SEPT 2019 - JAN 2020
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
CLASSICAL CONCERTS AT TOWN HALL SYMPHONY HALL RESIDENT
ASSOCIATE
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Ex Cathedra, Birmingham City Organist Thomas Trotter, Black Voices
Certain events with Resident or Associate badges are included within respective concert packages. Contact the Box Office for more information.
HOW TO BOOK By phone: 0121 780 3333 Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
Online: www.thsh.co.uk
In person: Town Hall Box Office is open two hours before the start time of a performance. Symphony Hall Box Office, in the ICC is open 10am - 6pm (Monday - Saturday). Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays except when there is an event (open two hours before event starts).
HOW TO REACH US
DISCOUNTS & PACKAGES Discounts are available for some concert performances, please check with Box Office or online www.thsh.co.uk.
Town Hall is located in Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3DQ.
Symphony Hall is located within the International Convention Centre, 8 Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2EA.
For further information visit www.thsh.co.uk/your-visit PUBLIC TOURS Take a tour of our stunning auditoriums and glimpse inside the inner workings of these world-famous venues. For more information, dates and to make a booking on a public tour visit www.thsh.co.uk and search for ‘Town Hall Tour’ or ‘Symphony Hall Tour’. For information about private tour bookings email programming@thsh.co.uk. Funded by
Cover image by Lars Borges
Town Hall renovation also funded by
BOOK NOW 0121 780 3333 www.thsh.co.uk
MAKING MUSIC ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE Town Hall and Symphony Hall welcome more than 500,000 people to 800 concerts and events every year. In addition to that, through various projects and events, we connect a further 15,000 young people and adults to a world of music and performance every 12 months. As a registered charity, we rely on the generous support of our audiences to enable us to immerse thousands of people, young and old, in a world of music. Without you, many of our projects that have the power to change lives, entertain and uplift, simply could not happen. If you, like us, believe music should be accessible to everyone, please visit thsh.co.uk and search for ‘Donate’ or call us on 0121 644 5156 to make a donation.
British Open Brass Band Championships 2019 The 167th British Open, supported by Besson, features the top British bands as well as the 2019 European Champions. Date: Sat 7 September Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 10AM Tickets from £16.50* Sold Out
Brass Band Gala The most successful contesting bands in the world, Black Dyke Band, including BrassPass.tv Young Brass Award winner Siobhan Bate, and Cory Band are set to return to the Symphony Hall Stage. Date: Sun 8 September Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30PM Tickets from £10*
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone In Concert The Czech National Symphony Orchestra will perform live to picture Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in Concert. Date: Wed 11 September Venue: Symphony Hall Time: TBC Tickets from £33.50*
4
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Britten-Shostakovich Festival Orchestra Britten-Shostakovich Festival Orchestra Jan Latham König Conductor Pavel Kolesnikov Piano Britten Rachmaninoff Prokofiev Shostakovich Tchaikovsky
Four Sea Interludes Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Romeo & Juliet Hamlet 1812 Overture
Two great 20th-century composers and a friendship that crossed cultures are the inspiration behind this superb new multinational orchestra, tonight making their first ever UK appearance. Of course, they’re playing Britten and Shostakovich. But with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet there’s a real mood of celebration – not to mention the magnificent young Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov in Rachmaninov’s hugely popular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Date: Tue 17 September Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £12.50
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
5
Last Night of The Rotary Proms 2019
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Antony Inglish Conductor Treorchy Male Choir This is the third time the Rotary Club of Birmingham has promoted “The Last Night of the Rotary Proms” with the CBSO, Anthony Inglis and one of the great Welsh Choirs providing two and a half hours of orchestral and choral entertainment to match the best anywhere. Date: Sat 14 September Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £18
A Child of Our Time
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra . Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla Conductor Talise Trevigne Soprano Felicity Palmer Mezzo Soprano Joshua Stewart Tenor Brindley Sherratt Bass CBSO Chorus Britten Sinfonia da Requiem Tippett A Child of our Time “The world turns on its dark side...” As war loomed in Europe, Michael Tippett took a single, brutal instance of man’s inhumanity to man, and created a plea for a better world. Idealistic, impassioned, and deeply moving, Michael . Tippett’s A Child of our Time is Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla’s personal choice of masterpiece to open the CBSO’s new season: a true classic, with world-class performers. Date: Thu 26 September Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
6
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Sheku plays Elgar
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra . Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla Conductor Sheku Kanneh-Mason Cello Purcell (arr. Stucky) Funeral Music For Queen Mary Elgar Cello Concerto George Benjamin Ringed By The Flat Horizon Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
friday 27 september terry riley’s minimalist masterpiece in c with royal birmingham conservatoire www.multi-story.org.uk
From the royal court of 17th century England to the New Mexico desert; from the cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral to the Sussex Downs. British music spans centuries as well as continents, and today Mirga and the CBSO embark on a truly fantastic adventure in time and space – featuring Midlands-born cello superstar Sheku KannehMason in Elgar’s hugely popular Cello Concerto. Date: Sat 28 September Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7PM Tickets from £13* Don’t miss Sheku Kanneh-Mason in Recital with his sister, Isata at Symphony Hall on Sat 18 July 2020. Experience a very personal encounter with a life-affirming talent.
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
7
Lunchtime Organ Concert Organ
Thomas Trotter Organ Parry Hurford J. S. Bach Howells Elgar
Fantasia & Fugue in G major Laudate Dominum Passacaglia Master Tallis’s Testament Chanson de Matin Pomp & Circumstance March No 1
Hope and glory: Birmingham City Organist Thomas Trotter launches the season with a great British celebration. Everyone knows the tune of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 – and Parry is hardly less stirring. But this “Isle of Noises” has a more spiritual side too, and masterpieces from the English cathedral tradition by Howells and Hurford frame a passacaglia by the composer at the centre of every organist’s life: Johann Sebastian Bach.
Seyed Ali Jaberi and the Hamdel Ensemble Internationally acclaimed Musician and Composer, Seyed Ali Jaberi, and the Hamdel Ensemble bring the mystical poetry of Persia’s beloved Rumi to life. This unique music production combines hauntingly beautiful Sufi music with whirling dervish dance and poetry. Date: Tue 1 October Venue: Symphony Hall Stage Time: 8PM Tickets only £12
Date: Mon 30 September Venue: Town Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £6
8
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Alison Balsom plays Musgrave
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra . Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla Conductor Alison Balsom Trumpet Gipps Symphony No. 2 Thea Musgrave Trumpet Concerto (CBSO Centenary Commission) Walton Troilus and Cressida: Suite
Das Rheingold The Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra present a concert performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its premiere. Date: Sun 13 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 3PM Tickets from £33.50*
Love, war and a destiny stronger than either: Walton’s Troilus and Cressida is British music at its most sensuous – and sensational. Mirga loves it, and as part of the CBSO’s centenary celebrations she’s giving it a long-overdue revival. First, though, Alison Balsom plays a stunning new concerto by living legend Thea Musgrave, and we champion a home-grown masterpiece from 1946 by former CBSO oboist Ruth Gipps. Date: Wed 2 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7.30PM Tickets from £13
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
9
Lunchtime Organ Concert Organ
Thomas Trotter Organ Mendelssohn Sonata No 4 4 Renaissance Pieces: ‘Pastime with good company’ ‘My Lady Carey’s Dompe’ ‘Sur La.Mi.Re’ ‘Saltarelle’ J. S. Bach Fantasia & Fugue in G minor Wammes Toccata Chromatica Mendelssohn Overture: St Paul 182 years ago this autumn, Felix Mendelssohn directed his oratorio St Paul here in Birmingham Town Hall, and astonished the city with his organ playing. Today, Thomas Trotter celebrates one of the most extraordinary moments in Birmingham’s musical history - with music by Mendelssohn, of course, but also Mendelssohn’s hero Bach, a delightful selection of Renaissance miniatures and Ad Wammes’s quirky, jazzy salute to the 17th century.
