LSO St Luke's: Autumn 2015 Events Guide by London Symphony Orchestra

London Symphony Orchestra

n m tu Au 15 20 WHAT’S ON BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS

Chopin, Liszt & Bartók London Resounding LSO SINGING DAYS

A Taste of America Haydn’s The Seasons SPECIAL GUESTS

Aurora’s last instalment of ‘New Moves’ SOUND UNBOUND

Barbican Classical Weekender

2 AUTUMN HIGHLIGHTS

BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS In October and November BBC Radio 3’s Fiona Talkington and Katie Derham present a series of Lunchtime Concerts featuring five international pianists exploring Chopin, Liszt and Bartók, and introduce us to music composed in London around the time that St Luke’s Church was built. A special tour explores the local area and some of the composers and musicians who worked there. Pages 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14.

s 3 ncert o i Radme Co C BB chti Lun

LSO St Luke’s is the perfect place to discover more about music. Our free Friday Lunchtime Concerts take Rhythm and Dance as their theme, providing an opportunity to explore works in an informal setting. Pages 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14.

LSO DISCOVERY

SPECIAL GUESTS This autumn we welcome spectacular artists from across the globe including Iranian folk-singer Sima Bina, a new commission by Israeli Na’ama Zisser, plus Melos Sinfonia and the Colin Towns Mask Orchestra. Pages 5, 8, 11, 14, 15.

Colin Towns

Aurora Orchestra returns with a concert performance of Benjamin Britten’s ghostly chamber opera The Turn of the Screw for their final appearance in the New Moves series as Associate Orchestra at LSO St Luke’s. Pages 10, 11.

Au ror a

AURORA ORCHESTRA

Orc he st

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 3

ing

S LSO

LSO SING Why not participate in our Singing Days? Autumn’s Community Singing Day explores A Taste of America while this term’s Choral Singing Day works through Haydn’s popular The Seasons. Pages 5, 12, 13.

BARBICAN PRESENTS Enter the world of mindfulness and music with a weekend rich in food for thought, meditation and soothing yoga. Pages 4, 5.

Get in

Touch

Join us on Facebook facebook.com/lsostlukes

Subscribe to our YouTube channel youtube.com/lso Go to lso.co.uk and click Join our E-list or email lsostlukes@lso.co.uk

4 SEPTEMBER ~ OCTOBER

I FH

ROLF HIND LOST IN THOUGHT: A MINDFULNESS OPERA BARBICAN PRESENTS

Rolf Hind, the self-styled ‘pianist, composer, teacher, research associate, ashtangi, gay, buddhist, vegan’ has composed a new opera, Lost in Thought, which will receive its world premiere performance at LSO St Luke’s this September. Lost in Thought is an innovative immersive musical theatre experience billed as the world’s first mindfulness opera. Hind describes the work as ‘an attempt to fuse a performance involving a singer and several musicians with the structure of a classic meditation retreat … Audiences will experience a telescopic version of a silent day on retreat with periods of meditation, rest, communal eating and other activities – all heightened (I hope!) through the music.’ The opera is designed to be as accessible as possible regardless of audience members’ previous experience of mediation and mindfulness. Mezzosoprano Lore Lixenberg, who sings and

leads meditation sessions over the course of the four-hour performance, says that ‘for people who already meditate, it will deepen that experience – for people doing this for the first time, the music helps to form a kind of bridge to explore meditation and mindfulness.’ At the core of Lost in Thought is the structure of the so-called Vipassana meditation. Hind hopes that the choice of this particular meditation will ‘encourage you to be open and curious, whilst at the same time creating a harmony and energy between people – a mysterious and beautiful thing. So I hope that the audience feels free to wonder among the music, the silence and the words – finding parallels, beautiful things, difficult things, and maybe even discovering new or forgotten parts of themselves’. Rolf Hind was interviewed by Jo Childs for Run Riot (reprinted by permission)

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 5 Fri 25 Sep 6–10pm, Sat 26 & Sun 27 Sep 12–4pm

Sat 3 Oct 7.30pm

BARBICAN PRESENTS

NORTHERN LIGHTS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

LOST IN THOUGHT: A MINDFULNESS OPERA Rolf Hind music and concept Frederic Wake-Walker director Lore Lixenberg mezzo-soprano Mahogany Opera Group Sarah Quinn, violin

Fri 4 Sep 12.30–1.15pm LSO DISCOVERY

FREE FRIDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERT: RHYTHM & DANCE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5 Zemlinsky String Quartet Thomas Norris, Sarah Quinn violins Malcolm Johnston viola Rebecca Gilliver cello Rachel Leach presenter While the colours change and the temperature slowly drops we greet autumn with a heart-warming series of free Friday Lunchtime Concerts, focusing on music inspired by traditional song and dance from Europe and Russia. This first instalment features a string quartet made up of LSO musicians, who explore a quartet by Austrian composer Zemlinsky.

