THSH What's On Classical Jan-April 2016 by BMusic

WHAT’S ON CLASSICAL JANUARY – APRIL 2016

CLASSICAL CONCERTS AT TOWN HALL SYMPHONY HALL RESIDENT

ASSOCIATE

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Ex Cathedra, Orchestra of the Swan, Birmingham City Organist Thomas Trotter

Events with Resident or Associate badges are included within respective subscription packages. Contact the Box Office for more information. Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Symphony Hall, we mark the period from the opening concert (15 April 1991) until Her Majesty the Queen’s official opening of the hall (12 June 1991) with this selection of concerts.

“In sweet music is such art." In 2016, it will be 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare – and he's never been more alive. In his native Midlands, arts organisations are celebrating every facet of the Bard in music.

HOW TO REACH US

Town Hall is located in Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3DQ. Symphony Hall is located within the International Convention Centre on Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EA. For further information visit www.thsh.co.uk/your-visit

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FRIDAY 1 JANUARY 2:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

JOHANN STRAUSS GALA Rainer Hersch conductor Samantha Hay soprano Johann Strauss Orchestra Johann Strauss Dancers in glorious costumes of the period

Strauss The Blue Danube Waltz Radetzky March Bandits’ Galopp Cinderella Waltz Emperor Waltz Polka Furioso Carmen Quadrille Napoleon March Plus many more of your favourite waltzes and polkas from the Strauss family and friends. The Johann Strauss Dancers and Orchestra return with a brand new show for 2016 with irrepressible showman Rainer Hersch. Tickets £13.50 – £38.50 plus transaction fee* (see overleaf)

SUNDAY 3 JANUARY 3PM SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

THE MAGIC OF VIENNA City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Stephen Bell conductor Noah Stewart tenor Suppé Strauss Lehár Strauss

Overture, Light Cavalry Ohne Sorgen Polka The Land of Smiles – You are my heart’s delight Mit Dampf Polka Anvil Polka

Lehár Strauss Lehár Strauss

Gold and Silver Waltz Thunder and Lightning Polka The Gypsy Baron – Entrance March Girls were made to love and kiss Blue Danube Waltz

You haven’t seen in the New Year until you’ve raised a glass of champagne to Vienna, where the songs are sweeter than sachertorte and every waltz awakes a thousand tender memories. The CBSO’s annual Viennese evening has all the tunes you love: Anvil Polka and of course The Blue Danube, with the celebrated American tenor Noah Stewart singing some of Viennese operetta’s most mouthwatering numbers: Prosit! Tickets £12.50 – £47 plus transaction fee* (see overleaf)

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

THURSDAY 7 JANUARY 7:30PM

SATURDAY 9 JANUARY 7:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

HENRY V

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Edward Gardner conductor CBSO Chorus Strauss Macbeth Vaughan Williams Three Shakespeare Songs Verdi Macbeth – ballet music Walton Henry V: A Shakespeare (arr. Christopher Scenario Palmer) “O for a Muse of fire…” Shakespeare’s Henry V crammed the Battle of Agincourt into a tiny wooden theatre. Four centuries later, William Walton matched that vision with music that redefined British cinema, and this lavish concert version weaves all the play’s greatest speeches and Walton’s score into a compelling musical drama. Edward Gardner launches the CBSO’s year of Shakespeare celebrations with passionate Shakespearean masterpieces by Verdi and Richard Strauss.

JOSHUA BELL AND THE ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS Academy of St Martin in the Fields Joshua Bell violin/direction Steven Isserlis cello Dvorˇák Beethoven Schumann Brahms

Silent Woods from From the Bohemian Forest Op 68 Symphony No 5 Violin Concerto, mv. II (codetta by Britten) Double Concerto

CBSO+ 6.15pm: Bruce O’Neil, Head of Music at the Royal Shakespeare Company, draws comparisons between how Shakespeare’s plays inspire music for different genres.

The original virtuoso chamber orchestra, with two of the world’s most respected soloists – when Joshua Bell and Steven Isserlis join the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, you’d expect some seriously stylish playing. But from the grandeur of Brahms to Beethoven’s most famous symphony, there’ll be drama too. A stirring programme from some truly exceptional performers.

Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £9.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

SUNDAY 10 JANUARY 3PM SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

SCHUMANN’S PIANO CONCERTO City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Mirga Gražinyte˙ -Tyla conductor Beatrice Rana piano Debussy Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune Schumann Piano Concerto Sibelius Suite, Lemminkäinen

We may be in the depths of winter, but these three romantic narratives by composers barely into their thirties should warm the hardest of hearts. Debussy’s faun and Sibelius’s hero are the stuff of legend, expressing their unrequited love in music that is passionate and thrilling; Schumann poured his feelings for Clara into this gorgeous piano concerto. The CBSO are joined by a superb pianist and a conductor who caused quite a stir on her UK debut with the CBSO last summer. Tickets £20 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

THURSDAY 14 JANUARY 2:15PM SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 3PM SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

SCHEHERAZADE City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Andrew Gourlay conductor Alexander Romanovsky piano Ravel Suite, Mother Goose Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 4 Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess, a cruel king… and a Russian composer. RimskyKorsakov’s Scheherazade is like opening a wonderful book of musical stories: there’s adventure, magic and – of course – love, all told in music of glittering splendour and gorgeous colour. Guest conductor Andrew Gourlay retells the tale today, along with Ravel’s own little book of musical fairytales, and Rachmaninov’s jazziest concerto. So, if you’re sitting comfortably… Tickets 14 Jan £12.50 – £43 plus transaction fee* 16 Jan £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 11:30AM & 1.30PM FRIDAY 22 JANUARY 11AM & 1PM SYMPHONY HALL

KS3 SCHOOLS’ CONCERTS City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Michael Seal conductor Rachel Leach presenter If you’ve only heard the BBC’s Ten Pieces in the classroom, you haven’t heard the half of it! Conductor Michael Seal, presenter Rachel Leach and the CBSO present a lively hour-long guide to the orchestra, from the classical era to the sounds of today – with music drawn from the BBC Ten Pieces. Aimed at Key Stage Three, these schools concerts take place in the spectacular surroundings of Symphony Hall. Please Note: tickets for this concert are only available by calling the Groups Line on 0800 358 7070 or in person. Tickets £5 plus transaction fee*

SUNDAY 17 JANUARY 2:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

BLACK DYKE BAND The world’s most famous brass band comes to Birmingham! With 160 years of rich musical history, Black Dyke is proud of its heritage but also looks to the future with enthusiasm and confidence. No other ensemble in the world of brass music can boast such a record of innovation and success. Tickets £14.50 plus transaction fee* Black Dyke Band.

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

THURSDAY 21 JANUARY 7:30PM

SUNDAY 24 JANUARY 7PM

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

SERENADE TO MUSIC City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Michael Seal conductor Simon Halsey conductor† CBSO Youth Chorus CBSO Children’s Chorus 16 Soloists from UK Conservatoires Grainger Vaughan Williams Judith Weir Grainger

In a Nutshell Serenade to Music† Storm† The Warriors

Imagine warriors of all times and all lands, gathering in one place to drink and dance; imagine jazz breaks, three pianos, and a super-sized orchestra… and you’re starting to get some idea of Percy Grainger’s jaw-dropping The Warriors. Add Vaughan Williams’s ravishing, Shakespeare-inspired Serenade, 16 brilliant young soloists, a spirited showcase for the CBSO’s world-beating young choruses and a “Gum-Suckers’ March”, and…well, what can we say? You’ve simply got to hear it! Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

SINGALONG WITH THE CBSO: HAYDN’S THE CREATION City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Simon Halsey conductor CBSO Chorus Haydn The Creation – highlights (sung in English) Ever dreamed of singing live at Symphony Hall with the CBSO? Now’s your chance to experience it for real, in this one-off performance from scratch of all the best bits of Haydn’s The Creation. So whether you’re a choral society veteran or have only ever sung in the shower, you’re welcome to join in and sing, under the baton of the CBSO’s world-famous chorus director Simon Halsey. Tickets Audience £13.50 plus transaction fee* Singer £20 plus transaction fee* Singer & Score Hire £27.50 plus transaction fee* Singer information: rehearsals start at 1.30pm; details will be sent with singer tickets. Scores: we will be using the Edition Peters (Urtext/Temperley edition – catalogue number EP7333) score. To hire a score with Simon Halsey’s rehearsal markings, purchase the Singer & Score Hire ticket when booking. NB if you’re not bringing your own score, pre-booking score hire is essential. Collect your pre-booked score on the day.

