass in C minor percussionist”. So get ready to Mozart Solemn Vespers make sounds tiny and massive: Mozart Più non si trovano to shake, rattle, bash, crash and Mozart V’amo di core jangle. Because old or young, Janet Wheeler ‘Mirana Mana’ from simply everyone loves hitting stuff.

‘I Sing and Ever Shall’ Children must be accompanied by Discover why Mozart is good for adults. Suitable for age 8 and over. the voice by singing a range of sacred and secular choruses.

Composer and conductor Janet Wheeler also introduces ‘mouth music’ including her own Mirana Mana in periodic warmups, exploring the connection between the two.

Membership Transform your cultural life. Become a Saffron Hall member.

Janet Wheeler music director Richard Carr accompanist

Tickets £20/ £15 under 18s Presented by Saffron Walden Choral Society Age guidance: 16+

Tickets £10 Presented by Saffron Hall Minimum age 8+

Our members get the inside track on our work. Benefits include:

Priority booking: getting your preferred seats Exclusive drinks receptions Events with artists backstage An annual preview of our next season Reserved parking Tickets for sold out concerts By becoming a Saffron Hall members you get closer to the music you love and help us do more. * Not all benefits apply to all membership levels.

19

Mirga GražinytėTyla with the CBSO at Saffron Hall ©Roger King

Nicola Benedetti

Saffron Hall’s Artist in Residence for the 2017/18 Season

It’s not unusual for a winner of BBC Young Musician to go on to international stardom. But since her victory in 2004, Nicola Benedetti has gone far beyond that. She’s a champion of music education, and the winner of the 2017 Queen’s Medal for Music. Whether collaborating with friends, tackling the great classics, or exploring new directions, she’s one of those rare violinists who takes us on an adventure every time she puts bow to string.

Of course, those aren’t the only reasons why we’re delighted that Nicola’s agreed to be Saffron Hall’s first ever Artist in Residence. She’s been part of our story ever since we opened, selling out every concert she’s played. She’s also worked with over 300 young musicians as part

of our Learning & Participation programme. “I’m absolutely convinced that there is something in the music itself that can bring you to a place of substance”, she says. “And from that place, I truly believe that anything is possible.”

Nicola will join forces with Marin Alsop and Saffron Hall’s Featured Ensemble, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, in Beethoven’s epic Violin Concerto – arguably the greatest of them all. She’ll play as first amongst equals in the Saffron Hall debut of another world-class periodinstrument orchestra, the Academy of Ancient Music, this time in glittering, baroque rarities

by Vivaldi and Telemann.

She’ll also give her first ever unaccompanied recital: ravishing, fiendishly difficult masterpieces

by Bach, Ysaÿe and Wynton

Marsalis. It’ll be a remarkable night, as this hugely-popular, endlessly inquisitive musician steps out alone into a whole new musical world. We’re honoured that she’s chosen to share that moment here at Saffron Hall.

Friday 9 February, 7.30pm OAE: Marin Alsop & Nicola Benedetti Saturday 3 March, 7.30pm Nicola Benedetti: Solo Recital Monday 28 May, 7.30pm Academy of Ancient Music & Nicola Benedetti

Nicola Benedetti ©Simon Fowler

Fri 9 February, 7.30pm Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment: Marin Alsop & Nicola Benedetti Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Marin Alsop conductor Nicola Benedetti violin Mendelssohn Italian Symphony Beethoven Violin Concerto Two supreme artists come together with our Featured Ensemble for the 2017/18 season, in music that simply sings and dances for joy. Under the great American conductor Marin Alsop, Mendelssohn’s sparkling Italian Symphony will burst into life; while Nicola Benedetti is sure to make Beethoven’s Violin Concerto soar.

Tickets £24–55 Presented by Saffron Hall Marin Alsop ©Grant Leighton

Sun 11 February, 3pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra

Fri 16 February, 7.30pm Britten Sinfonia: Chichester Psalms with King’s College Choir

Richard Hull conductor

King’s College Choir Stephen Cleobury conductor Ailish Tynan soprano Roderick Williams baritone

Programme to include popular film scores Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra are pleased to present another concert of your favourite film scores. You won’t know which tune to whistle as you leave what promises to be another film extravaganza!

Tickets £15–18 (under 18s £3) Presented by Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra

Emma-Ruth Richards Sciamachy (world premiere tour) Bernstein Chichester Psalms Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem Written in 1965, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms provides an exhilarating invocation of the composer’s hopes for brotherhood and peace, sentiments mirrored

by Vaughan Williams’ impassioned Dona Nobis Pacem. The renowned Choir of King’s College, Cambridge join Saffron Hall’s Resident Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, who also perform a new work by Emma-Ruth Richards.

