Season Programme | Jan — Apr 2017
Welcome to St George’s
W
elcome to our new season. It’s shorter than usual as we gear up for the final stage of our major building project, but we’ve packed in an impressive lineup of concerts that’s not lacking in stand-out moments. Drop by and listen in to a few laps of our Really Classical Relay on 22 January — just make a donation to suit your pocket — and then, with the New Year off to a strong musical start, look (and book) ahead and be inspired by countless top flight musicians, from pianists Paul Lewis and Nicholas McCarthy to percussionist Evelyn Glennie and Aurora Orchestra who team up with a choir everyone’s talking about, Tenebrae, to raise the roof with Fauré’s Requiem.
We have some major anniversaries to celebrate with leading home teams: a 50th for Bristol Bach Choir, 30th for Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra and 15th for the still youthful Exultate Singers. Bristol Ensemble & Bath Camerata raise bows and voices to the 80th birthday of composer Philip Glass (whose music is the inspiration behind our Apollo sculpture) while we mark International Women’s Day on 8 March with an array of music and special events in partnership with cultural organisations around the city. Our contemporary music programme includes an acclaimed solo show about the legendary Nick Drake; the UK meets US duo of Billy Bragg and Joe Henry, and an homage to the torchbearers of the Qawwali tradition featuring Rizwan and Muazzam Ali Khan. We also welcome back old friends The Handsome Family, Trio Mediaeval, Quercus, Three Cane Whale and Courtney Pine, who appears with the fabulous Brit-soul singer Omar. Last season's big hit, GoGo Penguin return for Filmic 2016, playing their own soundtrack to the cult film Koyaanisqatsi. Finally, we couldn’t be more excited to be marking St George’s Day on 23 April with the Bristol launch of an extraordinary new orchestra, Chineke!, joined by the phenomenal cellist and BBC Young Musician winner, Sheku Kanneh-Mason (see page 20). This is music history in the making so make sure you’re here with us to toast the future and to hear all about our relaunch plans for autumn 2017! Suzanne Rolt CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Contents p.4 p.21 CLASSICAL
p.36 p.39 VENUE INFORMATION
p.22 p.33 CONTEMPORARY
p.40 CALENDAR
p.34 p.35 FAMILY EVENTS
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CLASSICAL
SOLOISTS OF THE OAE SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL AND BRILLIANT Lisa Beznosiuk flute Pavlo Beznosiuk violin Luise Buchberger cello Steven Devine keyboard
‘ He brings a scholarly authority… an authority he matches with a masterly technique at the keyboard’ THE GUARDIAN (ON STEVEN DEVINE)
Orchestral Stars
Handel Trio Sonata in B minor for flute, violin & basso continuo Vivaldi Sonata for cello & continuo in A minor RV 44 J S Bach Trio Sonata from the 'Musical Offering' BWV 1079 J S Bach Chaconne from Partita No 2 in D minor for solo violin BWV 1004 Rameau 'L'Enharmonique' and 'L'Egyptienne' from 'Nouvelles suites de pièces de clavecin' Telemann Quartet in E minor No 6 from 'Les Nouveaux Quatuors' A virtuoso programme presented by a quartet of principals and guests of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. From the triumph of Bach’s Musical Offering to the florid exoticism of Rameau, this is an evening of baroque flamboyance at its best. oae.co.uk / @theoae Friday 20 January 7pm Tickets £22, £18, £12, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
January ST GEORGE’S 1823 LECTURE
REALLY CLASSICAL OPEN WORKSHOP AND PERFORMANCE DAY Featuring musicians from Bristol Youth Orchestra Bristol University Really Classical Jonathan Rees artistic director Professional musicians from Bristol’s acclaimed Really Classical Relay share their expertise in a friendly and relaxed day of music-making with some of Bristol music’s brightest new lights. Drop in at any time to listen to these open workshops, pay what you can, bring in your drink from the café — relaxed atmosphere guaranteed!
1823 LECTURE ALFRED BRENDEL BEETHOVEN’S LAST SONATAS AND HIS LATE STYLE
The evening concert features informal performances of the music worked on during the day — chamber and orchestral music by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert, including Haydn’s ‘London’ Symphony No 104.
Although he retired from concert performing some years ago, Alfred Brendel hasn’t turned his back on the stage entirely. These days he tours the world’s great concert venues as a lecturer, imparting his vast knowledge of music with both wit and wisdom. For this second ‘1823 Lecture’, Alfred Brendel discusses Beethoven’s final piano sonatas. They are the magnificent conclusion of a series of works that covers most of the composer’s lifetime, but how do they relate to Beethoven the man? How were the sonatas received? And what do they mean to us today?
reallyclassicalrelay.co.uk @ReallyClassical
Presented in association with the University of Bristol bristol.ac.uk / @BristolUni
Public Workshops 10.30am — 1.30pm Open Classical chamber music workshop 2.30pm — 5.30pm Open Classical orchestral workshop Tickets: ‘Pay what you can’ on the day Sunday 22 January 6.30pm Tickets (Evening Concert) £10, £3 Students, £1 U18s (plus fees)
Tuesday 24 January 5.30pm Tickets £15, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
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January BRISTOL BACH CHOIR 50
TH
ANNIVERSARY
THE TALLIS SCHOLARS METAMORPHOSIS
BRISTOL BACH CHOIR J S BACH B MINOR MASS
Programme includes: H. Praetorius Magnificat IV Pärt Magnificat Tavener Our father Stravinsky Otche nash Palestrina Pater noster
Canzona Ensemble Christopher Finch conductor Theresa Caudle leader Robyn Allegra Parton soprano Amy Lyddon mezzo soprano Kieran White tenor Tristan Hambleton bass-baritone
The master choir returns for this concert, which looks to three distinct musical traditions — those of the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox churches. The programme reveals the similarities at the sacred heart of the works and the stylistic differences through which they are achieved. thetallisscholars.co.uk @TallisScholars
Bach’s monumental B Minor Mass was described as 'the greatest musical work of art of all times and nations'.After a rapturously acclaimed performance in 2013, the Bristol Bach Choir is delighted to be returning to this masterpiece with a team of extraordinary soloists; each heralded as among the very best of the new generation of singers. The singers are joined by Canzona, one of this country’s leading baroque ensembles. This concert is one of the landmarks of the choir’s 50th anniversary season. bristolbach.org.uk / @BristolBach
Friday 27 January 7pm Tickets £32, £26, £20, £12, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Saturday 28 January 7pm Tickets £25, £20, £15, £10, £5 Students/U18s (plus fees)
January CELEBRATING YOUTH
TOM EVESON GALA CONCERT
YOUNG ARTISTS SHOWCASE
This year's youthful concert features the young musicians of ‘Panache’ (the steel band of The Castle School, Thornbury), directed by 2016 St George’s Prize for Music winner Gillian Holmes, and 2016 Tom Eveson Bursary recipient Maisie Hayes (oboe and voice). A wonderful celebration of the wealth of musical talent to be found in Bristol and the South West, the line-up also features special guests from Ivy Arts Youth Theatre with all proceeds going towards the Tom Eveson Bursary fund.
Featuring musicians from Churchill Academy & Sixth Form Bristol Cathedral Choir School We are delighted to once again welcome top young performers from these two outstandingly musical schools, as talented young musicians of Bristol Cathedral Choir School and Churchill Academy & Sixth Form take to the stage. As well as soloists and ensembles, including prize-winners from the Churchill Young Musician of the Year Competition, the concert will feature choirs from both schools, joining forces for a concert finale performance of an excerpt from Bach’s Magnificat.
