The New Music 20×12 Weekend Celebration at Southbank Centre presents 20 new compositions of 12 minutes in length, encompassing a range of genres and composers – from jazz to folk, brass bands to contemporary classical – all inspired by the dynamism of sport.
On Friday 13 July, Northern Ireland Opera present new short opera works including Our Day by Conor Mitchell and Mark Ravenhill, set against a backdrop of events in Northern Ireland in 1972.
On Saturday 14 July, Imagined village and An Tobar combine for a folk double bill, and on Sunday 15 July the London Chamber Orchestra are joined by Graham Fitkin’s The Band to perform Track to Track, a new work by Graham Fitkin with text by Glyn Maxwell.
The weekend also includes a host of workshops, one-to-one composer surgeries, talks and free related events.
Find out more about the full weekend of free and ticketed events.
Onyx Brass are one of the most acclaimed brass ensembles in Britain. On Thursday 24th May, 7:45pm at Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall they are joined by Baritone Mark Stone to showcase their talent in a concert of new works, premieres and arrangements of old classics from their new CD ‘Time to Time’ .
Catch up with the group as they answer questions about life inside and outside the music world.
You’ve been working together as an ensemble for quite a while now, what has been the highlight of your career so far?
Andrew: It was probably our first ever performance at Wigmore Hall. Our reception brought me very close to blubbing!
Amos: We’re lucky enough to have had lots of highlights! Our Wigmore Hall début is definitely up there, but doing a masterclass and recital at the Juilliard School in NYC was great too (with a great meal after which also sticks in the memory…)
Two composers have commissioned works for the concert (Andrew Hamilton and Dan Jenkins). What challenges/rewards has each new commission presented you with?
Amos: Andrew’s piece looks simple on paper, but that’s highly deceptive! It’s completely original and full of emotion, and the challenge lies in achieving accuracy and pathos at the same time.
Niall: It’s always fun deconstructing a new piece. Usually new pieces look fantastically difficult and prove to be slightly easier than expected. The Hamilton was the opposite! It looked very simple at first sight and in fact proved to be quite difficult.
Dave: Without giving the game away, the Jenkins has a specific set of challenges centred around being extrovert, which has a different appeal to different members of the group. As in each new commission case we have had over the years, there is an inner satisfaction that we are able to help contribute to what is a relatively meagre repertory.
If you could commission a piece for Onyx from any one great composer of the past, who would it be?
Andrew: Beethoven! If we could have anything like the late string quartets, brass quintet as a medium would be so much more mainstream!
Niall: Well it’s a difficult because how can one imagine how Brahms or Beethoven would have written for that line up? I’d like to try a quintet by Haydn though – very difficult tuba parts I should think!
Great answers! Do you think anything is lost or gained from arranging these classic works from the repertory for brass ensemble?
David: The purists will say a lot has been lost but I would encourage them to wake up and smell the coffee! All the great composers, Bach especially, were happy to rearrange their music. If it means it appears in the public domain more often then it has to be in everyone’s interests.
For this project you are teaming up with the baritone Mark Stone. How would you describe Mark’s voice in one word?
David: I’d say Velvety…
Niall: Treacle?
Amos: Hmm. Bovril! (warm, smooth and meaty!)
So if you could do karaoke with Mark Stone, what would you sing?
Amos: It would be ignominious, but probably Burt Bacharach’s “Close to you”…
David: I’d have to go for “How Deep is Your Love” – the Bee Gees version.
That sounds like a great future collaboration! So do you guys have any strange pre/post-performance rituals that you go through?
David: We strip our clothes off and dance around a fire chanting to the Greek Gods of music. No that is a lie. We just relax and chat usually, taking the Mick out of ourselves and each other.
I was worried for a moment there, but it sounds fun! So when the concerts end and you get time off, what hobbies do you have outside of music?
Andrew: I enjoy cycling and Real Ale (not any old beer and certainly not mass produced lager!)
David: Well, trying to raise two children and see as much of my family as possible, combined with tuba playing, does not leave much time for other stuff. But when there is more time, I hope to go to the theatre a bit more. I love it.
What is your greatest fear?
Andrew: Leaving the bell section or mouthpiece of my horn at home…
Amos: My greatest fear is that I will never be able to persuade John Adams to write us a piece!
Niall: Probably watching an entire episode of Coronation Street!
Where do you see yourselves as an ensemble in 10 years time?
Amos: World domination!
David: Yes, and hopefully just chugging away at what we do best. Digging out new repertoire and performing it in a non gimmicky, but informative way
Ok my final question. What is your favourite ever piece of music?