Tickets £10–50 (plus concessions) Presented by Britten Sinfonia, Saffron Hall’s Resident Orchestra

Sat 17 February, 7.30pm Ella 100: Celebrating the music of Ella Fitzgerald.

BBC Big Band & Claire Martin OBE

BBC Big Band Barry Forgie conductor Claire Martin vocals The internationally acclaimed BBC Big Band and conductor Barry Forgie are joined by multi award-winning vocalist Claire Martin for a very special concert celebrating music of ‘The First Lady of Song’, Ella Fitzgerald in her centenary year. Featuring classic versions of Ella’s most famous songs, including That Old Black Magic, Too Darn Hot and Fascinating Rhythm, this is an evening of world-class music not to be missed.

Tickets £15–30 Presented by Saffron Hall

Claire Martin ©Kenny McCracken

We will be holding a pre-concert drinks reception to raise funds for Together in Sound and the Saffron Walden Dementia Action Alliance, the Mayor of Saffron Walden’s chosen charities for 2017/18. See event page on website for further details.

Schools & community

Great art and culture makes life better.

So far we have engaged:

28,000 2,500 430 9,000 45 people, including:

families

teachers

young participants

different schools

Music and Dementia Our Together in Sound programme continues during the spring with places for more people living with dementia and their companions to join creative music therapy groups.

In March we’ll be celebrating with a special tea party in Saffron Walden Town Hall!

Voices of the future Saffron Hall’s mass-participation primary school project is back by popular demand, with vocal director Jessie Maryon Davies at the helm!

Big Sing: Speed of Sound is on Wednesday 21 March, bookable by Education groups only.

Saffron Hall’s Learning & Participation programme connects people from across our community with outstanding cultural experiences.

This is just a taste of what we have in store. This spring we’ll be doing more projects for young people, helping those affected with dementia, presenting more family events and connecting with the community that surrounds us.

For more information about any of our programmes, visit: www.saffronhall.com/participate

©Roger King

Sun 18 February, 7.30pm Thu 1 March, 7.30pm The Sixteen Castalian String Quartet

Sat 3 March, 7.30pm Nicola Benedetti: Solo Recital

Fri 9 March, 7.30pm Castalian String Quartet

Nicola Benedetti violin

Haydn String Quartet in D minor, Op.76 No.2 ‘Fifths’ Britten String Quartet No.2 in C, Op.36 (1945) Schubert String Quartet No.13 in A minor, D.804 ‘Rosamunde’

Supported by Charles Rawlinson MBE

The Sixteen choir & orchestra Harry Christophers conductor Vivaldi Sinfonia from ‘La Dorilla’ RV.709

Bach Mass in G major BWV.236 Handel Overture from ‘Esther’ (1st version) Handel The Lord our enemy has slain, from ‘Esther’ Vivaldi Gloria in D major RV.589 Gloria! On a February evening, who wouldn’t love a blast of the sunlight, the splendour and the sheer sonic majesty of Vivaldi’s best-loved sacred masterpiece? Harry Christophers and The Sixteen play Vivaldi with unparalleled verve; first, though, enjoy the grandeur, pageantry and spiritual power of rediscovered masterpieces - both sacred and profane - by George Frederic Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Tickets £18–50 Presented by Saffron Hall

Mozart String Quartet in E flat, K.428

Dutilleux Ainsi la nuit Schumann String Quartet No.1 in A minor, Op.41 No.1 Fresh from our Young Artists Day in December, we’re delighted to welcome back the Castalian String Quartet. Mozart’s masterly E flat Quartet and Schumann’s First open and close their concert, but in between, there’s enchantment.

Dutilleux’s Ainsi la nuit is a shimmering, whispering song of the night: a true modern classic, written for four virtuoso players at the pinnacle of their form.

Tickets £5–15 Presented by Saffron Hall

Bach Partita No.2 in D minor Wynton Marsalis New work Bach Partita No.3 in E major Ysaÿe Sonata No.5 in G major History in the making: Nicola Benedetti, our Artist in Residence this season, is no ordinary violinist. Tonight, in her first ever unaccompanied recital, she plays some of the most sophisticated and beautiful music ever created for a bow and four strings: from the timeless beauty of Bach to Ysaÿe’s fantastical Fifth Sonata - plus something completely new by jazz legend Wynton Marsalis.

Haydn’s powerful late quartet and Schubert’s bittersweet Op.29 feature in the Castalian’s second concert this March.

Britten’s Purcell-inspired Second Quartet completes their programme and will be a perfect vehicle for their lively, perceptive brand of music-making.

