– SPRING / SUMMER 2024 –
WELCOME
THE MUSIC IN YOU
OPEN SOUND ENSEMBLE
TOUR DIARY
Celebrating the creativity in everyone during our festival this March
Meet two participants from our accessible music-making project, Open Sound Ensemble
Join LPO members Minn & Martin on tour in South Korea and Taiwan
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LPO PLAYER APPEAL 2023/24 A message from our musicians
As proud custodians of this incredible Orchestra, we believe that our work is vitally important to society. We know that music supports wellbeing, provides inspirational experiences and sparks joy and creativity, and we want to ensure that we can continue to do this for generations to come.
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PRINCIPAL SUPPORTERS
Please consider making a donation, of whatever size you can, to help us share joyful moments and the wonder of music that you’ve enjoyed with us. Hear from Stewart, Alice, Alice and Martin at
lpo.org.uk/playerappeal
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Alice M You can donate to the Player Appeal in a number of ways: • Scan the QR code or visit lpo.org.uk/playerappeal • Call our Development team on 020 7840 4212 or 020 7840 4225 to make a donation over the phone
• Send a cheque, made payable to London Philharmonic Orchestra, to the address at the bottom of page 16. Thank you for your support!
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TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2024 –
W
elcome to the Spring/ Summer edition of Tune In, the twiceyearly newsletter of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It has been a really successful autumn with great concerts in London, around the UK and on tour, and it’s exciting to look forward to 2024 and what lies ahead. The centrepiece of the spring is The Music In You festival, during which the Orchestra will perform music spanning four centuries which demonstrates the infinite possibilities of creativity. From an AI-inspired collaboration with choreographer Wayne McGregor to Haydn’s Creation with the London Philharmonic Choir, and a footballthemed FUNharmonics family concert to a concert where the audience becomes the soloist, there’s truly something for everyone. Turn to page 4 to read Elena’s introduction to the festival and the inspiration behind it – as she says, ‘We must inspire, challenge, provoke and transform by celebrating communal creativity and removing barriers to participation.’ There are so many other great concerts this spring (turn to page 13 for full listings), and of course the season culminates with Vladimir Jurowski’s much-anticipated Götterdämmerung on 27 April. Tickets for this are selling fast, so we advise booking soon for what promises to be an exceptional and memorable evening. The principle behind The Music In You – celebrating the creativity in everyone – holds true for our work in our residencies across the UK, too: this spring sees our first ever schools’ concert in Eastbourne, where we
EDITOR Rachel Williams rachel.williams@lpo.org.uk PUBLISHER London Philharmonic Orchestra PRINTER John Good Ltd COVER IMAGE Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul © Nattanai Chimjanon/Alamy While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, we cannot accept liability for any statement or error contained herein. © 2024 London Philharmonic Orchestra. The paper used for printing this magazine has been sourced from responsibly managed forests, certified in accordance with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). It is manufactured to the ISO 14001 international standard, minimising negative impacts on the environment and is manufactured from pulp that has been bleached without the use of chlorine compounds using oxygen (elemental chlorine free), which are considered harmful to the environment.
WELCOME
ELENA DUBINETS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
DAVID BURKE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
hope over a thousand young people will have the chance to experience the Orchestra live. It’s been lovely sharing our season opening concerts in both Brighton and Eastbourne with young musicians from local music hubs, as well as meeting local students in Saffron Walden before our first concert there this season – read more on page 7. In this issue there’s also a fascinating insight into our Open Sound Ensemble, an accessible music-making opportunity for disabled and neurodivergent young people in South East London, further highlighting how the Orchestra is constantly working to enable everyone to fulfil their creative potential (page 9). For those of you who like behind-thescenes insights, you will very much enjoy Minn Majoe and Martin Wray’s tour diary from our visit to South Korea and Taiwan earlier this year (pages 10–11). These tours
CONTENTS THE MUSIC IN YOU 04–05 NEW & NOTEWORTHY 06–08 OPEN SOUND ENSEMBLE 09 TOUR DIARY 10–11 LPO PEOPLE 12 CONCERT LISTINGS 13–15 BACKSTAGE: KAREN HUTT 16
are important – we are welcomed warmly by fantastic audiences wherever we perform, and the schedules are always busy, but they offer a chance for the Orchestra members to have a little fun, too! The Orchestra was also in China earlier in 2023, to record a groundbreaking extended reality concert in front of the world’s largest LCD screen. This was a collaboration with the creators of video game Genshin Impact, once again demonstrating the LPO’s commitment to pushing boundaries in our mission to share the wonder of orchestral music (see page 7). We hope to share our work even more widely through the Orchestra’s upcoming documentary series on Sky Arts, which will surely be the spring’s ‘must-watch’ TV! The series goes behind-the-scenes with the Orchestra’s musicians and their journey with Ed as they prepared for this season’s remarkable opening concert of Mahler’s Second Symphony back in September. We hope to be able to share broadcast dates with you later this spring! We hope that you enjoy this edition of the magazine and, as always, if you have any questions, comments or observations about the Orchestra’s activities, do let us know – either by writing to us, or hopefully when you see us at a concert. With best wishes,
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LPO 2023/24 SEASON
THE MUSIC IN YOU This March we’re celebrating the creativity in everyone during our month-long festival ‘The Music in You’. Reflecting our adventurous spirit, the festival embraces all kinds of expression – from dance, to music theatre and even audience participation! Read on to find out what’s in store.