For more information about the Tom Eveson Bursary visit stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/ learn-with-us Sunday 29 January 4pm
Tuesday 31 January 7pm
Tickets £10, £5 U18s (plus fees)
Tickets £5 (plus fees), Free Students/U18s
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
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NICHOLAS MCCARTHY PIANO Programme includes:
February
BRISTOL ENSEMBLE & BATH CAMERATA THE MINIMALISTS III Benjamin Goodson conductor
Gershwin/McCarthy Summertime Bellini/Fumagalli Casta Diva from ‘Norma’ Bach/Gounod (arr. Wittgenstein) Ave Maria Chopin/Godowsky Etude Op 10 No 3 ‘Tristesse’; Etude Op 25 No 12 ‘Ocean’ Rachmaninoff/Meinders Vocalise
David Lang Statement to the Court Philip Glass Knee Plays 3 & 4 Philip Glass String Sextet Igor Stravinsky Dove Descending Terry Riley In C
Nicholas McCarthy’s story is an inspiring one. Born without a right hand and told he would never make it as a concert pianist, the young artist has had to fight his way to the top. His championing of Left Hand piano repertoire, exemplified on his recently acclaimed album, not to mention presenting stints on television at the BBC Proms, have made him a familiar and popular personality. This concert features repertoire standards, some arranged by Nicholas himself, and a newly commissioned ‘Nocturne’ by Nigel Hess.
Marking the 80th birthday of the composer Philip Glass, the Bristol Ensemble performs his rich and compelling String Sextet, while Bath Camerata presents two hypnotic intermezzos from Glass’ opera Einstein on the Beach. The singers are unaccompanied in Stravinsky’s twelvetone inspired Dove Descending, before choir and ensemble combine for a special realisation of Terry Riley’s iconic In C. The concert opens with a performance of David Lang’s striking and powerful Statement to the Court.
nicholasmccarthy.co.uk @NMcCarthyPiano
bristolensemble.com @BristolEnsemble bathcamerata.co.uk @BathCamerata
Friday 10 February 7.30pm Tickets £15, £10, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Saturday 11 February 7.30pm Tickets £23 (£20), £17 (£15), £12 (£10), £5 U18s (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit card transaction or £1 debit fee card where transaction applicable fee where applicable
EVELYN GLENNIE with Philip Smith piano Keiko Abe Prism Rhapsody Evelyn Glennie/Philip Sheppard Orologeria Aureola Nebojsa Zivkovic Quasi Una Sonata James Keane Piece for Dance John Psathas View from Olympus
'Her performance was mesmerising and deeply sensitive. It also in some way showed percussion to have advantages over other melodic instruments' DAILY TELEGRAPH
Friday 17 February 7.30pm Tickets £30, £25, £20, £10 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
February A night of percussive fireworks as the world’s most famous solo percussionist makes a long-awaited return visit to St George’s. Accompanied by pianist Philip Smith, Dame Evelyn performs a vibrant contemporary selection, including the dazzling ‘View from Olympus’ by New Zealand composer John Psathas. Originally premiered with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in 2014, the work was conceived as a double concerto for percussion, piano and orchestra. Tonight you’ll experience it stripped back to its percussive bones, but with no less heart and soul. evelyn.co.uk / @DameEvelyn
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February
EXULTATE SINGERS A SENSE OF THE DIVINE: A GRAND TOUR David Ogden conductor Richard May cello
DAVID GREILSAMMER PIANO SCARLATTI : CAGE Piano Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti and John Cage Baroque and the avant-garde go head to head in this dynamic display, featuring one pianist and two pianos. The programme, which Greilsammer first performed in 2009 and later released on album, sees the pianist switch between Scarlatti’s Sonatas and John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes. Cage's pieces, performed on a prepared piano — think elastic bands, screws and other fixings — creates a dazzling contrast to the more even tempered but always glittering Scarlatti. A memorable night.
J S Bach Lobet den Herrn BWV 230 Thomas Tallis Spem in alium (40 part motet) Giovanni Gabrieli Jubilate Deo Roxanna Panufnik All Shall Be Well James MacMillan Miserere mei Francis Poulenc Exultate Deo Ēriks Ešenvalds O salutaris hostia Joseph Canteloub Báïlèro plus folk songs from Spain, Ireland, Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic
Running time 70 minutes approx without interval
Exultate Singers packs its bags for a Grand Tour of European music that brings together some of the standout choral works that have entertained, inspired and moved its ever-growing audience in 12 countries over 15 years. Expect a spectacular programme of sacred and secular music from across the centuries that roams around the cities and countryside, taking in folksongs and large-scale works. To crown it all, cellist Richard May returns to perform Roxanna Panufnik’s All Shall Be Well, a work with luxurious, rich textures. Mesmerising.
davidgreilsammer.com / @greilsammer
exultatesingers.org / @exultatesingers
Friday 24 February 8.30pm
Saturday 25 February 7.30pm
Tickets £15, £10 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Tickets £24, £20, £15, £10, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
February / March BHCO 30 TH ANNIVERSARY
BRANDON HILL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 30 ANNIVERSARY CONCERT TH
THE PURCELL SCHOOL PHILOMEL ORCHESTRA Noah Max Conductor Stravinsky Concerto in D for String Orchestra Nielsen At the Bier of a Young Artist Verdi (arr. Robert Max) String Quartet An exciting St George’s debut performance by the string orchestra of The Purcell School, one of the UK’s leading specialist music schools and holder of the UNESCO Mozart Gold Medal. Verdi’s String Quartet, the composer’s only purely instrumental work and renowned for its tonal beauty, is performed here in a sumptuous reworking for larger forces. ‘…it gives me great hope for the future of the music profession when I hear what these young people are capable of’ SIR SIMON RATTLE CBE
purcell-school.org / @PurcellSchool
Ewa Strusińska conductor Alexandra Dariescu piano Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture Mozart Piano Concerto No 27 K595 Beethoven Symphony No 5 in C minor This outstanding Bristol orchestra returns to St George’s in glittering form to mark an extraordinary 30 years of music-making in the city. A moment like this calls for something special so bhco has invited the remarkable young Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu to perform Mozart's masterly final piano concerto — which Mozart himself performed on this very day, 4 March, in 1791. After the delicate fairy-flights-of-fancy of Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, conductor Ewa Strusińska leads the orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s epoch-making Fifth Symphony. A triumphant work to mark an important moment in the history of this popular orchestra. bhco.co.uk / @BHCOrchestra
Sunday 26 February 3pm
Saturday 4 March 7.45pm
Tickets £10, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees), Family Ticket available
Tickets £18, £15, £5 Students/JSA/Disabled (plus fees), Free U18s
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March
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2017
BRISTOL YOUTH CHOIRS SPRING IN THE AIR! David Ogden, Martin Le Poidevin, Elinor Cooper conductors The talented young singers from Bristol Youth Choirs present a spring concert of songs and choral pieces from around the world. Come and broaden your horizons with this entertaining mix of classical and jazz with songs from the shows, world music and folk. The choirs recently performed at the Proms and can be heard regularly on BBC TV and radio. ‘Rarely have I seen a choir so focused’ CHARLES HAZLEWOOD
bristolyouthchoir.org.uk @brisyouthchoir
Tuesday 7 March 7pm Tickets £8, £2 Students (plus fees)