Tickets £20–48 Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £5–15 Presented by Saffron Hall

Sat 10 March, 7.30pm Colin Currie Group: Drumming Synergy Vocals Steve Reich Clapping Music Steve Reich Mallet Quartet Steve Reich Drumming Steve Reich rediscovered the potential of rhythm – and the energy, invention and vibrant emotional power of his music has touched every aspect of modern culture. The Colin Currie Group electrified Saffron Hall when they performed here in 2015; today, Colin leads a crack team of percussionists in three groundbreaking, life-affirming modern classics by a composer that simply everybody needs to hear.

Colin Currie ©Marco Borggreve

Tickets £10–25 Presented by Saffron Hall

Sun 11 March, 2pm Tamsin Waley-Cohen & Huw Watkins Young Artist Coffee Concert

Sun 18 March, 3pm Paul Lewis

Tamsin Waley-Cohen violin Huw Watkins piano

Paul Lewis piano

Beethoven Eleven Bagatelles Mozart Sonata in E minor Op.119 Beethoven Sonata No.8 in G major Haydn Sonata in E flat Hob.XVI:49 Haydn Sonata in B minor Dvořák Sonata in F major Hob.XVI:32 “Daring and undaunted” was how Brahms Four pieces Op.119 ‘The Times’ described the playing ‘The Guardian’ has praised of Tamsin Waley-Cohen – and Paul Lewis for his “intelligence this superb young British violinist and intensity”, but our regular has already been nominated audience will already know just for a Gramophone Award. Her programme this afternoon blends how intimately Lewis understands classical elegance with Bohemian the unspoken connections between great masterpieces. In passion, with Mozart’s darkest violin sonata acting as a prelude to this second concert of this series, the lyrical beauty and playful wit of he contrasts Haydn’s rapid-fire wit sonatas by Dvořák and Beethoven. with Brahms at his darkest and Beethoven at his most playful.

Tickets £10 (under 18s free) Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £14–26 Presented by Saffron Hall

Paul Lewis ©Molina Visuals

Sat 24 March, 7.30pm Saffron Walden Choral Society

Sun 25 March, 3pm Swinging at the Cotton Club

Chameleon Arts Orchestra Janet Wheeler conductor Susanna Fairbairn soprano Katie Trethewey soprano Steve Cass tenor Timothy Nelson baritone

The Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra The Lindy Hop Dance Company Marlene Hill vocalist Megs Etherington vocalist/ compere

Mozart ‘Great’ Mass in C minor Take a step back into 1920s & Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik ’30s New York City and through Janet Wheeler I Sing and Ever Shall the doors of Harlem’s hottest nightclub...The Cotton Club!

Mozart’s aptly titled ‘Great’ Mass in C Minor was written to celebrate In this show, the exhilarating his marriage to Constanze; a dance and music of the Romanze also lies at the heart of Cotton Club is recreated with that most famous of his serenades performances that Duke Ellington, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The muse Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, of love features large in poems by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Herrick, Cowley, and Dickinson set and Fats Waller would have been in Wheeler’s celebration of singing proud of. and its many inspirations, I Sing and Ever Shall.

Tickets £12–28 Presented by Saffron Walden Choral Society

Tickets £14–28 Presented by Saffron Hall

©Swinging at the Cotton Club

Sat 7 April, 2.15pm Thu 12 April, 7.30pm National Children’s Wind Courtney Pine Orchestra & National Youth Wind Ensemble Jonathan Parkes conductor Phillip Scott conductor

Sat 7 April, 5.15pm National Children’s Chamber Orchestra & National Youth Chamber Orchestra

David Johnston conductor Christopher Hirons director

Tickets £15 (plus concessions) Presented by National Children’s Wind Orchestra of Great Britain

Courtney Pine saxophone We’re thrilled to welcome the reigning king of British jazz saxophone back to Saffron Hall.

He will be playing music from his new album, Black Notes From The Deep, which features another British music icon of equal repute, Courtney’s Freestyle Records label mate; Omar Lyefook MBE. When Pine takes to the stage, you know to expect superlative playing and the kind of sudden, unexpected beauty that pierces straight to the heart. For once, the words ‘living legend’ aren’t an overstatement.

Tickets £14–28 Presented by Saffron Hall Courtney Pine ©Roger King

Sat 14 April, 7.30pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Richard Hull conductor Jamal Aliyev cello Rimsky-Korsakov Russian Easter Festival Overture Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations Prokofiev Symphony No.7 Tchaikovsky’s evergreen Rococo Variations, played by young virtuoso Jamal Aliyev, sits between Rimsky-Korsakov’s folktune based overture and one of Prokofiev’s most melodic and charming works.

Swing at Saffron Hall This season we present four unmissable events from big band to swing.