This four-hour work is based on the classic structure of an extended meditation, with Rolf Hind’s music exploring the points of contact between sound and silence in music and meditation. A singer and seven musicians accompany the audience on an inner journey of mindfulness, with periods of meditation, rest, communal eating and a gentle yoga session. Please note that the meditation elements of the work will be taught by leaders, and no previous experience is required. Loose, warm, comfortable clothing is recommended.

Promoted by the Barbican and Mahogany Opera Group

Serafiina Sainio soprano Adam Johnson conductor Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra For the opening concert of their season, the Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra celebrates Sibelius’ 150th anniversary by programming two of his most remarkable compositions: Luonnotar and his ground-breaking Symphony No 7. Alongside the equally dramatic (and much-loved) Symphony No 5 by Beethoven, this will be a powerful evening of music by two giants of the symphonic repertoire. Tickets

Promoted by Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra, in association with Sibelius 150

Sun 4 Oct 10.30am–4.30pm LSO SING

COMMUNITY SINGING DAY A TASTE OF AMERICA David Lawrence conductor Ghislaine Morgan vocal coach accompanied by piano

LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts are generously supported by The Rothschild Charities Committee, the Schroder Charitable Trust and LSO Friends

LSO Discovery

Fri 2 Oct 12.30–1.15pm LSO DISCOVERY

FREE FRIDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERT: RHYTHM & DANCE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5 Evgeny Genchev piano Rachel Leach presenter

For booking information, see page 24.

Beethoven Symphony No 5 Sibelius Luonnotar Op 70 Sibelius Symphony No 7

Sold out, returns only

Free entry, no ticket required

All events take place in the Jerwood Hall unless otherwise stated.

SPECIAL GUEST

In the second instalment of a series inspired by the rhythms and melodies of traditional song and dance, we welcome Guildhall School pianist Evgeny Genchev for a selection of music from Russia and Eastern Europe. Free entry, no ticket required

A day for singers of all levels of experience to come and sing music from across the Atlantic. David Lawrence will carefully guide you through works by some of America’s greatest composers such as Bernstein, Copland and Gershwin. David will be joined throughout the day by Ghislaine Morgan, a very experienced singing teacher, who will be there to encourage and help develop your singing technique. Whether you sing in a local choir or haven’t sung since school, this is an exciting opportunity to rediscover your hobby. The day will be accompanied by piano; please identify your vocal part, if you can, when booking. Spectators are welcome to purchase tickets to an informal performance of the day’s work at 3.30pm, for which access will be available from 3.15pm. Tickets

LSO Sing is generously supported by the Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement

6 OCTOBER Thu 8 Oct 1pm BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

CHOPIN, LISZT & BARTÓK I Bartók Selections from 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs Chopin Nocturne in E-flat major; Nocturne in B major Liszt Mephisto Waltz No 1; Petrarch Sonnet No 104; Hexaméron Ingolf Wunder piano

s er t c 3 n dio e Co a C Rhtim B B nc Lu

The exciting young Austrian pianist Ingolf Wunder launches this fourconcert series celebrating the music of Chopin, Liszt and Bartók, three of the greatest composers ever to be born in Eastern Europe. Liszt loved the music of Chopin, and the two composers even gave joint concerts. Liszt in his turn influenced the music of his fellow-Hungarian Bartók. Tickets

Fri 9 Oct 12.30pm–1.30pm

Ever since LSO St Luke’s opened its doors it has been a favourite venue for BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime concerts, loved by musicians and audiences alike. I’m particularly looking forward to the piano series this autumn as it brings together three very special composers: Chopin, Liszt and Bartók. They feature in the LSO’s autumn concerts in the Barbican Hall, so we’ve decided to reflect that by making this trio of great pianist-composers the subject of four far-reaching recitals (given by five pianists). On top of my piano at home I keep a photograph of Bartók’s own piano, from the Bartók House in Budapest. I was lucky enough to visit there one year on what would have been Bartók’s birthday, and sat at his table, on the beautiful handcrafted chairs, having coffee. His music is a constant inspiration to me. I can rarely listen to Chopin without hearing the words of my own piano teacher, encouraging me to walk a mazurka or a waltz around the room before playing it, really feeling the rhythms and Liszt is always a treasure chest of discovery. The compelling performers in this series will make these concerts memorable, and I’m sure the autumn weather whipping the leaves off the trees just outside the windows will add to LSO St Luke’s unique atmosphere and architectural sense of the old mixed with the new. Fiona Talkington Fiona is a BBC Radio 3 presenter as well as a curator working with artists and musicians particularly from Norway and the UK, and is editor of a recent book about the history of Norwegian jazz.