Simon Halsey. Photo © Neil Pugh

RESIDENT

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

MONDAY 25 JANUARY 1PM SYMPHONY HALL

WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY 7:30PM ASSOCIATE

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT

THOMAS TROTTER Thomas Trotter organ J.S. Bach Concerto in A minor after Vivaldi Three Spanish Dances: Anon 17th Century Espagnoleta Kagel Rondeña Moszkowski/Trotter Spanish Dance Stanley Voluntary Op 7 No 6 Rorem ‘Sunrise on Sunset Hill’, ‘Elms’ and ‘Sunday Night’ from Views from the Oldest House Bizet (arr. Lemare) Carmen Suite To warm us up in these chilly months, Thomas Trotter brings us music from sunny climes. Bizet’s Carmen is paired with the three Spanish dances by different composers. We also have a rare performance of the American composer Ned Rorem’s Views from the Oldest House – a real house that the composer knew with vistas that ‘gleam with variety, especially during summer evenings’.

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

NICOLA BENEDETTI: SZYMANOWSKI City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Lahav Shani conductor Nicola Benedetti violin Haydn Symphony No 92, Oxford Szymanowski Violin Concerto No 2 Brahms Symphony No 4 Brahms said that he wanted his Fifth Symphony to sound like Haydn. He never got that far – because his magnificent Fourth Symphony said all he wanted to say! Lahav Shani brings out all its tragedy and triumph, but only after he’s shown you exactly what Brahms was talking about, in Haydn’s joyous Oxford Symphony. Nicola Benedetti, meanwhile, begins the CBSO’s mini-cycle of Szymanowski violin concertos with the ravishing, fantastical Second. CBSO+ 6.15pm: Music writer and broadcaster Gavin Plumley explores what happens when sensual Szymanowski meets luminous Brahms. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £6 plus transaction fee*

Nicola Benedetti. Photo © Decca/Simon Fowler

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

FRIDAY 29 JANUARY 7:30PM

THURSDAY 4 FEBRUARY 7:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

FRIDAY NIGHT CLASSICS

SMOOTH CLASSICS City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Michael Seal conductor Margherita Taylor presenter Zoë Beyers violin Oliver Janes clarinet Barber Adagio Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending Pachelbel Canon in D Mozart Clarinet Concerto, K. 622 – Adagio Albinoni Adagio Elgar Nimrod Tchaikovsky ‘Pas de deux’ from The Nutcracker Dvorˇák Symphony No 9, From the New World, ‘Largo’ Winter dragging on? Had one of those weeks? Or just want to drift off into a warm bath of soothing melody? Then this is the concert for you: a whole evening of some of the smoothest and most serene music ever written – tunes you love, from The Lark Ascending to Pachelbel’s Canon. Symphony Hall is designed for comfort, so just sit back, stretch out, and relax…

RESIDENT

BAIBA SKRIDE: SZYMANOWSKI City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Olari Elts conductor Baiba Skride violin Mendelssohn Overture, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Szymanowski Violin Concerto No 1 Shostakovich Symphony No 10 The Soviet authorities called Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony an “optimistic tragedy”. But we can hear it as one of the mightiest symphonies of the 20th Century: huge, dark, and driven by blazing emotion. It’s all a long way from the moonlit enchantment of Mendelssohn’s Shakespearean overture – or Szymanowski’s gorgeous, shimmering First Violin Concerto, played tonight by the CBSO’s artist in residence, the wonderful Baiba Skride. CBSO+ 6.15pm: Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Seal, performs Respighi’s majestic Pines of Rome and Mattei, a World Premiere by Conservatoire Composer Ryan Probert. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £12.50 – £47 plus transaction fee*

SUNDAY 31 JANUARY 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

NIGEL KENNEDY Maverick and iconic British violinist Nigel Kennedy turns back the clock but adds a typical and traditional Kennedy twist as he performs an acoustic version of his ground breaking Four Seasons.

The first half will feature Nigel’s own critically acclaimed compositions, entitled The English Collection. These pieces feature melodic charm, elegance and beauty as well as great virtuosity – all characteristics of Nigel’s playing which have made him one of the most highly-regarded violinists in the world. Tickets £22.50 – £65 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

SATURDAY 6 FEBRUARY 7:30PM

SUNDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

Birmingham Royal Ballet. Photo © Roy Smiljanic

AN EVENING OF MUSIC AND DANCE WITH BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET A unique evening with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, one of the world's few specialist ballet orchestras, under the direction of Koen Kessels. Normally confined to the pit as resident orchestra for Birmingham Royal Ballet and guest orchestra of The Royal Ballet, tonight is the orchestra’s chance to take centre stage, playing its favourite excerpts from ballets and other sparkling orchestral works. Special guest stars include presenter David Bintley and dancers from Birmingham Royal Ballet. Tickets £10 – £29.50 plus transaction fee*

FAMILY FILM FAVOURITES City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Alasdair Malloy presenter Everyone loves a great family movie – and great movies need great music! Presenter Alasdair Malloy turns off the pictures, turns up the soundtrack and takes a musical journey through all your favourites: Star Wars, Toy Story, Harry Potter, Mary Poppins, Shrek, Despicable Me, Frozen, The Lego Movie and many, many more. You’ve all seen them – now get ready to hear them like never before, in fabulous 3D symphonic sound! FREE craft workshops in the foyer from 1pm. Tickets £10 plus transaction fee* Group of 4: £32 plus transaction fee*

Alexander Armstrong

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

SUNDAY 7 FEBRUARY 4PM TOWN HALL

MONDAY 8 FEBRUARY 1PM ASSOCIATE

I WAS GLAD

ASSOCIATE

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT

THOMAS TROTTER

Ex Cathedra Jeffrey Skidmore conductor Henry Fairs organ Nicholas Wearne organ Lucy Wakeford harp Britten Janácek Leighton Parry Walton

TOWN HALL

Rejoice in the Lamb Otce nás (The Lord’s Prayer) Crucifixus pro nobis I was glad The Twelve

During a prolific period in the mid-1940s Britten encountered the extraordinary, newly-rediscovered poetry of Christopher Smart and composed one of his finest choral works, Rejoice in the Lamb. A concert of magnificent 20th Century music for choir and organ, there are masterpieces by Leighton, Walton, Janácek and Parry, whose glorious anthem was written for the coronation of King Edward VII.

