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Flexible payment options are also available – with package transactions over £100 you can spread the cost over 9 months. Please note that concert packages are not available on £12.50 Value Tickets, The Multi-Story Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, or in conjunction with the Debussy Festival 50% discount.
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YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 16-25
Get 50% off Birmingham Classical concerts, plus waived commissions and a 10% bar discount with THSH’s free young persons’ membership scheme – sign up at thsh.co.uk/soundbite. Additional package benefits are available and can be found in detail at thsh.co.uk Find us on Facebook Badge
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GROUPS & EDUCATION BOOKINGS • 20% discount for groups of 11+. • 2 free tickets for organisers of groups of 20+. • £5 tickets per pupil/teacher are available to any school group. Please call Group Bookings on 0800 358 7070 (10am – 5pm, Monday to Friday) or email groupbookings@thsh.co.uk to book.
Discounts are also available for Passport to Leisure holders, Benefit Recipients, Wheelchair Users, Disabled Patrons. More information about these discounts is available online. *A per ticket commission (inc. postage) will be charged for tickets over £13 – £2.50 for online transactions and £3 for telephone and in person transactions. Concert packages and tickets £13 or less are exempt from this commission but a £1.50 postage fee may be charged.
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Chineke! Orchestra Elgar and Mendelssohn Saturday 16 September 7:30PM Symphony Hall
Championing
change and
celebrating diversity in classical music Chineke! Orchestra Roderick Cox Conductor Tai Murray Violin
Classics by Elgar and Mendelssohn plus a magical British rediscovery, as Chineke! Orchestra makes its Birmingham debut.
Coleridge-Taylor Ballade for Orchestra in A minor Op 33 Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor Op 64 Elgar Enigma Variations
Everyone loves Nimrod, but there’s more to Elgar’s Enigma Variations than just an unforgettable musical portrait gallery of his Worcestershire friends. Mendelssohn’s popular Violin Concerto and the passionate, unfairly-neglected Ballade by Elgar’s friend Samuel Coleridge-Taylor complete a wonderfully warm-hearted concert. £12.50 - £48 (inc. per ticket commission)
We are grateful to Mr William Jones – known as Bill to his friends - for remembering THSH in his will. He was a wonderful man who loved music and his legacy has helped us to make this concert possible. Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © Ambra Vernuccio
The Multi-Story Orchestra Beethoven’s Fifth Friday 22 September 7PM Saturday 23 September 5PM Venue details to follow
Beethoven in a The Multi-Story Orchestra Christopher Stark Conductor
car park
Beethoven Symphony No 5 Come and be part of a dynamic take on one of Beethoven’s towering masterpieces as The MultiStory Orchestra make their Birmingham debut. Led by Christopher Stark, their approach to presenting live classical music in unexpected settings has been widely celebrated (“the response was ecstatic, and it deserved to be” – The New York Times), and this performance includes one of their unique ‘Living Programme Notes’, where the whole Multi-Story Orchestra celebrate and explore the symphony with the audience. £5 Not available as part of a concert package. Find us on Facebook Badge
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Birmingham Weekender returns in 2017 with three great days out for all the family from 22-24 September. See Birmingham’s major arts organisations alongside shining lights from the city’s independent scene, plus invited international artists. For more information visit birminghamweekender.com
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Basel Symphony Orchestra
Basel Symphony Orchestra Beethoven’s Seventh
Mariinsky Orchestra Symphonic Dances
Tuesday 10 October 7:30PM Town Hall
Thursday 12 October 7:30PM Symphony Hall
“a wonderful blend between orchestral gravitas and the swelling tunes Beethoven writes so well”
A colourful
all Russian programme
Classic FM
Basel Symphony Orchestra Ivor Bolton Conductor Sol Gabetta Cello
Mariinsky Orchestra Valery Gergiev Conductor Denis Matsuev Piano
Busoni Lustspiel Overture Op 38 Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto Beethoven Symphony No 7
Rimsky-Korsakov Suite from The Golden Cockerel Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 2 Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances Op 45
Beethoven’s Seventh is the exhilarating climax of a rare visit from the Basel Symphony Orchestra and superstar cellist Sol Gabetta.
Valery Gergiev and his legendary Mariinsky Orchestra make a hotly-awaited return to Birmingham, with a colourful all-Russian programme.