LSO DISCOVERY

STORYTELLING FOR UNDER-5s LSO musicians Rachel Leach presenter An interactive concert for mini musicmakers! LSO musicians retell a popular children’s story through music, offering younger children the chance to experience a live performance in the beautiful Jerwood Hall. Dance and sing your way through the concert as the instruments bring the tale to life. Tickets

Sun 11 Oct 10am–5.30pm, Barbican and LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY DAY

STRAVINSKY & DANCE Millicent Hodson guest speaker Witness the LSO rehearse ballet scores by Stravinsky in the morning followed by chamber music and discussion in the afternoon. The full schedule will be posted on our website two weeks before the event. Tickets

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 7 Thu 15 Oct 1pm

LSO AT THE BARBICAN

BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

Sun 11 Oct 7pm

LONDON RESOUNDING I: FLORILEGIUM

Blue Badge Guide Dafydd Wyn Phillips

Thu 15 Oct 10am starting at Farringdon Station GUIDED WALK & TALK

LONDON RESOUNDING Join Dafydd Wyn Phillips on a music-themed guided walk exploring the historic district of Clerkenwell. You’ll visit sites with connections to composers Handel, Pepusch, John Gay and Thomas Britton, amongst others, not forgetting the history behind ‘the first Opera we ever had in England’. Tickets

THE RITE OF SPRING

Handel Trio Sonata in E minor, HWV398 Pepusch Sonata for violin and continuo in E major Banister A Division on a Ground for recorder Pepusch Trio Sonata in C major Handel Trio Sonata in B minor, HWV386b Barsanti A Collection of Scots Airs Ashley Solomon director Florilegium Baroque chamber ensemble Florilegium celebrates the life of concert promoter extraordinaire Thomas Britton in works by Handel, Pepusch, Banister and others. London Resounding, a four-part series of BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts at LSO St Luke’s exploring the capital’s music scene in the 17th and 18th centuries, gets off to a fine start with this visit by one of the UK’s most distinguished Baroque chamber groups.

Stravinsky Symphony in C major Bartók Piano Concerto No 3 Stravinsky The Rite of Spring Valery Gergiev conductor Yefim Bronfman piano London Symphony Orchestra Conductor Valery Gergiev draws on his theatrical roots and ear for drama in the second of three concerts, placing the spotlight on Stravinsky’s iconic ballet The Rite of Spring. Exploring Bartók and Stravinsky side-by-side, Gergiev brings together three works with diverse, fascinating inspirations: folk music and chirruping birds in Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto, the Classical period in Stravinsky’s Symphony in C, and a depiction of a pagan rite in The Rite of Spring. Tickets from £10 + booking fee (£3 online, £4 by phone)

Tickets

g oundin s e R n Londo

As part of London Resounding, Dafydd Wyn Phillips will take you through the historic district of Clerkenwell on a music-themed walk exploring the history hiding in the alleys. We caught up with Dafydd, a Blue Badge Guide and Royal Academy of Music alumnus, to find out why this particular area has taken his fancy ... Clerkenwell is one of the hidden gems of London. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s, the area was dominated by three monastic institutions. Bordered on the West by the River Fleet, which provided the area with fresh clean running water and with an abundance of natural springs, it was an ideal location for these institutions. One gave the area its name – the Clerks’ Well – and another, Sadler’s Wells, is a reminder that in the 18th century these springs led to the development of Clerkenwell as a spa destination where people, including royalty, came to take the waters and to be entertained.

The area attracted a number of skilled foreigners and in the 17th and 18th centuries the area became renowned as the main centre of clock-making in the world. In the 19th century, Clerkenwell Green was the meeting place for political and social protests; Lenin, Karl Marx, William Morris and Annie Bessant all have connections to the area. The Green was also the setting for the famous scene in the novel Oliver Twist, where Oliver was caught and accused of pickpocketing by Mr Brownlow. The highlight for me is no doubt the 16th-century St John’s Gate which now houses a museum and forms part of the headquarters of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem – a charitable organisation and an order of chivalry affiliated to the Crown. The Order is also responsible for the St John’s Ambulance and the Eye Hospital in East Jerusalem and plays an important role both here in the UK and in Palestine.

8 OCTOBER Sat 17 Oct 7.30pm

Thu 22 Oct 1pm

SPECIAL GUEST

BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

COLIN TOWNS MASK ORCHESTRA: DRAMA

LONDON RESOUNDING II

Colin Towns Mask Orchestra

Melos Sinfonia

Fri 16 Oct 12.30–1.15pm LSO DISCOVERY

FREE FRIDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERT: RHYTHM & DANCE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5 Rebecca Gilliver cello Sophia Rahman piano Rachel Leach presenter Rebecca Gilliver, LSO Principal Cello, teams up with pianist Sophia Rahman for a journey through music from Russian and Eastern Europe, infused with the rhythms and melodies of traditional song and dance.