Paul Patterson Brumba Pachelbel Chorale Partita: Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan Best Variations on ‘God Save the Queen’ Rogg Two Studies Bonnal Paysages Euskariens Commissioned by Town Hall in 2007, Paul Patterson’s high-octane, rhythmical Brumba is a combination of rumba and ‘Brum’. As the name suggests, it is a lot of fun, as are the Variations on ‘God Save the Queen’. This noble melody has been used as a theme for sets of variations by the likes of Beethoven and Paganini. Here, we have the variations by Victorian composer WT Best. Tickets £6 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £9.50 – £35 plus transaction fee*

WEDNESDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2:15PM SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTOS 2, 3 AND 4 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Rudolf Buchbinder conductor/piano Beethoven Piano Concerto No 2 Piano Concerto No 4 Piano Concerto No 3

Beethoven wrote his five piano concertos to perform himself – conducting the orchestra from the keyboard. So the great Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder does exactly the same. For more than five decades, Buchbinder has put Beethoven at the very heart of his musical life; now, over two concerts with the CBSO, he brings a lifetime’s insight to bear on some of the greatest music ever written for piano and orchestra. CBSO+ 1pm: CBSO violinist Catherine Arlidge and two other CBSO musicians explore aspects of ensemble playing, the challenges of blending with a solo instrument and when a soloist play/directs. Tickets £12.50 – £43 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

THURSDAY 11 FEBRUARY 7:30PM

FRIDAY 12 FEBRUARY 1PM

TOWN HALL

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

MARIA JOÃO PIRES IN RECITAL Debussy Pour le piano Mozart Piano Sonata No 4 in E flat major, K 282 Schubert Piano Sonata No 21 in B flat major Following her appearance with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in October, the legendary Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires returns to Birmingham for a very special evening of music-making at Town Hall. Schubert’s sublime final piano sonata is the focus of this unique recital; a single, carefully-chosen Mozart sonata is all that’s needed to complement Schubert’s ‘heavenly length’. 6.15pm Pre-concert conversation with Maria João Pires. This conversation will be signed.

SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY 3PM RESIDENT

BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTOS 1 AND 5 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Rudolf Buchbinder conductor/piano Beethoven Piano Concerto No 1 Piano Concerto No 5

Schubert Allegro in A Minor, Lebensstürme for four hands Beethoven Piano Sonata No 32 in C minor Piano Sonata No 21 in C major, Waldstein Schubert Deutscher with two Trios and two Landlers Something magical happens when two great pianists sit down together: and in this second concert of her short Birmingham residency Maria João Pires shares that joy with rising star Miloš Popovic´. Duets by Schubert frame performances of two of Beethoven’s most glorious keyboard works: the sunlit Waldstein Sonata and the profound and poetic late Sonata in C minor, Op 111. Tickets £9.50 – £28 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £9.50 – £35 plus transaction fee*

SYMPHONY HALL

MARIA JOÃO PIRES AND MILOŠ POPOVIC´ IN RECITAL

“If I had to take one Beethoven concerto cycle to a desert island,” wrote one critic of Rudolf Buchbinder’s recordings of Beethoven’s piano concertos, “it might just be this.” In this second instalment of his Birmingham Beethoven cycle, conductor/pianist Rudolf Buchbinder tackles the mighty “Emperor” concerto itself: music without limits, performed with supreme understanding by a living legend amongst pianists. CBSO+ 1.15pm: Broadcaster and author Stephen Johnson shares his enthusiasm for Beethoven. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY 3PM SYMPHONY HALL

WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2:30PM RESIDENT

CBSO BENEVOLENT FUND CONCERT City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra John Wilson conductor Valeriy Sokolov violin Nicolai Overture, The Merry Wives of Windsor Bruch Violin Concerto No 1 Elgar Enigma Variations Elgar dedicated his Enigma Variations to "My Friends Pictured Within" – and this concert is dedicated to our friends in need within Birmingham's musical community, in support of the CBSO Benevolent Fund. It's a truly worthy cause, for which the CBSO, Andris Nelsons and Sir Simon Rattle have all given their services for free in previous years. This year, John Wilson conducts and Valeriy Sokolov brings us Bruch's enduringly popular first violin concerto. We hope you will join us too, for a glorious celebration of music.

TOWN HALL

ASSOCIATE

EMMA JOHNSON & MOZART’S CLARINET CONCERTO Orchestra of the Swan David Curtis conductor Emma Johnson clarinet Gluck Fauré Haydn Mozart

Dance of the Blessed Spirits Nocturne from Shylock Concerto for Two Flutes Clarinet Concerto Symphony No 33

Emma Johnson is perhaps the most successful clarinettist in the country and the combination of her artistry with Mozart’s genius makes for a very special performance, complemented by a performance of the Haydn concerto for 2 flutes. Tickets £8.50 – £23.50 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee* Special discounts policy applies, please check when booking. CBSO Benevolent Fund is a registered friendly society, no. 735F, supporting CBSO players and staff.

RAISE YOUR GLASS Add a touch of elegance and sparkle to your Symphony Hall visit with one of our Laurent-Perrier Champagne packages. Order now via: THSH – Birmingham Town Hall and Symphony Hall Bars available now on the App Store Box Office 0121 780 3333

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 7:30PM

FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY 7:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

Alisa Weilerstein. Photo © Decca/Harald Hoffmann

TCHAIKOVSKY’S SIXTH City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Rafael Payare conductor Alisa Weilerstein cello Berlioz Overture, Roman Carnival Prokofiev Sinfonia concertante Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6, Pathétique “Pathétique” means “full of emotion”: simple as that. And from first bar to last, Tchaikovsky’s epic Sixth Symphony brims with anguish, longing and unforgettable Tchaikovsky tunes. The charismatic young Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare won’t stint on the passion; nor will his wife Alisa Weilerstein – soloist in Prokofiev’s huge, brooding “symphony concerto”. Hector Berlioz lights the fuse amidst a riot of Italian sunshine. CBSO+ 6.15pm: Conservatoire Showcase A solo piano recital performed by rising stars of Birmingham Conservatoire. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

FRIDAY NIGHT CLASSICS:

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Martin Yates conductor University of Birmingham Voices Oklahoma! Carousel South Pacific The King and I The Sound Of Music

Oh! What A Beautiful Morning; People Will Say We’re In Love June Is Bustin’ Out All Over; You’ll Never Walk Alone Some Enchanted Evening; A Wonderful Guy; There Is Nothing Like A Dame Shall We Dance?; Getting To Know You; Something Wonderful My Favourite Things; Sixteen Going On Seventeen; Edelweiss; Climb Every Mountain

February is bustin’ out all over: so celebrate Friday night with the original masters of the Broadway musical. Everyone knows the sound of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music, and all your favourite songs are here – hits from Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The King and I, Carousel and The Sound of Music, performed by a team of West End stars. The CBSO will send you home whistling a merry tune! Produced in association with West End International Ltd. Tickets £12.50 – £47 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

SUNDAY 21 FEBRUARY 7PM

MONDAY 22 FEBRUARY 1PM

SYMPHONY HALL

TOWN HALL

CBSO YOUTH ORCHESTRA: RACHMANINOV’S SECOND

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT

City of Birmingham Youth Orchestra Jac van Steen conductor Prokofiev Scythian Suite Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 Conductor Jac van Steen has a special rapport with the CBSO Youth Orchestra – and if you’ve heard them play Rachmaninov before, you’ll know to expect absolute commitment, glorious playing and pure, unbuttoned emotion when the CBSO’s fabulous young players tackle the ultimate Russian romantic symphony. Though after van Steen has unleashed them on the pagan frenzy of Prokofiev’s electrifying Scythian Suite, pulses should already be racing! Tickets £20 plus transaction fee*

ASSOCIATE

THOMAS TROTTER Schumann J.S. Bach Schumann J.S. Bach Schumann

Fugues 1 & 2 on B.A.C.H. Four Orgelbuchlein Preludes (BWV 616, 617, 635, 636) Fugues 3 & 4 on B.A.C.H. Four Orgelbuchlein Preludes (BWV 640, 641, 643, 644) Fugues 5 & 6 on B.A.C.H.