Conducting is the Basel Symphony Orchestra’s chief conductor, British maestro Ivor Bolton. He’s got a real chemistry with this leading Swiss orchestra, and together they’ll be opening the concert with a delightful comedy overture by Mahler’s maverick friend Ferruccio Busoni. Up close in Town Hall, you’ll almost be able to touch the sound. £12.50 - £48 (inc. per ticket commission)
Gergiev and the Mariinsky need no introduction here, of course. Now, for one night only, they join pianist Denis Matsuev to perform Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff – music they play more excitingly than any other orchestra in the world. £12.50 - £51 (inc. per ticket commission)
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © Andreas H Vega
Quatuor van Kuijk ˇ and Ravel Haydn, Janácek Monday 23 October 7:30PM Town Hall
“These four young Frenchmen
made the music smile” The Guardian
Quatuor van Kuijk Haydn Quartet Op 33, No 2 ˇ Janácek Quartet No 1 Édith Canat de Chizy New work (World premiere) Ravel Quartet in F major
The ECHO Rising Stars series spotlights the French string quartet Quatuor van Kuijk, in music by Haydn, Janácek ˇ and Ravel. A programme that ranges from the wit of Haydn ˇ to the Gallic grace of Ravel – by way of Janácek’s raw passion, and something completely new – should suit them down to the ground. But that same critic also praised their “style, energy and sense of risk” – one reason why the Quatuor van Kuijk won multiple prizes at the 2015 Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition. £12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Dame Mitsuko Uchida Schubert Sonatas Monday 30 October 7:30PM Town Hall
“intensely coloured, fiercely dramatic, generously expressive” The Guardian
Dame Mitsuko Uchida Piano Schubert Sonata in B major D 575 Schubert Sonata in A minor D 845 Schubert Sonata in D major D 850
Dame Mitsuko Uchida plays the piano sonatas of Schubert. An artist of unique stature encounters music of timeless beauty. With some performers, the name is enough, and for more than five decades Mitsuko Uchida has been a byword for everything that’s freshest, most thoughtful and most natural about great piano playing. Three perfectly-chosen Schubert piano sonatas make the ideal showcase. £12.50 - £38 (inc. per ticket commission)
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © Vladimir Popovic´
Photo: © Deutsche Grammophon
Maria João Pires Schubert and Mozart
Pires & Popovic´ Piano Duos
Monday 6 November 7:30PM Town Hall
Tuesday 7 November 1PM Town Hall
“among the most eloquent
“The music
”
master-musicians of our time Gramophone
Maria João Pires Piano
tells you what to do… Maria João Pires
”
Maria João Pires Piano Miloš Popovic´ Piano
Mozart Sonata No 12 in F major K 332 Mozart Sonata No 13 in E flat major K 333 Schubert Sonata No 21 in B flat major D 960 The great Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires comes to Town Hall performing piano sonatas by Schubert and Mozart. Pires’ combination of musical intelligence and intense charisma means that she’s one of those artists that you really do have to hear live. She’s chosen this programme herself, complementing Schubert’s late sonata with two perfectly-chosen masterpieces by Mozart. £12.50 - £38 (inc. per ticket commission)
Schumann Three Romances Beethoven Piano Sonata No 23 in F minor Op 57 Appassionata Schumann Waldszenen Op 82 Schumann Six Impromptus Op 66 Bilder aus Osten Maria João Pires teams up with rising star Miloš Popovic´ to play piano duos – a one-off meeting of two extraordinary musical personalities. Something magical happens when two great pianists sit down together, and in this second concert of her short Birmingham residency Pires shares that joy with Popovic´ in duos by Schumann, plus Beethoven’s mighty Appassionata sonata. £12.50 - £33 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Photo: © Alex Woodward
Photo: © Riccardo Cavallari
I Fagiolini The Other Vespers
BBC Scottish Orchestra Beethoven’s Third
Thursday 9 November 7:30PM Town Hall
Friday 17 November 7:30PM Symphony Hall
“Fascinating
”
and compulsively watchable The Stage (UK)
I Fagiolini English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble Robert Hollingworth Conductor Programme to include: Viadana Deus in adiutorium Monteverdi Dixit Dominus Gabrieli Magnificat a 14 The brilliant I Fagiolini recreate a stunning lost sacred masterpiece by the leading composers of Renaissance Venice. Imagine the glittering domes of St Mark’s, Venice in the early 17th century, ringing and resounding with majestic sacred music. Tonight at Town Hall, Robert Hollingworth and I Fagiolini travel back in time to recreate one of music’s greatest “might have beens” to mark 450 years since the composer’s birth. £12.50 - £43 (inc. per ticket commission)