Sat 17 February, 7.30pm Ella 100: BBC Big Band & Claire Martin OBE Sun 25 March, 3pm Swinging at the Cotton Club Fri 4 May, 7.30pm Jazz at the Movies Sat 2 June 7.30pm Pasadena Roof Orchestra

Tickets £15–18 (under 18s £3) Presented by Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra

Sun 15 April, 2pm Daniel Lebhardt Young Artist Coffee Concert

Sat 21 April BBC Radio 3 Big Chamber Day: Tchaikovsky and his World

Daniel Lebhardt piano

Concert 1 Concert 2 Concert 3 Concert 4

Liszt Mephisto-Walzer No.2, S.515 Beethoven Sonata in D minor Op.32 No.2 ‘Tempest Sonata’ Liszt Bagatelle sans tonalité Liszt Après une lecture du Dante Fantasia quasi sonata, S161/7 Sounds and sweet airs…Beethoven might or might not have said that his Piano Sonata Op.32 No.2 was inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, but Liszt was unambiguous. And from the devilish delights of the Mephisto Waltz to a heaven-storming homage to Dante, it’s all about the imagination: a thrilling return for the “power, poetry and formidable technique” of the young Hungarian pianist Daniel Lebhardt.

Tickets £10 (under 18s free) Presented by Saffron Hall

3pm 4.30pm 7pm 8.30pm

Anush Hovhannisyan soprano Anna Stéphany mezzo-soprano Alessandro Fisher tenor Ashley Riches bass-baritone Anna Tilbrook piano A series of one-hour concerts introduced by Radio 3 ‘Sunday Morning’ presenter Sarah Walker, including works by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Beethoven, Britten, Schumann, Bizet, RimskyKorsakov and Rachmaninov.

Daniel Lebhardt ©Kaupo Kikkas

Lyrical, romantic, and like so much of his music very often shot through with melancholy, Tchaikovsky’s songs are some of his most profound outpourings.

He wrote around 100 in total, setting texts by great poets including Tolstoy and Goethe, as well as by a host of lesser known writers. In the course of a day, masterminded by pianist Anna Tilbrook, four of today’s most exciting young singers will take us on a journey through this rich treasure trove of music.

And alongside Tchaikovsky’s own works we’ll hear songs by composers he loved and was inspired by, those he influenced, and his colleagues and friends.

Recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Tickets £10 (under 18s half price) Book all 4 concerts for £30 Presented by Saffron Hall

BIG CHAMBER WEEKEND

Sat 28 April, 7.30pm 8 Minutes Alexander Whitley Dance Company It takes just eight minutes for sunlight to travel 93 million miles to earth. In this unique collaboration with scientists from STFC RAL Space, choreographer Alexander Whitley takes inspiration from solar science research and its stunning imagery.

Dance, film and music take us on a journey through the universe, revealing the drama of the burning ball of plasma that illuminates our planet and exploring the numerous ways in which we relate to our home star. With an installation of high-definition imagery from visual artist Tal Rosner and a specially created score by the electroacoustic music innovator Daniel Wohl, 8 Minutes captures our curiosity and wonder for this unimaginably vast subject.

Tickets £12–26 Presented by Saffron Hall

8 Minutes, by Alexander Whitley Dance Company, ©Johan Persson.

Sun 29 April, 11am & 2pm Fri 4 May, 7.30pm Family Jam – Sing!

Jazz at the Movies Family Event

Sat 5 May, 7.30pm Bernstein at 100: BBC Symphony Orchestra

Everybody sing! If you’ve got a voice, you can make music and in this song-packed afternoon for the whole family, the aim is to help you let it all pour out. Workshop leader Jessie Maryon Davies has worked with singers from the Royal Opera House to Goldfrapp.

She knows that absolutely anyone can sing – today is all about learning how to enjoy it!

Joanna Eden vocals Chris Ingham Quartet

Joana Carneiro conductor Steven Osborne piano

Jazz at the Movies put a jazzy spin on the evocative songs and soundtrack themes from classic films including The Aristocats, From Russia With Love, The Pink Panther, When Harry Met Sally, and many more. Featuring material ranging from Bond to Bacharach, this is an enchanting evening, rich with witty anecdote, sophistication and swing.

Bernstein Overture to Candide Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919) Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue Copland Appalachian Spring Suite Bernstein Symphony No.1

Jazz at the Movies are fronted by acclaimed Saffron Walden singer Joanna Eden, and feature the groovy sounds of the Chris Ingham Quartet.

Tickets £7 Minimum age 7+ No unaccompanied children Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £10–20 Presented by Saffron Hall

Composer, conductor, showman: Leonard Bernstein was the ultimate musical all-rounder. To celebrate his 100th birthday, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Joana Carneiro play the music he loved – Gershwin’s swinging Rhapsody in Blue – and the music he wrote: a rare performance of his Bible-inspired first symphony.