Theatre is the inspiration for the new Colin Towns Mask Orchestra programme, featuring music from his extensive work on classic and modern plays including One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Equus and Macbeth. With a line-up of legendary giants and young fires from the new generation. His previous work includes Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Billy Cobham in film scores worldwide. Tickets

Promoted by Provocateur Record

Cramer Piano Sonata in E-flat major Op 43 No 3 Clementi Piano Sonata in D major Op 25 No 6 Field Piano Sonata in E-flat major Op 1 No 1 Haydn Piano Sonata in E-flat major Hob XVI/52 Ronald Brautigam fortepiano Dutch fortepiano star Ronald Brautigam explores the burgeoning piano repertoire of late 18th-century London. The capital around 1800 was a hive of energy for piano music, attracting players, composers and instrument makers from many parts of Europe. For the second concert in ‘London Resounding’, the ‘king of the fortepiano’ (The Times) champions a little-known but influential corner of the piano repertoire. Tickets

Free entry, no ticket required LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts are generously supported by The Rothschild Charities Committee, the Schroder Charitable Trust and LSO Friends

Sun 25 Oct 10am–4pm Fri 16 Oct 7.30pm

LSO DISCOVERY

FAMILY DAY: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

SPECIAL GUEST

MELOS SINFONIA Na’ama Zisser New Commission Mahler Rückert Lieder Beethoven Symphony No 7 Oliver Zeffman conductor Ross Ramgobin baritone Melos Sinfonia For the opening concert of its 2015/16 season, the Melos Sinfonia presents a programme of two masterworks, alongside a new piece by young Israeli composer Na’ama Zisser (aged 27 and an LSO Soundhub member), who has previously written for the London Sinfonietta and Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. For the Mahler, the Melos Sinfonia is joined by Ross Ramgobin, a talented young baritone who studied at the Royal Academy of Music and National Opera Studio. In 2014 he sung the title role in Britten’s Owen Wingrave at the Aldeburgh and Edinburgh Festivals, and he has been nominated in the Young Artist category for The International Opera Awards 2015. Tickets

Promoted by Melos Sinfonia

Sima Bina

Sun 18 Oct 7.30pm SPECIAL GUEST

SIMA BINA: IRAN’S LIVING LEGEND Sima Bina Iranian folk legend Sima Bina is considered one of the great female vocalists of this century, on a par with the likes of Peggy Seeger. Her prolific career began at the age of seven with a protest song on Iranian radio and she continued to sing in Iran until the 1979 revolution when the solo female voice was banned. Here she performs some of her most well-known repertoire. Tickets

Promoted by Nava Arts UK

SUITABLE FOR 4- TO 7-YEAR-OLDS Come to our weird and wacky Wonderland day at LSO St Luke’s to take some tea with the Mad Hatter. Add a dash of music and a splash of drama, and mayhem and madness will ensue! Just make sure you look the part so you can fit in with the March Hare and all his friends. Tickets

Family Art s Festival 2 015

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 9

The nationwide Family Arts Festival returns for its third year in even bigger and better form. Previously a twoweek celebration around October half term, the 2015 Festival has been extended to run from 9 October to 1 November 2015, in partnership with BBC Arts Get Creative. These three weeks will be filled with fun, thought-provoking and downright quirky arts and culture events to delight every generation. Families from Edinburgh to London will find music, theatre, dance, art, circus and cinema right on

their doorsteps. Look out for the Family Arts Standards seal of approval; organisations who have signed up to the Standards pledge to put family needs at the heart of their offer. This year, the LSO presents five events as part of the Festival. For younger children there’s a musical storytelling session with LSO musicians and an Alice in Wonderland Open Day at LSO St Luke’s, marking 150 years of Lewis Carroll’s mind-bending tale. Over-5s can sit in on a free Friday Lunchtime Concert exploring rhythm and dance while older children are invited to take part in a hands-on pre-concert creative session about Ravel, before watching the full LSO perform some of his works.

Find out more at lso.co.uk/families

10 OCTOBER ~ NOVEMBER

‘Refreshing the repertoire and broadening appeal are imperative these days. Nobody does it better than Aurora.’ The Evening Standard

estra h c r O Aurora

SIX YEARS OF NEW MOVES Since 2010 the Aurora Orchestra’s pioneering New Moves series based at LSO St Luke’s has seen the Orchestra develop a unique multi-disciplinary concert format. We spoke to Aurora’s conductor and musical director Nicholas Collon about the Orchestra’s association with LSO St Luke’s in the run up to the final concert of the New Moves series on 26 October. What makes the atmosphere at LSO St Luke’s unique? Since 2010, when Aurora launched its New Moves series at LSO St Luke’s, the venue has provided us with a wonderful home where we have nurtured and developed the Orchestra’s distinctive style of creative programming and presentation. The Jerwood Hall is a very flexible space and we have done a number of concerts in which the audience surround us in a horseshoe – it’s one of the most daunting, yet exhilarating, atmospheres I have performed in! Has there been a common theme to the New Moves series of concerts? Each New Moves performance over the years has had a unique element to it, as we’ve collaborated with, and roamed across, many different art forms. But distinctive to all Aurora concerts is a sense of spectacle, a creative orchestral performance rich with eclecticism, collaboration, and – above all – great music.