Two opposite forces collide – see the energy unleashed. BBC Scottish Orchestra Ilan Volkov Conductor Ilya Gringolts Violin Juliet Fraser Voice Cassandra Miller New work (UK premiere) Sciarrino Allegoria della notte John Croft New work (World premiere) Beethoven Symphony No 3 Feel the energy, as powerhouse conductor Ilan Volkov conducts Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, and makes some dynamic discoveries. With the two explosive chords, Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony launched a new era of music – and created a world of limitless sonic possibility. So Ilan Volkov and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra pair it with three dazzlingly inventive new pieces in an evening drawing inspiration from Volkov’s renowned Tectonics Festival in Reykjavík and Glasgow. £12.50 – £25 (inc. per ticket commission)
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © IMG Artists
Photo: © Nadia F Romanini
Sir András Schiff Mendelssohn, Brahms and Bach
NDR Radiophilarmonie Hanover Beethoven and Brahms
Saturday 18 November 7:30PM Town Hall
Saturday 25 November 7:30PM Symphony Hall
music is very important “forBach’s me; it is the most important ” Sir András Schiff
“Levit’s playing constantly
white-hot
highlights the invention of Beethoven’s writing The Guardian
Sir András Schiff Piano Mendelssohn Fantasy in F sharp minor Op 28 Brahms 8 Klavierstücke Op 76 Brahms 7 Fantasien Op 116 Bach English Suite No 6 in D minor BWV 811 Sir András Schiff returns to Town Hall to play Mendelssohn, Brahms and – of course – his beloved Bach. András Schiff is an old friend here in Birmingham – one who is always welcome, and always has something new and fascinating to say. This Town Hall recital pairs Mendelssohn and Brahms with the composer at the centre of Schiff’s musical life: Bach. £12.50 - £38 (inc. per ticket commission) Find us on Facebook Badge
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”
NDR Radiophilharmonie Hanover Andrew Manze Conductor Igor Levit Piano Beethoven Egmont Overture Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 Brahms Symphony No 2 Beethoven and Brahms from one of Germany’s finest orchestras – plus the phenomenal Igor Levit. Beethoven’s Egmont overture begins in deep shadow; Brahms’ Second Symphony ends in sunlit jubilation. Between them comes a lifetime of emotion, explored by NDR Radiophilharmonie Hanover, the wonderfully imaginative Andrew Manze, and multi-award-winning pianist Igor Levit. £12.50 - £53 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Photo: © VARHELYLKLARA.PHOTO
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The Sixteen Glory to the Christ Child
Domonkos Csabay In Recital
Monday 11 December 7:30PM Symphony Hall
Wednesday 17 January 7:30PM Town Hall
date “onAntheunmissable Advent calendar…” The Guardian
“…personality
and
panache” Birmingham Post
The Sixteen Harry Christophers Conductor Christmas choral music that spans nations and centuries, lovingly performed by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen. Christmas is a time for celebration, but it’s also a time for reflection. This is a Christmas concert with a lovely difference: choral music from Renaissance Italy to 21st century Britain, performed by one of the world’s best chamber choirs. £12.50 - £43 (inc. per ticket commission)
Domonkos Csabay Piano Schubert Sonata in A major D 959 Bartók Out of Doors ˇ Janácek In the Mists Britten Holiday Diary A colourful piano recital from an award-winning young pianist, with musical roots in both England and central Europe. Domonkos Csabay was born in Hungary but trained here in Birmingham, and when he won the 2016 Brant Piano Competition at Town Hall The Birmingham Post praised his “personality and panache”. That’ll be very much to the fore in this imaginative programme. £12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission) Free to 5+ concert package bookers
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © Franz Jansen
Photo: © Chris Lee
Joshua Bell Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group Celebrating Carter
Tuesday 23 January 7:30PM Symphony Hall
Sunday 28 January 4PM Town Hall
“…a musical firework display…” BBC Music Magazine
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Joshua Bell Director / Violin
. Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla conducts
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group Birmingham Contemporary Music Group . Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla Conductor Pierre-Laurent Aimard Piano Elliot Carter Mosaic Double Trio Epigrams for piano trio Bariolage Two Thoughts about the Piano Two Controversies and a Conversation