Tickets £24–55 Presented by Saffron Hall

BBC Symphony Orchestra ©Sim Canetty-Clark

Leonard Bernstein

Saffron Hall’s Composer in Focus for the 2017–18 Season

“I can’t live one day without hearing music, playing it, studying it, or thinking about it.” Millions around the world know Leonard Bernstein as the composer of West Side Story. But that’s not even half the story, and whether as composer, conductor, educator, activist or just one heck of a party animal, “Lenny” Bernstein was surely 20th century music’s ultimate all-rounder.

2018 would have seen his 100th birthday, and around the world, musicians are celebrating a uniquely inspiring personality: one whose every note is still irresistibly larger-than-life.

Bernstein believed that music was a universal gift and at Saffron Hall, our local Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society will

kick off their summer concert with the orchestral Symphonic Dances that electrified Broadway back in 1957. They still pack a powerful punch today. There’s also a chance to hear the piece that Bernstein called “my youngest child, oldfashioned and sweet”: the lifeaffirming Chichester Psalms, commissioned for Chichester Cathedral by their organist John Birch and Dean, Walter Hussey.

Here it is performed by King’s College Choir with Saffron Hall’s Resident Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia. Brilliantly, it’s paired with Vaughan Williams’s great cry for peace Dona Nobis Pacem.

Bernstein fought for global harmony his whole life long; he’d definitely have approved.

©Leonard Bernstein Office Inc.

But most fascinating of all is a rare chance to hear Bernstein’s astonishing First Symphony.

Based on the Biblical story of the prophet Jeremiah and written in the darkest days of World War 2, this is an angry young genius writing straight from the heart.

Once heard, never forgotten.

This performance by the BBC Symphony Orchestra could be the definitive birthday salute to a composer whose message has never seemed more gripping, more passionate – or more timely.

Friday 16 February, 7.30pm Britten Sinfonia: Chichester Psalms with King’s College Choir Saturday 5 May, 7.30pm Bernstein at 100: BBC Symphony Orchestra Sunday 17 June, 3pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra and Saffron Walden Choral Society

Sat 12 May, 7.30pm Granta Chorale: Pepys Show

Sun 13 May, 3pm Benjamin Grosvenor

SignuptoSing – SWCS Youth Choir Benjamin Grosvenor piano Janet Wheeler musical director Bach French Suite No.5 in Programme to include: G major, BWV.816 Brahms Four Pieces for solo Bob Chilcott Songs and Cries of piano, Op.119 London Town Brett Dean Hommage à Brahms Music by Purcell, Tallis, Holst, Morley and Mäntyjärvi and others Debussy arr. Borwick Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune on Pepysian themes Berg Sonata Op.1 Writer Nick Warburton, as Samuel Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit Pepys, plays host for an evening “He commands the stage with of entertainment for all ages, aristocratic ease” wrote the ‘New delightfully linked by extracts York Times’ about Benjamin from his famous diary.

Grosvenor, before adding that his playing “makes you sigh with joy”. Today this internationallyfamous young British pianist from Westcliff-on-Sea returns to his home county, and his journey through the musical worlds of Bach, Brahms, Berg and Ravel should speak for itself – with some revelatory detours along the way.

Tickets £14 (under 18s £4) Presented by Granta Chorale

Tickets £12–26 Presented by Saffron Hall

Benjamin Grosvenor ©Patrick Allen

Sat 19 May, 7.30pm Britten Sinfonia: Thomas Adès conducts Beethoven

Sun 20 May, 3pm Britten Sinfonia: Thomas Adès conducts Beethoven

Sat 26 May, 7.30pm The English Concert & Andreas Scholl

Thomas Adès conductor Nicolas Hodges piano

Thomas Adès conductor Joshua Bloom bass

Andreas Scholl countertenor

Gerald Barry Piano Concerto Beethoven Symphony No.4 Beethoven Symphony No.5

Gerald Barry The Conquest of Ireland Beethoven Symphony No.6

Thomas Adès and Britten Sinfonia’s journey through Beethoven’s symphonies reaches the half-way point with the perennially popular, vivacious Symphony No.5 and the subdued, poignant Symphony No.4 performed alongside the inventive music of Irish composer Gerald Barry.

Beethoven takes inspiration from nature, allowing his imagination to range vividly across the countryside in his thrilling “Pastoral” symphony. In this concert, the Pastoral is juxtaposed with Barry’s passionate The Conquest of Ireland for orchestra and bass, based on a 12th century account of Henry II’s military conquest of Ireland.