Have there been any concerts the Orchestra have given at LSO St Luke’s that have particularly stuck in your mind? There have been so many concerts at LSO St Luke’s which we feel particularly proud of: we have seen the Orchestra work with Brazilian capoeira dancers, klezmer musicians, painters and break-dancers, as well as a memorable project with the Australian film-maker Jon Frank. For me, however, Aurora’s Insomnia project back in 2013, featuring the superb English tenor Allan Clayton, sticks in my mind as a particularly special performance. As it happens, we subsequently recorded parts of this programme for release on the Warner Classics label, coming out this summer. How important has Aurora’s association with LSO St Luke’s been? Aurora’s association with LSO St Luke’s over the last six years has been of great importance to the Orchestra in the early years of its development and, in particular, as we sought to pioneer a new kind of ‘Orchestral Theatre’ which has become Aurora’s hallmark. The Orchestra’s performance of Britten’s chamber opera The Turn of the Screw on 26 October 2015 will be the final event in six wonderful years of the New Moves series, as we bid LSO St Luke’s the very fondest of farewells. Nicholas Collon was interviewed by Benjamin Picard

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 11 Mon 26 Oct 7.30pm

Thu 12 Nov 1pm

SPECIAL GUEST

BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

AURORA ORCHESTRA BRITTEN: THE TURN OF THE SCREW

LONDON RESOUNDING III Hume A Souldier’s Resolution; Hark, hark Lawes Consort suite in A minor Gibbons Three In nomines; Fantasia in four parts ‘for ye great dooble bass’; two Fantasias in three parts Purcell Five Fantasias

Britten The Turn of The Screw Sophie Bevan The Governess Ann Murray Mrs Grose Andrew Staples Quint Jane Irwin Jesse Louise Moseley Flora Thomas Delgado Little Miles Sophie Hunter & Andrew Staples directors Will Reynolds design / lighting design Nicholas Collon conductor Aurora Orchestra Britten’s last and arguably greatest chamber opera The Turn of the Screw combines Henry James’ supernatural tale of innocence and corruption with some of the composer’s most powerful music, creating a work that is by turns ravishing and shattering. A truly stellar cast join Aurora Orchestra under Nicholas Collon for an unmissable concert performance, atmospherically lit to intensify this most elusive and claustrophobic of ghost fables. Tickets

Fretwork

Steve Reich

Fri 30 Oct 6.30pm LSO CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

RUSH HOUR CONCERT LSO PERCUSSION: STEVE REICH Steve Reich Clapping Music; Music for Pieces of Wood; Sextet Join the LSO Percussion Ensemble for a 45-minute rush hour concert featuring marimbas, vibraphone, bass drums, crotales, tam-tam, piano, synth and more. Tickets

Thu 29 Oct 1pm BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

CHOPIN, LISZT & BARTÓK II Bartók Romanian Folk Dances Liszt Six Consolations; Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 Chopin Three Waltzes; Scherzo No 2 in B flat minor Op 31 Alice Sara Ott piano The exciting young German-Japanese pianist Alice Sara Ott plays music by the two greatest of all Hungarian composers, Liszt and Bartók. She returns to LSO St Luke’s following her BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert in November 2014. The Guardian called her 2010 performance with the LSO ‘the kind of gawp-inducing bravura performance of which legends are made’. Tickets

The ‘finest viol consort on the planet’ (London Evening Standard) brings the silky and ancient sound of viols to the modern interior of LSO St Luke’s for the first time. Tickets

Fri 13 Nov 12.30–1.15pm Thu 5 Nov 1pm

In association with Aldeburgh Music

A celebration of the life of Tobias Hume, redoubtable 17th-century soldier and viol-player, who died in 1645 in the Charterhouse in Smithfield. Hume was a mercenary, but also a passionate amateur player and advocate of the viol. Hear his life and music remembered in works by himself, Gibbons and Purcell, performed by masters of the viol consort repertoire, Fretwork.

BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

CHOPIN, LISZT & BARTÓK III Chopin Ballade No 1 in G minor; Fantaisie in F minor Bartók Suite Liszt Après une lecture de Dante Ashley Wass piano Liszt loved the music of Chopin, and the two composers even gave joint concerts. This concert complements two of Chopin’s most individual pieces with a work by Liszt inspired by Dante. This is the third programme of the BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert series celebrating Chopin, Liszt and Bartók. Ashley Wass, the only British pianist ever to win the London International Piano Competition, has been described by Gramophone magazine as ‘a thoroughbred who possesses the enviable gift to turn almost anything he plays into pure gold’. Tickets