“The thoughtful combinations, the poetry and humour of modern music originate chiefly in Bach,” Robert Schumann wrote in a letter in 1840. “I myself make daily confession of my sins to that mighty one, and endeavor to purify and strengthen myself through him.” This endeavour found a musical expression in his six fugues based on a four-note motif that, in German nomenclature, spells out B (B flat). A. C. H (B natural). Tickets £6 plus transaction fee*

MONDAY 22 FEBRUARY 6PM TOWN HALL

RISING STARS Stephen Hough. Photo © Sim Canetty-Clarke

QUATUOR ZAÏDE Quatuor Zaïde Haydn Quartet Op 50, No 5 Shostakovich Quartet No 7 Francesca Verunelli Secondo Quartetto Mendelssohn Quartet No 6 in F minor Op 80 Quatuor Zaïde. Photo © Neda Navaee

Now in its fifth year, Quatuor Zaïde is an exciting French ensemble who has performed across Europe and China. In 2014 they released their first recording on the NoMad music label. Package discounts and other benefits are not available.

Rising Stars is presented in association with the European Concert Hall Organisation. With the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union. Nominated by Phiharmonie de Paris

Tickets £10 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

WEDNESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2:15PM THURSDAY 25 FEBRUARY 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY 6:30PM TOWN HALL

RESIDENT

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

Benjamin Grosvenor. Photo © Decca/Sussie Ahlburg

BENJAMIN GROSVENOR: GRIEG City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Jac van Steen conductor Benjamin Grosvenor piano Elgar Falstaff Grieg Piano Concerto Brahms Symphony No 3 Benjamin Grosvenor’s playing has been called “a kind of miracle”, and last time he performed with the CBSO, this 23-year old British pianist held Symphony Hall spellbound. You’ve probably heard Grieg’s Piano Concerto before – but never quite like this! It’s the glowing heart of a concert that begins with Elgar’s colourful portrait of Shakespeare’s fat knight and ends in the romantic sunset of Brahms’s ardent Third Symphony. Tickets 24 February £12.50 – £43 plus transaction fee* 25 February £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

HARRY BICKET AND THE ENGLISH CONCERT PERFORM HANDEL’S ORLANDO The English Concert Harry Bicket conductor Iestyn Davies Orlando Erin Morley Angelica Carolyn Sampson Dorinda Sasha Cooke Medoro Kyle Ketelsen Zoroastro Handel Orlando Torn between love and glory, the knight Orlando gives way to madness – and rampages through a world of lovers, sorcerers and all-powerful spirits. Handel’s 1733 opera Orlando is a true extravaganza, performed tonight by Harry Bicket and The English Concert – plus Carolyn Sampson, and Iestyn Davies in the title role. Please note that the date of this concert has changed. It was originally advertised to take place on Saturday 27 February. Tickets £9.50 – £40 plus transaction fee*

The English Concert

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

FRIDAY 26 FEBRUARY 7:30PM

SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY 7:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

STAR WARS & BEYOND – A SPACE SPECTACULAR

SYMPHONIC ROCK

London Concert Orchestra Anthony Inglis conductor

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra presents the most rocking show in town, featuring all your favourite rock and pop hits, each accompanied by a spectacular light show. Listen to your icons become reborn for one epic night in this must-see show.

John Williams Star Wars; Superman; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; E.T. Holst Mars; ‘Jupiter’ from The Planets R Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra J Strauss Blue Danube Waltz Plus Star Trek; Battlestar Galactica; Thunderbirds

Enjoy classic hits given a symphonic twist, including music by: U2, The Verve, Eric Clapton, Coldplay, Adele, Elbow, Procol Harum, Survivor, Bon Jovi, Queen, Led Zeppelin and more!

A voyage through a galaxy of favourite music from deep space and beyond! A Space Spectacular will be performed with exciting lights, lasers and fireworks.

Tickets £12.50 – £39.50 plus transaction fee*

New for 2015! A special tribute to The Beatles’s No 1 hits, including: All You Need Is Love, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Let It Be, Eleanor Rigby and more.

Tickets £16.50 – £44.50 plus transaction fee*

JOIN OUR CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP SCHEME Sign up to our scheme from just £1,300+ VAT per annum for a host of benefits including 10 top price tickets to the show of your choice, and exclusive use of our Laurent-Perrier Gallery with champagne and canapés from award-winning caterers Amadeus. For more information contact Karen Daw, Head of Development on 0121 644 5075 or email karen.daw@thsh.co.uk.

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

TUESDAY 1 MARCH 7:30PM

THURSDAY 3 MARCH 2:15PM

SYMPHONY HALL

Vladimir Ashkenazy. Photo © Keith Saunders

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY CONDUCTS RACHMANINOV’S SYMPHONY NO 3 Philharmonia Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy conductor Víkingur Ólafsson piano Rachmaninov The Rock Liszt Piano Concerto No 2 Rachmaninov Symphony No 3

A song of exile; bittersweet, jazzy and heartbreakingly lyrical. Vladimir Ashkenazy adores it, and few living conductors match his understanding and empathy for this music. If you don’t already know Rachmaninov’s Third, this performance with the Philharmonia might just make you fall in love with it. Tickets £9.50 – £50 plus transaction fee*

RESIDENT

Leonard Elschenbroich. Photo © Felix Broede

THE FIREBIRD City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Nicholas Collon conductor Leonard Elschenbroich cello Tchaikovsky Saint-Saëns Berlioz Stravinsky

Hamlet Cello Concerto No 1 ‘Love Scene’ from Romeo and Juliet Suite, The Firebird (1945)

A dark kingdom, a troubled prince, and a spine chilling mystery… OK, so Hamlet and The Firebird don’t exactly tell the same story! But they both unleash music of sweeping passion and dazzling colour, just as Romeo and Juliet gave Berlioz a chance to pour out his romantic soul. Nicholas Collon leads a colourful toast to Shakespeare, and partners the award-winning Leonard Elschenbroich in Saint-Saëns’s warm and witty First Cello Concerto. CBSO+ 1pm: Hugh Macdonald, formerly Professor of Music at Glasgow University, evaluates the debt owed by Berlioz and Tchaikovsky to Shakespeare’s plays. Tickets £12.50 – £43 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

FRIDAY 4 MARCH 7:30PM

SATURDAY 5 MARCH 7PM

TOWN HALL

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

POULENC’S GLORIA City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Nicholas Collon conductor Sophie Bevan soprano CBSO Chorus

Miloš Karadaglic´. Photo © Lars Borges/Mercury Classics

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

´ MILOŠ KARADAGLIC IN RECITAL Sor Introduction and Variations on a theme by Mozart, Op 9 Giulio Regondi Rêverie Op 19 Granados No 2 ‘Oriental’ from (arr. M. Lewin) Danzas españolas J.S.Bach Chaconne from Partita No 2 in D minor BWV 1004 Morel Danza brasilera Cardoso ‘Milonga’ from 24 Piezas sudamericanas Sávio ‘Batucuda’ from Cenas brasileiras The Beatles Here, there and everywhere (arr. Sérgio Assad) Blackbird While my guitar gently weeps Domeniconi Koyunbaba

Tchaikovsky Hamlet Poulenc Gloria Berlioz ‘Love Scene’ from Romeo and Juliet Stravinsky Suite, The Firebird (1945) A dark kingdom, a troubled prince, and a spine chilling mystery… OK, so Hamlet and The Firebird don’t exactly tell the same story! But they both unleash music of sweeping passion and dazzling colour, just as Romeo and Juliet gave Berlioz a chance to pour out his romantic soul. Nicholas Collon leads a gloriously colourful toast to Shakespeare: and lifts the roof with the CBSO Chorus in Poulenc’s jubilant Gloria. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

Each generation produces at least one exceptional classical guitarist; but not many can match Miloš Karadaglic´ for charisma. This recital combines original solo guitar works with inventive, virtuosic transcriptions of classics from three centuries. 6.15pm Pre-concert conversation with Miloš Karadaglic´. Choir Benches not available. This conversation will be signed. Tickets £9.50 – £28 plus transaction fee*

Sophie Bevan. Photo © Sussie Ahlburg

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

MONDAY 7 MARCH 1PM TOWN HALL

MONDAY 7 MARCH 6PM ASSOCIATE

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT

THOMAS TROTTER Thomas Trotter organ Handel Organ Concerto in D minor Op 7 No 4 Hook Two Voluntaries Reger Chorale Fantasy: Straf mich nicht in deinem zorn Hollins Spring Song Prokofiev Toccata for piano (arr. J. Guillou) Yorkshireman Alfred Hollins is perhaps best known in the organ world for two facts – firstly that he was blind, and secondly that we wrote pieces about the dappled English landscape. Spring Song is a good example of such a piece. Also featured is a work by Max Reger marking 100 years since the composer’s death.