Friday Night Is Music Night: The Songs of Stevie Wonder Starring Beverley Knight UK soul queen Beverley Knight will celebrate the songs of Stevie Wonder as part of BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night Is Music Night Live. Date: Mon 14 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 8PM Tickets from £43*
Date: Mon 14 October Venue: Town Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £6
10
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Shostakovich No 10
And In The End... A Celebration of Abbey Road and Let It Be
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Yuri Simonov Conductor Alexandra Dariescu Piano
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra The Bootleg Beatles
Maria Antal Tchaikovsky Shostakovich
Event Horizon Piano Concerto No 1 Symphony No 10
The Soviet authorities called it an “optimistic tragedy”: Shostakovich just called it his Tenth Symphony. But either way, there’s nothing to beat the thrill of hearing this true Russian epic played by a great Russian orchestra, and the Moscow Philharmonic actually gave the world premieres of many of Shostakovich’s works. Under their chief conductor Yuri Simonov, they won’t hold back – and that goes double when pianist Alexandra Dariescu plays Tchaikovsky’s glittering concerto, in her long-awaited Birmingham debut.
The award-winning Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the nation’s premier Beatle group The Bootleg Beatles are delighted to announce they will team up for a second time for a number of special concerts to mark the fiftieth anniversaries of the releases of two of The Beatles’ most iconic albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be. Date: Wed 16 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £38*
Date: Tue 15 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £12.50
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
11
The Thrill of the New
Music from the Movies
Michael Seal Conductor Paul Rissman Presenter
With music from: Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission, Love Actually, Braveheart, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Deer Hunter, Inception, Gladiator and many more.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
includes: John Adams Knussen Jörg Widmann Steve Reich Thomas Adès
Short Ride in a Fast Machine The Way to Castle Yonder Con brio Clapping Music Powder Her Face: Suite
Are you bewitched, bothered or bewildered when you listen to contemporary music? As the CBSO launches the most ambitious commissioning programme of this orchestra’s history, we want to invite you to share the excitement and intriguing new sounds that are being created by today’s composers. Paul Rissmann will be your entertaining guide to these brave new worlds, and the full CBSO (plus a large screen) will illustrate his journey with short pieces by a wide range of our most engaging composers.
Celebrate the glitz and glamour of the awards season with a magnificent selection of Oscarwinning scores from the last eight decades of fantastic film making. Including: Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, Out Of Africa, The Godfather, Jaws and many more! Date: Fri 18 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets: £19.50*
Date: Thu 17 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets: £12
12
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Limited Availability
Saint Saëns: Organ Symphony
Bruch’s Violin Concerto
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Benevolent Fund Concert
Fabien Gabel Conductor Simone Lamsma Violin
Andrew Litton Conductor Thomas Trotter Organ
Wagner The Mastersingers of Nuremberg: Overture Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 Bruckner Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)
Sibelius Ravel Widor Dukas Saint-Saëns
Karelia Suite Pavane pour une infante défunte Symphony No. 5: Toccata The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Symphony No. 3 (Organ)
There’s nothing quite like hearing Saint-Saëns’ Third Symphony played live. The orchestra thunders, there’s a sudden silence, and then – with one mighty chord – the organ practically blows the roof off. Well, they call it the “Organ Symphony” for a reason, and City Organist Thomas Trotter delivers the fireworks today: crowning a cavalcade of tuneful favourites by Sibelius, Widor, Dukas and Ravel. Date: Sun 20 October Venue: Symphony Hall
The air shimmers, a horn calls, and like a window opening onto an endless vista, Anton Bruckner begins his “Romantic” Symphony. It’s one of the loveliest journeys in all music, and we’re lucky to have a real rising star conducting; plus another one on the violin, as Simone Lamsma performs the world’s best-loved violin concerto. Wagner’s prelude to The Mastersingers of Nuremberg is a majestic way to start. Date: Thu 24 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
Time: 3PM Tickets from £13*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
13
The Gruffalo & The Gruffalo’s Child Films with Live Orchestra We are delighted to present the world premiere of the wonderful animations, The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, as Terry Davies conducts René Aubry’s inspired scores in this double film with orchestra performance. Date: Sun 27 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2PM Tickets from £13*
The Gruffalo & Zog Films with Live Orchestra We are delighted to present the WORLD PREMIERE live concert performance of the wonderful animations, Zog followed by The Gruffalo, as Terry Davies conducts René Aubry’s inspired scores. Date: Sun 27 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 5PM Tickets from £13*
Rachmaninoff Vespers Ex Cathedra
Jeffrey Skidmore Conductor Martha McLorinan Mezzo soprano Jeremy Budd Tenor Radiant, reflective and deeply moving, Rachmaninoff’s Vespers is a heartfelt response to a deep-rooted and personal faith. Ex Cathedra love it so much that it just had to be part of their 50th anniversary season! Date: Sun 27 October Venue: Town Hall Time: 4PM Tickets from £13*
14
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Lunchtime Organ Concert
Dvorák’s Seventh ˇ
Organ
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Wayne Marshall Organ
Anja Bihlmaier Conductor Renaud Capuçon Violin
includes: Wayne Marshall Improvisee Intrada George C Baker Deux Evocations Franz Schmidt Toccata in C Wayne Marshall Improvisee
Bizet Chausson Ravel ˇ Dvorák
Virtuoso pianist, inspirational conductor and organist extraordinaire – whatever he chooses to do, Wayne Marshall is one of the most charismatic figures in 21st century music. But the organ remains his first love, and today, as he makes a very welcome return to Symphony Hall, he’s unlikely to hold back. Date: Mon 28 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £6
Carmen: Suite No. 2 Poème for Violin and Orchestra Tzigane Symphony No. 7
For some, it’s the roar of a nation awakening to freedom; to others, it’s a life-and-death drama. But ˇ one thing’s for sure: if you enjoy Dvorák’s Ninth symphony, you’ll be swept away by his Seventh. Under the award-winning German conductor Anjua Bihlmaier, it’ll make a powerful contrast to the sensuous soundworlds of Chausson and Ravel, conjured up today by the inimitable Renaud Capuçon. Date: Wednesday 30 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:15PM Tickets from £13*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
15
A Celebration of the music from Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit
Halloween Silent Movie Special The Hunchback of Notre Dame
They are the most beloved and recognisable big and small screen creations of all time – let alone just in the world of the Fantasy genre –and now the music of Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit will be celebrated in a special orchestral concert.