LSO DISCOVERY

FREE FRIDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERT: RHYTHM & DANCE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5 Glinka Viola Sonata Stravinsky Italienne – Suite Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet – Suite Paul Silverthorne viola Aglaia Tarantino piano Rachel Leach presenter For the final instalment of this series of free Friday Lunchtime Concerts, inspired by the rhythms and melodies of traditional song and dance, retiring LSO Principal Viola Paul Silverthorne is joined by pianist Aglaia Tarantino. They focus on pieces written by a trio of Russian composers, from a lyrical sonata by Glinka to ballet music by Prokofiev. This concert will also be streamed live at youtube.com/lso Free entry, no ticket required LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts are generously supported by The Rothschild Charities Committee, the Schroder Charitable Trust and LSO Friends

12 NOVEMBER

18-YEAR-OLD DISCOVERY CHOIR MEMBER TENNESSEE RENVOIZE INTRODUCES LSO SING LSO Sing, the Orchestra’s singing programme led by its Choral Director Simon Halsey, gets into its stride in its fourth full year with the London Symphony Chorus celebrating their 50th anniversary; five Singing Days at LSO St Luke’s; choral concerts conducted by Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Mark Elder among others; and a world premiere by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. My Dad named all of his children after the five American states with the best Blues Music (the other four are: Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas). We moved to London nine years ago and I joined the LSO Discovery Junior Choir straight away when Gareth Malone was conductor, and then moved up to Seniors before hopefully joining the Community Choir in September. It’s good to join a choir quite young and follow through. Singing here has given me amazing opportunities. It’s not like a school choir because everyone in it loves singing, and I’ve met some really lovely

LSO

Sing

people. There are opportunities to sing in Barbican concerts (2,000 seats), and appear on stage with the LSO players. Every week when I come into the Jerwood Hall at LSO St Luke’s I feel lucky that we get to sing here. Not everyone gets to rehearse in such an inspiring place. It’s an uplifting building, with a grand piano and is run very professionally. I look forward to it every week. The first time I sang in a concert with the adult choir and the basses came in it made me jump. The whole stage was vibrating and it was terrifying: I’d never heard anything like it. We got that again at the Choral Christmas concert at the Barbican last December, when the men started singing. They are very focused and on the ball, and set high standards. When I first joined I was ten and too frightened to sing for the first few rehearsals in case I sang the wrong thing. Nowadays I’m trying to persuade my ten-year-old brother to come and sing; he’d enjoy it but he’s a bit too lazy ... I don’t really listen to classical music. I like rock. Singing is also emotional but it’s more ‘projected’. It makes you feel more alive, more connected to your emotions.

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 13

Gamelan A mixed crowd of young and old come together on Monday evenings to create gorgeous sounds on LSO St Luke’s exquisite gamelan. Some are practised musicians, some are novices who approach pitch and rhythm with suspicion. Some have studied in Bali while others, like me, hadn’t even heard of gamelan until stumbling over the treasures at LSO St Luke’s. Learning to play Balinese gamelan music is an adventure. It’s also a powerful conversation stopper. ‘Gamelan? What’s that?’ people ask and I’m off – with YouTube examples of our Jerwood Hall concerts; explanations of how, unlike a western orchestra, you are not confined to one instrument, you can play them all; and praise for the group’s leader Andy Channing – a global gamelan guru and a man imbued with infinite patience. He inspires skilful musicians and beginners alike.

Playing with the Monday Community Gamelan Group has not only improved what little musical ability I had, it has also given me a sense of achievement – it’s always a challenge to venture outside your comfort zone in later life. And I’ve made enduring friendships with people of all ages from different walks of life and different continents, people I would never have otherwise met. The LSO’s community work is a shining beacon of opportunity for all: no costly advance fees, no formal classroom or textbooks, and a regular opportunity to put on a sarong and perform in one of London’s loveliest concert halls. Together we make music the like of which you’ll rarely hear outside that paradise island in Indonesia. And the post-gamelan pub sessions aren’t bad either. Alison Rice, Community Gamelan Member

Sat 14 Nov 11am–4.30pm

Thu 19 Nov 1pm

LSO SING

BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

CHORAL SINGING DAY: HAYDN THE SEASONS Simon Halsey conductor Your chance to sing with the LSO’s professional choral team, working on choruses from Haydn’s sunny nature piece. In anticipation of the LSO’s performance of Haydn’s The Seasons next April, come and spend the day getting to know this work yourself with the LSO’s Choral Director Simon Halsey. Whether you sing in a local choir, or haven’t sung since school, this is an exciting opportunity to rediscover your hobby. The day will be accompanied by piano. Some sight-singing ability is required. Spectators are welcome to watch an informal performance of the day’s works at 3.30pm, for which access will be available from 3.15pm. Tickets

LSO Sing is generously supported by the Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement

LONDON RESOUNDING IV Haydn Trio in G major Hob XV/15 Clementi Sonata in C major Op 21 No 1 (‘La chasse’) J C Bach Sonata in C minor Op 17 No 2 Graf Grand Sonata in G major Musica ad Rhenum Jed Wentz director Dutch trio Musica ad Rhenum perform music composed for London audiences by 18th-century masters Haydn, Johann Christian Bach, Clementi and Graf. 18th-century London was a bustling centre of musical activity that benefited enormously from the presence of some of Europe’s leading composers. Four of those distinguished visitors are heard here in sonatas for flute, cello and fortepiano. In the final concert in ‘London Resounding’, Musica ad Rhenum bring their imaginative touch to the elegance of Classical-period chamber music. Tickets

