For International Women's Day Magenta Promotions will be continuing the celebrations at The Stable, Southampton on Sunday 15th March from 6pm to 9pm. Make sure to come along for a night of live music and a charity raffle, with all proceeds being donated to Yellow Door and Women in Music!
Beethoven 2020: The Next Generation
Royal Northern Sinfonia Return to Teesside
for Beethoven Retrospective
Following the successful launch of Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Beethoven-themed concert series in January, the celebrated orchestra is returning to Middlesbrough Town Hall for their second instalment of celebrations for the iconic composer’s 250th birth anniversary.
With Symphonies No. 1 and No. 3 having already been performed to acclaim in the first concert of the series, Thursday 19th of March will see RNS perform Symphony No. 2 along with one of Classical Music’s most well-known and universally admired pieces, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
People of all ages will be familiar with this landmark piece of music, with the opening four notes being quoted across classical and popular compositions, referenced in television and film, and famously serving as the opening for BBC Radio broadcasts during the Second World War.
Led by celebrated conductor, Marta Gardolińska, this is a rare opportunity to experience this iconic piece of music in a live setting, performed by one of the country’s leading classical orchestras.
Commenting on the forthcoming performance, Gardolińska said:
“I have been very much enjoying re-exploring the world of Beethoven's symphonies in preparation for this concert. It is a fascinating experience to dive into his language and trace how it developed from early signs of strong musical character in the 2nd symphony to the revolutionary dramatism of the 5th. I can't wait to share this with the orchestra and audiences of our concerts.”
Accompanying the two symphonies will be a brand-new commission from Nora Marazaite, winner of the Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Young Composer Competition.
Speaking of the debut of her latest composition, the 25-year-old composer said:
“I can’t wait to hear my own piece premiered alongside Beethoven’s Second and Fifth Symphonies.
“The audience can expect an intense emotional musical journey from the evening, especially with the performance of Beethoven’s Fifth ending the concert.”
Gardolińska added: “I think juxtaposing Beethoven’s music with a fresh composition by a young composer who drew inspiration from his techniques will shine a new light on the symphonies.
“Needless to say, experiencing a premiere of a brand-new piece of music is always an extraordinary privilege as it invites us to listen in a different, unbiased way.”
Produced with the support of the EU funded platform, Classical Futures Europe, this concert series puts Beethoven’s work in the hands of the next generation of conductors and composers, with the aim of introducing a new audience to Beethoven’s work and demonstrate how the composer continues to be relevant today.
Commenting on the relevance of Beethoven in the 21st Century, Gardolińska said:
“Beethoven was a volcano of creative energy and a bold, unapologetic composer, and is relevant today because of the universality of his ideas.
“He strived for creative and social freedom and was unapologetic about it. He composed from a place of great integrity and faithfulness to his ideals, always striving to innovate and explore.
“In the 21st century we have understood and put a lot of weight on the importance of being creative for individuals as well as for societies. Beethoven as a composer is a role model for anyone wanting to be creative.”
Marazaite continued: “I believe that Beethoven's works will remain relevant for a very long time as they hold such a significant position in the symphonic repertoire.
“Even as tastes change with time, the compositional technique and innovation means the works continue to captivate audiences as well as be an important source of research and analysis.”
Hailing from Lithuania, the young composer draws on the compositional style of Beethoven along with elements of the traditional music of her home country to create something altogether unique.
Marazaite commented on her approach to this commision: “As a starting point, I chose some elements of Beethoven's Symphonies that were quintessentially his, such as the use of extreme contrasts, juxtaposing materials and textures.
“I then used fragments of traditional Lithuanian songs as a starting point for the melodic themes and developed these ideas in three small movements.”
Taking place within the recently renovated Main Hall, this event will be reminiscent of Middlesbrough Town Hall’s early history, when the venue played host to a number of now iconic classical artists, including Russian pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninov, Austrian composer Johann Strauss and Sir Edward Elgar.