Amos: Aaargh. I’m going to have to say ‘Daphnis and Chlöe’.
Niall: I don’t have one, and if I did it would change every week. But I know you’re simply dying for an answer so I’m going to say ‘Rite of Spring’!
For more information about Onyx, have a look at their website www.onyxbrass.co.uk, and catch a glimpse of their work below in a clip from their recent tour to Ireland.
Steve Reich said of David’s work: “ ‘Morning’. Integration of voice with string quartet beautifully done – Very honest stuff”.
We catch up with David ahead of the concert.
What are you particularly looking forward to about your forthcoming concert at Southbank Centre?
It’s been a few years since I had something played here, it will be good to return as I love the atmosphere – it’s very relaxed and ‘human’. As a composer I suppose I should say I’m looking forward to the performance itself. However, it can be rather stressful to be honest, being stuck in the stalls while others play, as it’s out of one’s hands, so I’m looking forward to it being over and getting back to work on my new piece – I much prefer composing to having concerts, although I’m extremely pleased to be having them of course!
Is there a piece of music you would pick out as one of the ‘best’ works ever written?
Well there are the obvious ones by the big three composers, discussed a great deal by others I expect, so I’ll avoid those and say Sibelius’ 5th Symphony – What to say about it though? – too much, it speaks for itself really, but in brief: such unbelievably perfect structure plus its powerful and somehow inevitable geometry across time – music that tells you something/everything about spacetime that cannot be even slightly approached by using language – also his 7th Symphony of course, plus a great number of John Dowland’s lute songs, clearly in the same class as Schubert’s, but a lot closer to home for me; Lutoslawski’s 4th symphony also – transcendent!
What other talent or skill would you like to possess?
Time travel obviously – facing forward of course! I would like to have a chat for a few hours with someone from 15,000-20,000 years in the future (I’d have to bring an army of linguists and philologists with me of course – he/she/it would have to bring historians too so we could understand each other). It would need to be someone who is very well-informed on the then-current scientific, artistic and ethical developments. I would risk blowing a mind-fuse for this.
If you could programme your ideal Southbank Centre show, which artists (living or dead) would you bring together?
I’d get Bach to come and improvise on the organ! If he was busy that day I’d ask Dowland to come and play the lute.
What is the most played piece of music on your mp3 player or in your CD collection?
I only really listen to vinyl these days and I have no mp3 player as I can’t listen to music that much as it distracts from composing, so I never bought one. So, most-played? Glenn Gould’s record of Byrd and Gibbons, (I’ve actually got two copies of this so when the first wears down I have a spare) followed by Beecham’s Sibelius’ 7th (only one copy of this unfortunately – hence its 2nd place).
Do you have any strange rituals you carry out before or after you perform?
I’ve not performed for many years so not as such. However, before a performance of my stuff I tend to worry a lot and drink a couple of beers to be quite honest.
Fresh from the release of their debut album, Days Distinctive, the Attab Haddad Quintet play their unique blend of flamenco, jazz, Middle Eastern and contemporary music on Tuesday 8 May, 7.45pm at Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, as part of the Equator Festival Spring 2012 season.
‘It is rare to find a musician who, on his debut recording, is already confirming his stature as one of best ones in his field… Haddad’s complete mastery of the instrument—with a poetic personal musical language and natural sense of openness— organically placing it into new genres such as chamber jazz, flamenco and contemporary music…’ Eyal Hareuveni, All About Jazz.com
On this brilliantly realised debut… Attab Haddad gives a masterclass in the instrument’s possibilities..’ Neil Spencer, The Guardian
Celebrate the pioneering music of George Benjamin, one of the greatest British composers of the 20th century, during a weekend festival exploring his remarkable career on 12 & 13 May.
Described as one of “the most formidable composers of his generation” (New York Times), George Benjamin is renowned for his diverse repertoire of music rooted in harmony, inventiveness and meticulous craftsmanship. This retrospective is a unique opportunity to both hear and see the highly acclaimed composer, who will be present over the weekend as conductor and speaker, as well as to experience contemporary classical music at its’ most exhilarating.
The festival features performances by young musicians from the Royal Academy of Music and the London Sinfonietta, and will culminate with a performance of Benjamin’s invigorating work Jubilation (1985). This piece, originally commissioned by the Inner London Educational Authority for young performers, will be brought to life as George Benjamin conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as a specially formed youth choir and ensemble of local young musicians playing a vibrant mix of brass, percussion, recorders and steel pans.