Vivaldi The Four Seasons Edgar Meyer New work Beethoven Symphony No 2 Joshua Bell plays Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and directs the Academy of St Martin in the Fields in Beethoven’s exuberant Second Symphony. There’s a good reason why Joshua Bell is known as one of the world’s pre-eminent living violinists. Tonight he brings all that personality and matchless flair to The Four Seasons – playing as first amongst equals in one of the world’s most famous chamber orchestras. £12.50 - £51 (inc. per ticket commission)
. Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla conducts Birmingham Contemporary Music Group for the first time, in a celebration of a very American genius: Elliott Carter – the playful, brilliantly intelligent modern master. It’ll be thrilling to hear the CBSO’s dynamic new music director working with the hand-picked players of Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, joined by pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, one of the world’s leading interpreters of new music. A concert to refresh the spirit, and a chance to get to know one of twentieth century music’s most fascinating personalities. £12.50 - £20 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Photo: © Simon Fowler
Photo: © Patrick Marek
Christoph Sietzen In Recital
Nicola Benedetti Beethoven Violin Concerto
Monday 29 January 7:30PM Town Hall
Tuesday 6 February 7:30PM Symphony Hall
“A talent of the century…”
“ Benedetti, mesmerising to watch as she makes it all look so effortless ” Bachtrack
Ivo Radakovich
WAVE Quartet Christoph Sietzen Percussion Programme to include: Séjourné Attraction, for Marimba, Vibraphone and Tape Xenakis Rebonds B, for Solo Percussion Psathas One Study One Summary, for Marimba, Junk Percussion and Tape Percussion virtuoso Christoph Sietzen and his WAVE Quartet present a riotously colourful evening of music from Bach to Piazzolla. The ECHO Rising Stars programme showcases Europe’s most dynamic young artists - and they don’t get much more dynamic than percussionist Christoph Sietzen. Along with his dazzling colleagues of WAVE Quartet, his concert tonight is a high-octane mix of Bach, Xenakis, Piazzolla, and some spectacular surprises.
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Marin Alsop Conductor Nicola Benedetti Violin Beethoven Symphony No 4 Beethoven Violin Concerto Our Artist in Residence Nicola Benedetti stars with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in a concert that shows two different faces of Ludwig van Beethoven. Nicola Benedetti has been called “the nation’s favourite violinist” but she’s so much more than that. Hear for yourself as she plays Beethoven’s lyrical Violin Concerto, a wonderfully serene contrast to the headlong verve of Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony, conducted by Marin Alsop. £12.50 - £48 (inc. per ticket commission) Nicola Benedetti is a THSH Artist in Residence.
£12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission) Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Nicola Benedetti In-the-round Tuesday 6 March 7:30PM Town Hall
“ When I am
playing the violin, it is
a part of me, we are
one thing” Nicola Benedetti
Nicola Benedetti Violin Bach Partita No 2 in D minor BWV 1004 Wynton Marsalis New Work Bach Partita No 3 in E major BWV 1006 Ysaÿe Sonata No 5 in G major Op 27 Nicola Benedetti, unaccompanied and in-the-round in a uniquely intimate concert at Town Hall. For a violinist to perform completely unaccompanied is like walking a highwire: an act of supreme artistic skill – and courage. But Nicola Benedetti is no ordinary violinist; and the audience that she draws around her for this Town Hall concert will experience something utterly unique. £12.50 - £35 (inc. per ticket commission) Nicola Benedetti is a THSH Artist in Residence. Find us on Facebook Badge
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Photo: © Simon Fowler
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Photo: © Dominik Odenkirchen
Photo: © Harald Hoffmann
Czech Philharmonic Dvořák’s New World Symphony
Tamás Pálfalvi In Recital
Wednesday 14 February 7:30PM Symphony Hall
Monday 26 February 7:30PM Town Hall
represents himself and his instrument “Reminiscence, nostalgia, “Tamás as a dreamteam on an adventure ” and something darker…” Bayerische Rundfunk
The Guardian
Czech Philharmonic ˇ Jiří Belohlávek Conductor Alisa Weilerstein Cello
Tamás Pálfalvi Trumpet tbc Piano Programme to include: Tamberg Trumpet Concerto Op 42, for Trumpet and Piano Bartók Romanian Folk Dances Enescu Légende for trumpet and piano