G
enius. Creator. Mastermind. When an artist makes something incredible, it’s tempting to describe them with words like these – as though creativity is some sort of superpower, and famous artists are somehow more than human. But everyone can be creative, and we all have the potential to demonstrate and develop our creativity. Music comes from gifted composers and talented performers, but it’s nothing without receptive listeners. ‘If you think about it, each of us is a creative personality’, says LPO Artistic Director Elena Dubinets. ‘Every human being has the need to express themselves creatively, and everyone has a gift and the power to do so. It’s just that we sometimes apply our creativity differently.’ So this March, the LPO aims to liberate and celebrate the music in you. The goal is to demonstrate that each one of us – a professional composer, an orchestral musician, an audience member – can have a chance to express ourselves through music. At the Royal Festival Hall we’ll be performing music from across four centuries and many different countries that demonstrates the infinite possibilities of creativity unchained. Haydn’s oratorio The Creation – which opens the festival on 2 March – seems like an obvious choice, but in fact this gloriously optimistic work was composed to cross linguistic and cultural barriers, conveying a message that even the humblest living creature shares in a universal creative spirit. The following day, Sunday 3 March, young concertgoers will become performers and co-creators in Clarice Assad’s É Gol!, as part of a football-themed FUNharmonics family concert. And later that week, on Wednesday 6 March, a performance entitled ‘Dance Re-imagined’ will see us throwing ourselves open to other artforms, in a daring
multimedia collaboration with choreographer Wayne McGregor. His digitally enhanced choreographic storytelling will open a portal to a new expressive world, reimagining Szymanowski’s ballet Harnasie through the use of human and digital intelligence, taking the form of a kinetic, sculptural video installation. Opening this concert is Raíces (‘Roots’): the first new commission written specially for the LPO by Composer-inResidence Tania León, who will also join Elena Dubinets for a free pre-concert talk before the evening’s performance. On Tuesday 12 March we break out of the concert hall for ‘An Imagination Shared’: an immersive performance at St John’s Church Waterloo. In this 6.30pm ‘rush-hour’ concert led by LPO Fellow Conductors Charlotte Politi and Luis Castillo-Briceño, British-Chinese composer Alex Ho invites us to Breathe and Draw, before American composer Ryan Carter creates a concerto in which the audience becomes the soloist. Prepare to get creative – mobile phones should very definitely be left on! Wednesday 13 March sees more new music, this time at Battersea Arts Centre –
Soprano Danielle de Niese, who performs in Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins on 13 March
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Composer Daniel Kidane, whose violin concerto Aloud is premiered on 16 March the first UK performance of Luís Tinoco’s new accordion concerto, written for and performed by accordion sensation João Barradas, which, paired with Kurt Weill’s satirical, theatrical Seven Deadly Sins (starring Danielle de Niese), demonstrate that artistry is no respecter of rigid musical genres. In the festival’s closing concert, ‘The Gift of Youth’ (Saturday 16 March), Mozart’s C minor Mass – composed by one of music’s most famous former child prodigies – reminds us that creativity knows no boundaries of age, or social convention. It’s programmed alongside the world premiere of a violin concerto, titled Aloud, by another talented young composer – Daniel Kidane – performed by Julia Fischer. But The Music in You doesn’t stop there – ‘We must inspire, challenge, provoke and transform by celebrating communal creativity and removing barriers to participation’, says Elena. ‘That’s why we are talking about music in us, in all of us’. Join us and listen to that inner music this season – you might be excited at what you hear. BOOKING DETAILS ON PAGES 13–15
THE MUSIC IN YOU 2–16 March 2024 For booking details see pages 13–15
Haydn’s Creation
Dance Re-imagined
Seven Deadly Sins
Haydn The Creation
Tania León Raíces (Roots) (world premiere)* Ravel La valse Szymanowski Harnasie**
Luís Tinoco Accordion Concerto (UK premiere) Weill The Seven Deadly Sins
Saturday 2 March | 7.30pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall Sung in English
Edward Gardner conductor Louise Alder soprano Allan Clayton tenor Michael Mofidian bass-baritone London Philharmonic Choir Concert generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE.
FUNharmonics Family Concert: Goal! Sunday 3 March | 12 noon Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall Charlotte Politi conductor Clarice Assad presenter Join the LPO for the European premiere of É Gol! by Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad, imagining a day in the life of legendary Brazilian footballer Marta Vieira da Silva as she gets ready for the big game. Created for orchestra and audience, this piece offers the whole family a chance to perform with the LPO throughout, using your voices, breath and body percussion. So grab your favourite football shirt and join us for this fun, participatory concert, culminating in a football match soundtrack finale! Join in the free pre-concert foyer activities from 10am–12 noon (concert ticket-holders only).
Wednesday 6 March | 7.30pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
Edward Gardner conductor Robert Murray tenor Flemish Radio Choir * Co-commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Concertgebouw Brugge. ** Harnasie is an original co-production of NOSPR The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice (initiator), London Philharmonic Orchestra (with support from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute), conceived and produced by Studio Wayne McGregor.
Wednesday 13 March 6.30pm & 8.15pm Battersea Arts Centre
Edward Gardner conductor João Barradas accordion Danielle de Niese Anna Ross Ramgobin Brother Callum Thorpe Mother Zwakele Tshabalala Father Amar Muchhala Brother * These performances are funded in part by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., New York, NY.
Project partner: Concertgebouw Brugge.
The Gift of Youth Concert generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE.
6.15–6.45pm | Free pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall LPO Artistic Director Elena Dubinets discusses the evening’s programme with Tania León.
An Imagination Shared Tuesday 12 March | 6.30pm St John’s Church Waterloo
Alex Ho Breathe and Draw (for sinfonietta, two conductors and audience participation) Ryan Carter Concerto Molto Grosso (for audience and orchestra) (UK premiere) Ligeti Poème symphonique for 100 metronomes Charlotte Politi conductor* Luis Castillo-Briceño conductor* *Inaugural participants in the LPO Conducting Fellowship programme. This programme is generously supported by Patricia Haitink with additional support from Gini and Richard Gabbertas.
Saturday 16 March | 7.30pm Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall Mozart Overture, The Magic Flute Daniel Kidane Aloud, for violin and orchestra (world premiere)* Mozart Mass in C minor Edward Gardner conductor Julia Fischer violin Hera Hyesang Park soprano Elizabeth Watts soprano Pavel Kolgatin tenor Ashley Riches bass-baritone London Philharmonic Choir * Commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Concert generously supported by Aline Foriel-Destezet.
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LPO NEWS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY JUROWSKI’S RING FINALE – 27 APRIL 2024
Vladimir Jurowski conducting Wagner’s Siegfried, with Elena Pankratova as Brünnhilde and Torsten Kerl as Siegfried, 1 February 2020 Our last Royal Festival Hall concert of the 2023/24 season, on Saturday 27 April, will see Vladimir Jurowski, former LPO Principal Conductor and now Conductor Emeritus, bring his critically acclaimed LPO Ring Cycle to a dramatic and unmissable conclusion with the fourth and final opera of the cycle, Götterdämmerung. Launched with Das Rheingold in 2018 to celebrate Jurowski’s 10th anniversary as Principal Conductor, his Ring Cycle has consistently received rave reviews from audiences and press alike. Following Die Walküre in 2019, the Financial Times wrote that: ‘Jurowski’s Wagner is fit for the gods … Jurowski and the London Philharmonic on fine form had as much to say as many a fully-staged production.’ In Götterdämmerung on 27 April, Svetlana Sozdateleva (Brünnhilde) will head an outstanding international cast including Burkhard Fritz as Siegfried and Brindley Sherratt as Hagen, plus the combined forces of the London Philharmonic Choir and London Voices. The performance starts at 3pm and will last around 6 hours 15 minutes with two intervals including a long dining interval – see page 14 for full details and booking information. GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY MEMBERS OF THE ORCHESTRA’S RING CYCLE SYNDICATE
BIRDSONG TO BIRDLAND: SPRING AT ST JOHN’S
Join us at St John’s Church in Waterloo this spring for two unique chamber concerts showcasing the talents of our musicians. On 17 January we’ll be chasing away the winter blues with a 6.30pm ‘rush-hour’ performance of John Luther Adams’s stunning songbirdsongs. Inspired by the beauty of birdsong, this unique work will be brought to life by an LPO chamber ensemble of ocarinas, piccolos and percussion. Then on 7 February, again at 6.30pm, we present ‘Jazz Roots, Soul Branches’. The evening will feature chamber arrangements of Duke Ellington’s most-loved tunes, Carl Davis’s reimagining of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, an homage to Miles Davis, and tributes to Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan, whose chart-topping hits will be experienced afresh as an LPO bassoon quartet breathe new life into ‘Ain’t Nobody’ and ‘Superstition’. These events continue our successful partnership with St John’s which was launched last year. Booking details are on pages 14–15. 17 JANUARY CONCERT GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY TIOC FOUNDATION
This summer the LPO invites you to share in the marvellous and the mischief at our spellbinding ‘Midsummer Magic’ Gala, taking place at the beautiful St John’s Waterloo on Tuesday 25 June. Guests will be treated to a fairytale evening of fine wine and food, and enchanted by an exclusive performance by the Orchestra under the batons of our rising star Fellow Conductors, Luis Castillo-Briceño and Charlotte Politi. Our magical 2024 Gala will gather the LPO family of close and valued friends and supporters to share in the wonder of the Orchestra’s work, raising vital funds to further our pursuits both on and off the concert platform. We hope to see many of you there for what promises to be a charming evening. For more information please contact gala@lpo.org.uk or call Eleanor Conroy on 020 7840 4209.