Nigel Ogden Organ
Date: Thu 31 October Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30pm Tickets from £25.50*
16
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) There’s nothing quite like the sound of the historic Town Hall organ to send shivers down your spine at Halloween. Join us if you dare... Date: Thu 31 October Venue: Town Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets: £18*
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Friday Night Classics: Andrew Lloyd Webber
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Andrew Lloyd Webber has single-handedly reinvented the musical.Tonight we get the chance to hear three world premieres: new suites from three of his greatest shows, specially arranged by Andrew Cottee for the full-size CBSO. Date: Friday 1 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
CBSO Youth Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Prokofiev Stravinsky
Piano Concerto No. 2 The Rite of Spring
Back in 1913, Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring was so revolutionary that orchestras struggled to play it. Today, it’s the latest challenge for conductor Andrew Gourlay and the inspirational young musicians of the CBSO Youth Orchestra. Date: Sunday 3 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 3PM Tickets: £24*
Mendelssohn’s Elijah
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra When Elijah was premiered in Birmingham Town Hall in August 1846, it caused a worldwide sensation. This rip-roaring Old Testament epic is a real Birmingham classic, and in the CBSO’s Centenary season Principal Guest Conductor Kazuki Yamada and four world-beating soloists bring it home tonight. Date: Thursday 7 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
17
“People in Birmingham are very lucky to have these two venues” Diane Parkes speaks to the Rising Star returning to Birmingham. Baritone Benjamin Appl comes to Birmingham Symphony Hall this autumn in Mozart’s comic opera Così fan tutte. It’s a welcome return for the German singer who first performed in the city as an ECHO Rising Star. The ECHO (European Concert Halls Organisation) programme sees a network of venues across Europe working together to hand-pick some of the brightest young musicians and offer them the chance to play in those halls. As an ECHO member, Birmingham Town Hall Symphony Hall hosted Benjamin in a concert recital in his 2015-2016 tour which also saw him playing in venues in Spain, Germany, France, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Luxemburg and Hungary. Now firmly established as a ‘Risen Star’, 36-year-old Benjamin is looking forward to returning to Birmingham.“The first time I came to Birmingham was as a Rising Star and I performed at the Town Hall and I was really amazed by the beautiful hall and by the very fine acoustics,” he recalls. “It was the perfect size for a recital performance with a small orchestra. Very rarely do you have a chance to perform somewhere so perfectly fitted to the performance. “This time I will be at Symphony Hall – I have not been there but I have seen
pictures and it looks amazing. I am looking forward to performing there. People in Birmingham are very lucky to have these two venues.”
first performed as a Rising Star. “I am very happy and grateful that I am now able to return to many of these halls again,” he says.
Benjamin’s singing talent was spotted at a young age when he trained as a chorister with Regensburg Cathedral choir before graduating from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Appl is best-known as a German Lieder singer but he has also performed in a number of operas including Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Puccini’s La Bohème and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.
For Appl, the Rising Star programme helped introduce him to new audiences across Europe but initially he didn’t realise the enormous opportunity he was being offered. “I received an email from the Barbican in London asking me to send some recordings for the ECHO Rising Stars tour,” he recalls. “I was performing quite a lot during that period so I sent in some recordings in quite a rush. At that time I wasn’t very much aware of what ECHO was and what this opportunity meant.
In Così fan tutte, Appl plays Guglielmo, a soldier who, together with his friend Ferrando, decides to test the fidelity of their lovers Fiordiligi and Dorabella. The two men pretend to go off to war but return in disguise to attempt to woo each other’s partners.
“Only then did I realise I was a bit naïve to have sent such a recording off to the 20 most important concert halls in Europe! If you don’t send a good recording you might miss a big chance and there is even a risk that if you send a bad recording they will remember that bad recording! “But if they choose you, they put a wonderful tour together across these venues and I was very lucky to have 17 performances in these incredible concert halls. It was one of the most wonderful experiences – both generally and being introduced to all these wonderful halls. “It really helped me a lot as a step in my career. The Rising Stars programme is a fantastic opportunity for young artists.” Three years on Benjamin has become firmly established as an international performer. With a Sony contract under his belt, he has released hit albums and has returned to many of the venues where he
“In Così fan tutte no-one really comes out well in the end and I think that is probably the point!” laughs Benjamin. “But we can all learn a lot out of it in terms of relations between people and how to treat people. It is about the essence of life, love and relationships and that is one of the reasons this opera is still very popular. You can translate it to any time.” The cast begin rehearsing together in October but Benjamin is already hard at work on his role. Benjamin has worked with Classical Opera and its founder, conductor and artistic director Ian Page before and is looking forward to joining forces again. “I really like the approach of Ian and Classical Opera. Ian is a very inspiring musician and for him it is always about the music. “The orchestra is a very fine orchestra with fine players. I am incredibly lucky to be doing this piece with them.” Benjamin Appl appears in Classical Opera’s Così fan tutte at Birmingham Symphony Hall on November 8, as part of the Birmingham Classical 2019-2020 Season. Book online at thsh.co.uk
Così fan tutte Classical Opera Classical Opera/The Mozartists Ian Page Conductor Mozart Così fan Tutte Two pairs of young lovers, a crafty old philosopher and a maid who’s seen it all before: sounds like the perfect set up for a romantic comedy. But when the boys decide to try and experiment on love itself, things soon spin hilariously – and heartbreakingly out of control. Benjamin Appl stars as Guglielmo as the Classical Opera bring all their awardwinning flair – plus a first-rate cast – to this lively concert performance. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Date: Fri 8 November Venue: Town Hall Time: 7PM Tickets from £12.50 Audio Described
20
Spectacular Classics with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Anthony Inglis conductor Lauren Fagan soprano Timothy Richards tenor City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra City of Birmingham Choir includes: Rossini Galop from William Tell Overture Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty Waltz Sibelius Finlandia Following sold out shows in 2018, Spectacular Classics is back! Enjoy classics including Nessun Dorma, Rule, Britannia!, Land of Hope and Glory, plus an explosive 1812 Overture complete with cannon effects and indoor firework finale. Date: Saturday 9 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30PM & 7:30PM Tickets from £19.50*
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