Tickets £10–35 Presented by Britten Sinfonia, Saffron Hall’s Resident Orchestra

Tickets £10–35 Presented by Britten Sinfonia, Saffron Hall’s Resident Orchestra

Programme to include: Purcell ‘Sound the trumpet’ from Birthday Ode for Queen Mary Purcell ‘Airs and Dances’ from King Arthur Avison Concerto Grosso No.9 in C (after Domenico Scarlatti) Handel ‘Eternal source of light divine’ from Birthday Ode for Queen Anne “The most important thing is the message of the music” says Andreas Scholl. “Without soul and spirit, the music just doesn’t sound”. If you’ve heard him before, you’ll know just how intensely one of the world’s leading countertenor lives those words. Together with Saffron Hall favourites The English Concert, he’ll bring his matchless vocal warmth and beauty to a concert with an English twist.

Tickets £20–50 Presented by Saffron Hall

Andreas Scholl ©Decca / James McMillan

Mon 28 May, 7.30pm Sat 2 June, 7.30pm Academy of Ancient Pasadena Roof Orchestra Music & Nicola Benedetti Academy of Ancient Music Richard Egarr director & harpsichord Nicola Benedetti violin Telemann Concerto for Four Violins in C major, TWV.40:203 Vivaldi Concerto for Violin in D major, ‘Il Grosso Mogul’, RV.208 Vivaldi Dresden Concerto for Violin in F major, RV.285 Telemann Concerto for Violin in A major, ‘The Frogs’, TWV.51:A4

Since 1969 the Pasadena Roof Orchestra has been faithfully re-creating the glories of popular music from the 1920s and 1930s.

This fun-packed show features timeless classics from the great American song book. So pack up your troubles, come on get happy, and experience an evening of superlative live music, with more than a dash of wit and humour.

In a programme that marks the 250th anniversary of Telemann’s death, Nicola Benedetti meets one of the world’s great period instrument ensembles in its first ever appearance at Saffron Hall. Together, they’ll travel from Telemann’s bustling port of Hamburg to the shimmering sunlight of Vivaldi’s Venice: music of time, tides and Eastern promise.

Tickets £20–50 Presented by Saffron Hall

Tickets £18–24 Presented by the Pasadena Roof Orchestra

Sunday 3 June 11am & 1.30pm OAE TOTS: The Apple Tree Family Event

Sun 17 June, 3pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra & Saffron Walden Choral Society

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Kirsty Hopkins soprano

Richard Hull conductor

A friendly old apple tree, and the source of a tasty, juicy snack! But a month later, the tree is bare.

Icicles suddenly appear, followed by leaves, then blossom, and then birds and bees. But will there ever be any more juicy apples to eat?

Keep your youngest music lovers captivated with OAE TOTS, a concert introducing children aged 2 to 5 to the magic of classical music. Learn about the changing seasons through a mixture of Baroque and folk music, and meet the magnificent instruments of the orchestra.

Tickets £12 (under 18s £6) Presented by Saffron Hall

Bernstein Symphonic Dances from ‘West Side Story’ Tippett Spirituals from ‘A Child of Our Time’ Walton Belshazzar’s Feast The Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society come together for a performance of Walton’s spectacular oratorio.

Both ensembles also perform separately in the first half of what promises to be a great collaboration.

Tickets £15–20 (under 18s £3) Presented by SWSO and SWCS

Sat 23 June, 7.30pm Choir 2000 & The Sampson Orchestra

Wed 4 July, 7.30pm Maxim Vengerov

Sat 28 July, 7.30pm Triorca Orchestra

Members of the Hawaii Vocal Masterworks Chorus Chesterton Singers Junior Choir Peter Britton conductor Tim Carney conductor Amy Moore soprano Louise Crane mezzo soprano Justin Lavender tenor Benjamin Davies bass

Soloists of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra Maxim Vengerov violin Marios Papadopoulos piano

Nicholas Daniel conductor

Programme to include: Brahms St Anthony Variations Brahms Song of Destiny Tim Carney Introduction to Le Laudi Suter Le Laudi

Programme to include: Brahms Scherzo in C minor from the F-A-E Sonata Brahms Violin Sonata No.3 in D minor, Op.108 Mendelssohn Octet in E flat major, Op.20

There’s only one Maxim Vengerov – but a violinist of his calibre knows that in chamber music you can only ever be first amongst Choir 2000 and The Sampson equals. And there’s no happier Orchestra visit Saffron Hall for the way for eight virtuoso players first time led by Peter Britton and to enjoy themselves than in the Prof. Tim Carney from Honolulu teenage Mendelssohn’s exuberant University. The programme String Octet: a joyous climax to a includes works by Brahms and a concert that begins with Vengerov feature performance of Hermann exploring the dark heart of Suter’s Le Laudi.

Romantic music.