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Siegfried © Simon Jay Price
MIDSUMMER MAGIC: LPO GALA 2024
TUNE IN – SPRING / SUMMER 2024 –
LPO NEWS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY SCHOOLS CONCERTS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST
As well as our regular sell-out BrightSparks concerts for schools that take place at the Southbank Centre throughout the year, we’re thrilled to be performing for school audiences beyond London this season. In December, a chamber-sized LPO visited Thurrock to perform four interactive concerts for Year 6 and Year 7 students at Gateway Academy and Harris Chafford Hundred secondary schools, and their feeder primary schools (photo, right). These dynamic performances, conducted by LPO Fellow Conductor Luis Castillo-Briceño, reached around a thousand young people and their teachers. Presenter Rachel Leach guided the audience through the different roles an orchestra can play, including conveying characters, stirring emotions, playing games and making us want to dance! Teachers also took part in a training session to support their classroom music-making in the lead-up to the concerts. Later in the season, we’re looking forward to performing our first ever Key Stage 2 BrightSparks concert in our Eastbourne home, the Congress Theatre. Local children will be introduced to the Orchestra through a programme of American and America-inspired music, featuring composers Aaron Copland, Errollyn Wallen and Joan Tower. THE PERFORMANCES IN THURROCK SCHOOLS WERE CO-PRODUCED WITH ORCHESTRAS LIVE AND THURROCK MUSIC EDUCATION HUB. BRIGHTSPARKS 2023/24 IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE CANDIDE TRUST, DUNARD FUND, RIVERS FOUNDATION, MR & MRS PHILIP KAN, GILL AND JULIAN SIMMONDS.
Genshin Impact © HoYoverse
CONNECTING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR RESIDENCIES
We loved meeting and working with so many talented young musicians in Brighton, Eastbourne and Saffron Walden over the autumn. In September, teenage string players from Create Music (the music education hub for Brighton and East Sussex) gave a stunning free performance in the foyer at the Congress Theatre ahead of our season opening concert, to celebrate 60 years of the LPO’s residency in Eastbourne. Later that week, at Saffron Hall, students from Saffron Walden County High School met our Principal Conductor Edward Gardner and First Violinist Minn Majoe to talk all things orchestral, before enjoying our concert. On 15 October at Brighton Dome, a brass ensemble from Create Music performed a fanfare alongside LPO players to celebrate our first concert of the season there (above right). We also ran some very popular interactive workshops based on Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, for audience members to get a hands-on insight into the piece before hearing the LPO perform it. In November, a string quartet from West Sussex Music performed at Brighton Dome, as well as meeting the conductor and soloists (right) and attending our concert. The quartet included our very own LPO Junior Artist viola player Kateryna Holiar. Thank you and well done to all the wonderful young musicians who joined us!
LPO IN EXTENDED REALITY: GENSHIN IMPACT
Having recorded music for the video game Genshin Impact in 2019, during the autumn we were invited to perform music from the action role-play game in a groundbreaking extended reality concert, which was streamed on the game’s YouTube and social media channels on 22 December. The concert is titled ‘Melodies of an Endless Journey’ and combines the physical and virtual worlds, with scenes from the game projected onto giant screens surrounding the Orchestra. Viewers are taken through the five nations of Teyvat, and encounter various characters from the game such as Venti, Kamisato Ayaka and Nahida. WATCH THE CONCERT ONLINE youtube.com/londonphilharmonicorchestra
GLYNDEBOURNE 2024
After our London concert season comes to a close in May, the stage is set for our annual summer residency at Glyndebourne Festival Opera. This summer we’ll perform in a new production of Bizet’s Carmen with conductors Robin Ticciati and Anja Bihlmaier; Glyndebourne’s first ever full staging of Lehár’s The Merry Widow, with John Wilson conducting and Danielle de Niese in the title role; and Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, again under Robin Ticciati and starring Stuart Skelton as Tristan. The 2024 Festival runs from 16 May to 25 August, and booking opens in March. SIGN UP FOR UPDATES glyndebourne.com/festival
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LPO NEWS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY THIS SPRING’S CONCERTS ON MARQUEE TV
GRAMOPHONE AWARD FOR THE LPO
CANELLAKIS CONDUCTS BRAHMS Filmed live on 21 February 2024 Streamed from 23 March 2024
Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 Brahms Symphony No. 4 Karina Canellakis conductor Pablo Ferrández cello
LPO ON MARQUEE TV
This season we’ve once again joined with Marquee TV, the premium streaming service for arts and culture, to bring the LPO concert experience to you at home. A selection of our live concerts are streamed to watch free of charge for the first 48 hours, with no subscription required. You can watch on a smart TV, tablet, computer or smartphone. In addition, Tune In readers can benefit from an exclusive 50% discount on a year’s subscription to Marquee TV, including new releases as well as its extensive back catalogue of the world’s best music, opera, theatre and dance. Head to discover.marquee.tv/lpo2024 and use code LPO2024.
HAYDN’S CREATION
Filmed live on 2 March 2024 Streamed from 13 April 2024 Haydn The Creation Edward Gardner conductor Louise Alder soprano Allan Clayton tenor Michael Mofidian bass-baritone London Philharmonic Choir
THE PLANETS
Filmed live on 12 April 2024 Streamed from 18 May 2024 Dvořák Cello Concerto Holst The Planets Edward Gardner conductor Nicolas Altstaedt cello London Youth Choirs
OUT NOW ON THE LPO LABEL: THE DAMNATION OF FAUST
In the last issue we introduced our new partnership with Apple Music Classical, the new streaming app designed specifically for classical music. Our first release of the partnership, Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust, is available now exclusively on Apple Music Classical, and will be released on all other streaming platforms and on physical disc on 3 February 2024. Conducted by Edward Gardner, it was recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall on 4 February 2023. Find Apple Music Classical in the App Store or the Google Play Store, or scan the QR code to listen now.