The Music of Bond John Rigby conductor London Concert Orchestra Louise Dearman and Tim Howar guest singers With music from: Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Skyfall, Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, Moonraker, The Man With The Golden Gun, A View to Kill and many, more. Nobody Does it Better than the world’s most famous secret agent. From Goldfinger to Skyfall and beyond, experience the thrills, kills and loves of James Bond through this hit show of iconic music performed by powerhouse live orchestra. Date: Sunday 10 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 3PM Tickets from £17.50*
Lunchtime Organ Concert Organ
Thomas Trotter Organ Bach (arr. Widor) ‘Final’ from St Matthew Passion Guilmant Marche Funèbre et Chant Séraphique G. Thalben-Ball Elegy in F major Parry Eventide Sibelius Valse Triste Duruflé Méditation Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d’Alain The great French organist Jehan Alain was killed in action in 1940, and they say that sheets of music were found scattered around his corpse. Maurice Duruflé’s mighty memorial to his fallen friend crowns this Armistice Day recital, but Thomas Trotter prepares the way with solemn meditations and heartfelt laments. Date: Mon 11 November Venue: Town Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £6
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
21
Capriccio Espagnol
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Jaume Santonja Espinós Conductor Clara Mouriz Mezzo Soprano Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol Montsalvatge 5 Canciones negras Falla The Three-Cornered Hat: Suites 1 & 2 Prokofiev Symphony No. 7 The CBSO’s Assistant Conductor Jaume Santonja Espinós has become a firm favourite here in Birmingham, and when we asked him to choose his own concert, he went all-out for passion and colour. Rimsky-Korsakov’s postcard from Spain and Prokofiev’s bittersweet fairy-tale of a final symphony frame Falla’s smouldering Spanish ballet, and five luscious, rarely-heard songs by Xavier Montsalvatge, each one glinting with Caribbean sunlight. Date: Wednesday 13 November Venue: Symphony Hall
NOW That’s What I Call The 80s Live Chart topping songs including: Relax, Uptown Girl, It’s Raining Men, Gold, Purple Rain, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Living On a Prayer, Come On Eileen, Africa, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, (I’ve Had) the Time of My Life, The Final Countdown and many more. NOW That’s What I Call Music is the biggest selling compilation brand in the UK. For the very first time, sing, dance and party along to all your favourite hits in a live concert celebration of the ultimate iconic 80s album! Date: Sat 16 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £30*
Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
22
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Jaume Santonja Espinós Conductor Catherine Arlidge Presenter Britten
The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra John Williams Harry Potter: Nimbus 2000 Piazzolla Libertango Tchaikovsky Nutcracker: Trepak Arban Carnival of Venice Beethoven Symphony No. 8 (extract) Brahms Hungarian Dance So what exactly is an orchestra? Why is the piccolo so small? Why are the double basses so big? Don’t worry: Benjamin Britten has got it covered. This fun-filled concert for all the family will show you exactly how it all works. Suitable for children aged 5–11 Date: Sunday 17 November Venue: Symphony Hall
Beethoven and Stravinsky City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Gustavo Gimeno Conductor Jeremy Denk Piano Beethoven Egmont: Overture Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 Stravinsky Petrushka It’s springtime in old Russia, and as crowds throng the Shrovetide Fair, passions are rising. But a puppet can’t have feelings – can he? Stravinsky’s Petrushka is the ear-tingling climax to a supercharged concert, as charismatic guest conductor Gustavo Gimeno teams up with keyboard master Jeremy Denk in Beethoven’s most personal piano concerto, and revels in the drama and heroism of the overture to Egmont. Date: Wed 20 and Sat 23 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:15PM (Wed 20) and 7PM (Sat 23) Tickets from £13*
Time: 2:30PM Tickets: £12 Group of 4: £38
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
23
Friday Night Classics: CBSO Ultimate Playlist with Classic FM
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Stephen Bell Conductor Eduardo Vassallo Cello John Suchet Presenter includes: Mendelssohn Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals: The Swan Grainger English Country Garden Sibelius Finlandia Mahler Symphony No. 5: Adagietto A whole evening of the smoothest and most refreshing music ever written – tunes you love, from Elgar’s Nimrod to Stravinsky’s The Firebird – and all music that has been recorded by the CBSO! Symphony Hall is designed for comfort: so just sit back, stretch out, and relax. Date: Fri 22 November Venue: Symphony Hall
Lunchtime Organ Concert Organ
Thomas Trotter Organ J. S. Bach Toccata & Fugue in F major Balfe I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls Stanford Prelude on an Irish melody Postlude in D minor Prokofiev ‘Romance’ & ‘Troika’ from Lieutenant Kijé Suite Widor ‘Moderato cantabile’ & ‘Finale’ from Symphony No 8 From the lush green fields of Ireland to the frozen steppes of Russia: you can get a surprisingly long way in an organ recital! Today, Thomas Trotter and the Town Hall Organ bring the same magic touch to music by Stanford, to Balfe’s best-loved melody, and to Prokofiev’s drunken sleigh-ride. Bach and Widor open and close the recital in a burst of pure sonic grandeur. Date: Mon 25 November Venue: Town Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £6
Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
24
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Haydn and Mozart
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Minasi Conductor Oliver Janes Clarinet Nikolaj Henriques Bassoon Haydn Strauss
Symphony No. 88 Duett-Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon Beethoven Coriolan: Overture Mozart Symphony No. 39 Clarinet and bassoon are the orchestra’s beauty and the beast – but Richard Strauss knew that if they could only dance together, they’d fall in love. That’s the musical fairy-tale at the heart of this delightful concert from our effervescent Italian guest conductor Riccardo Minasi: set, like a jewel, between Haydn at his wittiest, Mozart at his noblest, and Beethoven at his most thrillingly dramatic. Date: Wed 27 and Thu 28 November Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM (Wed 27) and 2:15PM (Thu 28) Tickets from £13*
François Leleux: Mendelssohn
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra François Leleux Conductor Hanna Hipp Mezzo Soprano Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Overture Berlioz Les Nuits d’été Mendelssohn Songs Without Words Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) Mendelssohn himself conducted in Birmingham Town Hall, but he loved Scotland too, and his Third Symphony evokes wild landscapes, skirling pipes and Highland reels – a delightful return visit for the fabulous François Leleux. He brought the house down last season, and with the outstanding young mezzo Hanna Hipp singing Berlioz’s gorgeous love songs, we wouldn’t bet against it this time either. Date: Wed 4 December Venue: Town Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets: £28*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
25
Christmas with Ex Cathedra Bach Mass in B Minor Ex Cathedra
Jeffrey Skidmore Conductor Bach’s Mass in B Minor is one of the great masterpieces of all time. The culmination of a lifetime of work, and completed shortly before his death, Bach never heard his Mass performed as a complete work – you won’t want to miss it. The perfect way to start your Christmas season.
Christmas Music by Candlelight Ex Cathedra
Jeffrey Skidmore Conductor Rupert Jeffcoat, Alexander Mason Organ With a sequence of Christmas music old and new, and readings to make you smile and reflect, Ex Cathedra’s popular Christmas concerts are a uniquely magical way to begin your festive season.