Alison Rice – LSO Community Gamelan Group

Fri 20 Nov 7.30pm LSO DISCOVERY

COMMUNITY CHOIR & COMMUNITY GAMELAN CONCERT LSO Community Choir LSO Community Gamelan Group David Lawrence conductor Andy Channing Gamelan director A world premiere of a new piece by LSO 2014 Panufnik Scheme Composer Alex Roth from the Gamelan Group, alongside the LSO Community Choir exploring music set to texts by British writers born in the 16th century. Tickets

LSO Sing is generously supported by the Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement. LSO Discovery Choirs are generously supported by Slaughter and May and LSO Patrons

14 NOVEMBER ~ DECEMBER LSO AT THE BARBICAN Sun 13 Dec 7pm

A CHORAL CHRISTMAS London Symphony Chorus LSO Community Choir LSO Discovery Choirs Simon Halsey conductor Join Simon Halsey and all of the LSO’s singing ensembles in this festive choral celebration of Christmas. Tickets from £10 + booking fees (£3 online, £4 by phone) LSO Sing is generously supported by the Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement. LSO Discovery Choirs are generously supported by Slaughter and May and LSO Patrons

Fri 27 and Sat 28 Nov 6.30pm LSO DISCOVERY LSO On Track Young Musicians

Thu 26 Nov 1pm BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERT

CHOPIN, LISZT & BARTÓK IV Liszt Vallée d’Obermann; Gnomenreigen* Chopin Three Nocturnes Op 9; Two Nocturnes Op 27 † Bartók Piano duet *†

Maria João Pires

Maria João Pires †, Ashot Khachatourian * piano

Junior Trinity, Trinity Laban’s prestigious Saturday music department, returns to LSO St Luke’s with a weekend of action-packed performances featuring talented students aged 10 to 19. Over 250 young musicians attend each Saturday in term time at its campus in the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

Pianist Maria João Pires, one of the world’s greatest interpreters of Chopin, is a favourite with LSO audiences. In her Partitura project at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium she mentors exceptionally gifted young pianists from around the world, including Armenian-born Ashot Khachatourian, whom she describes as ‘a talent without borders – a real musician’. This closing concert of the BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert series celebrating Chopin, Liszt and Bartók will include solo Chopin from Pires, solo Liszt from Khachatourian, and Bartók, featuring both pianists at one keyboard.

Tickets

Sat 21 Nov 12.30pm, 5pm and 8pm, Sun 22 Nov 1pm and 5pm SPECIAL GUEST

JUNIOR TRINITY WINTER FESTIVAL

Promoted by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

In partnership with Maria Joao Pires’ Partitura Project supported by Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Belgium

LSO ON TRACK ALL TOGETHER NOW! LSO musicians playing alongside LSO On Track Young Musicians Young musicians from East London perform music specially written for an orchestra of players at different stages of their musical careers, from early stage learners to world-class professionals. LSO On Track is a partnership between the LSO and our East London Music Service partners, in collaboration with the Barbican and the Guildhall School. This partnership puts the LSO at the heart of the Music Education Hubs in East London, bringing together the excitement of live performance with the adrenalin rush of making music with others. Tickets

Supported by the Ernest Cook Trust, Clore Duffield Foundation, the Hedley Foundation, Marsh Insurance, The Worshipful Company of Saddlers, Youth Music and LSO Friends

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 15

ests

l gu Specia

LSO St Luke’s Marketing Manager Ella Thomsen welcomes guest performers. Autumn is my favourite time of year. The colours change, the temperature drops, it’s the best time for brisk walks in the park, but it is also the beginning of the new season and that means time for plenty of excellent music! This year we will be welcoming an array of special guests from around the globe, each bringing spectacular performances and set the scene for a heart-warming autumn here at LSO St Luke’s. What better way to begin this time when the light is retreating than with an orchestra who specialises in the repertoire of composers born within the region of the northern lights (aurora borealis)? The Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra season launch concert on Saturday 3 October celebrates Sibelius’ 150th anniversary with two of his most mesmerising and dramatic pieces: Luonnatar and Symphony No 7. Another season launch follows from the young London-based orchestra Melos Sinfonia who, alongside two masterworks, will perform a new commission from young Israeli composer Na’ama Zisser. For their second half they are joined by up-andcoming young baritone Ross Ramgobin who was nominated in the Young Artist category for The International Opera Awards 2015.