Southbank Centre welcomes the return of internationally acclaimed pianist Yekaterina Lebedeva, who will be performing in the Purcell Room on 10th May. Yekaterina is well known for her exciting innovative programming which explores ways of linking music with other art forms such as dance, poetry and visual arts. We catch up with her ahead of her forthcoming concert.
What are you particularly looking forward to about your forthcoming performance at Southbank Centre?
I find it a thrilling experience to play at the Purcell Room. It feels particularly special this time because I haven’t played here for a while. I am a real world traveller and have played in some faraway places, but there is nothing like playing in London at the Southbank Centre! I am also very excited because I am going to play music by one of my favourite composers: Alexander Scriabin. He is such an enigmatic composer! A man who thought himself to be God’s messenger to bring people together through art and creativity. A man who believed that music should be experienced with all our senses: vision, smell, touch. Even though I am unable to provide the “full” experience as Scriabin envisaged, there will be something special for people to take away from the concert. There are 2 great enthusiasts of Scriabin that I happen to call friends: the design consultant/artist Paul Bagshawe and the public artist Martin Firrell. Once they heard about this concert, the idea was born to create a piece of art work which will follow Scriabin ideas. So there is a surprise in store for everyone who will come which they will be able to take away with them!
How did you choose the programme and the title of your concert?
I find Soviet composers fascinating. They are the realists of the title, and they had to be in order to survive in those days. They wrote stuff to please the censors on occasion, and yet they managed to describe the true human condition in the oppressive regime they lived in. For example, in Sviridov’s Partita the first movement reminds me of Konchalovsky’s film Runaway Train and similarly here the massive “Soviet Locomotive” arrives nowhere. The hero dies early on, as the 3rd movement is a funeral march. Lastly the triumphant music feels to me like it is written in the style of passacaglia. Prokofiev had to apologise to Stalin for writing “anti-Socialist music” and yet he delivered such a remarkable theme of love in Romeo and Juliet. And of course, Scriabin, at the other end, did not have to deal with the Soviet Regime but he was a mystic – pure escapism from reality.
Is there a piece of music you would pick out as one of the ‘best’ works ever written?
Music is like a vast universe of sounds drawn together. You can find everything in it reflecting every moment in life. It is difficult to speak of the “best” work. There are also different instruments which speak in different voices. My musical love affair goes through stages depending on what else goes on in my life. At the moment I am very involved in Scriabin 3rd piano sonata. It is the last Sonata he wrote in separate movements. It is called “Etats d’âme” which translates as “States of the Soul” and in a way it represents the life’s cycle.
And is there a work that is for you, emotionally, especially important?
For the moment it is the Scriabin Sonata No.3. I particularly love the third movement because I imagine that this is like a real paradise would be or like being in love (which is a beauty of life). It is full of exquisite harmonies and displays a wonderful embroidery of musical lines. I also love the second movement which reminds me of the scene in one of my favourite books – “Master and Margarita” by Bulgakov – when the two lovers were taken by Voland (the devil himself) to the place of rest and peace and they race through the night sky on his horses. The fourth and first movements are exhilarating to play with their sheer burst of energy and life.
What other talent or skill would you like to possess?
I am happy with what I already have. If it was something different, it wouldn’t be me!
If you could programme your ideal Southbank Centre show, which artists (living or dead) would you bring together?
I would love to hear Krystian Zimerman play with Tasmin Little or with Isaac Perelman and hear Radu Lupu play Brahms piano concerto with Furtwängler conducting.
What is the most played piece of music on your mp3 player or in your CD collection?
It is probably piano concerto by Poulenc. It always cheers me up!
Do you have any strange rituals you carry out before or after you perform?
Well, I do not know if this is a strange ritual, but I do try to sleep in the afternoon before the performance. Ancient Greeks who invented siesta, knew what they were talking about!
Click here for more info and to buy tickets to Yekaterina’s concert
Colin Currie premieres a powerful and imaginative new Percussion Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, John Wilson conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra in a performance Gilbert & Sulivan’s finest operetta The Yeomen of the Guard, and meet a player-piano who is the star of this year’s Nancarrow festival.
In her forthcoming performance at Southbank Centre, Alda Dizdari will explore some of the most important works written for the violin at the beginning of the 20th century. We catch up with her in advance of her concert ‘Movements & Expressions’ on 3rd April.
What are you particularly looking forward to about your forthcoming performance at Southbank Centre?