Mozart Don Giovanni Overture Dvořák Cello Concerto Op 104 Dvořák Symphony No 9 ‘New World’ The Czech Philharmonic plays music by Dvořák and Mozart. It doesn’t get more authentic than this. Those lilting strings, those glowing horns and that effortless hint of a dance-rhythm: of all the world’s great orchestras, there’s none that sounds quite like the Czech Philharmonic. Tonight they play Dvořák’s New World Symphony, and no orchestra on earth plays it better. £12.50 - £53 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Trumpeter Tamás Pálfalvi is already something of a star in his native Hungary, and in this gloriously entertaining recital you’ll hear why! Trumpeters aren’t generally shy and retiring types, but Pálfalvi has the stage-presence of a pop star. His programme is filled with melodies and tongue-twisting fireworks – but there’ll be poetry too, in Enescu’s Légende, plus Bartók played with unmistakably authentic flair. £12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Photo: © Patricia Dietzi
Photo: © Nikolaj Lund
Ellen Nisbeth In Recital
Omo Bello La Belle Epoque
Wednesday 14 March 7:30PM Town Hall
Friday 23 March 7:30PM Town Hall
“a model soloist” Gramophone
“a talent of gold” Gianni Gori
Ellen Nisbeth Viola Bengt Forsberg Piano
Omo Bello Soprano Susan Manoff Piano
Programme to include: Schumann 3 Fantasiestücke Op 73 Britten Lachrymae Reflections on a song of Dowland Brahms Viola Sonata in F minor Op 120 No 1
Debussy Beau soir Ariettes oubliées Fauré La Bonne Chanson Fauré 5 mélodies de Venise Debussy Proses lyriques
The outstanding young Swedish viola player Ellen Nisbeth explores the romantic soul of her instrument, in this beautifully-imagined recital. The viola is sometimes called the Cinderella of the string instruments. But with a programme that includes late Brahms, Britten at his most poetic and the sweeping romance of the great Viola Sonata by the neglected British composer Rebecca Clarke, Ellen Nisbeth will take it to the ball tonight. £12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission)
A ravishing all-French recital with the “beautiful, gleaming voice” of the charismatic young FrancoNigerian soprano Omo Bello. Bello’s first place in the 2010 Luciano Pavarotti International Singing Competition prompted one Italian critic to pronounce her “a talent of gold”. But her Parisian training gives her a special connection to the songs of Debussy and Fauré. £12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission) This concert is part of the Debussy Festival taking place from Saturday 17 – Sunday 25 March. 50% off for Debussy Festival Weekend Pass and Weekend Pass Extra holders (excluding Value Ticket).
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: Ex Cathedra
Ex Cathedra Good Friday St Matthew Passion Friday 30 March 2PM Symphony Hall Ex Cathedra Choir and Baroque Orchestra Ex Cathedra Academy of Vocal Music Jeffrey Skidmore Conductor Toby Spence Evangelist James Rutherford Jesus Greg Skidmore Jesus Bach St Matthew Passion
“the greatest setting of the
Bach’s St Matthew Passion is more than one of the mightiest of all sacred works; it’s a profound human drama, and a heartbreaking musical exploration of timeless hopes and sorrows. Ex Cathedra’s Choir and Baroque Orchestra celebrate the Birmingham Good Friday tradition with an intense and dignified retelling of the Passiontide story.
passion story in western music” Classic FM
£12.50 - £43 (inc. per ticket commission) Sung in German with English surtitles. Ex Cathedra is a Town Hall Associate Artist.
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Photo: © Jason Alden
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain Totally Teenage
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain Ravel, Ligeti and Scriabin
Saturday 7 April 7PM Symphony Hall
Friday 3 August 7:30PM Symphony Hall
“a thrilling display of teenage talent…” National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain Kwamé Ryan Conductor Programme to include: Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Conductor Kwamé Ryan unleashes the full power of the world’s greatest teenage orchestra – the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Hearing is believing: and until you’ve heard the 164 young players of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain raising the roof of Symphony Hall, you don’t know what young musicians can do! And that’s exactly what Bernstein would have wanted. West Side Story is a tale about young people, written by a composer who would have been 100 this year – but whose enthusiasm and creative spirit never got old. His music could have been written for the NYO, and one thing’s for sure; you’ll never hear it played with more verve, more brilliance - or more joy. £10, £5 (under 25s) Not available as part of a concert package.