Tickets £15–18 (Plus concessions) Presented by Choir 2000

Triorca international youth orchestra is made up of the most talented young musicians from Norfolk, England; Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany and Vojvodina, Serbia. Under the baton of its Artistic director Nicholas Daniel, musicians from different cultural backgrounds play together using the international language of music.

Tickets £24–55 Presented by Saffron Hall

Maxim Vengerov ©B Ealovega

Tickets £10–20 Presented by The Triorca Trust

Together in Sound

Booking Buying tickets Online: www.saffronhall.com

By Phone: 0845 548 7650 10am–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)

ly Ca ss

idy

On the door: The Saffron Hall box office opens 1 hour before each performance begins.

l Ho ©

A free interactive music therapy group in Saffron Walden for those living with dementia and their carers. To enquire about sessions for spring 2018 please visit

www.saffronhall.com/togetherinsound phone 01799 588545 or e-mail togetherinsound@saffronhall.com

Print at home tickets For your convenience print at home tickets are available for most events. The option to collect or receive tickets is also available. A charge of £1 applies if you would like your tickets posted.

Booking fee Saffron Hall charges a £2 fee per transaction for bookings made in person and via phone, and a £1 fee per transaction for web bookings.

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 all Saffron Hall presented events, children’s tickets are half price (except Schools Concerts and Family Jam).

Accessibility Saffron Hall is fully accessible.

Patrons with access requirements can book their tickets by contacting the Box Office on 0845 548 7650.

There are 6 wheelchair spaces and 10 level access seats (subject to availability). For concessions and other access info please see website.

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

For full details about our 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.

Saffron Walden County High School presents

Music 16 November 2017 Michaelmas Concert 15 December 2017 Midwinter Concert 23–25 February 2018 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.

Booking details tba.

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 2,000 people saw Saffron Hall and SWCHS’s outstanding joint production of The Glass Knight in March 2016, and regular school

Dance 12 December 2017 SWCHS’s annual dance presentation is a galaxy of dance styles and genres involving students of all ages.

This year’s theme is ‘The Best of British’.

Theatre 5–8 February 2018 The Wizard of Oz

concerts, drama productions and dance performances showcase the work of the large number of students involved in the Arts at SWCHS. The school’s Sixth Form Music Academy continues to flourish, providing incredible opportunities for talented musicians to improve their skills through an excellent teaching programme, masterclasses and connections with artists who appear at Saffron Hall.

©Roger King (both pages) SWCHS holds a ‘Platinum’ ArtsMark Award from Arts Council England, marking the school’s exceptional contribution to the Arts. www.swchs.net

Neighbourhood Partnerships If you want to engage your clients, increase your brand profile, or develop your community engagement, Saffron Hall’s Neighbourhood Partnership scheme offers a simple and cost-effective way to demonstrate your business commitment to the community and bring your brand to life in front of thousands of people.

Benefits include:

• Your name / logo on our Partners Board, which is prominently located in the foyer space, reaching an annual audience of 40,000+ people • A programme credit in every Saffron Hall promoted concert • A listing on the Neighbourhood Partnership page of our website • Two guest invitations to at least two pre-concert receptions across the full season (tickets to the concerts not included)

For more information call our Development Team +44 (0)1799 588 536 or email partnerships@saffronhall.com

• Discounted programme advertising rates of 50% off regular rate card prices • Discounted rates on individual or Series Concert Sponsorship

2017/18 Programme Friday 17 November, 8pm Foyer Folk Club Wed 22 November, 7.30pm I Fagiolini Sat 25 November, 7.30pm Cambridge University Symphony Chrous Sunday 26th November, 3pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Thursday 30 November 11am & 1.15pm The Night Before Christmas: Schools Concert Friday 1 December, 7.30pm City of London Sinfonia Sunday 3 December 1.30pm, 3.30pm, 5.30pm The Young Artists Sessions Wed 6 December, 7.30pm London Symphony Orchestra Friday 8 December, 8pm Foyer Jazz Club Sunday 10 December 1.30pm & 3.30pm The Snowman Thu 21 December, 7.30pm Bach - Christmas Oratorio Sunday 7 January, 3pm Paul Lewis

Friday 12 January, 8pm Foyer Jazz Club Sunday 14 January, 2pm Timothy Ridout & Frank Dupree Friday 19 January, 7.30pm

Emerson String Quartet Saturday 20 January, 10.30am SWCS Singing Day with Janet Wheeler Sun 21 January, 11am & 2pm Family Jam – Percussion!