We’re thrilled that our LPO Label recording of Tippett’s opera The Midsummer Marriage, conducted by Edward Gardner with the London Philharmonic Choir and the English National Opera Chorus, won Gramophone’s 2023 Opera Award, announced on 4 October at the annual Gramophone Awards ceremony. We were also nominated for Orchestra of the Year, and in the Contemporary category for our premiere recording of James MacMillan’s Christmas Oratorio. Recorded live at the Royal Festival Hall on 25 September 2021, our performance of The Midsummer Marriage marked an important moment for the Orchestra – not only was it the first concert with Edward Gardner as Principal Conductor, it was also the first concert with a full audience following the COVID-19 pandemic. The recording, released in September 2022, was also the first commercial recording of the opera in over 50 years. It is available to stream on all major platforms (including in Spatial Audio featuring Dolby Atmos via the Apple Music Classical app), and as a premium three-CD box set from all good retailers. THE RECORDING OF THE MIDSUMMER MARRIAGE WAS SUPPORTED BY THE MICHAEL TIPPETT MUSICAL FOUNDATION IN MEMORY OF DENNIS MARKS.
LPO ON SKY ARTS
Last autumn the TV channel Sky Arts filmed a documentary taking an in-depth look behind the scenes of the Orchestra as they prepared for the season opening concert of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 on 23 September 2023. Keep an eye out on our social channels for broadcast dates, which we hope to share later this spring!
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FIND OUT MORE lpo.org.uk/recordings
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LPO EDUCATION & COMMUNITY
OPEN SOUND ENSEMBLE The LPO’s Open Sound Ensemble is an accessible music-making opportunity for disabled and neurodivergent young people in South East London. Workshop leaders John Webb and Dav Shiel, along with musicians from the LPO, join participants three times a year to create music inspired by orchestral repertoire using both traditional and digital instruments. To find out more, we caught up with participants Naomi (17) and Clem (12).
Open Sound Ensemble members Naomi (left, with her cajón) and Clem (right) Clem, you came along to the Open Sound Ensemble for the first time in February 2023, and Naomi, your first course was in 2018! Casting your minds back, can you tell us about your first experiences with the Ensemble? Clem: When I first came along, everyone was so friendly. I remember feeling so excited about this new opportunity to create music. Afterwards I told all my family about it, as it made me feel so good about myself. Naomi: I remember I was a little bit nervous about getting to know new people, but I felt more comfortable as I learned people’s names. My highlight was when Dav showed us the cajón [a box-shaped drum] – I instantly fell in love with it! As we drove home that day, I saw a cajón in the window of a music shop. I begged my mum to get it for me, and we bought it that day!
You’re both regular participants of the Open Sound Ensemble. What have been your highlights across the courses you’ve taken part in?
Music-making is great for improving your wellbeing, and that’s an important aim of the Open Sound Ensemble. Has taking part affected other parts of your life?
Naomi: My recent highlight was when we learned ‘The Wellerman’ and talked about the history of folk music. I also liked hearing the tuba and the double bass. When you think about orchestral music, you might think first about instruments like the violin or the oboe, but it’s really interesting to know about the lower instruments too.
Naomi: Aside from encouraging me to listen to music more, it’s bettered my mental health. Sixth Form can feel stressful, and to take part in something that I genuinely enjoy has also helped me enjoy other aspects of my life.
Clem: The highlight of each Ensemble for me is playing duets with the other participants as a warm-up activity. It’s always so fun and you never know what’s going to happen! I love that I can create wonderful sounds and tell a story through sound. You’re both music-lovers outside of the Ensemble as well. What is your favourite piece of music at the moment? Clem: My current favourites are Andrea Bocelli singing ‘When a Child is Born’, ‘Duca Duca!’ from Rigoletto and ‘Jago, qui totso il pellegrin adduci’ from Ernani, both by Verdi. Naomi: I love Broadway musicals and songs like ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ by Frank Sinatra and ‘Feeling Good’ by Nina Simone.
What makes the Open Sound Ensemble unique? Clem: John and Dav! They’re the best! Also working with musicians from the Orchestra is so special. They have so much knowledge and are really helpful. Naomi: I think it’s how inclusive the Ensemble is. I’ve met so many different types of people, and the fact that we can all enjoy our time together through music is a beautiful thing. We love welcoming new participants to our courses. Do you have any advice for other young people who might like to join us? Naomi: If you like listening to music and want to get to know new people, I would suggest coming along! Clem: Just come! It’s so much fun and everyone is so nice. You won’t regret it!
And you’ve been bringing your cajón to the Ensemble ever since! What do you enjoy playing on it? Naomi: At home I experiment with different rhythms, like samba or jazz rhythms, which I then bring to the Ensemble. I’m also working on my keyboard skills and practising Debussy’s Clair de lune and the title song from Phantom of the Opera.
Clem: Coming to Open Sound has boosted my self-esteem and confidence. I feel able to share my ideas with everyone with no anxiety, and creating music makes me feel so good. I can sometimes be shy, but I don’t feel this when I’m at Open Sound. The happy memories help me though harder days at school.
To find out more, visit lpo.org.uk/open-sound
Open Sound Ensemble’s spring 2023 course at Woolwich Works
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THE OPEN SOUND ENSEMBLE IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE VINEY FAMILY, THE LENNOX HANNAY CHARITABLE TRUST AND DR IRENE ROSNER DAVID.
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LPO ON TOUR
TOUR DIARY: KOREA & TAIWAN In October the LPO embarked on an exciting tour to South Korea and Taiwan, giving five concerts in four very different cities. Minn Majoe (violin) and Martin Wray (viola) invited us to join them behind the scenes on their culinary, cultural and concert adventures …
Wednesday 4 October 2023
After a long overnight flight to Hong Kong and a connecting flight to Seoul, we were more than ready to stretch our legs and start exploring everything that Korea’s capital has to offer. We headed off to begin our free day at Gyeongbokgung, a beautiful palace in Seoul, but upon arrival we discovered that today was a national holiday and the palace was closed to visitors. Since we were already in the area, we decided to wander down towards the city’s famous central shopping district of Myeong-dong, which was filled with big crowds, neon lights, huge billboards, and everything from street food stalls to luxury boutiques. We tried some Korean fried chicken for lunch, and later met up with some other players for dinner at an amazing Korean barbecue restaurant. We finished the night at an incredible speakeasy cocktail bar which was hidden away behind a sliding wall – we’d love to be able to recommend it to you if you were ever to go to Seoul, but we’re not sure we’d be able to find it again!
deep-rooted. Traditionally the musical seat of the Joseon dynasty, the city played an important part in the development of Western classical music in Korea – an apt place to kick off our concert series! We grabbed a quick lunch on the way to drop our bags off at the hotel and were once again amazed by the sheer number of dishes available: from noodles to sushi, gimbap (rice rolls) to dumplings, and lots of sweets, we really were spoilt for choice. After an afternoon rehearsing at Daegu’s beautiful Concert House, we performed Beethoven and Brahms alongside the wonderful violinist Christian Tetzlaff to a sold-out audience who applauded so enthusiastically after the concerto that Christian played a second encore! To be greeted so warmly in Daegu was very special, and we all went to bed that night feeling like rockstars.