Beethoven 2020: The Next Generation will take place on the 19th March at Middlesbrough Town Hall.
Tickets are priced at £21.00 - £26.00 (+ booking fee).
To book tickets, call the box office on 01642 729 729 or visit Middlesbrough Town Hall’s website: https://www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk/event/royal-northern-sinfonia/
(Press release from JAC Media Online Ltd, Albion House, Stepney Bank, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 2NP)With backing from Creative Scotland and individual supporters of a crowdfunding campaign, the Glasgow School of Art Choir has commissioned seven leading female composers from Scotland, England, Australia and the USA to create a set of entirely new choral works. These are being worked on now and will be premiered by the GSA Choir in Glasgow in May 2021.
'The Tailleferre Ensemble will play a concert of wind music by women to mark International Women’s Day, and explore the variety of music composed by women since the Suffragette movement through to today.
The programme will consist of two halves, one of music from the last 100 years, and the second of contemporary music. The first half will include works by Ethel Smyth, Rebecca Clarke, Florence Price and Amy Beach. Ethel Smyth is renowned for being imprisoned for her membership of the suffragette movement and conducting a suffragette choir in Holloway Prison with her toothbrush. She also composed ‘The March of the Women’, commonly known as the suffragette anthem. Rebecca Clarke broke down many barriers to women writing music, and is often regarded as the most distinguished British female composer of the inter-war generation. Amy Beach wrote the first orchestral symphony to be composed and published by an American woman, and Florence Price fought for black women’s suffrage.
In the second half we will pair these works with contemporary pieces, to highlight the effect that these pioneering women had on artistic life and culture today – thanks to their efforts, female composers are treated as being on a much more equal footing with their male counterparts, although there is some way to go. Contemporary composers we are including are Cecilia McDowall, Rhian Samuel and Diana Burrell.
The Tailleferre Ensemble is a new chamber collective founded by Nicola Hands and Penelope Smith, dedicated to promoting women in music. The group is a flexible chamber ensemble made up of female musicians, who offer recitals of differing style and instrumentation, but who wish to shine a light on lesser-known composers and underline the importance of women in music. Since starting up in May 2019, they have performed in various venues, in and around London, to positive acclaim. On 9th March they will come together as a wind quintet, to perform works both composed and arranged for this instrumentation.
Please do join us in our artistic celebration of this important day.'
To reserve tickets please email:-
[email protected]
LINKS FOR FURTHER INFO:
https://conwayhall.org.uk/event/tailleferre-ensemble-celebrate-international-womens-day/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TailleferreEnsemble/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TailleferreE
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Doors open at: 7:00 pm
This event is in the Main Hall on the ground floor. For accessibility info: https://conwayhall.org.uk/about/visiting-us/
'If you are in London, please do join
us on Thursday 27th February to listen to the works by the wonderful Brazilian composer
and pianist, Catarina
Domenici who will be joined by DONNE's founder & curator, soprano Gabriella Di
Laccio to present the UK premières of her new Song Cycle: Letters to my
Mother as well as Amazonia, Ciranda and piano solos.'
'A special concert celebrating British composer Ailsa Dixon (1932 – 2017).
Villiers Quartet
Lucinda Cox soprano
Ailsa Dixon Nocturnal Scherzo
Ethel Smyth String Quartet in E Minor
Ailsa Dixon The Spirit of Love
A recent revival of interest in the composer Ailsa Dixon has led to the performance of new works, including a set of songs for soprano and string quartet, ‘The Spirit of Love’, receiving its premiere at this concert, performed alongside the composer’s Nocturnal Scherzo and Ethel Smyth’s String Quartet in E minor.