TABAKOVA PLAYERS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CONCERT Alexander Sitkovetsky & Roman Mints violin Maxim Rysanov & Philip Dukes viola Kristina Blaumane & Dora Kokas cello Stacey Watton bass Ashley Wass piano & harpsichord Dobrinka Tabakova Such Different Paths, Whispered lullaby, Organum light, Jazz Suite, Pirin, Rhodopa, Suite in Old Style East and West, ancient and modern, the spirit of Dobrinka Tabakova’s music pivots between worlds, conjuring sensuous and radiant sonorities that enchant listeners on their very first hearing. Drawing on pieces from her Grammy-nominated ECM album String Paths, an ensemble of top flight musicians and friends take to the stage for a performance that promises to take your breath away. This concert is the culmination of a day of events that celebrate inspiring women from the arts, science and sports. See website for further details. ‘Much of the work could be music for an arthouse film, set in some desolate, beautiful land. Slow movements express longing and rapture…’ BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
dobrinka.com @DobrinkaTabakov
Wednesday 8 March 7.30pm Tickets £15, £10, Free 8 - 25s (Cavatina) (limited availability) (plus fees)
Pre-concert Talk 6.15pm Composer Dobrinka Tabakova gives a fascinating insight into this evening’s music and the creative process behind it. Free for concert ticket holders
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
March
CITY OF BRISTOL CHOIR BACH’S ST MATTHEW PASSION
BRISTOL METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA Tianyi Lu conductor Benjamin Baker violin Beethoven Coriolan Overture Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor Brahms Symphony No 1 in C minor As concertos go, they don’t come mightier than Sibelius’s Violin Concerto — it’s up there with the very greatest of masterpieces and is music that shakes the soul. Stepping up to take on a violin part that grows ever more impassioned and demands increasing levels of virtuosity as it unfolds is Benjamin Baker, a prizewinning graduate of the Yehudi Menuhin School and Royal College of Music. A pause, and then the orchestra plunges into Brahms’s First Symphony, dubbed ‘Beethoven’s 10th ’ a dynamic piece that sweeps you along towards its glorious and heroic conclusion. ‘Exquisite and electrifying performances’
The Lochrian Ensemble David Ogden conductor Catherine Black leader Nicholas Mulroy evangelist & tenor Ruth Holton soprano Kate Symonds-Joy alto Benjamin Bevan bass J S Bach St Matthew Passion City of Bristol Choir and professional orchestra The Lochrian Ensemble perform Bach’s mighty setting of the Gospel narrative, which recounts the events of Christ’s final days — betrayal, trial and crucifixion — in music brimming with power and drama. The magnificent acoustic of St George’s Bristol makes it the perfect setting for what promises to be a thrilling performance of this compelling and noble work, sung in English and German. The Evangelist is Nicholas Mulroy, widely known for his performances with the leading interpreters of Baroque music, including Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort and the King’s Consort. cityofbristolchoir.org.uk @BristolChoir lochrianensemble.co.uk @lochrian
BRISTOL POST
bristolmetropolitanorchestra.com @BMetOrchestra
Saturday 11 March 7.30pm
Sunday 12 March 7pm
Tickets £15 (£14), £12 (£11), £8 (£6), £5 U16s (plus fees)
Tickets £25 (£23), £22 (£20), £18 (£16), £10 (£8), £5 Students/U18s (plus fees)
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PAUL LEWIS PIANO J S Bach Partita No 1 in B flat BWV825 Beethoven Piano Sonata No 4 in E flat Op 7 Chopin Waltz in A minor Op 34 No 2; Waltz in F minor Op 70 No 2; Waltz in A flat Op 42 Weber Piano Sonata No 2 in A flat Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, New York — as one of the most celebrated pianists of his generation, Paul Lewis’s concert schedule takes him all over the world. Each year he returns to play at St George’s and his appearances here are never anything less than a highlight of Bristol’s music season. His reputation for thoughtful and carefully paced programming is writ large over this choice of music: he begins with Bach and one of Beethoven’s early sonatas before stirring the passions with the dazzling flights of fancy that mark out three of Chopin’s Waltzes and concluding with the intimate sentiments of Weber’s Second Sonata. paullewispiano.co.uk @paullewispiano
March
BRISTOL CONCERT ORCHESTRA Stefan Hofkes conductor/piano You-Chiung Lin piano Debussy Two Nocturnes: Nuages and Fêtes Mozart Concerto for Two Pianos Benson Mozart Goes to Town Dvořák Symphony No 8 in G Marquez Danzon No 2 Debussy’s Nuages and Fêtes (Clouds and Festivals) are two of the three Nocturnes inspired by a series of impressionist paintings, also called Nocturnes, by Whistler. Celebrating their 20 years of musical collaboration and deep friendship, You-Chiung Lin and Stefan Hofkes perform Mozart’s gorgeously inventive Concerto for Two Pianos. Then, just for fun, You-Chiung and Stefan perform Clifford Benson’s witty, jazz-inflected Mozart Goes to Town. The Eighth Symphony of Dvořák is his most cheery and lyrical and draws its inspiration from the Bohemian folk music that Dvořák so loved. We conclude, even more joyfully, with the beguiling Danzón No 2, by Mexican composer Arturo Marquez. bristolconcertorchestra.org.uk @bris_conc_orch
Tuesday 14 March 7.30pm Tickets £32, £26, £20, £12 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Saturday 18 March 7.30pm Tickets £15 (£13), £13 (£11), £10 (£8), £8 (£6), £1 U18s (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
March
BRISTOL SUZUKI GROUP CONCERT
JOY LISNEY AND JAMES LISNEY
Bristol continues to expand as a centre for Suzuki teaching, with over 200 children now learning violin, flute, cello and piano by this method in the Bristol region. Otherwise known as the ‘mother tongue’ method, the basic principle is that all children can learn to play a musical instrument as easily and fluently as they learnt to speak, provided they start early, practise every day, and are surrounded by a loving and musical environment. This concert celebrates the achievements of the children at all levels in a wide variety of repertoire, ending with the traditional rendition of the variations on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for all the instruments.
Joy Lisney violoncello / James Lisney piano Programme includes: Beethoven Variations on Mozart’s ‘Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen’ WoO46 Schubert Sonata in A minor, D 821 ‘Arpeggione’ Chopin Sonata in G minor
QEH SPRING CONCERT QEH Music Department is delighted to be back at St George’s for its annual spring concert, showcasing all its major ensembles and choirs. qehbristol.co.uk @QEHMusic
Following an extraordinary journey through the Beethoven cello sonatas at St George’s two years ago, word soon spread that this was a very special musical partnership and now cellist Joy Lisney is back, en route to the Leipzig Gewandhaus, with a new programme created and performed with her father, pianist James Lisney. joylisney.com @joylisney
bristolsuzukigroup.org.uk Sunday 19 March 7.30pm Sunday 19 March 3pm Tickets £7.50 (£5) (plus fees)
Tickets £15 (£12), £14 (£11), £13 (£10), £12 (£9) (plus fees), Free 8-25s (Cavatina)
Tuesday 21 March 7pm Tickets £5 (£3) (plus fees)
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BRISTOL CLASSICAL PLAYERS Tom Gauterin conductor Stefan Ciric piano Prokofiev Classical Symphony Op 25 Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 Dvořák Symphony No 9 'from the New World' Fresh from his debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Stefan Ciric joins BCP for the greatest piano warhorse of all: Tchaikovsky’s glorious 1st Piano Concerto. Preceded by Prokofiev’s witty Classical Symphony, this all-Russian first half is followed by Dvorak's 'New World' symphony, written in America. For many, the Largo will be forever associated with a certain brand of bread.