TOWN HALL

RISING STARS

MUSICA CALLADA/ MUSIC OF SILENCE Musica Callada/Music of Silence Remy van Kesteren harp Eric Vloeimans trumpet The magical music of the Spanish composer Federico Mompou forms the basis of a musical journey and search for silence. Classical, jazz and improvisation in a continuous program full of surprises, including a commission, Duality, by Dutch composer Oene van Geel. Nominated by Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam and BOZAR Brussels.

Tickets £10 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £6 plus transaction fee*

TUESDAY 8 MARCH 7:30PM TOWN HALL

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

BRENTANO QUARTET Brentano Quartet Bach Fugues 1, 3, 5, and 9 from The Art of Fugue Shostakovich String Quartet No 14 in F- Sharp major Bach Fugues 6, 8, and 11 from The Art of Fugue Dvoˇrák String Quartet in C major, Op 61 Arguably the finest American string quartet of its generation, the Brentano Quartet defines itself by its interest in the frontiers of the chamber repertoire – particularly music that predates the quartet

Brentano Quartet. Photo © Peter Schaaf

medium. This pairing of Shostakovich’s powerful late quartet and Dvoˇrák’s exuberant folk-flavoured Op 61 with quartet transcriptions of fugues by Johann Sebastian Bach should be revelatory. Tickets £9.50 – £28 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 2:30PM

WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 7:30PM

TOWN HALL

SYMPHONY HALL

ASSOCIATE

PETER DONOHOE PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH Orchestra of the Swan David Curtis conductor Peter Donohoe piano Mozart Shostakovich Tchaikovsky Mozart

Symphony No 29 Piano Concerto No 1 Andante Cantabile Piano Concerto K414

Following last season’s astonishing performance of the Shostakovich Piano Concerto No 2 OOTS welcomes back Peter Donohoe to perform the first concerto, complemented by one of Mozart’s earlier piano concertos. Tchaikovsky’s Andante Cantabile adds a gentler Russian flavour… Tickets £8.50 – £23.50 plus transaction fee*

RESIDENT

SHOSTAKOVICH’S FIFTEENTH City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Alpesh Chauhan conductor Eduardo Vassallo cello Borodin Osvaldo Golijov Shostakovich

‘Polovtsian Dances’ from Prince Igor Azul (UK premiere) Symphony No 15

An opera that launched a pop song, a symphony out of time, and a new rhapsody in blue… The young Birmingham conductor Alpesh Chauhan has a flair for fantasy, and this concert is drenched in it, from Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances (think Stranger in Paradise) to the mysterious clocks that tick through the dying bars of Shostakovich’s last symphony. The CBSO’s own Eduardo Vassallo gives the UK premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s lush, baroque-inspired Azul. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

The inspiration of a lifetime awaits...

“5,000 years of Chinese music and dance in one night.” The New York Times

All-new show with live orchestra

5-6 MARCH 2016 ICC BIRMINGHAM

0121 780 3333 | 0208 133 7986 shenyun.com/uk

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

FRIDAY 11 MARCH 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

SATURDAY 12 MARCH 7:30PM RESIDENT

SYMPHONY HALL

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

OSLO PHILHARMONIC PERFORM MAHLER’S SYMPHONY NO 5 FRIDAY NIGHT CLASSICS:

SYMPHONIC DISCO SPECTACULAR City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Stephen Bell conductor Annie Skates vocalist Hazel Fernandes vocalist Lance Ellington vocalist Andrew Playfoot vocalist Discoture; Disco Inferno; Kool and the Gang Medley; Young Hearts Run Free; Sister Sledge Medley; More More More; Earth Wind and Fire Medley; Don’t Take Away the Music; Bee Gees Medley; Boogie Nights; Three Times a Lady; Donna Summer Medley; Blame it on the Boogie; I Will Survive

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra Vasily Petrenko conductor Simon Trpcˇeski piano Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 Mahler Symphony No 5 Long acclaimed as Scandinavia’s finest orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonic has found a fresh energy under its dynamic new music director Vasily Petrenko. In Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Petrenko and the Oslo Phil will make a compelling pairing; in Rachmaninov, meanwhile, Petrenko and pianist Simon Trpcˇeski have already been hailed by critics as a ‘dream team’! 6:15pm Pre-concert conversation with Vasily Petrenko. This conversation will be signed. Tickets £9.50 – £50 plus transaction fee*

It’s Friday night on Broad Street, and that spells D.I.S.C.O! I Will Survive, Blame it on the Boogie, Stayin’ Alive… you think they sound good on the dancefloor? Just wait till you hear these – and a galaxy of 70s disco classics – performed by full orchestra and top vocalists in this sensational Symphonic Disco Spectacular. Dig out those flares, slip on some shades and get ready to party like it’s 1979! CBSO+ 6.15pm Flagship CBSO education programme Project Remix concludes with a performance by young musicians from across the West Midlands. Tickets £12.50 – £47 plus transaction fee*

Simon Trpcˇeski. Photo © Lube Saveski

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

SUNDAY 13 MARCH 3PM

WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH 7:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

TOWN HALL

GRAND ORGAN GALA

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

Stephen Bell conductor Darius Battiwalla organ Fanfare Trumpeters of the Royal Corps of Signals Birmingham Choral Union London Concert Orchestra Parry Mendelssohn Handel Mascagni Handel Saint-Saëns Strauss Bach Pachelbel Mussorgsky Handel Widor Parry Elgar

I was glad ‘Wedding March’ from A Midsummer Night’s Dream Zadok the Priest Intermezzo from Cavelleria rusticana Zadok the Priest Symphony No 3, Organ ‘Sunrise’ from Also Sprach Zarathustra Toccata and Fugue in D minor Canon The Great Gate of Kiev Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah Toccata Jerusalem Pomp & Circumstance March No 1

FRANCESCO PIEMONTESI IN RECITAL Francesco Piemontesi piano Mozart Schumann Busoni

Rondo in A Minor Piano Sonata No 11 in A major Kreisleriana Toccata BV 287

The Swiss pianist Francesco Piemontesi, well known to CBSO audiences for his concertos over recent years, has chosen to make a name for himself with one of the greatest yet most challenging composers in the entire piano repertoire: Mozart. The results have been breathtaking, but judge for yourself in this beautifully-devised Town Hall recital. Tickets £9.50 – £28 plus transaction fee*

Experience the power and majesty of the great Symphony Hall organ in this wonderful afternoon of popular music including Saint-Saëns’s magnificent Symphony No 3, Organ. Tickets £14.50 – £39.50 plus transaction fee*

THURSDAY 17 MARCH 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

ELGAR’S SECOND City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Edward Gardner conductor Lawrence Power viola Walton Prelude, Richard III Viola Concerto Elgar Symphony No 2