Friday 6 October Still on cloud nine after our performance last night, we woke up today feeling energised and excited for our next concert, at the Bucheon Arts Center this evening. Bucheon is a satellite city of Seoul so, after a quick (but delicious!) hotel breakfast, we re-traced our steps, heading back up towards the north, and were lucky enough to arrive in Bucheon with some spare time to explore
On stage at Bucheon Arts Center with Christian Tetzlaff & Edward Gardner
Saturday 7 October
Thursday 5 October This morning we took the bullet train from Seoul to Daegu for our first concert of the tour tonight. Located in south-eastern Korea, Daegu’s musical heritage is rich and
before the performance. We visited a traditional Korean noodle restaurant to quickly re-fuel and then wandered around one of the city’s many parks, taking time to admire a beautiful waterscape that had been designed to bring people together following the difficult COVID years. Next, it was rehearsal time and we really enjoyed playing at the newly re-generated Arts Center here. Bucheon is a celebrated cultural hub and it’s clear that a great deal of thought and planning went into the design of this venue – it feels very contemporary and spacious. Our programme of Mendelssohn, Brahms and Dvořák was met with similar enthusiasm by audiences tonight, and many concert attendees were kind enough to wait at the stage door to greet us and even take selfies!
Sightseeing in Seoul
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After a late night travelling back to Seoul, we were happy to have a slower morning today. At lunchtime we met up with one of Minn’s old friends who’s based in the city – they hadn’t seen each other for about eight years, so there was lots to catch up on! We took her local restaurant recommendations and ended up eating some amazing bulgogi bibimbap (thinly-sliced marinated beef,
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learning about the history of the Palace, we headed in the direction of Seongsu, an artsy area which is said to be the Brooklyn of Seoul. Our friends who we met up with yesterday were so kind to gift us a tea-room voucher, which was a real treat, and then we wandered around the neighbourhood, popping in to the cool clothes shops. Later in the day we visited the Lotte World Mall, the most amazing department store we’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely huge, with numerous food halls and a shop for everything you could ever want – it even has a concert hall, a theatre and an aquarium!
Minn and fellow violinist Kate Oswin sampling the local cuisine in Myeongdong, Seoul
served with rice, vegetables and, most importantly, gochujang chilli paste). We then had to dash off to make it to our rehearsal at the Seoul Arts Center, which is a truly incredible complex, made up of an Opera House, three auditoria, a Music Hall (complete with two concert venues) and three art museums. The Center is another fantastic space to perform in – acoustically, it’s a musician’s dream! Our concert was scheduled slightly earlier this evening since there are ongoing national holiday festivities, including a giant firework display last night, and it was another sold-out performance. We finished the night having dinner and drinks with friends at a local Korean pub.
Sunday 8 October We woke up today super excited for our second free day in South Korea. Gyeongbokgung Palace was first on our agenda, and we managed to make it past the entrance this time! Though partially reconstructed, the original parts of the building date way back to the 14th century when it was built as the main residence of the Joseon dynasty. It’s such a huge complex and we loved exploring all the different areas of the Palace. Naturally, as big foodies, we were really intrigued by the kitchen, but the highlight had to be the huge gates, which were so ornate and decorated with spectacularly colourful roofs. After losing ourselves for hours taking photos and
Monday 9 October
Taipei’s National Concert Hall
Having had the most incredible few days in South Korea, we were really sorry to be leaving this morning, but we’ve also really been looking forward to exploring Taiwan. When we landed in Taipei, we realised how chilly it had actually been in Seoul – it’s made a nice change being somewhere warm and humid, especially as we know it will be cooling down in the UK by the time we fly home! We took the bus from the airport to our hotel, the Grand Hyatt, which is right in the middle of the city, next to the famous skyscraper and financial centre, Taipei 101. After resting in our room for a while, we went out to have a look around the Shilin Night Market, the largest and most well-known street food market in the country. With its endless streets filled with stalls of every kind of food imaginable, it’s easy to see how this place has built up such a reputation, and we had the best time sampling everything that Shilin had to offer.
bus picked us up to take us to the Concert Hall. William gave an excellent performance of the virtuosic Sibelius and, just as we experienced in South Korea, we received a very warm reception from our audience.
Tuesday 10 October First concert day in Taipei! We started today with a rehearsal in the foyer of the National Concert Hall, taking our time to perfect the Sibelius Violin Concerto with our soloist, William Wei. Around lunchtime, we took the bus back to the hotel and decided to get something to eat at the food court in Taipei 101. Everything looked so delicious and there were so many people bustling around, coming for lunch with their families, since Taiwan is celebrating its National Day today. We both wanted to do a little bit more practice before tonight’s performance, so we headed up to our hotel room and at 6pm the
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Wednesday 11 October We’ve been so lucky whilst we’ve been staying in Taipei to be starting our days with the most delicious of breakfasts at the Grand Hyatt. Not only do they have the usual options of omelettes and pastries, but they’re also serving noodles and have an entire selection of bao buns on offer too. We had a free morning today, so we walked up to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, an impressive monument dedicated to the revolutionary who served as the first provisional president of the Republic of China. It’s located in the beautiful Chungshan Park, where we hung out for a while afterwards, enjoying the peace and quiet, and watching the turtles swimming around in the ponds, after what has felt like a non-stop few days! We then went on a very successful gift shopping trip, picking up some Taiwanese pineapple tarts and tea for friends and family back home. Following a long rehearsal this afternoon, we gave our last performance of the tour, again at the National Concert Hall with William. It was a wonderful concert and he performed Saint-Saëns’s Violin Concerto beautifully – the perfect way to round off our trip! We’ve had the best time in Asia and have met the friendliest audiences. Now we’re looking forward to the next tour of our 2023/24 season in Germany!
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LPO NEWS
LPO PEOPLE RISING TALENT PARTICIPANTS 2023/24
We’re delighted to introduce our new cohorts of talented musicians who are spending this season with the LPO as participants in our Rising Talent programmes. It’s great to welcome them to the LPO family!
LPO JUNIOR ARTISTS
LPO Junior Artists is our orchestral experience programme for talented young musicians from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras. It is open to exceptional players of orchestral instruments aged 15–19 and minimum Grade 8 standard. This season we’re delighted to be working with Nahuel Angius-Thomas, Yuma AngiusThomas, Anton Brown, Kateryna Holiar, Jamaal Kashim, Birce Kayhan, Laura Gutierrez Muurisepp & Ivan Rodriguez Deb. THE LPO JUNIOR ARTISTS PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION, TIOC FOUNDATION AND THE RADCLIFFE TRUST.
FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS
Our annual Foyle Future Firsts programme bridges the transition between education and the professional platform for outstanding orchestral musicians at the start of their careers. It’s designed to nurture and develop talented orchestral players, forming the base for future appointments to the London Philharmonic Orchestra and other world-class orchestras and ensembles. This year we welcome Coco Inman, Camille Buitenhuis, Teresa Ferreira, Sam Weinstein, Phoebe Cheng, Maria Filippova, Jack Tostevin-Hall, Bethany Crouch, Lucy Gibson, Zac Hayward, Joe Skypala, Rhodri Thomas, Connor Gingell, Evi Wang, Anwen Thomas & Tom Plumridge.
WELCOME
A warm welcome to Helen Storey, who joins the Orchestra as Sub-Principal Bassoon on 14 February 2024.
NEW GENERATIONS
In autumn 2023 we formed our New Generation Board, made up of eight enthusiastic individuals (some of whom are pictured below) who will represent and communicate the views of young people on behalf of the LPO. They will meet formally four times a year and will be a sounding board for all areas of our work, as well as proactively working on specific projects and helping engage with younger audiences. We hope this group will help generate new ideas, consider different viewpoints, and ensure that the next generation of artists, audiences and communities are key components of our future thinking.
THE FOYLE FUTURE FIRSTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED BY THE FOYLE FOUNDATION WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE BARBARA WHATMORE CHARITABLE TRUST, THE IDLEWILD TRUST AND THE GOLSONCOTT FOUNDATION.
LPO YOUNG COMPOSERS
The LPO Young Composers programme aims to find and support the progression of talented, early-career orchestral composers. Working under the mentorship of our new Composer-inResidence, Tania León, they will spend the season with the LPO and compose new works to be performed at our Debut Sounds concert on 27 June. Welcome to our 2023/24 Young Composers Jasper Dommett, Eliana Echeverry, Zhenyan Li, Phoenix Rousiamanis & Crystalla Serghiou. THE LPO YOUNG COMPOSERS PROGRAMME 2023/24 IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY ALLIANZ MUSICAL INSURANCE, THE ERNST VON SIEMENS MUSIC FOUNDATION AND THE VAUGHAN WILLIAMS FOUNDATION.
MORE ABOUT OUR RISING TALENT PROGRAMMES: lpo.org.uk/risingtalent
Allianz Musical Insurance is delighted to be supporting the 2023/24 LPO Young Composers programme, which aims to find and support the progression of talented orchestral composers. All of us at Allianz Musical Insurance are committed to supporting the future of the music industry and working with our chosen partners to provide support and development opportunities to musicians in the UK. This second year of our partnership with the LPO is a further extension of our support following the donations we made during the pandemic. We’ve been amazed by the progression of the Young Composers, and we’re excited to follow the 2023/24 Young Composers in their journey. We can’t wait to hear their compositions!
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CLIVE MARKS
We were saddened to learn of the death of Clive Marks OBE on 21 August 2023, at the age of 92. Clive left an indelible mark on the organisation over his many years as a member of the London Philharmonic Trust and latterly the Orchestra’s Advisory Council. He will be remembered with gratitude for his endless enthusiasm and hard work on behalf of the Orchestra.
IN THE OFFICE
In January we say goodbye to Education & Community Project Manager Hannah Foakes, who leaves to take up a new role at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Congratulations to Chantelle Vircavs on her promotion to PA to the Executive and Employee Relations Manager. Chantelle has been PA to the Executive since 2021, and her new title recognises her role’s increased responsibility and focus on employee experience and culture within the staff team.
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LPO SPRING 2024
CONCERT LISTINGS SOUTHBANK CENTRE Unless otherwise stated: Tickets £14–£51 | Premium seats £70 LPO Ticket Office 020 7840 4242 (Mon–Fri 10am–5pm) lpo.org.uk
Booking fees apply: £3.50 online, £4 telephone
Southbank Centre Ticket Office 020 3879 9555 Mon–Fri 10am–5pm | Sat–Sun 12pm–5pm southbankcentre.co.uk Booking fees apply: £3.50 online, £4 telephone. No transaction fees for in-person bookings, Southbank Centre Members, Supporters Circles and Patrons.
Unless otherwise stated, all Southbank Centre concerts are at the Royal Festival Hall and start at 7.30pm. Edward Gardner’s position with the LPO in the 2023/24 season is generously supported by Aud Jebsen.
Saturday 13 January 2024 Mutter plays John Williams John Williams Superman March; Violin Concerto No. 2 (UK premiere); The Duel from The Adventures of Tintin; Nice to Be Around from Cinderella Liberty; Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter Bernstein Suite, On the Waterfront Jonathon Heyward conductor Anne-Sophie Mutter violin Friday 19 January 2024 Queen Elizabeth Hall (please note venue) Family Ties – The Schumanns and The Mendelssohns Fanny Mendelssohn Overture in C major Clara Schumann Piano Concerto Robert Schumann Introduction and Concert Allegro Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) Natalia Ponomarchuk conductor Alexander Melnikov piano Wednesday 24 January 2024 Symphonie fantastique Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Berlioz Symphonie fantastique Ryan Bancroft conductor Inon Barnatan piano
Saturday 27 January 2024 Beethoven’s Seventh Wagner Overture, The Flying Dutchman Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20, K466 Beethoven Symphony No. 7 Anja Bihlmaier conductor Martin James Bartlett piano Saturday 3 February 2024 Frank Peter Zimmermann plays Elgar Elgar Violin Concerto R Schumann Symphony No. 2 Edward Gardner conductor Frank Peter Zimmermann violin 6.00pm | Free pre-concert performance Royal Festival Hall LPO Showcase: Foyle Future Firsts and the Royal Academy of Music Stravinsky Symphonies of Wind Instruments Tania León Ácana Tippett Little Music for String Orchestra Daniels Deep Forest Edward Gardner conductor
Friday 9 February 2024 Oksana Lyniv conducts Dvořák Janáček Suite, The Cunning Little Vixen Victoria Vita Polevá The Bell – Symphony No. 4 for Violoncello and Orchestra (UK premiere)* Dvořák Symphony No. 8 Oksana Lyniv conductor Inbal Segev cello * Co-commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Friday 16 February 2024 Colour and Fantasy Stravinsky Scherzo fantastique Francisco Coll Ciudad sin Sueño (Fantasia for piano and orchestra) (world premiere)* de Falla Nights in the Gardens of Spain Stravinsky The Firebird Suite (1919 version) Gustavo Gimeno conductor Javier Perianes piano * Co-commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester Basel and Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía.
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6.00pm | Free pre-concert performance Royal Festival Hall LPO Showcase: Junior Artists The LPO Junior Artists Programme supports exceptionally talented teenage musicians from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras. In this free performance, the Junior Artists perform alongside LPO musicians, Foyle Future Firsts and Junior Artist alumni in a celebration of vibrant young talent.
Wednesday 21 February 2024 Canellakis conducts Brahms Mussorgsky (orch. Shostakovich) Dawn on the Moscow River (Prelude to Khovanshchina) Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 Brahms Symphony No. 4 Karina Canellakis conductor Pablo Ferrández cello Saturday 2 March 2024 Haydn’s Creation Haydn The Creation Edward Gardner conductor Louise Alder soprano Allan Clayton tenor Michael Mofidian bass-baritone London Philharmonic Choir Concert generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE. Sung in English.