REDMAIDS' HIGH SCHOOL SPRING CONCERT The Red Maids’ School and Redland High School for Girls are delighted to be presenting their first public concert together as Redmaids' High School. The concert features joint performances by many of the schools’ choirs and instrumental ensembles, including the combined Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Band. This concert promises to be a veritable musical extravaganza. redmaidshigh.co.uk
March
CLIFTON HIGH SCHOOL IN CONCERT Since its establishment 140 years ago Clifton High School has focused on bringing out the best in each and every child, with music an integral part of the curriculum. There is an impressive range of instrumental and vocal ensembles to choose from with pupils of all ages able to participate in and enjoy performances and productions of the highest standard. In this evening’s performance you will hear pupils from years 7 — 13. As well as soloists, there will be performances from the School Orchestra, Senior Chamber Choir, Male Voice Choir, Cantata and Wind Band. cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk @CHSBristol
bristolclassicalplayers.co.uk @bristolclass /stefanciric.com @thestefanciric
Saturday 25 March 7.30pm Tickets £18 (£14), £15 (£10), £5 Students (plus fees)
Tuesday 28 March 7pm
Wednesday 29 March 7pm
Tickets £5 (£3) (plus fees)
Tickets £8 (£5) (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
March / April
Student Offer All tickets half price for full-time students
JOHN WILLIAMS, JOHN ETHERIDGE & GARY RYAN THREE GUITARS
EXULTATE SINGERS MONTEVERDI VESPERS OF 1610
Programme to include: Vivaldi Concerto In D Gary Ryan Benga Beat John C. Williams New Pieces plus Duo and Trio Pieces
Exultate Singers His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts David Ogden conductor
A colourful and varied programme from the legendary guitarists John Williams and John Etheridge, who are joined by fellow guitarist and composer Gary Ryan for an evening of solo, duo and trio pieces. The selection, introduced by the players, sees Vivaldi’s ‘Concerto in D’ performed alongside works by the musicians themselves; including Ryan’s ‘Benga Beat’ and Williams’ high octane ‘Extra Time’ and the ever-popular ‘Malinke Guitars’. Australian composer Phillip Houghton’s captivating duo ‘The Mantis and the Moon’, played by Ryan and Williams, completes the selection. johnwilliamsguitarnotes.com johnetheridge.com / garyryan.com
Monteverdi Vespro della Beata Vergine (Vespers of 1610) Exultate Singers performs Monteverdi’s sumptuous Venetian masterpiece in a collaboration with the virtuosic early music ensemble His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts. Lavishly scored for strings, sackbuts, cornets, 10-part choir and an array of vocal soloists, the Vespers wonderfully combines the glories of the Renaissance with the opulence of the Baroque. With the performers arranged around the hall in a variety of ensembles throughout the performance, to echo the galleries and balconies of St Mark's Venice, this promises to be a glorious evening where reflective, intimate moments open up into opulent, flamboyant virtuosic music. exultatesingers.org / @ExultateSingers hmsc.co.uk / @hismajsagbutts
Friday 31 March 7.30pm Tickets £35, £25, £15 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Saturday 1 April 7.30pm Tickets £24, £20, £16, £12, £5 U18s (plus fees)
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ARVO PÄRT'S STABAT MATER Goeyvaerts String Trio Kristien Roels violin Kris Matthynssens viola Pieter Stas cello with Zsuzsi Tóth soprano Barnabás Hegyi countertenor Tore Tom Denys tenor Some music takes your breath away and Arvo Pärt’s Stabat Mater surely counts as one of the most intensely moving pieces ever written; the expression of suffering and solace unfolds with an opulence of sound that is simply staggering. The recording of the Stabat Mater made by the Goeyvaerts Trio, with three voices, is considered by Gramophone magazine to be in the top ten recordings of all time of this Estonian composer’s music. Making a perfect pairing with the Stabat Mater is Ivan Moody’s Simeron, another piece whose sonic purity makes for an utterly compelling musical meditation on faith and humanity. Running time 70 minutes approx without interval
BRISTOL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSIC OF RUSSIA William Goodchild conductor Natalia Lomeiko violin Tchaikovsky Capriccio italien Borodin Symphony No 2 in B minor Shostakovich Violin Concerto No 1 Bristol Symphony Orchestra welcomes international violinist Natalia Lomeiko to perform Shostakovich’s intense Violin Concerto No 1, composed during 1947/8, a time of extreme censorship in Soviet Russia. The concerto remained unpublished until Stalin’s death in 1953. Violinist Davide Oistrach, who gave the world premiere and was its dedicatee, commented on the 'depth of its artistic content', with the violin part as a 'pithy Shakespearean role'. Tchaikovsky’s cosmopolitan and tuneful Capriccio italien, and Borodin’s dramatic Symphony No 2 on Russian themes, both works of great passion and beauty, complement the concerto. ‘Bristol Symphony Orchestra is a model of how successfully to give life to an orchestra’ BRISTOL 24/7
stringtrio.net
bristolsymphonyorchestra.com @BristolSymphony
Friday 7 April 8.30pm
Saturday 8 April 7.30pm
Tickets £20, £15, £10, Free 8-25s (Cavatina) (plus fees)
Tickets £17 (£15), £14 (£12), £12 (£10), £10 (£8), £5 U18s (plus fees)
April
TENEBRAE & AURORA ORCHESTRA FAURE REQUIEM Emma Walshe soprano Stephen Kennedy baritone Max Baillie violin Nigel Short conductor J S Bach Partita for Violin No 2 J S Bach Chorales (selection) Faure Requiem Award-winning choir Tenebrae joins with Aurora Orchestra to bring to Bristol its performance of Fauré’s Requiem — described as 'devastatingly beautiful' (Gramophone Magazine). This is a Requiem that favours serenity, joy and liberation over the dread and terror employed by most composers. The first part of the concert intersperses chorales with each movement of Bach’s famous Partita for Violin No 2, culminating in a reconstruction of the mighty and mesmerising Chaconne, with violin soloist Max Baillie. Expect a performance that calls into play the entire hall to create an immersive and enthralling experience. auroraorchestra.com /@auroraorchestra tenebrae-choir.com / @TenebraeChoir
CELLOPHONY WITH SIMON CALLOW THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS Schubert Three Songs from ‘Schwanengesang’ Berio Korot Liszt La Lugubre Gondola Trad./Barralet World Folk Songs Birchall The Wind in the Willows Follow Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad on their unforgettable escapades on the river, through the wild wood, behind the wheel, and battling to regain Toad Hall from the weasels. Kenneth Grahame’s popular tale is brought to life in this brand new musical version by composer Richard Birchall, performed by this thrilling cello octet and narrated by one of the UK’s best-loved actors. The performance is preceded by a selection of works inspired by the natural world, including Berio’s extraordinary and evocative ‘Korot’. @Cellophony
Tuesday 11 April 7pm Tickets £30, £25, £20, £12, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Tuesday 18 April 7pm Tickets £20, £15, £10, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
CLASSICAL
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CLASSICAL
20 Book now: stgeorgesbristol.co.uk ST GEORGE’S DAY CONCERT
CHINEKE! ORCHESTRA Sheku Kanneh-Mason cello Chevalier de Saint-Georges Overture L'Amant anonyme Haydn Cello Concerto in C Elgar Serenade for Strings Mozart Symphony No 29 in A
Orchestral Stars
Sunday 23 April 7pm Tickets £25, £20, £15 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
April Its London debut concerts were sell outs with audiences and journalists falling over themselves to applaud the enormous energy and commitment of their performances — welcome to Chineke!, an orchestra championing change and Europe’s first professional orchestra made up entirely of black and minority ethnic musicians. We wanted something special and culturally exciting to celebrate St George’s Day and we have it in this exhilarating concert. Not only does it mark the orchestra’s Bristol debut but it sees it joined by a new classical music star in the making, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Already making colossal waves since winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, he brings his virtuoso flair and fresh approach to the Haydn Cello Concerto in C. The rest of the programme combines Mozart, Elgar and an operatic gem from the Afro-French composer Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Acclaimed in 18th century Paris as ‘the most accomplished man in Europe’, Saint-Georges was a spectacularly gifted violinist, fencer and composer of music of such greatness that he became known as the Black Mozart. chineke.org / @Chineke4Change
‘Chineke! could deepen and enrich classical music in the UK for generations’ SIR SIMON RATTLE
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
ENSEMBLE VARIANCES & FRIENDS EVOCATIONS OF HEALING Anne Cartel flutes Carjez Gerretsen clarinets George Owen cello Omri Tau percussion Thierry Pécou piano/director Toru Takemitsu Air Georgina Derbez Sus une Fontayne Michael Ellison New Work Thierry Pécou Chö
April / May Evocations of Healing is an Ensemble Variances programme (in collaboration with two outstanding performers from the University of Bristol) centring on the theme of sounds used for healing. Thierry Pécou’s Chö evokes the ancient Tibetian ritual of healing in the ancient past realised by bells and long trumpets in the Himalayas—here reimagined by Pécou for alto flute, bass clarinet, piano, cello and percussion. Solo flute music of Takemitsu evokes rich colour, and a Zen-like solitude, at times evoking the shakuhachi, and extending the instrument beyond normal bounds. Inspired by the oldest Central Asian makams used for healing, a new work by Michael Ellison explores resonant sounds that create motion towards harmony in body and soul. Finally, Sus Une Fontayne of Mexican composer Georgina Derbez beautifully melds together sounds of clarinet, flute and piano. Running time 60 minutes without an interval ensemblevariances.com / @EnsembleVarianc Monday 24 April 7.00pm Tickets £15, £5 Students (plus fees), Free 8-25s (Cavatina)
Stop Press
Saturday 6 May / 7pm
KYUNG WHA CHUNG PLAYS SOLO BACH Violin virtuoso Kyung Wha Chung comes to St George’s en-route to the Barbican and Carnegie Hall, to perform Bach’s complete violin sonatas and partitas — recorded here at St George’s earlier this year for Warner Classics!