“Rarely, rarely, comest thou, Spirit of Delight!” Edward Elgar headed his Second Symphony with a line from Shelley, and then launched it in a huge, surging wave of golden sound. Is this the greatest symphony ever composed by an Englishman? Edward Gardner and the CBSO will make a passionate case – after beginning the evening with Walton’s jazz-age concerto, and another stirring cinematic salute to Shakespeare. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

SUNDAY 20 MARCH 3PM

MONDAY 21 MARCH 1PM

TOWN HALL

SYMPHONY HALL

ASSOCIATE

Britten Sinfonia. Photo © Harry Rankin

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT

THOMAS TROTTER BRITTEN SINFONIA: AND MICHAEL SEVEN LAST WORDS BROADWAY FROM THE CROSS Britten Sinfonia Britten Sinfonia Chorus Eamonn Dougan conductor Byrd Miserere mei Shostakovich (arr. Barshai) Chamber Symphony Bach Cantata O Jesu Christ, mein’s Lebens Licht BWV 118 James MacMillan Seven Last Words From the Cross James MacMillan may well be the finest British composer since Britten, and his music – driven by passionate personal beliefs – simply burns to communicate. His Seven Last Words are already a modern classic; here they’re the climax of a powerfully-conceived Palm Sunday sequence from some of our foremost champions of contemporary music, the Britten Sinfonia and Chorus.

Thomas Trotter organ Michael Broadway pianola

Programme to include duet arrangements and solos for organ and pianola by Wagner, Elgar, Grainger and Mayerl. Opportunities to hear pianolas (or ‘player pianos’) are few and far between, but this concert features the UK’s leader in pianola performance, Michael Broadway, performing with Birmingham’s City Organist. Not to be missed! Tickets £6 plus transaction fee*

1.45pm: Pre-concert conversation with Eamonn Dougan. This conversation will be signed. Tickets £9.50 – £40 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

FRIDAY 25 MARCH 2PM

SUNDAY 3 APRIL 3PM

SYMPHONY HALL

TOWN HALL

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

Ex Cathedra City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Jeffrey Skidmore conductor Andrew Tortise Evangelist James Rutherford Jesus

Mark Padmore tenor Paul Lewis piano

GOOD FRIDAY ST MATTHEW PASSION

Bach St Matthew Passion (in German) Bach’s St Matthew Passion is more than one of the mightiest of all sacred works; it’s a profound human drama, and a shattering musical exploration of timeless hopes and sorrows. This Good Friday performance, accompanied by the CBSO and using soloists drawn from within the musical community of Ex Cathedra, will have a special intimacy, immediacy and power. There will be an extended interval for tea and the performance will end at approximately 6pm. Tickets £9.50 – £40 plus transaction fee*

MARK PADMORE AND PAUL LEWIS PERFORM SCHUBERT’S SCHWANENGESANG Beethoven Mailied, Op 52 No 4 Neue Leibe, neues Lebe, Op 75 No 2 Adelaide, Op 46 An die ferne Geliebte, Op 98 Schubert Schwanengesang Hear two of the finest British artists of their generation performing some of the most heartfelt music ever written for piano and voice: as Mark Padmore and Paul Lewis pair Beethoven’s only song cycle with Schubert’s last. Tickets £9.50 – £35 plus transaction fee*

THURSDAY 31 MARCH 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

MAHLER’S TENTH City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Nicholas Collon conductor CBSO Youth Chorus Webern Six Pieces Op 6 (chamber version) Brahms Four Songs for Women’s Voices, Op 17 Mahler Symphony No 10 (completed by Deryck Cooke)

Mahler never quite finished his Tenth Symphony, but when musicologist Deryck Cooke finally pieced together the sketches, he uncovered a lost masterpiece – in which cries of love and cries of pain finally resolve in music of shattering honesty and piercing beauty. Nicholas Collon uncovers its secrets tonight, and sets it alongside miniatures from Brahms and Webern – each one a tiny, concentrated world of poetry and emotion. CBSO+ 6.15pm: Writer and Austrophile Gavin Plumley introduces Mahler Symphony No 10. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

MONDAY 4 APRIL 1PM TOWN HALL

THURSDAY 7 APRIL 7:30PM ASSOCIATE

TOWN HALL

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT

KONSTANTIN VOLOSTNOV Konstantin Volostnov organ

J.S. Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 538 Ritter Sonata IV in A major, Op 31 Tchaikovsky Andante Cantabile from (arr. E. Lemare) Symphony No 5 Glazunov Prelude and Fugue in D minor, Op 98 Vierne Scherzo and Aria from Symphony No 6, Op 59 Dianov Perpetuum mobile For this lunchtime concert, we’re excited to be welcoming a special guest to perform. Moscow organist Konstantin Volostnov gives recitals throughout Russia and Europe, and has made a number of recordings. He performs works by compatriots Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, and the less-performed, early 20th Century composer, Anton Dianov. Tickets £6 plus transaction fee*

TUESDAY 5 APRIL 7:30PM TOWN HALL

THE NECKS AND JAMES MCVINNIE

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

DAME MITSUKO UCHIDA IN RECITAL Dame Mitsuko Uchida piano Schubert Beethoven

Four Impromptus Book I, D899 33 Variations of a Waltz by Diabelli

Music by Squarepusher, Philip Glass and The Necks performed on Birmingham Town Hall’s magnificent organ, performed by The Necks (one of the great cult bands of Australia) and James McVinnie (Bedroom Community, previously Assistant Organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey).

Dame Mitsuko Uchida needs no introduction to Birmingham audiences, and her life-enhancing yet deeply insightful approach to the classical repertoire makes her interpretation of Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations – a masterpiece that started as a private joke – a magnificent prospect. Add Schubert’s Four Impromptus and Dame Mitsuko’s long-awaited return to Birmingham becomes unmissable: simple as that.

Tickets £16.50 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £9.50 – £35 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

TUESDAY 12 APRIL 7:30PM

WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL 2:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

TOWN HALL

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON 2015/16

TAMSIN WALEYCOHEN PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY

DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PERFORM SHOSTAKOVICH’S SYMPHONY NO 7 Dallas Symphony Orchestra Jaap van Zweden conductor David Fray piano Mozart Piano Concerto No 24 Shostakovich Symphony No 7, Leningrad There’s nothing quite like Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony: music with the power of an artillery barrage, written in a city under siege. Jaap van Zweden brings a super-sized Dallas Symphony Orchestra to one of the few halls in the world that can do the Leningrad justice – the sister hall of their own Myerson Hall – while pianist David Fray proves that greatness doesn’t have to come on an epic scale.

Orchestra of the Swan David Curtis conductor Tamsin Waley-Cohen violin Mozart Symphony No 25 in G minor Shostakovich Suite, Hamlet Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Tamsin has chosen the fiery, virtuoso show-piece, the Tchaikovsky Violin concerto for this concert. Considered unplayable at its time of composition, this work is the perfect display vehicle for Tamsin’s extraordinary technical skill. Shostakovich’s Hamlet Suite continues OOTS’s Shakespearian connection. Tickets £8.50 – £23.50 plus transaction fee*

Tickets £9.50 – £50 plus transaction fee*

ASSOCIATE

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL 7:30PM

MONDAY 18 APRIL 1PM

SYMPHONY HALL

TOWN HALL

RESIDENT

BRUCKNER’S NINTH City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra James Feddeck conductor Michael Collins clarinet Mozart Clarinet Concerto Bruckner Symphony No 9 Bruckner’s Ninth has been called a “cathedral in sound” – and no question, it’s got majesty to spare. But that’s just the surface: this is nothing less than one man’s final struggle to find peace, told in music of shattering power and beauty. There’s more to Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto than just gorgeous melodies, too – and if any soloist can get to its heart, it’s Michael Collins. Soul music, Austrian-style. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

ASSOCIATE

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT

THOMAS TROTTER Thomas Trotter and the Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir Joubert Howells Joubert Howells Joubert Parry

O praise God in his Holiness O Lorde, the maker of all thing Te Deum (Collegium Regale) Psalm Prelude Set No 1, Psalm No 1 Sonnet Master Tallis’ Testament Three Portraits Blest pair of sirens

John Joubert is one of this country’s leading choral composers, perhaps best known for his carols Torches and There is No Rose of Such Virtue. He is also, we’re proud to say, a resident of Moseley. This concert features a selection of some of his other choral works performed by the Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir who is releasing a disc of his works later in the year. Tickets £6 plus transaction fee*

MONDAY 18 APRIL 6PM TOWN HALL

RISING STARS

BENJAMIN APPL Benjamin Appl baritone Gary Matthewman piano Reynaldo Hahn Schumann Nico Muhly Schubert

Song selections Dichterliebe Op 48 The Last Letter Song selections

German baritone Benjamin Appl studied in London, mentored by the great Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He is a member of the BBC New Generation Artists scheme.

