This is the 46th season of chamber music concerts promoted by Bromsgrove Concerts.
All concerts are at 8pm and are in Artrix.
Click on any photograph to see a larger version of it. Click on an artist name in blue to view their home page or biography.
Friday 10 October 2008 at 8pmFred Darley Memorial Concert
Coull Quartet with David Smith cello
Roger Coull violin · Philip Gallaway violin
Gustav Clarkson viola · Nicholas Roberts cello
| Kodaly | Quartet No. 2 in D, op. 10 |
| Beethoven | Quartet in B flat, op. 18 no. 6 |
| Schubert | Quintet in C D956 |
Our opening concert acts as a memorial for Fred Darley, our treasurer for many years. Who better to give it than our old friends the Coull Quartet, who were last with us in April 2005, and what better work for them to play than Schubert's wonderful String Quintet, for which they are joined by David Smith, for many years cellist of the Alberni Quartet.
“..the magnificant, seasoned ensemble of the Coull” The Strad
“This is an outstanding release” Gramophone (of the Coull recording of Maw's 3rd Quartet)
£15/£14/£5
Friday 14 November 2008 at 8pmAshley Wass piano
| Beethoven | Sonata in E flat, op. 31 no. 3 |
| Bax | Sonata No. 1 in F sharp minor |
| Liszt | Three Petrarch Sonnets |
| Franck | Prélude, Choral et Fugue |
Winner of the World Piano Competition in 1997 and Finalist in the Leeds Competition in 2000, Ashley Wass has gone on to build a world-wide career for himself. His series of recordings of English piano music, by Bax, Bridge, Elgar and Alwyn, for Naxos has received unanimous acclaim from critics around the world. He also finds time to be Artistic Director of the Lincolnshire International Chamber Festival.
“Here is a very special, precious talent...I am sure that for music, the future is safe in Wass's hands” The Independent
£15/£14/£5
Friday 12 December 2008 at 8pmJoglaresa
Belinda Sykes voice/director
Jeremy Avis voice
Mick Sands voice
Jean Kelly harp
Clare Salaman fidel/nyckelharpa
Tim Garside percussion
Lays and Lullays
Joglaresa is a well-established medieval music ensemble, who are leaders in the improvisation and cross-cultural aspects of their repertoire. Their Lays and Lullays programme will give us a “very multicultural Christmas celebration”.
“Joglaresa's imaginative use of improvisation creates an exciting air of authenticity...compulsive rhythmic energy...luxuriantly ornamental solos” The Telegraph
| Deus te salve, groriosa | Cantiga de Santa Maria 40, C13th Spain |
| Muito deveria ome sempre a loar | Cantiga de Santa Maria 300, C13th Spain |
| La Manfredina | Anonymous dance of C14th Italy |
| Virgen madre groriosa | Cantiga de Santa Maria 340, C13th Spain |
| Nova stella apparita | Laudario di Firenze, Italy C14th |
| As I in Hoary Winter’s Night | Robert Southwell (1561 - 1595) |
| Ave Maria, grazia plena | Laudario di Firenze, Italy C14th |
| Lordings, Listen to our Lay | Anglo-Norman Carol |
| The Darkest Midnight in December | Traditional, Ireland |
| Christmas Eve | Traditional Irish air and hornpipe |
| Listen Lordings unto Me | Based on a C16th English source |
| Commencerai a fere un lai | Thibaut de Champagne (d. 1253) |
| Lully, lulla, Thow Littel Tyne Child | Based on a C16th English source |
| Down in yon Forest | Traditional, England/Cherokee County |
| Laude novella sia cantata | Laudario di Cortona, Italy C13th |
£15/£14/£5
Friday 16 January 2009 at 8pmCallino Quartet
Sarah Sexton violin · Michaela Girardi violin
Rebecca Jones viola · Sarah McMahon cello
| Haydn | Quartet in D, op. 76 no. 2 “Fifths” |
| Beethoven | Quartet in E flat, op. 74 “Harp” |
| Kurtag | Officium Breve in memoriam Andreae Szervánszky, op. 28 |
| Mendelssohn | Quartet in F minor, op. 80 |
The Irish-based all-female Callino Quartet was formed at the 1999 West Cork Chamber Music Festival. Their name is taken from the Irish air Cailin cois tSuir a me (Girl by the River Suir) which was the first Irish air to be notated and became known as the Callino manuscript.
“The Callino Quartet's performance of the Haydn (op. 76 no. 2) was as good as it gets: joyous, true to the score, wonderfully expressive and fabulously exciting” Irish Examiner
“The Callino Quartet played with such dynamic musicality and passion in Saturday's coffee concert that there was little need to rouse the audience with caffeine beforehand” Belfast Telegraph
£15/£14/£5
Friday 30 January 2009 at 8pmClaire Booth soprano
Andrew Matthews-Owen piano
| Alun Hoddinott | One Must Always Have Love |
| Robert Fokkens | Africa (first performance) |
| Oliver Knussen | Whitman Settings |
| Philip Cashian | The Songs Few Hear (first performance) |
| Arlene Sierra | Hearing Things (first performance) |
| Benjamin Britten | On This Island |
Claire Booth made two stunning contributions to the CBSO's Stravinsky 'Igorfest' last season, including the part of Anne Trulove in The Rake's Progress. Oliver Knussen wrote his 'requiem for his wife' – Songs for Sue - with Claire's voice in mind. She gave the world première of it in Chicago and subsequently performed it with the BCMG in Birmingham, Aldeburgh and at the Proms – all with Knussen himself conducting.