See website for full details
CLASSICAL
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CONTEMPORARY
BILLY BRAGG & JOE HENRY
RAISE THE ROOF!
In March 2016 Billy Bragg and Joe Henry, guitars in hand, boarded a Los Angelesbound train at Chicago’s Union Station looking to reconnect with the culture of railroad travel and the music it inspired. Winding along 2,728 miles of track over four days, the pair recorded classic railroad songs in waiting rooms and at trackside while the train paused to pick up passengers. On the Shine A Light tour, they’ll be playing songs from the journey, along with favourites from their own back catalogues.
Join David Ogden, members of City of Bristol Choir and fellow fans of musicals and films for an unashamedly indulgent day of singing blockbusting hits from stage and screen; including a selection of Elvis numbers! Now in its seventh successful year, the day culminates in a grand (but very informal) showcase performed by the day’s ‘cast’, accompanied by a live band. davidogden.co.uk
billybragg.co.uk / @billybragg joehenrylovesyoumadly.com @joehenrymusic Tuesday 17 January 8pm Tickets SOLD OUT
Saturday 21 January 2017 11am Tickets Singers: £12, £5 U18s (plus fees) 3.15pm Audience: £3 (plus fees), Free U18s
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
O’HOOLEY & TIDOW With a five-star album review from Robin Denselow in The Guardian comparing them to Kate and Anna McGarrigle, the voice and piano duo of Belinda O’Hooley — who first appeared at St George’s in the Bristol debut of Unthankspredecessors Rachel Unthank & the Winterset — and Heidi Tidow has risen to the very top of the contemporary folk tree. The new album, ‘Shadows’, is a subtlytoned marvel of sensitivity and social critique whose intricate harmony vocals can recall Simon & Garfunkel. To see its songs recreated as they were recorded, with Belinda playing a superb Steinway grand piano, will be a joy to behold. ‘One of British folk’s mightiest combinations’
January / February
FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS 2017 TOUR The original buoy band, the Fisherman’s Friends are back with a vengeance, getting ready to hit the road on tour in January and February with full catch of new material and some old favourites as well. Bound together by lifelong friendship and shared experience for more than 20 years the Fisherman’s Friends have met on the Platt in their native Port Isaac on Cornwall’s rugged north coast to raise money for charity by singing the traditional songs of the sea handed down to them by their forefathers. thefishermansfriends.com @Fishy_Friends
MOJO
ohooleyandtidow.com @OHooleyandTidow
Unmissable! Thursday 26 January 8pm Tickets £15, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Wednesday 1 February 7pm Tickets £24.50, £22.50 (plus fees)
CONTEMPORARY
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CONTEMPORARY
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February
STRANGE FACE ADVENTURES WITH A LOST NICK DRAKE RECORDING The extraordinary award-winning show about a lost Nick Drake recording. Writer, television composer and performer Michael Burdett discovered the recording in a skip in the 1970s. After thinking about what to do with it for nearly 30 years, he decided to travel the UK with a portable CD machine, camera and headphones and play the tape to 200 strangers. The result is a collection of photographs and stories from people all over Britain including Billy Bragg, Tom Stoppard, Fearne Cotton, Martin Freeman and Noel Fielding. This solo show is the story of that quest. Quirky, funny and poignant by turns, it celebrates life, coincidences and the legacy of singer/songwriter Nick Drake. thestrangefaceproject.com @thestrangeface
'Gorgeous one-man show’ THE TIMES ****
Thursday 2 February 8pm Tickets £15, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees) £1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
Unmissable!
GOING BEYOND 2017 TWENTY YEARS OF SOLO MISADVENTURE with Andy Kirkpatrick Going Beyond returns with an adventurous British climber whose reputation as a teller of tales is as great as his appetite for risk. Andy Kirkpatrick has tackled many of the world’s greatest ‘big wall’ climbs including an astounding 24 ascents of Yosemite’s El Capitan. His passion for pushing himself to the limit has seen him undertake many alpine winter expeditions, often enduring temperatures of minus 30 degrees. From Patagonia to Greenland, Andy’s tales from the edge will transport us into his world of adventure and be sure to terrify, enthral and amuse in equal measure. Supporting the Youth Adventure Trust. andy-kirkpatrick.com @psychovertical
February
QUERCUS Matching the peerless voice and regal presence of June Tabor with the empathetic accompaniment and impassioned soloing of pianist Huw Warren and saxophonist Iain Ballamy, Quercus is a genuine one-off: a chamber jazz-meets-folk trio of equals creating unapologetically intelligent music that nourishes the mind, heart and soul. With a repertoire that can move from Shakespeare lyric to Broadway song to the English pastoral tradition, the players delight the listener with their breadth of reference and sheer good taste. As tonight’s performance appears on the eve of the release of a second album for ECM Records, we are likely to be treated to a whole new set of tunes as well as a few old favourites. ballamy.com/quercus
Thursday 9 February 8pm Tuesday 7 February 7.45pm Tickets £10 (plus fees)
Tickets £20, £17 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
CONTEMPORARY
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CONTEMPORARY
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RINGMASTERS (& THE GREAT WESTERN CHORUS) Martin Wahlgren bass Emanuel Roll baritone Rasmus Krigström lead Jakob Stenberg tenor Linda Corcoran director Ringmasters blend their awesome virtuosity with the infectious energy of pop music. Their vibrant shows take you from barbershop classics, through Simon and Garfunkel to the Beatles and Elvis Presley. The quartet grew out of the rich soil of Swedish choir tradition, and in Portland in 2012 Ringmasters were recognised as the best barbershop quartet in the world. Nine times UK Chorus Champions, The Great Western Chorus, are delighted to invite Ringmasters to Bristol. They will be supporting them on stage from their repertoire including ‘Rat Pack’ and musical theatre classics, and modern numbers by Lady Gaga, and Lorde.