Nominated by Barbican Centre London.

Tickets £10 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL 7:30PM SATURDAY 23 APRIL 7PM SYMPHONY HALL

FRIDAY 22 APRIL 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

ROMEO AND JULIET City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Lahav Shani conductor Tchaikovsky Overture, Romeo and Juliet Bernstein ‘Symphonic Dances’ from West Side Story Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet (highlights) “Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene…” But whether we’re talking Montagues and Capulets or Nureyev and Fonteyn, medieval Verona or New York gangland, one thing’s for sure: Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers have inspired some truly glorious music. Tchaikovsky’s impassioned overture, Bernstein’s explosive dances and Prokofiev’s bittersweet ballet: guest conductor Lahav Shani will commit to each of them, body and soul. CBSO+ 23 Apr, 5.45pm: Novelist, critic and blogger Jessica Duchen examines how different composers respond to the same story. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

FRIDAY NIGHT CLASSICS

SHAKESPEARE IN FILM City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Robert Ziegler conductor Includes: West Side Story Excerpts Hamlet Ball at the Palace; Duel and Death of Hamlet; In Pace Radio; Goodnight Sweet Prince Richard III Prelude Shakespeare in Love Suite Henry V St Crispin’s Day Romeo and Juliet A Time for Us; Balcony Scene A Midsummer Night’s Dream Excerpts Julius Caesar Now Be Still Great drama makes for great movies – and that demands great music! Since the dawn of cinema, Shakespeare’s been one of film’s biggest stars, and from Walton’s gripping action sequences in Henry V to the good old-fashioned romance of Shakespeare in Love, tonight we celebrate the sound of Shakespeare on film, with music by Walton, Shostakovich, Nino Rota… and a few who might surprise you! Tickets £12.50 – £47 plus transaction fee*

SUNDAY 24 APRIL 4PM TOWN HALL

ASSOCIATE

SHAKESPEARE ODES Ex Cathedra The City Musick Jeffrey Skidmore conductor Samuel West narrator Arne The Garrick Ode (reconstruction) Beamish A Shakespeare Masque – words by Carol Ann Duffy

To mark Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary in April 2016, Ex Cathedra – in partnership with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the Shakespeare Institute and in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company – will tour a staged, period-instrument performance of the Garrick Ode. And there will be a new piece commissioned from the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, and composer Sally Beamish for Ex Cathedra, children’s choir and a ‘broken consort’ of instruments that Shakespeare would recognise. Tickets £9.50 – £35 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL 2:15PM

THURSDAY 28 APRIL 7:30PM

SYMPHONY HALL

RESIDENT

Ilan Volkov

MAHLER’S FOURTH City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Ilan Volkov conductor Alexandre Tharaud piano Sarah Tynan soprano Debussy Children’s Corner (orch. Abrahamsen) Haydn Piano Concerto in D major Mahler Symphony No 4 Mahler doesn’t have to mean massive, and he never wrote anything happier than his Fourth Symphony. Jangling sleighbells, Mozart-like melodies, and a child’s vision of heaven… if it almost sounds too sweet, trust Ilan Volkov to find the black comedy beneath the playful surface. First, though, enjoy an enchanting new version of Debussy’s Children’s Corner – and pianist Alexandre Tharaud revels in the wit of Haydn’s playful concerto. Tickets £12.50 – £43 plus transaction fee*

RESIDENT

ABRAHAMSEN & MAHLER City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Ilan Volkov conductor Alexandre Tharaud piano Sarah Tynan soprano Debussy (orch. Abrahamsen) Hans Abrahamsen Mahler

Children’s Corner Concerto for the Left Hand (CBSO co-commission, UK premiere) Symphony No 4

Gustav Mahler never wrote anything happier than his Fourth Symphony. Jangling sleighbells, Mozart-like melodies, and a child’s vision of heaven… if it almost sounds too sweet, trust Ilan Volkov to find the black comedy beneath the playful surface. First, though, we’ve a charming new version of Debussy’s Children’s Corner – and the first UK performance of a new piano concerto, specially written for tonight’s soloist by the Danish sonic magician Hans Abrahamsen. CBSO+ 6.15pm Hans Abrahamsen will be interviewed before his UK premiere by CBSO Chief Executive Stephen Maddock. Tickets £12.50 – £45 plus transaction fee*

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY NEW ENGLISH ORCHESTRA AND SINGERS 40TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION CONCERT SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 7:30PM Town Hall £10 – £25 plus transaction fee* (limited availability)

SING! WITH MUSIC MARK WEST MIDLANDS TUESDAY 9 FEBRUARY MORNING SINGING WORKSHOP SESSION 10AM AFTERNOON CHOIRS WORKSHOP 1PM EVENING CHORAL CONCERT 7PM Symphony Hall £3 – £5 (Morning and afternoon events), £8 – £10 (evening concert) plus transaction fee*

SHREWSBURY SCHOOL PRESENTS VERDI’S REQUIEM SUNDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 7:30PM Town Hall £12.50 plus transaction fee*

BPO @ 75 – SYMPHONY OF A THOUSAND SUNDAY 6 MARCH 3PM Symphony Hall £15 – £20 plus transaction fee*

SOLIHULL MUSIC SERVICE HUB MONDAY 7 MARCH 7PM Symphony Hall £6 – £9 plus transaction fee*

LAST NIGHT OF THE ROTARY PROMS SATURDAY 9 APRIL 7:30PM Symphony Hall £12.50 – £37.50 plus transaction fee*

ALCESTER MALE VOICE CHOIR PRESENTS A GALA CONCERT SUNDAY 17 APRIL 6PM Town Hall £20 – £22.50 plus transaction fee*

BOOK NOW SATURDAY 25 JUNE 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

THE PLANETS – AN HD ODYSSEY

Watch in awe as Holst’s beautiful and mystifying suite The Planets is performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra while a film, created in collaboration with NASA and award-winning Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra, Opening,; producer/director Duncan Copp, is shown Strauss II Blue Danube Waltz, Bach (arr. Stokowski) on a 24-foot screen above the stage. Prelude and Fugue in D minor; Beethoven Symphony No.7, Allegretto; Williams Star Wars, Tickets Main Theme; Holst The Planets £25 – £40 plus transaction fee* Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Robert Ziegler conductor

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

HOW TO BOOK BY PHONE

DISCOUNTS

Box office: 0121 780 3333.

Discounts are available for some concert performances – please check online or on 0121 780 3333.

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) and 12pm – 4pm (Sunday).

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

SAVE UP TO 30% ON TICKETS BOOK SIX OR MORE CONCERTS AND SAVE UP TO 30%! Book for six or more Birmingham International Concert Season concerts and save up to 30% on tickets. You will also receive these exclusive benefits: • First choice of seats in Town Hall and Symphony Hall • Ticket exchange scheme • Discounts on selected additional concerts throughout the year • Car parking for just £4.80 at Qpark Brindleyplace • 10% discount at Symphony Hall Shop

To book concert packages, call Box office on 0121 780 3333 Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

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TRANSATLANTIC SESSIONS

DINOSAUR ZOO MEET THE T-REX!

TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL Even for artists making their Transatlantic Sessions debut, there’s a sense of being enfolded into a big family embrace, both among their fellow stars in the line-up, and by the annual sellout audiences – for each of whom the shows are a guaranteed season highlight. £27.50 plus transaction fee*

FILM

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2:30PM & 7:30PM TOWN HALL Experience an extraordinary collection of short films from the world’s most prestigious mountain film festival. Follow the expeditions of some of today’s most incredible adventurers, see amazing footage of adrenaline packed action sports and be inspired by thought-provoking pieces shot from the far flung corners of the globe. £12.50 – £14.50 plus transaction fee*

SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY – SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2016 VARIOUS TIMES TOWN HALL Calling all dino lovers too young to watch the PG rated Jurassic World. Come and see the best LIVE dinosaurs in town as Dinosaur Zoo brings its cast of awesome prehistoric creatures to life as you’ve never seen them before – up close and personal! Now introducing the Tyrannosaurus Rex on stage. £12.50 – £15 plus transaction fee*

HOW THE LION BECAME KING OF TINGA TINGA LAND FRIDAY 1 APRIL 2PM SATURDAY 2 APRIL 11AM SATURDAY 2 APRIL (RELAXED PERFORMANCE) 3PM TOWN HALL How the Lion Became King Of Tinga Tinga Land is a fun-packed performance that will transport children and their families to a high-octane adventure on the African Plain. £12.50 plus transaction fee*

* A £3 transaction fee, plus £1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

ACCESSIBILITY Facilities for disabled patrons 0121 780 4949 Minicom line 0121 644 6140 Facilities for disabled patrons Wheelchair Users and Disabled Patrons receive discounts on selected shows. For information on facilities for disabled patrons please call 0121 780 4949 / Minicom line 0121 644 6140 or visit http://www.thsh.co.uk/your-visit/accessibility/

This guide is available free of charge on CD or Braille (on request) from Sarah Barnett, Sound Services, 2 Rutland Close, Leicester Forest East, LE3 3PW. Tel: 0116 2498839. 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 and 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 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 tell us 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 named artists; please check prior to booking. Performances Birmingham Limited. Registered in England No 3169600. Registered Office: Symphony Hall, Broad Street, Birmingham, UK, B1 2EA. Image Credits (Front Cover) Vladimir Ashkenazy. Photo © Keith Saunders.

GENERATION LADYWOOD

ENRICHING LIVES THROUGH MUSIC With the support of hundreds of people like you, we have been able to deliver on our commitment to giving thousands of young people in our local community of Ladywood the opportunity to immerse themselves in a world of music – by learning to sing, play an instrument and attending performances at Town Hall and Symphony Hall. But, as a registered charity we need your support to continue this vital work. Let’s inspire a generation. Give the gift of music for just £35. To find out more and to donate, please visit www.thsh.co.uk/support-us or call Development Manager – Individual Giving, Sally Pennington on 0121 644 5072.

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS Performances Birmingham is one of the largest regional arts charities in the country. Ticket sales alone cannot sustain our programme; we rely on voluntary contributions to enable us to continue and expand our work. We aim to reach even more people within our communities and further develop our wideranging programme. We would like to thank all our supporters for their generous contributions to our charitable work over the last year. If you are interested in supporting please take a look at our website www.thsh.co.uk/support-us or contact our Development Team on 0121 644 5072 or 0121 644 5075.

CORPORATE SPONSORS

PROJECT SUPPORTERS Thank you to our Project Supporters

Generation Ladywood

Pollen

Project SoundLounge

SoundLounge Collective R&D

Generation Ladywood

ECHO Rising Stars

Jazzlines Young Musician Development

Jazzlines Summer School and Jazzlines Ensemble

Anna Meredith commission

Jazzlines Fellowship Scheme

Jazzlines Programme

Jazzlines Ensemble

* A ÂŁ3 transaction fee, plus ÂŁ1 (optional) postage, will be charged on all bookings except purchases made in person at the Town Hall or Symphony Hall Box office.

Fisk Jubilee Singers

BUSINESS PARTNERS

SOUNDBITE SUPPORTERS

Founding Principal Supporter

CORPORATE MEMBERS

Principal Supporter

DONORS Alan Woodfield Charitable Trust, The Alchemy Foundation, The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Settlement, Miss A Copsey, Angus Allnatt Charitable Foundation, Arts Connect West Midlands, Assay Office, Birmingham, The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust, Baron Davenport’s Charity, Birmingham Bodenham Trust, Blackwell Charitable Trust, The Boshier-Hinton Foundation, Dave Muir, DMC McDonald Foundation facilitated by the IAO, The Douglas Turner Trust, Dumbreck Charity, The Edward & Dorothy Cadbury Trust, The E H Smith Charitable Trust, The Eric W Vincent Trust Fund, Ernest Cook Trust, The Eveson Charitable Trust, The Field Family Charitable Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation, The George Cadbury Trust, The George Fentham Birmingham Charity, GJW Turner Trust, The GNC Trust, Grantham Yorke Trust, Grimmitt Trust, The Heathcock Charitable Trust, Henry James Sayer Charity, The Hinrichsen Foundation, Jemima Bruntlett, The John Feeney Charitable Trust, Limoges Trust, The Loppylugs and Barbara Morrison Charitable Trust, Lord Austin Trust, The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust, The Mercers’ Company, Miss M-J Derbyshire, The Oakley Charitable Trust, The Patrick Trust, Peter & Jane How Trust, Mr Peter J Smith, Philip Bates Trust, The Ray Williams Foundation, The Roughley Trust, The Rowlands Trust, The Saintbury Trust, Service Birmingham Staff Benefit Scheme, The Tiggiwinkle Charitable Trust, wagamama, The WED Charitable Trust, William A Cadbury Charitable Trust, Wilmcote Charitrust, Mrs Wingfield’s Charitable Trust, Wolfson Foundation, our Supporters, Volunteers and Friends

FRIENDS Mr B & Mrs V Adams, Anita Bhalla, Jayne Cadbury, Miss A Copsey, Lady Gillian Curtis, Mrs M-J Derbyshire, Dr Janet Halfyard, Mr D Hawketts, Paul Howlett, Dr D & Mrs A Kett, Peter Maskell, Mrs E L Murray, Professor C Schaeffner, Mr Peter J Smith, Mr G & Mrs A Tovell, Mr R & Mrs J Verrion, Mr A & Ms A Winkler, Mr A J Woodfield, Mr R Wright, and our honorary Platinum Friends

THSH DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE We would like to thank the following individuals for their advice, help and support: Paul Farrow, Michael Harris, Michael Loftus, Viplavi Mahendra, Marc Reeves, Keith Stokes-Smith

Box office 0121 780 3333 or visit www.thsh.co.uk/classical

‘Ladies and gentlemen the concert is about to begin… please take your seat.’

Name a Seat at Symphony Hall In celebration of Symphony Hall’s 25th year, we are offering you the opportunity to name a seat in Symphony Hall. Naming a Seat is the ideal gift to honour a family member or friend, a way to share your love of music, or to mark a special occasion. Your generous donation will also help us to continue our life-changing education programmes, and maintain our beautiful hall. From as little as £50 a month*, the name or message of your choice will be inscribed on a seat plaque in the hall for ten years. For more information please contact Sally Pennington, Development Manager (Individual Giving) on 0121 644 5072, or email sally.pennington@thsh.co.uk. *10 monthly instalments by Direct Debit.