The Guardian
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain George Benjamin Conductor Tamara Stefanowich Piano Ligeti Lontano Thomas Coult Sonnet Machine Ravel Piano Concerto in D major (Left Hand Alone) Benjamin Dance Figures Scriabin Poem of Ecstasy The world’s greatest orchestra of teenagers, conducted by composer George Benjamin. Prepare to have your ears dazzled! Nothing can match the energy of the 164-strong National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in full flight – and there’s no venue in which they sound better! George Benjamin conducts them today in a concert filled with pure sonic wonder. £12.50 - £28 (inc. per ticket commission)
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © Simon Fowler
Photo: © IMG Artists
Ilker Arcayürek Schubert and Wolf
ˇ Simon Trpceski Scheherazade
Sunday 15 April 4PM Town Hall
Wednesday 25 April 7:30PM Town Hall
“A golden and
natural lyric tenor...” Opera Now Magazine
“…a first rate virtuoso… the emotion is all in the sound” The Arts Desk
ˇ Simon Trpceski Piano
Ilker Arcayürek Tenor Hartmut Höll Piano Tenor Ilker Arcayürek captivated audiences at the 2015 Cardiff Singer of the World. This recital of songs by Schubert and Wolf shows his artistry at its most poetic. Opera Now praises Ilker Arcayürek’s “easy charm” but there’s a lot more to this emerging star than just a smile and a radiant voice, as this beautifullydevised song recital proves. Arcayürek has chosen his programme from the two greatest German romantic songwriters, with songs by Schubert contrasting with the darker, more troubled genius of Hugo Wolf. Each of their lieder creates its own world, like a music-drama in miniature – and since Arcayürek is already a veteran of the operatic stage, we can expect an afternoon of really compelling music-making at Town Hall.
Programme to include: Mendelssohn Songs without Words (selection) Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade Op 35 ˇ The phenomenal Simon Trpceski performs RimskyKorsakov’s Scheherazade in a spectacular version for solo piano. That’s right: the climax of this concert is a performance of that most flamboyant of orchestral showpieces, performed not by a full orchestra but ˇ by one man. But since that man is Simon Trpceski, he’ll have virtuosity – and personality - to spare! £12.50 - £35 (inc. per ticket commission)
£12.50 - £35 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Sir Simon Rattle & the London Symphony Orchestra Mahler’s Ninth Tuesday 1 May 7:30PM Symphony Hall
London Symphony Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle Conductor Mahler Symphony No 9 Sir Simon Rattle brings his new orchestra home to Symphony Hall, in Mahler’s Ninth Symphony. If there’s one artist who needs no introduction at Symphony Hall, it’s Sir Simon Rattle. This is his first visit to Birmingham since he became music director of the London Symphony Orchestra, and naturally, they’re playing Mahler.
“Rattle and his
orchestra make the most
powerful
In other words, this concert is self-recommending. In the 1990s, Rattle, Mahler and Symphony Hall were practically synonymous. But he’s a conductor who always has something new to share with us. And since no London venue compares to Symphony Hall, this will be a rare chance for UK audiences to hear this new partnership in a truly world-class acoustic.
impact” Gramophone
£12.50 - £58 (inc. per ticket commission) Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © Marco Borggreve
Bruckner Orchestra Linz Mozart and Bruckner
Nora Fischer In Recital
Sunday 6 May 4PM Symphony Hall
Monday 14 May 7:30PM Town Hall
“Sheer breathtaking
magnificence” The Guardian
Bruckner Orchestra Linz Markus Poschner Conductor
The orchestra of Bruckner’s home town plays his majestic Eighth Symphony, plus Mozart’s Haffner Symphony. Huge gothic cathedrals, mighty Alpine peaks… people have compared Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony to many things. In fact, it’s a spiritual epic of awe-inspiring grandeur and emotional power - and under its new chief conductor Markus Poschner, the Bruckner Orchestra Linz plays it with unparalleled insight and authenticity. £12.50 - £51 (inc. per ticket commission)
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versatile and virtuosic” BBC Music Magazine
Nora Fischer Soprano Daniel Kool Piano Mike Fentross Lute
Mozart Symphony No 35 Haffner Bruckner Symphony No 8
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“…a revelation, both
Programme to include: Poulenc La Courte Paille Messiaen Movements from Poemes pour Mi Morris Kliphuis New work Discover the artistry of Dutch soprano Nora Fischer – a singer who defies categorisation – in a programme of music from six centuries. Nora Fischer is a real original – a soprano who’s as comfortable in the music of the 1500s as she is in the most intricate of contemporary scores. She’s unquestionably one of the most striking talents in this season’s ECHO Rising Stars series, but for once, the description doesn’t do her justice. She’s a star already! BBC Music Magazine called her “a revelation, both versatile and virtuosic”, and today she’s brought lutenist Mike Fentross and pianist Daniel Kool for a new commission, music from Renaissance courts, and a rediscovery by the Baroque visionary Barbara Strozzi. £12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Photo: © operamania.co.uk
Photo: © Simon Fowler
Joseph Calleja & the CBSO Favourite Arias
Benjamin Grosvenor & Friends Brahms and Schubert
Friday 25 May 7:30PM Symphony Hall
Saturday 26 May 7:30PM Town Hall
“engaging personality,
ringing tone and general excellence The Guardian
”
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Joseph Calleja Tenor Andrew Greenwood Conductor Malta’s superstar tenor Joseph Calleja makes his long awaited return to Symphony Hall, teaming up with the CBSO for an evening of glorious singing and favourite operatic melodies. Call it stage presence, call it star quality, call it a voice from heaven – but some tenors just have it. Joseph Calleja has it in abundance. The celebrated Maltese tenor, accompanied by the magnificent CBSO, will perform a popular selection of his favourite arias and songs by Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Mascagni, Cilea and Tosti. £22.50 - £69.50 (inc. per ticket commission) CBSO is the resident orchestra of Symphony Hall.