February
SHAKE THE CHAINS! SONGS OF SOCIAL CHANGE, RESISTANCE & PROTEST From the Industrial Revolution to Rock Against Racism, CND and the Miners' Strike, songs of protest are as old as the history of protest itself. For this unique collaboration some of the UK’s leading folk singers and songwriters — Nancy Kerr, Hannah Martin, Greg Russell, Findlay Napier and Tim Yates — delve into the rich archive of protest songs to create their own personal responses, while special guest Steve Knightley adds a local context by drawing from the vital heritage of Bristol and the West Country. @shakethechains1
Unmissable!
ringmasters.se / @RingmastersQtet greatwesternchorus.com / @GWCBristol Saturday 18 February 8pm Tickets £20 (£16), £18 (£14), £15 (£12), £12 (£10) (plus fees)
Thursday 23 February 8pm Tickets £18, £15 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit card transaction or £1 debit fee card where transaction applicable fee where applicable
THE HANDSOME FAMILY For almost as long as they’ve been married (26 years) Brett and Rennie Sparks — aka The Handsome Family — have written songs together. They’ve released 10 albums since 1995’s Odessa. Their songs have been covered by countless YouTubers and well-known artists like Cerys Matthews, Christy Moore and Andrew Bird. Guns ’N’ Roses used ‘Far From Any Road’ as stage entrance music, and both Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr are fans. 2016 brought the release of Unseen — 10 songs by a couple both world-famous and happily invisible. The stories of Unseen are mostly inspired by real events — ‘Gentlemen’ is a tribute to William Crookes who built the first vacuum tube in 1875, hoping to detect spirits from unseen dimensions. handsomefamily.com @handsomefamily
‘They come from Hell’s ditch armed with love’ NME
Tuesday 28 February 8pm Tickets £20, £18 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
February
CONTEMPORARY
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CONTEMPORARY
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TRIO MEDIAEVAL & ARVE HENRIKSEN Warning: seriously sublime music! Founded in Oslo in 1997, Trio Mediaeval is one of the world’s leading early music vocal ensembles whose albums on the ECM label have regularly topped classical charts and critics’ polls, earning a Grammy nomination in 2007 for ‘Folk Songs’. But while they have earned their reputation specialising in medieval sacred music, Trio Mediaeval also collaborate with contemporary composers and improvisers. Tonight’s performance reunites them with the presiding genius of Norwegian experimental music, Arve Henriksen, whose atmospheric trumpet playing, ethereal vocals and subtle electronic sound-sculpting have made him one of the most essential artists of our age, and a great St George’s favourite. triomediaeval.no / @triomediaeval arvehenriksen.com / @arve_henriksen
Unmissable! Friday 10 March 8pm Tickets £22, £18 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
March
GONDWANA NIGHT! MATTHEW HALSALL GONDWANA ORCHESTRA & MAMMAL HANDS Acclaimed by Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum and Mr Scruff, Matt Halsall’s Manchester-based Gondwana label has become the hippest imprint in new British jazz, home to GoGo Penguin (see Thursday 20 April), Halsall’s own Gondwana Orchestra and rising stars Mammal Hands. For this special St George’s presentation — a reflection of Halsall’s high regard for the hall and our support — the evening will be opened by the piano/sax/ drums trio of Mammal Hands — think Steve Reich meets Pharoah Sanders — before Gondwana Orchestra close the show, complete with spellbinding guest singer Josephine Oniyama. Limited edition Gondwana vinyl and merchandise will be available to buy on the night. gondwanarecords.com @gondwanarecords mammalhands.com @MammalHands Thursday 16 March 8pm Tickets £18, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
March
RIZWAN-MUAZZAM QAWWALI When Pakistani qawwali superstar Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died in 1997, his family’s six-century musical tradition did not end. The legacy of qawwali, a form of devotional music popular in South Asia, was passed to his nephews, Rizwan and Muazzam, exceptional singers who carry on the Sufi tradition of musical devotion and exaltation. Performing songs that use hypnotic vocal repetition to induce a state of ecstasy, the brothers’ soaring voices are backed by a gharana, an ensemble of harmonium and tabla accompanied by handclaps. Rizwan and Muazzam are the torchbearers of the Qawwali tradition. As part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the formation of Pakistan taking place in 2017, the brothers’ imaginative reinterpretation of classic Sufi texts is a rare and transcendent experience that you will not want to miss. Presented in association with Asian Arts Agency rizwanmuazzam.com
‘One of the most exhilarating improvised vocal styles on the planet' THE GUARDIAN
Thursday 23 March 8pm Tickets £18, £15 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
PAKISTAN DAY
CONTEMPORARY
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CONTEMPORARY
30 Book now: stgeorgesbristol.co.uk March
COURTNEY PINE FEATURING OMAR Multi instrumentalist Courtney Pine CBE is a British born Jazz Giant. In the '80s he was one of the first black British jazz artists to make a serious mark on the jazz scene when his first album charted the top 40 and since then he’s had numerous MOBOs, a Mercury Music Prize nomination and remained at the forefront of UK jazz with a contemporary jazz style that integrates modern British sounds like drum 'n' bass and UK garage alongside soul, hip-hop and deep rooted influences from across the Caribbean. For his latest project, he returns to the tenor saxophone for the first time in a decade and features the vocal talents of UK soul star Omar, whose 1992 hit single 'There’s Nothing Like This' established a truly unique and instantly recognisable 'signature' sound that has since earned him widespread critical acclaim and seen him collaborate with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Carleen Anderson and Angie Stone. courtney-pine.com / @CourtneyPine1 omarmusic.co.uk / @omarlyefookMBE
Unmissable! Friday 24 March 8pm Tickets £25, £18 £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees) £1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
FILMIC
MARK SPRINGER & THE LOCHRIAN STRING QUARTET CONCERT WITH FILM A founder-member of legendary ‘Bristol’ group Rip Rig & Panic, pianist and composer Mark Springer defies categorisation, with a career spanning avant-garde pop, contemporary classical or ‘new music’ and jazz. Tonight, especially for Filmic, Mark premieres his latest compositions for piano and string quartet, with the live performance incorporating films by directors John Maybury and Sarah Killery that are themselves inspired by Springer’s music and the places in Rome and Tuscany that gave rise to it.
March / April
FILMIC
THREE CANE WHALE AT THE PICTURES Bristol’s favourite multi-instrumental trio has always been evocative of particular atmospheres and landscapes, both real and imagined. For this special premiere presentation, the band has commissioned a diverse array of film-makers, visual artists and animators to create new works in response to particular TCW tunes. The resulting collaborations will be screened and played live as part of tonight’s show, which will also find time for a little ‘sound-only’ performance. threecanewhale.com @3canewhale
markspringer.net @_MarkSpringer
Thursday 30 March 8pm
Thursday 6 April 8pm
Tickets £15, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees
Tickets £16, £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
CONTEMPORARY
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CONTEMPORARY
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GOGO PENGUIN KOYAANISQATSI
FILMIC
Hugely popular piano trio GoGo Penguin — think acoustic instruments do electronic dance music — return to St George’s to put a very particular GoGo stamp on Godfrey Reggio’s 1982 cult classic, ‘Koyaanisqatsi’, one of the most successful documentary films ever made. Sometimes called 'a visual tone poem’, ‘Koyaanisqatsi’ (a Hopi word meaning ‘Life Out of Balance’) contrasts the natural world with cities and technology, using time-lapse photography to create strikingly beautiful images. GoGo Penguin will create their own soundtrack to the film, re-making a canonical classic for a new millennium. Running time 87 minutes without an interval gogopenguin.co.uk @GoGo_Penguin
Thursday 20 April 8pm Tickets £20, £15 (Restricted View) £5 Students/U18s (limited availability) (plus fees)
Unmissable!