“...the radiantly expessive Claire Booth...and the BCMG proved ideal interpreters” The Times (on the UK première of Songs for Sue)
£11/£10/£3.50
Friday 13 February 2009 at 8pmLondon Bridge Ensemble
Benjamin Nabarro violin
Tom Dunn viola
Kate Gould cello
Daniel Tong piano
Ivan Ludlow baritone
| Bridge | Phantasy Piano Quartet in F sharp minor |
| Schumann | Dichterliebe, op. 48 |
| Bridge | Three Songs with Viola |
| Schumann | Piano Quartet in E flat, op. 47 |
Formed in 2005 by a group of already well-known performers, the London Bridge Ensemble offers programmes involving a variety of line-ups from duos to quintets, unusually including a singer as part of the 'core' group. Their name reflects an admiration for Frank Bridge, whose music has from the outset formed an important part of the group's varied repertoire. Their first CD, issued on Dutton Epoch in March 2008, is devoted to his music, and includes both the Bridge works they are performing for us.
“They demonstrated throughout the evening an ability to weave and sustain extended melodic lines” The Strad
“There was a sense of unity and common purpose in their performance, which is the ideal of chamber music realised at its best” Music and Vision
£15/£14/£5
Friday 27 February 2009 at 8pmSmith Quartet
Ian Humphries violin
Darragh Morgan violin
Nic Pendlebury viola
Deidre Cooper cello
| Philip Glass | Quartet No. 2 Company |
| Howard Skempton | Tendrils |
| Morgan Hayes | Dances on a Ground (Bromsgrove Concerts commission, first performance) |
| Joe Cutler | Folk Music (Daithai’s Dumka) |
| Steve Martland | Patrol |
For over a decade the Smith Quartet have been at the forefront of the world's contemporary music scene. They have developed a repertoire by some of the world's most exciting comoposers and have established an international reputation for their dynamic style and original approach to contemporary music.
“A string quartet as shiny, clean and accurate as a CD” Time Out
“The quality of this ensemble's playing is seriously good” Daily Telegraph
£11/£10/£3.50
Friday 6 March 2009 at 8pmGemma Rosefield cello
Simon Lepper piano
| Beethoven | Twelve Variations on “See the conqu'ring hero comes” WoO45 |
| Grieg | Sonata, op. 36 |
| Vaughan Williams | Six Studies in English Folksong |
| Shostakovich | Sonata in D minor, op. 40 |
Gemma Rosefield made her concerto debut, televised, at age 16 when she won 1st Prize in the 'European Music for Youth' competition in Oslo. A string of of other successes and awards have followed, culminating in the prestigious Pierre Fournier Award at the Wigmore Hall in 2007.
Simon Lepper is rapidly growing in reputation as a song and chamber music accompanist. He is official accompanist to both the Cardiff Singer of the Year Competition and the Yehudi Menuhin Violin competition. He is well known locally, having accompanied several different singers in the 'English Song at Tardebigge' Series.
“A mesmerising musical talent” The Strad (on her Wigmore Hall debut)
“Truly magical. She soars, she floats, she is operatic, she makes you weep” Stringendo (Australian music magazine)
“Accompanist, Simon Lepper, one of the most gifted and enterprising of his generation” Opera
£15/£14/£5
Friday 20 March 2009 at 8pmAtrium Quartet
Alexey Naumenko violin
Anton Ilyunin violin
Dmitry Pitulko viola
Anna Gorelova cello
| Mozart | Quartet No. 23 in F, K590 |
| Walton | Quartet in A minor |
| Tchaikovsky | Quartet No. 3 in E flat minor, op. 30 |
Winners of the International String Quartet Competitions in London in 2003 and Bordeaux in 2007, the Atrium Quartet from Russia have been winning an increasing reputation through touring in the west over the last year or so.
“A beautifully balanced group with a fine, burnished tone and excellent blend” The Strad
“The Atrium exhibited a unanamity of musical feeling and intuition that is only found in top-class quartets” Oxford Times
£15/£14/£5
Friday 3 April 2009 at 8pmnew noise
Janey Miller oboe
Joby Burgess percussion
| Harrison Birtwistle | Pulse Sampler |
| John Lely | Desk Bells |
| Howard Skempton | Random Girl |
| Adrian Lee | Peace for Vayu |
| Simon Holt | Sphinx |
| David Lang | The Anvil Chorus |
| John Cage | Ryoanji |
| Simon Holt | Banshee |
This British duo was formed in 1999 and has given more than 200 performances and commissioned more than 50 new works. They were 'ensemble in residence' at Goldsmith College University Electronic Studios, London from 2001 to 2005 and Radley College, Oxford from 2004 to 2005. They have founded their own record label NNL Records.
“...these players have talent and guts. I look forward to hearing more from new noise...” The Times
£11/£10/£3.50
Bromsgrove Concerts reserves the right to alter dates, programmes or artists without notice