Sunday 3 March 2024 12 noon FUNharmonics Family Concert: Goal! Charlotte Politi conductor Clarice Assad presenter Join the LPO for the European premiere of É Gol! by Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad, imagining a day in the life of legendary Brazilian footballer Marta Vieira da Silva as she gets ready for the big game. Join in the free pre-concert foyer activities from 10am–12 noon (concert ticket-holders only). Adults £16–24, children £8–12
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LPO SPRING 2024
CONCERT LISTINGS Wednesday 6 March 2024 Dance Re-imagined Tania León Raíces (Roots) (world premiere)* Ravel La valse Szymanowski Harnasie** Edward Gardner conductor Robert Murray tenor Flemish Radio Choir * Co-commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Concertgebouw Brugge. ** Harnasie is an original co-production of NOSPR The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice (initiator), London Philharmonic Orchestra (with support from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute), conceived and produced by Studio Wayne McGregor. Project partner: Concertgebouw Brugge. Concert generously supported by Victoria Robey OBE.
Friday 22 March 2024 | Romeo and Juliet Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet (Fantasy Overture) Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet (excerpts) Gemma New conductor Randall Goosby violin 6.00pm | Free pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall LPO Showcase: Crisis Creates Members of Crisis – all adults who have experienced homelessness – perform original music they have devised with LPO musicians and a workshop leader during a week-long creative project. Saturday 6 April 2024 Järvi conducts Bruckner
Co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland
6.15–6.45pm | Free pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall LPO Artistic Director Elena Dubinets discusses the evening’s programme with Tania León. Saturday 16 March 2024 The Gift of Youth Mozart Overture, The Magic Flute Daniel Kidane Aloud, for violin and orchestra (world premiere)* Mozart Mass in C minor Edward Gardner conductor Julia Fischer violin Hera Hyesang Park soprano Elizabeth Watts soprano Pavel Kolgatin tenor Ashley Riches bass-baritone London Philharmonic Choir * Commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Concert generously supported by Aline Foriel-Destezet.
Wednesday 20 March 2024 | La Mer Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 (Classical) R Strauss Burleske Sibelius The Oceanides Debussy La mer Dima Slobodeniouk conductor Martin Helmchen piano
Stravinsky Violin Concerto Bruckner Symphony No. 7 Paavo Järvi conductor Leila Josefowicz violin Wednesday 10 April 2024 Seong-Jin Cho plays Beethoven Wagner Prelude from Parsifal Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Tippett Symphony No. 2 Edward Gardner conductor Seong-Jin Cho piano 6.15–6.45pm | Free pre-concert event Royal Festival Hall LPO Artistic Director Elena Dubinets discusses the evening’s programme with Edward Gardner. Friday 12 April 2024 | The Planets Dvořák Cello Concerto Holst The Planets Edward Gardner conductor Nicolas Altstaedt cello London Youth Choir Saturday 27 April 2024 | 3.00pm Wagner Götterdämmerung Vladimir Jurowski conductor Burkhard Fritz Siegfried Svetlana Sozdateleva Brünnhilde Brindley Sherratt Hagen Günter Papendell Gunther
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Sinéad Campbell-Wallace Gutrune Robert Hayward Alberich Kai Rüütel Waltraute Claudia Huckle First Norn Claire Barnett-Jones Second Norn Evelina Dobračeva Third Norn London Philharmonic Choir London Voices Please note start time. Concert generously supported by members of the Orchestra’s Ring Cycle Syndicate.
Tickets £35–£95 | Premium seats £125 Sunday 5 May 2024 | 12 noon FUNharmonics Family Concert: Appalachian Spring Charlotte Politi conductor Rachel Leach presenter Bring the whole family and join the LPO for a lively concert of celebration, optimism and fabulous American music. Join in the free pre-concert foyer activities from 10am– 12 noon (concert ticket-holders only). Adults £16–24, children £8–12
AROUND THE UK
Sunday 14 January 2024 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne eastbournetheatres.co.uk | 01323 412000 Smetana Overture, The Bartered Bride Elgar Cello Concerto Dvořák Symphony No. 7 Gabriella Teychenné conductor Laura van der Heijden cello Wednesday 17 January 2024 | 6.30pm St John’s Church Waterloo, SE1 8TY stjohnswaterloo.org | 020 7633 9819 John Luther Adams Songbirdsongs Tickets £15 (£12 restricted view). See page 6 Generously supported by TIOC Foundation
Saturday 20 January 2024 | 7.30pm Brighton Dome Concert Hall brightondome.org | 01273 709709 Fanny Mendelssohn Overture in C major Clara Schumann Piano Concerto Robert Schumann Introduction and Concert Allegro Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) Natalia Ponomarchuk conductor Alexander Melnikov piano
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LPO SPRING 2024
CONCERT LISTINGS Wednesday 7 February 2024 | 6.30pm St John’s Church Waterloo, SE1 8TY Jazz Roots, Soul Branches: see page 6 Tickets £15 (£12 restricted view)
Zwakele Tshabalala Father Amar Muchhala Brother
Saturday 10 February 2024 | 7.30pm Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Sunday 24 March February 2024 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne
Brahms Violin Concerto Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition Kahchun Wong conductor Francesca Dego violin Sunday 11 February 2024 | 3.00pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne Programme as 10 February, Brighton Saturday 17 February 2024 | 7.30pm Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden saffronhall.com | 0845 548 7650 Fanny Mendelssohn Overture in C major Clara Schumann Piano Concerto Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 Natalia Ponomarchuk conductor Mishka Rushdie Momen piano Tuesday 12 March 2024 | 6.30pm St John’s Church Waterloo An Imagination Shared Alex Ho Breathe and Draw Ryan Carter Concerto Molto Grosso (UK premiere) Ligeti Poème symphonique for 100 metronomes Charlotte Politi conductor* Luis Castillo-Briceño conductor* *Inaugural participants in the LPO Conducting Fellowship programme. This programme is generously supported by Patricia Haitink with additional support from Gini and Richard Gabbertas.
* These performances are funded in part by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., New York, NY.