SING OUT BRISTOL ANNUAL CONCERT Sing Out Bristol, the South West’s award-winning LGBT Choir, is proud to present its Annual Concert. Come on a journey as we take you on a trip around Bristol with its wonderful colours and diversity. All our songs are linked to colours, can you guess some in advance? Our Musical Director Rónán de Búrca and team will lead the choir on stage, performing a mix of styles from modern to classical to musicals, including our famous dance moves. We’ll also be including those extra Sing Out Bristol touches that our audience loves. It’s definitely a night not to be missed… so grab a ticket and plan your outfit! singoutbristol.com @singoutbristol
April
EDDI READER plus special guest Adam Holmes Eddi Reader was brought into the limelight with Fairground Attraction and their single ‘Perfect’ and parent album First of a Million Kisses which both topped the British charts. However, it has been her subsequent solo albums which signalled her increasing ability to assimilate different musical styles and make them all very much her own. From the traditional to the contemporary, Eddi brings to joyous life all forms of song and what sets Reader apart is the depth and quality of the emotional performance; her ability not only to move the listener but to connect her experience to that of her audience. eddireader.co.uk @eddireader
RIFF RAFF’S SPRING FLING Douglas V. Watts & Helen Ostafew conductors (matinee) Elaine Wilson & Oli Pooie conductors (evening) This Spring, the sensational Riff Raff choir wili be bursting back on stage with two different concerts. The choir will soothe and excite you with pop and rock songs from across the decades, from outright classics to hidden gems and love ballads to songs celebrating the season. Warming you up for the a cappella magnificence of Riff Raff choir will be Reduced Riff Raff, the multi-talented, dynamic a cappelia quintet. Evening or matinee, these fabulous performances will leave you with a spring in your step! riffraffchoir.co.uk @riffraffchoir
Saturday 22 April 7.30pm
Tuesday 25 April 7.30pm
Sunday 30 April 2.30pm & 7pm
Tickets £14 (£12), £12 (£10), £10 (£8), £8 (£6) (plus fees)
Tickets £22.50, £25 (Door) (plus fees)
Tickets £10 (£8, £6 U18s), £6 (£4) (plus fees)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
CONTEMPORARY
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February
FAMILY EVENTS
WILD WORDS BEETHOVEN’S 4 SEASONS
Join Wild Words for a new and original story for families, with live music from the sublime sonatas, concertos and symphonies of the Master Composer to rustic folk tunes of the day.
Michael Loader storyteller/ storywriter & trumpet Alison Francis Black violin Martin Solomon violin, harp & accordion Caitlin Alais Callahan piano & bass
A Ludwig van Beethoven Rollercoaster of drama and daring, triumph and trauma, from the shadows of his father to the guiding love of his mother, from losing his hearing, to the Ode to Joy, all wrapped up in Wild Words’ trademark magical invention (and puppetry!). Recommended age 6+ Running time 50 minutes without an interval
‘An intoxicating mix of sound and story to leave a magical world lingering in the minds of their young audience for a very long time’ ST GEORGES BRISTOL 2013
Sunday 12 February 11.45am Tickets £6 (plus fees), Family Ticket available
Playshop, 10.30am Learn a song to sing in the show and ‘meet the instruments’ — free for ticket holders (40 minutes)
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit or £1 debit card transaction fee where applicable
March / April
EASTER HOLIDAYS
HALF TERM
MINIBEATS VIBRANT VOICES!
MINIBEATS BRILLIANT BRASS!
Hooray! Spring is, well, springing! And what better way to celebrate than…
Looking for a bit of musical inspiration for the Easter holidays? Well, look no further than St George’s Bristol!
SINGING! So, limber up that larynx, un-twist those tonsils, take a deep breath and get ready for some wonderful warbling with St George’s MiniBeats team, plus extra special guests from Ivy Arts Youth Theatre.
How long WOULD a French Horn be if you untangled it? What DO Trombones have in common with paperclips, and how low CAN the Tuba go?
For both Minibeats 10.15am For children aged 3 — 5 12pm For children aged 5— 8 2pm Relaxed performance especially children with special needs, and their families
Join presenter Laura Tanner and musicians from the Bristol Ensemble as we meet the instruments of the Brass family and discover their secrets.
Running time 45 minutes without interval Sunday 5 March 10.15am, 12pm & 2pm (Relaxed Performance)
Sunday 9 April 10.15am, 12pm & 2pm (Relaxed Performance)
Tickets £6 (plus fees), Family Ticket available
Tickets £6 (plus fees), Family Ticket available
FAMILY EVENTS
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Building a Sound Future / Supporters
Building a Sound Future As our capital project moves into the delivery phase, the appeal continues! Please contact us for further details of how to donate, including the Apollo Club. Enormous thanks to everyone who has contributed to date:
The Denman Charitable Trust
Harry Crook Foundation
The Nisbet Family Charitable Trust
Brian Maguire Charitable Trust
The Society of Merchant Venturers
The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust
Sir Siegmund Warburg's Voluntary Settlement
Supporters We would like to thank all of our Patrons, Benefactors, Gala Friends, Volunteer Stewards and the following organisations who support our artistic and education programmes.
Spielman Charitable Trust
The Batchworth Trust
Please contact the fundraising team on 0117 929 4929 (ext 205) or visit buildingasoundfuture.co.uk for further details and how to become a St George's supporter
Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation
Paragon Music Trust
The Martin Smith Foundation
The RVW Trust
£1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 card transaction fee where applicable
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Join / Venue Hire
Join the Friends of St George’s Bristol At St George’s we are fortunate to have a wonderfully supportive network of Friends. Through their generous support the Friends of St George’s help us deliver our world-class artistic programme, provide inspirational musicmaking opportunities for children and young people in and around Bristol, and care for our beautiful Grade II* listed building. For full details of membership benefits please check our website, pick up a leaflet, or call the box office on 0845 40 24 001.
Venue hire Venue hire at St George’s Bristol is available to May 2017, and we’ll be re-launching with a brand new look in January 2018. Our gorgeous Grade II* listed building, secluded terraced gardens, and stunning pavilion extension, come together to create the perfect setting for weddings, parties, gala dinners, conferences and meetings. Please get in touch to discuss your event on 0117 929 4929 or email events@stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
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Booking / Information
Booking information OPENING HOURS
Family ticket One child goes free in a family party of four or more.
Monday — Friday 9am — 6pm. The Box Office remains open until the end of the interval on concert days and opens one and a half hours before the concert start time for weekend shows.
Refunds Tickets are non-transferable and refunds can only be offered on events which are sold out (and where there is demand) up to 48 hours before an event. Physical tickets must be returned.
HOW TO BOOK Online — book online 24 hours a day at stgeorgesbristol.co.uk. Telephone — 0845 40 24 001. All major credit cards (except American Express), Maestro and Delta cards are accepted. During box office hours. In person — the Box Office is currently accessible via the crypt cafe bar.