Date: Sun 1 December Venue: Town Hall
Date: from Wed 4 December to Mon 23 December Venue: Various, including St Paul’s Church, Birmingham
Time: 4PM Tickets from £13*
Time: 7.30PM Tickets from £13*
Angels, Stars and Kings Family Concert Ex Cathedra
Jeffrey Skidmore Conductor Alexander Mason Organ Ex Cathedra invite the whole family to share the magic of their Christmas Music by Candlelight concerts. With contributions from Ex Cathedra’s youth training choirs, this hour-long concert brings a selection of seasonal favourites. Come dressed as an angel, star or king. Particularly recommended for children aged 4-11, but all ages are welcome. Date: Sat 21 December Venue: St Paul’s Church, Birmingham Time: 4pm Tickets from £13*
26
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Leonardo da Vinci: Shaping the invisible I Fagiolini I Fagiolini Robert Hollingworth Conductor Professor Martin Kemp Tallis Howells Rore Monteverdi J. S. Bach Desprez Janequin Victoria Victoria Rubbra Vecchi Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur
Salvator mundi Salvator mundi Or che’l ciel e la terra Era l’anima mia Art of Fugue No.1 Agnus Dei from Missa L’homme armé sexti toni La Guerre Alma redemptoris mater Unus ex discipulis meis Amicus meus Movement from L’Amfiparnaso La Voix du Bien-Aimé / Le jardin clos
Artist, scientist, philosopher and visionary – Leonardo da Vinci was the ultimate Renaissance man. How many of us are aware that he was also a professional musician, 500 years after his death in 1519? Robert Hollingworth and the dazzling vocal virtuosos of I Fagiolini immerse themselves in the musical world of this universal genius: a time-travelling celebration – by turns spirited, startling, and ravishingly lovely – of the mind that shaped our world. Date: Thu 5 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £12.50 British Sign Language Interpreted
Adrian Williams / Gillian Clarke Shaping the invisible
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
27
City of Birmingham Choir Messiah Begin the Festive season in style with a sparkling performance of Handel’s famous choral masterpiece, ‘Messiah’. Established in 1921, the City of Birmingham Choir has been thrilling audiences with annual performances of Handel’s Messiah for over 90 years. Date: Fri 6 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7PM Tickets from £6.25
British Police Symphony Orchestra Proms Night Spectacular! British Police Symphony Orchestra Richard Jenkinson Musical Director Benjamin Frith Piano Soloist Claire Prewer Vocal Solist BPSO are delighted to return once again this December to Symphony Hall for what has become one of the most popular events in the region. Date: Sat 7 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30pm Tickets from £13*
Snow At Christmas Richard Laing Conductor Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra Enjoy festive favourites aplenty, including The Snowman with a narrator telling the story, plus numbers from seasonal films and Christmas classics to warm your hearts. Date: Sun 8 December Venue: Town Hall Time: Tickets from £19* (concessions available)
28
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Lunchtime Christmas Music with the City Organist and Winchester Cathedral Choir Winchester Cathedral Choir Andrew Lumsden Conductor Thomas Trotter Organ Duck out of the Christmas Market, and rediscover the true meaning of the season as the choristers of Winchester Cathedral under their director Andrew Lumsden perform an hour of Christmas music at its most sublime. The Winchester Choir has been acclaimed by critics for its “superb, radiant, colourful singing”, so expect music of quiet reflection and joyous celebration – and to leave with your spirit refreshed.
G4 Christmas Experience sumptuous harmonies in an idyllic, festive setting... Expect to hear timeless classics such as When A Child is Born, Silent Night and All I Want For Christmas, as well as delightful medleys to evoke the Christmas spirit, all delivered up-close and personal. Date: Tue 10 December Venue: Town Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £29.50
Date: Mon 9 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £12.50
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
29
Pablo Ferrández in recital
Mirga conducts Brahms
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Pablo Ferrández Cello Luis del Valle Piano
Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla Conductor Thomas E. Bauer Baritone CBSO Youth Chorus
Bruch Kol Nidrei, Op 47 Brahms Sonata in F major, No 2 Op 99 Antón García-Abril New work (UK premiere) Shostakovich Sonata for cello and piano in D minor, Op 40
Elgar Two Part Songs, Op. 26 Jörg Widmann Das heisse Herz (CBSO Centenary Commission: UK Premiere) Brahms Symphony No. 3
The ECHO Rising Stars series has one mission - to find Europe’s most exciting new musical talent, and to bring it to the greatest concert halls. Our partners in Barcelona have discovered the outstanding young Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández, and with a recital programme that includes a specially-commissioned new work, as well as favourites by Bruch, Brahms and Shostakovich, we think you’ll hear why we’re so excited to welcome him to Birmingham. ECHO artist nominated by L’Auditori and Palas de la Musica in Barcelona. Date: Wed 11 December Venue: Symphony Hall Stage
When Edward Elgar became professor of music at the University of Birmingham, he was eager to share his love of Brahms’ Third Symphony. And you can hear why: because from tempestuous opening to final, glowing sunset, it’s romantic music at its most gloriously colourful. That’s the inspiration behind Mirga’s programme – a ravishing setting for the UK premiere of Jörg Widmann’s deliciously dark fairytale songs. Date: Thu 12 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
Time: 7:30PM Tickets: £12.50
30
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Friday Night Classics: Star Wars
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Stephen Bell Conductor A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.... John Williams’ scores for Star Wars are some of the most stirring music ever written for the cinema. CBSO recap the whole saga so far. The Force is strong with this one! Date: Friday 13 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
Carols for Clic The Midlands Hospitals’ Choir present a traditional Carol Concert in the afternoon with some audience participation. In the evening there will be a longer concert with a mixture of well-known carols and some that you may not have heard before. Both concerts will be in aid of Clic Sargent, a charity supporting Children with Cancer. Date: Fri 13 December Venue: Town Hall Time: 2pm & 7pm Tickets from £12.75*
Kate Rusby at Christmas When all the world is nesh, nights are dark and telly schedules are stacked up with seasonal specials, there’s only one seasonal speciality to see you through advent – the Christmas songs of Kate Rusby. She’ll give you the old and traditional, infused with lively and impassioned newness. Date: Sat 14 December Venue: Town Hall Time: 7:30pm Tickets from £23*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
31
Christmas Spectacular Laura Tebbutt & Tim Howar guest singers Freddie Tapner conductor Jingle Belle Dancers London Concert Orchestra Christmas Spectacular is a cracker of a show with music, dance, lights, spectacle and a snow-filled finale. Date: Sun 15 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £19.50*
Aled Jones’s Christmas Cracker Aled Jones presenter Adrian Lucas conductor London Concert Orchestra City of Birmingham Choir A wonderful concert of seasonal classics, festive readings and joyful song - all crowned by a selection of your favourite carols. Date: Sat 21 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £15.50*
NOW! That’s What I Call Christmas Live Kerry Ellis guest singer John Rigby conductor Capital Voices and a live 15-Piece Show Band Celebrate Christmas in style with this ultimate show of all-time favourite Christmas songs and carols including Winter Wonderland, White Christmas, Baby it’s Cold Outside, Let it Snow! and many more… Date: Sun 22 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £28.00*
32
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Christmas Carol Singalong Jonathan Cohen conductor / presenter Louise Dearman guest singer London Concert Chorus London Concert Orchestra Sing your heart out as irrepressible showman Jonathan Cohen returns to lead you through another fun-filled jamboree of his most-loved carols and all-time Christmas hits. This festive favourite has been raising the roof for over 20 years.
Carols by Candlelight Susanna Hurrell soprano Steven Devine conductor Mozart Festival Orchestra Cullen Handel Bach Handel Ledger Darke
Joy to the World Christmas Sequence from Messiah Air on the G String Zadok the Priest Sussex Carol In the Bleak Midwinter
Date: Mon 23 December Venue: Symphony Hall
The ultimate Christmas Eve tradition. Celebrate in style with a sublime concert of carols and seasonal classics, staged in full 18th Century costume in an evocative candle-lit style setting.
Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £16.50*
Date: Tue 24 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £16.50*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
33
Glenn Miller Orchestra The UK’s most renowned big band is back following a sold out show in 2018. Swinging you back in time, playing Glenn Miller’s own arrangements of favourite wartime chart toppers and hits from the forties directed by legendary band leader Ray McVay. Date: Fri 27 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £19.50*
Last Night of the Christmas Proms includes: Strauss Die Fledermaus Overture Rimsky-Korsakov Christmas Eve Polonaise Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice An exciting concert of rousing classics with a grand flag waving British finale! Date: Fri 27 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30pm Tickets from £15.50*
The Greatest Showtunes London Concert Orchestra Celebrate the best of West End and movie musicals with this show-stopping concert packed full of the greatest show tunes of all time. Performed live on stage with an all-star cast direct from the West End, including Joseph’s Jac Yarrow, and the sensational London Concert Orchestra. Date: Sat 28 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £15.50*
34
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
The Best of John Williams London Concert Orchestra Anthony Inglis conductor Join irrepressible conductor Anthony Inglis as he guides you though an awe inspiring concert celebrating the iconic film scores of John Williams. Date: Sat 28 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30pm Tickets from £16.60*
The Music of Zimmer vs Williams London Concert Orchestra Anthony Inglis conductor The London Concert Orchestra perform the best scores from the two greatest film composers of all time in one fabulous programme. Date: Sun 29 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £16.50*
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Beethoven’s Ninth Morgan Pearse Baritone Birmingham Choral Union City of Birmingham Choir An unforgettable all-Beethoven programme featuring the monumental ‘Choral’ symphony with its climactic ‘Ode to Joy’ performed by the renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Date: Mon 30 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30pm Tickets from £16.50*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
35
Sing Carols with the City Organist and Lichfield Cathedral Choir Thomas Trotter Organ Lichfield Cathedral Choir Ben Lamb Director of Music Martyn Rawles Assistant Director of Music Jeremy Nicholas Compere It isn’t Christmas until you’ve sung a carol or two – it’s the one time of year when it really doesn’t matter how good your voice is! So join City Organist Thomas Trotter and broadcaster and humorist Jeremy Nicholas (Crossroads, Stop the Week) for a good old seasonal sing-along. There’ll be Yuletide music old and new plus a few musical surprises, all accompanied by the resplendent sound of the Town Hall’s Victorian organ. Date: Mon 16 December Venue: Town Hall
Love Actually with Orchestra It is one of the world’s best-loved modern Christmas films, having become synonymous with the season for many, and now Love Actually will be screened live at Symphony Hall this December, featuring a full orchestra performing the enchanting score. The film features an all-star ensemble cast, including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Martine McCutcheon, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson, Martin Freeman, and many more. Date: Mon 16 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £42.50*
Time: 1PM Tickets: £12.50
36
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
A Choral Christmas with Hugh Dennis
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Simon Halsey Conductor Hugh Dennis Presenter CBSO Choruses Favourite tunes, traditional carols and the whole family gathered together for a very special celebration: the CBSO’s annual Choral Christmas has become a real Birmingham tradition. And with the full CBSO plus our family of choruses, sing-along carols and presenter Hugh Dennis wrapping it all up with humorous readings and a stocking’s worth of good cheer, this is the big night out that’ll make your Christmas complete. Everyone’s welcome! Date: Wed 18, Thu 19, Fri 20 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM (Wed 18 & Thu 19), 6PM (Fri 20) Tickets from £13*
Birmingham Canoldir Male Choir & Phoenix Singers James Llewlyn-Jones Conductor Don Maclean Presenter Birmingham Canoldir Male Choir Phoenix Singers Richard Dawson Organist Grace Farrell Soloist Two local choirs, Birmingham Canoldir Male Choir and Phoenix Singers combine under the leadership of James LLewelyn-Jones to bring you an exciting selection of seasonal music both new and old. The concert compered by comedian Don Maclean, will feature Soprano Soloist Grace Farrell (currently starring in Les Miserables in London) and Organist Richard Dawson. Date: Thu 19 December Venue: Town Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £18*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
37
‘Quite simply, the best family show I’ve seen’ Sky Arts
Based on the much-loved picture book by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
THU 26 DEC 2019 SUN 12 JAN 2020
BOOK NOW thsh.co.uk 0121 780 3333
Relaxed Performance - Sun 5 Jan 2020, 3pm
LIVE ON STAGE
New Year’s Eve Gala
Johan Strauss Gala
Ilona Domnich soprano Alexander James Edwards tenor Anthony Inglis conductor London Concert Orchestra
Johann Strauss Dancers in glorious costumes of the period Johann Strauss Orchestra John Rigby conductor Lizzie Holmes soprano
includes: Grieg
Morning and In the Hall of the Mountain King Puccini O soave fanciulla from La bohème Verdi Brindisi from La traviata Strauss Champagne Polka Suppe Poet and Peasant Overture Tchaikovsky Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker A Symphony Hall tradition of great classics and fun to see in the New Year. Date: Tue 31 December Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 9pm Tickets from £26.50*
J. Strauss I Radetzky March J. Strauss II Blue Danube Waltz Tales from the Vienna Woods Tritsch Tratsch Polka Rose from the South Waltz Voices of Spring The Laughing Song from Die Fledermaus Schlau Schlau Polka Join the Johann Strauss Orchestra and Johann Strauss Dancers as they perform a wonderful selection of your favourite waltzes and polkas from the Strauss family and friends. The giddy romance and gilded ballrooms of old Vienna are brought to life by the music of the King of the Waltz and friends. Date: Wed 1 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:30pm Tickets from £17.50*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
39
Viennese New Year
Youth Takeover
Thomas Rösner Conductor Sarah-Jane Brandon Soprano
Jaume Santonja Espinós Conductor
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
includes: Nicolai J. Strauss II J. Strauss II J. Strauss II J. Strauss II J. Strauss II
The Merry Wives of Windsor: Overture Perpetuum mobile Polka One Night in Venice: Overture Emperor Waltz Blue Danube Waltz
Vienna, city of dreams...as sweet as a slice of sachertorte and as fizzy as champagne, it simply wouldn’t be New Year without the music of Johann Strauss and friends! There’ll be elegant waltzes, playful polkas, and good old-fashioned operetta romance. So let the CBSO and maestro Thomas Rösner whirl you back to a more glamorous age, as we raise a glass to the start of another great year of music. Prosit!
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Birmingham is a young city, and the CBSO has always thrived on the energy, imagination and uncompromising commitment of young people – so as we turn 100, we’re handing this concert over to a fearless team of Youth Ambassadors. They choose the music; they choose the artists and with the CBSO’s dynamic Assistant Conductor Jaume Santonja Espinós conducting the results, you can count on them to astonish - and inspire. Are you ready? Date: Thu 9 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets: £12
Date: Sun 5 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 3PM Tickets: £13*
40
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
This year, Town Hall Symphony Hall are launching a major capital project – Making an Entrance. This transformation of the foyers in Symphony Hall will provide local, regional and national communities with a musical hub, boasting brand-new spaces for informal performances, along with improved bars, increased seating, refurbished toilets and accessible toilets on every level plus a brand-new city café. During your forthcoming visits to Symphony Hall, as the work takes place, please be aware that there will be reduced foyer space. Nevertheless, we remain committed to providing you with a firstclass experience throughout your visit. You will still be able to enter the venue from The ICC mall, access bars and pre-order interval drinks and access toilets. Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to welcoming you to our worldclass concert hall.