Event supported by the Gemma Trust and the Music Reprieval Trust'
https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/villiers-quartet/
Illuminate Women's Music, Royal College of Music 15th February
WiM Founder Member Jennifer Fowler has a wonderful CD - extraordinarily her debut featuring only her music - called Lines Spun played by the Lontano Ensemble released by Divine Arts Recording Group
A highlighted quote says:
Women in Music congratulates Jenny Fowler on her success. Read the review here:
Artist/s: Lontano, directed by Odaline de la Martinez, Raphaela Papadakis (soprano), Lauren Easton (mezzo-soprano). Lontano: Rowland Sutherland (flute), Clare O'Connell (cello), Natalie Bleicher (piano), Janey Miller (oboe), Andrew Sparling(clarinet)
Category: Classical, New Music
Label: Divine Arts Recording Group. Métier msv 28588
http://www.divineartrecords.com. http://www.impulse-music.co.uk/jenniferfowler
Reviewed by Gwen Bennett
"Expatriate Australian Jennifer Fowler was born in 1939 in Bunbury,Western Australia. Tertiary education at the University of Western Australia nurtured her talents which were soon recognised through composition prizes, performances and broadcasts. She travelled overseas for further education and experience and subsequently spent most of her life in London as a freelance composer. Her works include orchestral, ensemble, solo and choral music. Over the years she has won many awards, received many commissions and international performances. Amazingly, this CD is the first to be dedicated entirely to her output. It presents a nicely balanced program of three vocal works interspersed with three instrumental pieces..." Read on on here
Diversity Arts Network
New Projects
Tues Jan 28th, Whitstable, 2-4pm
The Horsebridge Arts Centre, 11 Horsebridge Road, Whitstable CT5 1AF
Wed Feb 12th, Gravesend, 2-4pm
The Woodville, Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD
Wishing all our members a Happy and peaceful 2020 and looking forward to seeing you at one of these DAN sessions.
Calling all local
creatives, performers, producers, artists, designers, writers, arts
organisations, diverse community groups, museums and libraries. The Diversity Arts Network
is seeking to develop 3-4 new projects and commissions using local artists,
arts organisations and venues in partnership with DAN consortium
members.
DAN has been awarded funds from the Arts Council to develop its
membership consortium in the South East. As part of this we will be
undertaking a mapping of all local organisations and artists including arts and
community organisations, museums, libraries and any other relevant networks.
We will be gathering information on projects that members have been involved in
that link to the diverse sector and the challenges that they have
faced.
DAN will share learning from this research, and explore opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with NPOs and non NPOs locally, nationally or both. Conclusions from the research will form the basis of a future local strategy that will result in more consistent and dynamic programming, partnerships and collaborations of diverse artists and arts/cultural organisations.
Overall the data will provide the Network with a valuable resource and recognised position in the locality as a body taking a central role in contributing to the Creative Case.
This data collected will
include information on venues, performances spaces and promotors/bookers
across the region with potential to work with, support and programme artists
from culturally diverse backgrounds. The mapping will be used to more
accurately access the art-form types and ranges of experience of diverse
artists and arts/cultural organisations in the region.
If you are interested in being part of DAN and developing new partnerships, projects and commissions with local artists and organisations we would be interested in hearing from you.
There will be opportunities for all attendees to talk about their projects and to network.
A light lunch will be provided from 1.30pm.
We would like to thank
The Horsebridge Arts Centre and The Woodville for their support in co-hosting
these sessions with us.
Please register on Eventbrite at:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/diversity-arts-network-meeting-jan-28th-2020-tickets-84761061617
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/diversity-arts-network-meeting-wed-feb-12th-2020-tickets-88663297309
http://www.equatorfestival.com/diversity-arts-network/
Herstory Rewritten exploring the life and music of Romantic composer, pianist, teacher and trailblazer Louise Farrenc in this week's show.
A is for Auerbach in the start of my A-Z of contemporary composers, every show featuring composers at the forefront of the classical scene.
A brand new world premiere of Florence Price by pianist Lara Downes.
Plus new albums by Nicholas Phan, Yolanda Bruno, Paula Gudmundson and music by Reicha, Ades, Arutiunian, Lili Boulanger and more gender balanced fun.
https://www.mixcloud.com/TheDaffodilPerspective/the-daffodil-perspective-17th-january-2020/