Friday 2 February, 8pm Foyer Folk Club Friday 9 February, 7.30pm OAE: Marin Alsop & Nicola Benedetti Sunday 11 February, 3pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Wednesday 14 February, 8pm Foyer Jazz Club Friday 16 February, 7.30pm Britten Sinfonia: Chichester Psalms Saturday 17 February, 7.30pm BBC Big Band: Ella Fitzgerald Sunday 18 February, 7.30pm The Sixteen

Thursday 1 March, 7.30pm Castalian String Quartet Friday 2 March, 8pm Foyer Jazz Club Saturday 3 March, 7.30pm Nicola Benedetti Friday 9 March, 7.30pm Castalian String Quartet Saturday 10 March, 7.30pm Colin Currie Group Sunday 11 March, 2pm Tamsin Waley-Cohen Sunday 18 March, 3pm Paul Lewis Wednesday 21 March Saffron Hall Big Sing – Speed of Sound (Schools Event) Saturday 24 March, 7.30pm Saffron Walden Choral Society Sunday 25 March, 3pm Swinging at the Cotton Club Thursday 29 March, 8pm Foyer Folk Club Friday 6 April, 8pm Foyer Jazz Club Saturday 7 April, 2.15pm National Children’s Wind Orchestra & National Youth Wind Ensemble

Saturday 7 April, 5.15pm National Children’s Chamber Orchestra & National Youth Chamber Orchestra Thursday 12 April, 7.30pm Courtney Pine Saturday 14 April, 7.30pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Sunday 15 April, 2pm Daniel Lebhardt Saturday 21 April 3pm, 4.30pm, 7pm, 8.30pm BBC Radio 3 Big Chamber Day Saturday 28 April, 7.30pm 8 Minutes – Alexander Whitley Dance Company Sunday 29 April, 11am & 2pm Family Jam – Sing!

Friday 4 May, 7.30pm Jazz at the Movies Saturday 5 May, 7.30pm BBC Symphony Orchestra Friday 11 May, 8pm Foyer Jazz Club Saturday 12 May, 7.30pm Granta Chorale Sunday 13 May, 3pm Benjamin Grosvenor Friday 18 May, 8pm Foyer Folk Club

Saturday 19 May, 7.30pm Britten Sinfonia: Thomas Adès conducts Beethoven Sunday 20 May, 3pm Britten Sinfonia: Thomas Adès conducts Beethoven Saturday 26 May, 7.30pm The English Concert & Andreas Scholl Monday 28 May, 7.30pm Academy of Ancient Music & Nicola Benedetti Saturday 2 June, 7.30pm Pasadena Roof Orchestra Sunday 3 June, 11am & 1.30pm OAE TOTS – The Apple Tree Friday 8 June, 8pm Foyer Jazz Club Sunday 17 June, 3pm Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra & Saffron Walden Choral Society Saturday 23 June, 7.30pm Choir 2000 & The Sampson Orchestra Wednesday 4 July, 7.30pm Maxim Vengerov Saturday 28 July, 7.30pm Triorca Orchestra

Visit Saffron Hall is an award-winning 740-seat performance space built in the grounds of Saffron Walden County High School, just minutes away from Saffron Walden’s historic town centre. The hall’s critically acclaimed acoustic and state-of-the-art facilities surpass many of the world’s more established venues.

Train The nearest station is Audley End Station, two miles away.

Regular services run from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge.

Minibus We run a free minibus service between Audley End Station and the hall for most Saffron Hall presented events. You can hop on anytime from an hour before and up to an hour after the performance. To check if this service is running for your event, please visit our website.

Car Saffron Hall is easy to get to.

We’re a half-hour drive from Cambridge and Bishop’s Stortford and easily accessible from the M11. Directions are available on our website.

Parking Over 400 free car parking spaces are available on site.

Air Saffron Hall is approximately a 30 minute drive from Stansted Airport.

Catering Saffron Hall’s bar is open for 1 hour prior to each performance and during the interval serving a selection of drinks and snacks.

Our address is: Audley End Road Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH www.saffronhall.com

Partners & Funders Anglia Ruskin University Arts Council England Charles S French Charitable Trust Ernest Cook Charitable Trust Essex Community Foundation Essex County Council Chairman’s Fund Essex Music Education Hub John Laing Charitable Fund Saffron Academy Trust Saffron Walden Dementia Action Alliance Saffron Walden Town Council and the Mayor of Saffron Walden Serious Snape Maltings, Friday Afternoons The Arts Society, Saffron Walden Uttlesford District Council

Concert Sponsors Saffron Building Society Neighbourhood Partners Money Advice & Planning Ltd, Saffron Walden

Saffron Hall Audley End Road Saffron Walden CB11 4UH United Kingdom

Saffron Hall Audley End Road Saffron Walden CB11 4UH United Kingdom Box office 0845 548 7650 Facebook / Twitter / Instagram @saffronhallsw www.saffronhall.com