“Superb virtuosity…” The Guardian
Hyeyoon Park Violin Brett Dean Viola Kian Soltani Cello Leon Bosch Double Bass Benjamin Grosvenor Piano Brahms Piano Quartet No 1 in G minor Op 25 Schubert Piano Quintet in A major D 667 Trout Pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and friends play Schubert’s ever-fresh Trout Quintet, plus music by Brahms – for one night only. They call chamber music “the music of friends” and Schubert’s exuberant Trout Quintet is as friendly as it gets: there’s a good reason why it’s so popular! To perform it, Benjamin Grosvenor has assembled some of the finest players in the world today, and they’re simply out to have fun. And the best bit? You get to listen in, as players of the calibre of Kian Soltani, Brett Dean and Grosvenor himself let fly in some of the happiest music even Schubert ever wrote. This is pretty much unmissable. £12.50 - £35 (inc. per ticket commission)
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © P Pfeiffer
Photo: © Henning Ross
Classical Opera La finta semplice
Maxim Vengerov & the Würth Philharmonic Bruch and Tchaikovsky
Saturday 2 June 7:30PM Town Hall
Monday 4 June 7:30PM Symphony Hall
“Mozart cut his operatic teeth on La finta semplice as a twelve-year-old prodigy”
An orchestra drawn from of all nations in pursuit of global friendship
top players
Opera Today
Classical Opera/The Mozartists Ian Page Conductor Cast includes: Regula Mühlemann Rosina Chiara Skerath Ninetta Emily Edmonds Giacinta Alessandro Fisher Don Polidoro Božidar Smiljanic´ Simone
Würth Philharmonic Maxim Vengerov Conductor/Violin Stamatia Karampini Conductor (first half)
Mozart La finta semplice – opera in 3 acts Discover La finta semplice, a delightful comic opera by the 12-year-old Mozart, in an entertaining new concert production. Young lovers, a miserly guardian, a crafty maid, and a 12-year-old genius out to astonish the world. The young Mozart’s second opera simply fizzes with humour and fun. Audiences in 1768 couldn’t quite believe it - and performed by Classical Opera, it’ll charm you off your feet tonight. £12.50 - £42 (inc. per ticket commission) Find us on Facebook Badge
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J Strauss Die Fledermaus Overture Bruch Violin Concerto No 1 Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 Pathétique Maxim Vengerov plays Bruch’s First Violin Concerto - and conducts a super-orchestra drawn from the world’s best orchestral musicians. Vengerov is a violinist who transcends boundaries, and whose gleaming tone and heartfelt insight gives new meaning to everything he plays. As soloist in Bruch’s Violin Concerto and conductor of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique Symphony, this is a chance to experience the full, magnificent range of his artistry. £12.50 - £48 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Brant 2015 Finalists
Photo: © David Ignaszewski
Hespèrion XXI Ode to Syria
2018 Birmingham International Piano Competition The Final
Friday 29 June 7:30PM Town Hall
Saturday 30 June 3PM Town Hall
“...a glorious
medieval melting pot”
Talent spotting the
future generations of classical music
The Guardian
Hespèrion XXI Jordi Savall Vielle, Rebab & Direction Waed Bouhassoun Oud, Voice Lior Elmaleh Voice Hamam Khairy Voice, Riq, Sonaja Oumeima Khalil Voice Moslem Rahal Ney Jordi Savall and the spectacular Hespèrion XXI play for Syria, in music that crosses cultures and centuries. Music unites - across eras, and across religious and cultural divides. Under Jordi Savall, Hespèrion XXI has never limited itself to western baroque music. Tonight they collaborate with virtuosos from Syria and the Middle East to play music of vibrant, life-giving beauty.