BOOKING FEES Booking fees contribute towards the cost of processing card payments and providing up-todate, reliable and convenient ticketing services to our customers. Credit card transaction fee £1/debit card transaction fee £1 — charged per transaction using a credit or debit card online, over the phone or in person. Administration fee £1 — charged per transaction and standardised across all booking methods (online, in person and by telephone). Postage fee 70p — tickets can be posted if requested; the cost covers postage and materials. Concessions Prices are indicated in brackets after the full price. These apply to those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance or benefits, disabled people, senior citizens, under-18s and full-time students (unless otherwise stated). Proof of eligibility must be presented in order to qualify, where appropriate. Carers Free carer tickets are available for each full-paying ticket holder who requires someone to assist them with their visit. See above for concession details. CAVATINA Free tickets for 8 — 25 year olds for certain chamber concerts. Look out for the and be sure to quote CAVATINA when booking tickets. Visit cavatina.net for more details. Group offer One ticket free in every group of ten for all events programmed by St George’s Bristol.
Latecomers and readmission Admission will be offered at the first suitable break but admission and readmission cannot be guaranteed. The management reserves the right to refuse admission if necessary. Data protection When you book a ticket your details are stored on the St George’s computer database. This information will only be used to send you details of events at St George’s and at other arts organistions with your permission — Data Protection Act registration number: PZ5013390.
General information Amplification Some events at St George’s are amplified. If this causes any concern, please check with the Box Office when booking. Facilities for those with additional needs St George’s welcomes visitors with additional needs. The venue is fully accessible from Charlotte Street. Please mention your particular needs to the Box Office when booking and all assistance will be given. Limited parking is available, but must be reserved in advance. Toilet facilities are located in the bar and accessible by lift. Sound reinforcement St George’s Bristol is equipped with a T-Loop hearing system. Guide dogs Guide dogs are admitted to all parts of St George’s Bristol. Family friendly St George’s welcomes children and we programme a variety of family-friendly concerts. Parents are asked to remember that some concerts may not be suitable. Please check the individual event pages on our website for recommended age guidance. Our acoustic is extremely sensitive and sound carries so babies and young children cannot be admitted to the auditorium for ticketed events unless otherwise stated. All children must be issued with a ticket. The information given in this brochure was correct at the time of going to print. Programme subject to change.
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Seating Plan / How to find us Design Charles Watkins Illustration Cover and Insides /Carys Tait / carys-ink.com Venue Photography Philip Vile / Jamie Dodd (p37) p.24 Photography Picture copyright the Estate of Keith Morris Registered Office Great George St, Bristol BS1 5RR Administration 0117 929 4929 Email administration@stgeorgesbristol.co.uk Chief Executive Suzanne Rolt St George’s Bristol No 2053843 Registered Charity No 295178 VAT No 821968115
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By bike: Racks are by the Great George Street entrance
Bristol Guild
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On foot: St George’s is just off Park Street (accessible via Great George Street and Charlotte Street)
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On-street parking is strictly controlled with the nearest car parks on Trenchard Street, Jacobs Wells Road/ Berkeley Place (West End), and College Street.See travelwest.info for roadworks and travel updates
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How to find us...
THE G RO VE Arnolfini
By bus: See firstgroup.com for bus routes
Seating plan
January — April 2017 What’s on Classical, folk, jazz, spoken word & family events JAN UARY
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Tue 17 / 8pm Billy Bragg & Joe Henry Fri 20 / 7pm Soloists of the OAE Small is Beautiful and Brilliant Sat 21 / 11am Raise The Roof! Sun 22 / from 10.30am Really Classical Open Workshop & Performance Day Tue 24 / 5.30pm 1823 Lecture Alfred Brendel Beethoven’s Last Sonatas Thu 26 / 8pm O’Hooley & Tidow Fri 27 / 7pm The Tallis Scholars Metamorphosis Sat 28 / 7pm Bristol Bach Choir B Minor Mass Sun 29 / 4pm Tom Eveson Gala Concert Tue 31 / 7pm Young Artist Showcase
Sat 4 / 7.45pm Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra 30th Anniversary Concert Sun 5 / 10.15am, 12pm & 2pm MiniBeats Vibrant Voices! Tue 7 / 7pm Bristol Youth Choir Spring in the Air! Wed 8 / 7.30pm Tabakova Players International Women’s Day Concert Fri 10 / 8pm Trio Mediaeval & Arve Henriksen Sat 11 / 7.30pm Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra Sun 12 / 7pm City of Bristol Choir Bach’s St Matthew Passion Tue 14 / 7.30pm Paul Lewis piano Thu 16 / 8pm Gondwana Night! Matthew Halsall Gondwana Orchestra & Mammal Hands Sat 18 / 7.30pm Bristol Concert Orchestra Sun 19 / 3pm Bristol Suzuki Group Concert Sun 19 / 7.30pm Joy Lisney & James Lisney Tue 21 / 7pm QEH School Concert Thu 23 / 8pm Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali Fri 24 / 8pm Courtney & Omar Sat 25 / 7.30pm Bristol Classical Players Tchaikovsky and Dvořák Tue 28 / 7pm Redmaids' High School Spring Concert Wed 29 / 7pm Clifton High School in Concert Thu 30 / 8pm Mark Springer & The Lochrian String Quartet Concert with Film Fri 31 / 7.30pm John Williams, John Etheridge & Gary Ryan Three Guitars
FEB RUARY Wed 1 / 7pm Fisherman’s Friends 2017 Tour Thu 2 / 8pm Strange Face Adventures with a Lost Nick Drake Recording Tue 7 / 7.45pm Going Beyond Twenty Years of Solo Misadventure Thu 9 / 8pm Quercus Fri 10 / 7.30pm Nicholas McCarthy piano Sat 11 / 7.30pm Bristol Ensemble & Bath Camerata The Minimalists III Sun 12 / 11.45am Wild Words Beethoven’s 4 Seasons Fri 17 / 7.30pm Evelyn Glennie Sat 18 / 8pm Ringmasters (& The Great Western Chorus) Thu 23 / 8pm Shake The Chains! Songs of Social Change, Resistance and Protest Fri 24 / 8.30pm David Greilsammer Scarlatti/Cage Sat 25 / 7.30pm Exultate Singers A Sense of the Divine Sun 26 / 3pm The Purcell School Philomel Orchestra Tue 28 / 8pm The Handsome Family
Book now stgeorgesbristol.co.uk 0845 40 24 001* Great George Street (Off Park Street), Bristol BS1 5RR *During box office opening hours
@stgeorgesbris
APR I L / M AY Sat 1 Apr / 7.30pm Exultate Singers Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 Thu 6 Apr / 8pm Three Cane Whale At the Pictures Fri 7 Apr / 8.30pm Goeyvaerts String Trio Sat 8 Apr / 7.30pm Bristol Symphony Orchestra Music of Russia Sun 9 Apr / 10.15am, 12pm & 2pm MiniBeats Brilliant Brass! Tue 11 Apr / 7pm Tenebrae & Aurora Orchestra Faure Requiem Tue 18 Apr / 7pm Cellophony & Simon Callow The Wind in the Willows Thu 20 Apr / 8pm GoGo Penguin Koyaanisqatsi Sat 22 Apr / 7.30pm Sing Out Bristol Annual Concert Sun 23 Apr / 7pm Chineke! Orchestra Mon 24 Apr / 7pm Ensemble Variances Les Machines Désirantes Tue 25 Apr / 7.30pm Eddi Reader plus Special Guest Adam Holmes Sun 30 Apr / 2.30pm & 7pm Riff Raff’s Spring Fling Sat 6 May / 7pm Kyung Wha Chung plays Solo Bach