There was a lot of thinking going into creating a balanced programme that explores some of the most important musical languages and movements in the beginning of the 20th Century. Being such a rich century in every possible way, from the historical background to the impact it had on arts and music, it was an interesting process. I look very much forward to moving from one powerful musical language or from one musical world, to another because in themselves all these works are so unique, well defined, complete universes and the contrast in expression is vast. I love the idea of having such incredible variety of expressions in a short period of time. All the works were written between 1910-1947, some of them only a year apart from each other, and yet they belong to different worlds and aesthetics. I think the title evokes what I am seeking in “exploring movements and expressions”. My inspiration came not only from music but also from what was happening in the European culture at that time. I find it one of the most interesting eras, from art, music to fashion and architecture, it was an era of great style, artistic inspiration and individuality.
Is there a piece of music you would pick out as one of the ‘best’ works ever written?
They are all fantastic pieces requiring such a detailed work. I think they are all favourites of mine for very particular reasons. I love Debussy for the Sound colours he creates, a magical treat for the senses. I am fascinated by the world of Schoenberg, whom I find such a romantic, if one learns to hear his music with fresh ears and allows oneself to delve in that wonderful Viennese valse on which the fantasy stands, one sees so many mixed feelings of nostalgia, of rejection, of tenderness and a few regrets. A wonderful discovery for me has been the three short pieces by Sibelius. They stand in such contrast with the advanced musical languages of Debussy and Schoenberg, but they share that strong connection with the 19th century tradition. I adore the little harmonic tricks Sibelius is always using to make the simplest ideas into distinguishable jewels.
Bartok brings his unique emotional power which grips you from the very first note, which can be an open string, his musical language is so close to my heart, the music speaks to you, every rhythm is communicating a word, the folk element creates a very earthy feeling to his music, all the dances relate directly to our body language, it is the most natural music. I cannot get enough of Webern’s world, this condensed existence that says so much with so little. The four pieces a little like Sibelius’ create a complete universe. If in Sibelius’ case they evoked the 19th century tradition, in Webern’s case they evoke the future, predicting the world to come. Although written in 1910, the earliest written piece in the programme, Webern’s pieces are the most puzzling ones.
Ravel’s sonata is such a great piece to perform. It has everything in it, wonderful sound and feelings, you feel almost ancient one minute playing plain chant and the next minute you are in a blues bar in the deep south, playing jazz and blues. The transformation is incredible. It is great fun.
And is there a work that is for you, emotionally, especially important?
I think performers are like actors. We completely emerge in the music we perform and we find a deep emotional attachment to these pieces. I almost feel we live with the ghosts of the composers for a while, feeling their energy and their strength running through our veins. I am sure it is true to some extent, because their spirit is in their music. The reason why I became a violinist was because of Sibelius’ violin concerto which I heard for the first time when I was 5 years old. I have a deep emotional connection with that work, so strong that I was reluctant to performing the concerto until my late 20s because I didn’t trust my emotions and felt very vulnerable. I feel similar connection with Brahms and Bartok.
What other talent or skill would you like to possess?
I wish I could draw and paint. I think I would have been obsessed with nature and colours and I would have loved working with materials. I wish I could have more time to be an explorer of ancient civilisations, such as the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. I wish I had the talent to write short stories, especially in the style of Chekhov or Gogol.
If you could programme your ideal Southbank Centre show, which artists (living or dead) would you bring together?
My ideal conductor would be Jurowsky. I admire him so much, he has great energy, great technique. From the past I think I would definitely have Brahms on the piano giving me all the time in the world to breath and creating that warm sound filling me up with love. My dream musical companion on chamber music would be George Enescu. He would play everything from heart and would know every little detail on the score. Enescu, Cassals and Yssaye would be my dream partners.
What is the most played piece of music on your mp3 player or in your CD collection?
At the moment silence is the most precious thing to me. There is just too much music around. I play music all the time so the counterpoint would be silence. I love the sound of a black bird that sings in my garden. It relaxes me more than anything else. I often think of Messian and I start listening to the Quartet for the End of Time. There was a time when I started my day with Schubert Lieders and other times for weeks I loved to start with Mendelssohn’s chamber music. I never get tired of Brahms, anything he wrote was golden, I love his music. And I can never get tired of Mozart’s piano concertos and Bach’s music for strings, I can listen to them endlessly and feel fresh. I even find myself doing a little court dance around the house and regret being born in this century.
Do you have any strange rituals you carry out before or after you perform?
I like to eat a banana and some chocolate before I perform. I also have to hear the voice of my parents wishing me good luck. I feel their energy and I know it will be a good evening.
Anneke Scott, who performs at Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room on Monday 5th March, alongside Kathryn Cok, gives us an introduction to the natural horn.
Classical Music | Southbank Centre 