Lunchtime Organ Concert Organ
Thomas Trotter Organ History is built into the very walls of Town Hall, Birmingham, and when City Organist Thomas Trotter plays the organ there, that heritage springs vibrantly to life. Date: Mon 13 January Venue: Town Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £6
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
41
Sir Simon Rattle & London Symphony Orchestra Berg & Beethoven London Symphony Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle Conductor Dorothea Roeschmann Soprano Berg
Passacaglia Seven Early Songs Three Pieces Op 6 Beethoven Symphony No 7
Birmingham is the city that discovered Sir Simon Rattle, and 40 years on from his debut as principal conductor of the CBSO, it’s always a red letter day when he returns to the hall that he had built, in the city that’s still his true musical home. Today – thrillingly – he pairs Beethoven’s most explosive symphony with the lush, emotionally-supercharged music of Alban Berg. It’ll never sound better than it does here in Symphony Hall. Date: Tue 14 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £12.50
42
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Moscow City Ballet Swan Lake Moscow City Ballet returns with the stunning Swan Lake, presented in classic Russian style with full orchestra. The choreography, interpretation and stand-out virtuoso performances win consistently rave reviews. The epic story of Prince Siegfried and his doomed love for Odette is magnificently brought to life in all its original splendour by Tchaikovsky’s hauntingly familiar score. Date: Fri 17 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7.30pm Tickets from £19*
Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra . Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla Conductor CBSO Chorus CBSO Youth Chorus CBSO Children’s Chorus University of Birmingham Voices Baltimore Choral Arts Society Plus soloists Mahler Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of a Thousand) Five international choirs, eight soloists and a colossal orchestra: no wonder Mahler’s Eighth is known as the “Symphony of a Thousand”. “Try to imagine the whole universe beginning to ring and resound,” said Mahler. Exaggeration? Not when you hear it performed. in Symphony Hall and not when Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla is conducting – so book early, as we launch the CBSO’s centenary year in truly roof-raising style. Date: Sat 18 & Sun 19 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7PM Tickets from £26*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
43
Miloš Karadaglic in recital
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Miloš Karadaglic Guitar Bach Granados Albeniz Villa Lobos The Beatles
Suite BWV 997 Andaluza and Oriental Astrurias Five Preludes Blackbird Yesterday While my guitar gently weeps Mathias Duplessy Cavalcade BBC Music Magazine put it best: Milos Karadaglic is “classical music’s guitar hero”, an artist whose style, subtlety and sheer charisma put him in a class of his own. Nothing’s off limits when he takes the stage, and in tonight’s programme the poetry of classical Spain and the timeless beauty of Bach mingle with hits by The Beatles. There’s only one artist who could carry that off: the man they call “the hottest guitarist in the world”. Date: Tue 21 January Venue: Town Hall
Yamada: Brahms and Schumann Kazuki Yamada Conductor Francesco Piemontesi Piano Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 Schumann Symphony No. 2
A horn calls in the twilight; the piano responds, and Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto is on its way – 50 minutes of poetry, passion, and star-crossed romance. It’s ideal for the young Swiss pianist Francesco Piemontesi, and Kazuki Yamada has found the perfect pairing: the symphony that Brahms’ friend Schumann wrote in homage to his wife Clara, the love of both composers’ lives. Date: Wed 22 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £13*
Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £12.50
44
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Missa Solemnis Ex Cathedra
Organ
Ex Cathedra City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Jeffrey Skidmore Conductor Carolyn Sampson Soprano Sophie Rennert Mezzo Soprano Andrew Tortise Tenor Roderick Williams Bass Beethoven
Lunchtime Organ Concert
Missa Solemnis
Beethoven devoted four years to his monumental Missa Solemnis. Passionate, humble, majestic and intense, nothing he composed surpasses it for scale, sincerity or sheer vision. How wonderful that Ex Cathedra and the CBSO join forces as they celebrate their 50th and 100th anniversaries, and welcome an outstanding team of soloists to mark Beethoven’s 250th birthday and realise his wish – written on the first page of the score – that this music should come ‘from the heart, that it may go to the heart’.
Thomas Trotter Organ History is built into the very walls of Town Hall, Birmingham, and when City Organist Thomas Trotter plays the organ there, that heritage springs vibrantly to life. Date: Mon 27 January Venue: Town Hall Time: 1PM Tickets: £6
Date: Sun 26 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 4PM Tickets from £13*
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
45
Orchestre National de Lille Orchestre National de Lille Alexandre Bloch Conductor Eric Lu Piano Ravel Debussy Beethoven Ravel
Suite, Ma mère l’Oye La mer Piano Concerto No 4 La valse
“I have slandered the sea...it is beautiful enough to defy all comparisons...” Debussy was his own toughest critic: La Mer is the most gorgeous seascape ever painted by an orchestra, just as Ravel’s La Valse evokes a whole, sumptuous civilisation in impressionist colours. Under the inspirational Alexandre Bloch, the Orchestre National de Lille brings an unmistakably Gallic style, as well as a chance to hear 2018 Leeds Piano Competition winner Eric Lu in Beethoven’s most poetic – and personal - concerto. Date: Tue 28 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 7:30PM Tickets from £12.50
46
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
Mirga’s Beethoven
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra . Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla Conductor includes: Beethoven Symphony No. 2 Beethoven Symphony No. 4 Britten Young Apollo (29 January only) Unsuk Chin SPIRA - A Concerto for Orchestra (CBSO Centenary Commission, UK Premiere) (30 January only) Happy birthday, Ludwig van B! In the year that the CBSO turns 100, Ludwig . van Beethoven turns 250, and Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla has picked out two of Beethoven’s fastest, funniest and most thrilling symphonies. As a special birthday bonus, choose between Britten’s exuberant burst of youthful sunlight, or SPIRA, a magical new showpiece for the full CBSO by one of the world’s most imaginative living composers. Date: Wed 29 and Thu 30 January Venue: Symphony Hall Time: 2:15PM (Wed 29) & 7:30PM (Thu 30) Tickets from £13*
Noa Wildschut in recital Noa Wildschut Violin Elisabeth Brauß Piano Schubert Joey Roukens Tchaikovsky Prokofiev
Fantasy in C major Op 159, D 934 Sarasvati (UK Premiere) Souvenir d’un lieu cher, Op 42 Violin Sonata 2 in D major, Op 94bis
The Dutch violinist Noa Wildschut is only 18 years old, but she’s already one of the most engaging violinists of her generation. Her choice of Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir and Prokofiev’s playful, elusive Second Sonata suggests that she has something wholly individual to say. But for this showcase recital as part of the Europe-wide ECHO Rising Stars series, she’ll also perform something brand new, written specially for her by the gleefully eclectic young Dutch composer Joey Roukens. ECHO artist nominated by Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam and BOZAR Brussels Date: Wed 29 January Venue: Symphony Hall Stage Time: 7:30PM Tickets: £12.50
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
47
SYMPHONY HALL’S GIFT SHOP Our Gift Shop is home to a host of musically inspired gifts to suit all ages; including cards, homewares, CDs, toys, books and jewellery. We’re proud to work with local businesses offering an array of Birmingham themed products. Symphony Hall’s Gift Shop is overflowing with inspiration!