The Birmingham International Piano Competition remains committed to the art of the piano recital, and provides young pianists the chance to further their careers and perform in world class venues. Having proved their mettle in earlier rounds, a maximum of three outstanding young pianists (aged 18-28) will make it to the final. Join us for some talent-spotting and hear exceptional talent vie with one another for this coveted prize. This competition was formerly known as the Brant International Piano Competition. £12.50 - £23 (inc. per ticket commission) Free to 3+ concert package bookers.
£12.50 - £43 (inc. per ticket commission)
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
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Photo: © Robbie Lawrence Ross
Photo: © Julian Wesely
Emmanuel Tjeknavorian Solo Violin Recital
Igor Levit In Recital
Monday 2 July 7:30PM Town Hall
Thursday 19 July 7:30PM Symphony Hall
Solo sonatas
A bold
unaccompanied
at Symphony Hall
recital
Emmanuel Tjeknavorian Violin
Igor Levit Piano
Bach Sonata No 1 G minor BWV 1001 Ysaÿe Sonata No 1 G minor Op 27 Christoph Ehrenfellner New work Bartók Sonata for Solo Violin Sz 117
Bach (arr. Brahms) Chaconne in D minor (after Partita, BWV 1004) Shostakovich 24 Preludes Op 34 (selection) Berg Sonata Op 1 Wagner (arr. Liszt) Parsifal: Solemn March to the Holy Grail Liszt (arr. Busoni) Fantasy and Fugue on As nos, ad salutarem undam S 259
The exceptional young Austrian violinist Emmanuel Tjeknavorian puts everything on the line, in a bold unaccompanied recital. The ECHO Rising Stars programme sets out to bring Europe’s most remarkable young musicians to Birmingham, and Emmanuel Tjeknavorian has been cutting a swathe through Europe’s top violin competitions. This unaccompanied recital of Bach, Ysaÿe and Bartók is a truly spectacular demonstration of his prowess. £12.50 - £31 (inc. per ticket commission)
Is Igor Levit the world’s most exciting pianist right now? This powerful full-scale recital may give you an answer. Last time Igor Levit played solo in Birmingham, he got a standing ovation – and The Birmingham Post struggled for words to describe the way he “charmed, beguiled, hammered and finally finessed” his piano. This handpicked programme of Bach, Shostakovich, Berg, Wagner and Liszt looks set to be just as gripping. £12.50 - £35 (inc. per ticket commission)
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Town Hall Symphony Hall
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“
Classical music in Birmingham continues to evolve positively. With two of the
finest concert halls in the world, Town Hall and Symphony Hall are guaranteeing that Birmingham’s musical ecology is
vibrant, relevant and accessible to all.
For intimate recitals in-the-round, huge international orchestras or listening to Beethoven in a car park,
�
everyone is welcome. Richard Hawley Head of Artistic Programming
Box Office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
27
HOW TO BOOK Book online at thsh.co.uk, call 0121 780 3333 or in person at the Symphony Hall Box Office. Groups book on 0800 358 7070 (10am – 5pm, Monday to Friday) or email groupbookings@thsh.co.uk.
WHEN TO BOOK • THSH Patrons and Members Priority Booking Thursday 4 May at 10am online (by logging into your account), by phone or in person. • Concert Package Booking Friday 5 May at 10am by phone or in person only. • Groups Priority Booking Friday 5 May at 10am by phone only.
Throughout 2017/18 new concerts will be added to the season – sign up to emails at thsh.co.uk to hear more. A complimentary ticket will be available for the final of the 2018 Birmingham International Piano Competition for 3+ Concert Package bookers. Both this and a complimentary ticket for Domonkos Csabay will be available for 5+ Concert Package bookers.
• Public Booking Monday 8 May at 10am online, by phone or in person.
ACCESSIBILITY Town Hall & Symphony Hall are accessible to people with disabilities. For further information on the Access Scheme, services and to book free tickets for disabled patrons & companions, call 0121 780 4949, email boxoffice@thsh.co.uk or go to www.thsh.co.uk/your-visit/accessibility
This guide is available free of charge on CD or Braille (on request) from Sarah Barnett, Vista Sound Services, 2 Rutland Close, Leicester, Forest East, LE3 3PW. Call 0116 249 8810. Email sarah.barnett@vistablind.org.uk
Concert information correct at time of going to print. Terms and conditions apply – please check online for full details. Please note that concert packages are not available on £12.50 Value Tickets, The Multi-Story Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, or in conjunction with the Debussy Festival 50% discount. Front Cover Photo: Multi-Story Orchestra © Ambra Vernuccio Performances Birmingham Limited is a registered charity No.1053937. Registered in England No. 3169600. Find us on Facebook Badge
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