Mozart Chaconne and Pas seul from Idomeneo Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet (excerpts) Gemma New conductor Randall Goosby violin Saturday 13 April 2024 | 7.30pm Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden Dvořák Cello Concerto Holst The Planets Edward Gardner conductor Nicolas Altstaedt cello Granta Chorale Saturday 18 May 2024 | 7.30pm St Nicolas Church, Newbury newburyspringfestival.org.uk Dvořák Cello Concerto Robert Schumann Symphony No. 2
Luís Tinoco Accordion Concerto (UK premiere) Weill The Seven Deadly Sins* Edward Gardner conductor João Barradas accordion Danielle de Niese Anna Ross Ramgobin Brother Callum Thorpe Mother
Friday 23 February 2024 | 8.30pm Megaron Concert Hall, Athens Mussorgsky (orch. Shostakovich) Dawn on the Moscow River Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1 Brahms Symphony No. 4 Karina Canellakis conductor Christian Tetzlaff violin Saturday 24 February 2024 | 7.00pm Philharmonie, Essen, Germany Programme as 24 February, Athens Sunday 25 February 2024 | 7.00pm Heinrich Lades Halle, Erlangen, Germany Mussorgsky (orch. Shostakovich) Dawn on the Moscow River Mozart Concerto for Two Pianos Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 Karina Canellakis conductor Lucas & Arthur Jussen pianos
Jonathan Bloxham conductor Andrei Ionita cello
Monday 26 February 2024 | 8.00pm Isarphilharmonie, Munich, Germany Programme as 25 February, Erlangen
Saturday 8 June 2024 | 7.00pm Snape Maltings Concert Hall brittenpearsarts.org | 01728 687110
Tuesday 27 February 2024 | 7.30pm Musikverein, Vienna, Austria Programme as 24 February, Essen
Shostakovich Festive Overture Elgar Cello Concerto Britten The Prince of the Pagodas (excerpts) Bartók Miraculous Mandarin Suite Edward Gardner conductor Alban Gerhardt cello
Tickets £20 (£15 restricted view) Wednesday 13 March 2024 6.30pm & 8.15pm Battersea Arts Centre bac.org.uk | 020 7223 2223 Seven Deadly Sins
Wednesday 31 January 2024 | 8.00pm Auditorio de Tenerife, Spain Programme as 30 January, Gran Canaria
INTERNATIONAL CONCERTS Tuesday 30 January 2024 | 8.00pm Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Gran Canaria, Spain Beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3 Price Violin Concerto No. 2 Gustavo Díaz-Jerez Tajogaite (world premiere) Beethoven Symphony No. 5 Kristiina Poska conductor Pieter Schoeman violin* Gustavo Díaz-Jerez piano *LPO chair supported by Neil Westreich
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Saturday 9 March 2024 | 8.00pm Concertgebouw, Bruges, Belgium Tania León New work Ravel La valse Szymanowski Harnasie Edward Gardner conductor Robert Murray tenor Flemish Radio Choir Sunday 10 March 2024 | 3.30pm Concertgebouw, Bruges, Belgium Elgar In the South (Alassio) Price Violin Concerto No. 2 Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances Edward Gardner conductor Pieter Schoeman violin* *LPO chair supported by Neil Westreich
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LPO PEOPLE
BACKSTAGE
What have been your highlights of playing with the LPO so far? Mahler 9 last December would definitely be up there – it’s one of my favourite pieces, and the concerts last year in London and on tour were truly memorable. Also, the Dialogues des Carmélites performance at last year’s Proms was really incredible. Poulenc’s music demonstrates the best of humanity, and the opera’s story depicts a lot of love, but also the most extreme human brutality – it’s both beautiful and harrowing. We couldn’t see much from the pit when we performed it at Glyndebourne, but being on stage with the singers for the Proms performance made it all the more powerful. I was ‘playing’ the guillotine at the end, which consisted of pressing a button at certain points in the final movement, but it got to me, chopping all the heads off. What have you found to be the most enjoyable, and the hardest, aspects of life as a professional musician? Some of the best things are also the hardest things. The travelling, for instance: touring is a wonderful part of the job – it’s a real privilege to visit so many parts of the world, but that can also become quite difficult when it comes to being away from home and/or children. Adrenaline means that nerves can sometimes get a bit jangled
songs you play along to a click track and so it’s much more rhythmically stable, you could say. When playing in an orchestra, things are often shifting about a bit, and you’re constantly making tiny adjustments according to who you’re playing with. In a show, on a percussion chair, you’re often literally surrounded by instruments: marimbas in front, bass drums behind, shakers hanging from the ceiling, different mics to play different instruments into, and three or four music stands to keep on the right page, so the choreography of it is a big challenge. But it’s also good fun!
KAREN HUTT
Karen joined the LPO in May 2023 as Sub-Principal Percussionist. A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, before joining the Orchestra she enjoyed a successful freelance career performing, recording and touring with orchestras and ensembles across a range of genres. too, but then that can also be what makes it so exciting! The wonderful world of musical colleagues is definitely one of the best things: getting to play and hang out with such a lovely, humorous and talented group of people. The percussion fraternity – and ever-growing sorority – is an especially friendly and supportive one. As well as many of the UK’s orchestras, you’ve also performed in West End shows, and on various film soundtracks. How does that differ from orchestral playing? Among my colleagues there’s quite a bit of moonlighting in West End shows, and I’ve depped on The Lion King for quite a few years now. It’s a bit of an adjustment from playing in an orchestra. You play with headphones on, and are within the rhythm section, so around you there are bass, guitar, keys and drums. In some
What’s the most unusual instrument you’ve been called upon to play in an orchestra? Often it’s things that aren’t actually instruments that get thrown our way. There were so many pieces of foil, bottles, saucepans, chopsticks and paper bags used in Brett Dean’s opera Hamlet [which the LPO premiered at Glyndebourne in 2017] that a fellow percussionist affectionately renamed it ‘Omelette’! Last year, for Rebecca Saunders’s to an utterance, a Nicophone was delivered to a rehearsal, which none of us had ever seen or heard of before (cue Google: ‘How do you play a Nicophone’?!). We’ve also been called upon to ‘play’ electric fans, pebbles, lumps of wood, rhythmical plate smashing ... That’s a nice thing about playing percussion – there’s always something new to master! What LPO highlights are your section particularly looking forward to this spring? Coming up, we’ve got Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique with the famous and terrifying bells (24 Jan), and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, which has lots of colourful percussion writing (22 Mar). Ravel’s La valse (6 Mar) is always a great one to play: there’s nothing particularly crazy going on, but we’re really locked together as a section – almost like an enormous drum kit. In many pieces we’re more dispersed and will be ‘tuned in’ to different parts of the orchestra. The Planets (12 Apr) also has some fantastic percussion parts, like the relentless snare drum in ‘Mars’ and the joyful glockenspiel and tambourine in ‘Jupiter’. KAREN’S CHAIR IN THE LPO IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY MR B C FAIRHALL.
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Photo © Philharmonia Orchestra
Can you remember your first encounter with the world of percussion? My first experience of playing percussion was at school, aged about nine or ten. I was in a maths lesson when an old guy (or what I thought of as old at the time) called Mr Kitto came in and asked if anyone wanted to come and have a percussion lesson. I eagerly put my hand up, not knowing what percussion was, but it meant getting out of maths! So about six of us went off, were given a pair of drum sticks and started playing along on a table to tape recordings of marches. Over the coming weeks all the other kids dropped out, but I loved it and so ended up carrying on with my own lessons. We started playing orchestral pieces like Bolero and the Thieving Magpie overture (all still on a table), before I eventually joined the local wind band where they had a snare drum and a suspended cymbal!