OPENING HOURS: 12PM - 5PM, 7 DAYS A WEEK... AND LATER ON SYMPHONY HALL CONCERT NIGHTS.
Pa trons
AT TOWN HALL SYMPHONY HALL
ARTIST MAESTRO ICON DIRECTOR
WHAT ROLE WILL YOU PLAY?
Discover more at www.thsh.co.uk/support-us or call 0121 644 5156
48
Unlock exclusive benefits and enhance your experience from just £8 a month*: • Pay no booking commission on ticket purchases • Priority booking for selected shows, including the Birmingham Classical Season • Invitations to VIP and behind-the-scenes events • The opportunity to perform on one of the THSH stages annually *10 monthly Direct Debits. Terms and Conditions apply.
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
For full details of all our upcoming events… Please contact Box Office on 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk
ACCESSIBILITY For information on facilities for Wheelchair Users and Disabled Patrons, including discount information on selected shows, contact our Box Office on 0121 780 4949 for more details. Alternatively visit 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. 0116 249 8810 Email: sarah.barnett@vistablind.org.uk. Data Protection Once you have booked tickets all your contact details will be held and processed on our Box Office marketing database and from time to time we may send you information about Town Hall Symphony Hall and the programme of events and activities using any one of the contact methods you have provided. Other arts organisations and companies carefully selected by Performances Birmingham LTD may also be interested in sending you information on events and products they think will be of interest. If you do not want your details to be passed to another organisation please let us know at the time of booking. (Data Protection Act (1998). Registration No X3281 12 8.) Disclaimer Information and prices in this guide were correct at the time of going to press and published in good faith. Unforeseen circumstances, however, may result in changes to the published programme or names of artists: please check prior to booking. Performances Birmingham Limited – a Company controlled by Birmingham City Council – is a Registered Charity No 1053937. Registered in England No 3169600. Performances Birmingham Limited. Registered Office: Symphony Hall, 8 Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EA, UK Find us on Facebook Badge
CMYK / .ai
FOLLOW US Town Hall Symphony Hall
@THSHBirmingham
townhallsymphonyhall
thsh_birmingham
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
49
A STANDING OVATION THSH is internationally recognised for our high-quality performances, uncompromising excellence, artistic finesse and fierce ambition for music education - but this wouldn’t be possible without the help of the businesses, trusts and foundations, and individuals on these pages. Every year we are able to present over 780 events on our stages and offer life-changing experiences to over 15,000 young people and adults. There’s never been a better time to play a leading role with us. To find out more please visit www.thsh.co.uk/ support-us or call 0121 644 5072/5075 to speak to a member of the Development Team.
CORPORATE SUPPORTERS
Generation Ladywood
Carers’ Events
Generation Ladywood Welcome Reception
PROJECT SUPPORTERS Thank you to our Project Supporters:
Jazzlines Programme
Generation Ladywood
Live in the Lodge
50
ECHO Rising Stars
Jazzlines Summer School and Jazzlines Ensemble
Jazzlines Talent Development Programme
A Cultural Citizens Pilot Programme
Jazzlines Talent Development Programme
BOOK ONLINE: thsh.co.uk
BUSINESS PARTNERS
CORPORATE MEMBERS
BRAND PARTNER
MAKERS’ CIRCLE Mr P Ashen, Dr B Gwynn, Mrs V Hollinshead, Dr C Johnston, Mr I Norton, Mr G Paris, Mrs K Poulter, Mrs G Shaw, Mr & Mrs Verrion
DONORS Alan Woodfield Charitable Trust, The Alchemy Foundation, The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Settlement, Miss A Copsey, Angus Allnatt Charitable Foundation, Assay Office, Birmingham, Blackwell Charitable Trust, Blakemore Foundation, The Boshier-Hinton Foundation, Christopher Tobias Memorial Fund, The Cole Charitable Trust, DMC McDonald Foundation, D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, Dumbreck Charity, The Edward & Dorothy Cadbury Trust, The E H Smith Charitable Trust, Ernest Cook Trust, The Estate of Mr William Jones, The Eveson Charitable Trust, Geoff Hill Charitable Trust, The George Cadbury Trust, The George Fentham Birmingham Charity, George Henry Collins Charity, GJW Turner Trust, The GNC Trust, Grantham Yorke Trust, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Grimmitt Trust, The Heathcock Charitable Trust, The Hinrichsen Foundation, JMR Sales & Consultancy Ltd, Joseph Hopkins & Henry James Sayer Charity, The John Feeney Charitable Trust, Levells Design Limited, Lillie Johnson Charitable Trust, Limoges Trust, The Loppylugs and Barbara Morrison Charitable Trust, Lord Austin Trust, The Mercers’ Company, Michael Marsh Charitable Trust, M K Rose Charitable Trust, The Oakley Charitable Trust, The Patrick Trust, Peter and Jane How Trust, Mr Peter J Smith, The Estate of Mr Martin Purdy, The Roger and Douglas Turner Charitable Trust, Rotary Club of Birmingham, Roughley Trust, Rowlands Trust, R V J Cadbury Charitable Trust, Keith Rozelle: Sales Marvel, The Saintbury Trust, Service Birmingham Staff Benefit Scheme, Mr Keith Stokes-Smith, Chairman of Birmingham Commonwealth Association, Tyndallwoods Solicitors, Dr Diana & Peter Wardley, W E Dunn Charitable Trust, Westhill Endowment, William A Cadbury Charitable Trust, Wilmcote Charitrust, Youth Music, our Supporters, Volunteers and Friends
MAESTRO, ICON & DIRECTOR PATRONS Mr B & Mrs V Adams, Mr D Barton, Mr & Mrs Bentley, Ms Anita Bhalla OBE, Mr & Mrs H Buckingham, Mrs J Cadbury MBE, Mr & Mrs Cocking, Mr & Mrs Collard, Mrs E Cooke, Mr C Cooper, Mr J Cunningham-Dexter, Mr N & Mrs P Cunningham-Dexter, Lady G Curtis, Mr I Davies, Mr Roger K Edwards, Mr R & Mrs C Evans, Ms Themla Gauton, Mr R Guest, Mr M Hale, Mr Philip Harrison, Mr Peter & Mrs Jane How, Mrs I T Justham, Mr & Mrs I Kershaw, Dr & Mrs D Kett, Mr K Martin, Mr & Mrs P Maskell, Mr David R. Mayes OBE, Mr Richard Meek, Mrs E Murray, Mr Robert Pockney, Ms K Porter, Mr Adrian Quin, Mr Jim Quinn, Mr J Redshaw, Mrs Angela Rollason, Mr Graham Russell, Mrs J Rutter, Mr K Stokes-Smith, Mr & Mrs Stormont, Mr & Mrs G Tovell, Mr & Mrs Verrion, Mr & Mrs Willis, Mr A J Woodfield and anonymous Patrons
*A £3 per ticket commission is charged when you book through Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Box Office – online, by phone or in person.
51
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
Anton & Erin – Dance Those Magical Movies Sat 25 January 2:30PM & 7:30PM Live at Symphony Hall