After really kicking off the new season Colin Towns Mask Orchestra turns to the art of theatre. Joined by some of the finest jazz musicians, on Saturday 17 October Towns directs Drama, featuring music from his extensive work on classic and modern plays including One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Equus and Macbeth; a night guaranteed to be full of entertainment. On Sunday 18 October Iranian folk singer Sima Bina will take you away from the grey skies of British autumn and bring a warm Middle Eastern hue to LSO St Luke’s with a very special performance of some of her most well-known repertoire. Known to some as ‘the grand lady of Iranian folk’ this will be a truly exciting event. And then it’s the run-up to Christmas, but before we sign off, Junior Trinity returns to LSO St Luke’s to host two days of activities on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, with performances by talented musicians aged 3 to 19, all culminating in different concerts throughout the weekend. LSO St Luke’s is one of the most diverse and versatile spaces in London; our autumn programme and all of our guest performers are a great reflection of that. There’s something here for every taste – just like the array of autumn colours. I look forward to seeing you all at LSO St Luke’s very soon.

16 SOUND UNBOUND

Sat 31 Oct & Sun 1 Nov

Sound Unbound:

The Barbican Classical Weekender New to classical music or know someone who is? For those curious about classical: a weekend festival releasing music from its traditional confines and showcasing some of the most experimental voices in the genre. From the full force of a 100-piece symphony orchestra to intimate solo sets in the Barbican Conservatory, from Medieval to Modern, Adams to Zappa, this is how classical music is made and played today. And with the Classical Overnighter, live recording sets at LSO St Luke’s, Nonclassical DJs and a series of stimulating talks about how and why we listen to music, you can tap into any of these sessions with a festival wristband. Artists confirmed so far include John Adams, Max Richter, Speak Percussion, James Rhodes, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia. Sound Unbound will take place across the Barbican Centre, Milton Court, LSO St Luke’s and St Giles Cripplegate.

U O

Day passes £25 | Weekend passes £40 plus booking fee (£3 online, £4 by phone)

For more info see barbican.org.uk/soundunbound

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 17

Sou

A NEW WAY TO DISCOVER MUSIC This autumn LSO St Luke’s is one of the venues in an exciting new initiative specifically designed for audiences new to Classical Music. The Barbican, its four Resident and Associate Orchestras and Ensembles, plus the Guildhall School have joined together to present over 74 concerts and events with over 620 performers all within 10 minutes’ walk. The idea is to encourage people to come along for the first time and share their experiences online. At LSO St Luke’s, the LSO is hosting open recording sessions on Saturday 31 October with two fantastic chamber ensembles drawn from the ranks of the Orchestra: our outstanding wind principals are playing Mozart’s classic Gran Partita and a virtuoso ensemble retells Stravinsky’s famous dance-piece, The Soldier’s Tale. On Sunday 1 November there’s an eclectic mix of solo artists lined up for performances from Joby Burgess, to Manu Delago and Nicole Car. All part of a wideranging exploration of classical music never been seen before in London. Karen Cardy, LSO St Luke’s Centre Director

bou

18 LSO DISCOVERY

ALWAYS ON: REGULAR LSO DISCOVERY ACTIVITIES AND HOW YOU CAN BE PART OF THEM LSO Discovery is the LSO’s music education programme, bringing inspirational music to over 60,000 people each year. As well as the various workshops and performances listed in this Guide, LSO Discovery offers a range of regular clubs for those living or working locally. Making music is only part of the story though – coming together as a community is at the heart of these groups, and LSO St Luke’s simply wouldn’t be the same without them! Why not try something new today? To find out more about LSO Discovery visit lso.co.uk/lsodiscovery If you live or work locally and are interested in volunteering with the LSO, please email ella.thomsen@lso.co.uk for information about joining our ambassadors scheme.

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 19

SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL! FOR 1–5 YEAR-OLDS

Interactive, creative and fun! Our Monday morning music sessions for early years are a great way to introduce little ones to the world of music-making. Adults and children are invited to move and groove, explore new sounds and songs and get up close to the instruments of the orchestra. With no more than 15 children per session, your child will receive individual attention as well as taking part in age-appropriate group activities. For more information please email wallis.leahy@lso.co.uk

LSO DISCOVERY CHOIRS FOR 7- TO 18-YEAR-OLDS

A fantastic path for young people to hone their singing talents, make friends and be part of something big, with weekly rehearsals in the Jerwood Hall and performances at diverse venues across London, including the Barbican. For more information please email andra.east@lso.co.uk LSO Sing is generously supported by the Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement. LSO Discovery Choirs are generously supported by Slaughter and May and LSO Patrons

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY GROUP FOR 12- TO 20-YEAR-OLDS

A chance for local teenagers to engage with high-tech studio equipment in the recently refurbished Candide Discovery Room at LSO St Luke’s and develop their creativity with guidance from digital music experts. For more information please email chris.rogers@lso.co.uk Generously supported by Finsbury Educational Foundation

LSO ST LUKE’S COMMUNITY GAMELAN GROUP FOR EVERYONE OVER 18

Explore the hypnotic and inclusive world of Balinese gamelan in weekly music-making sessions. Beginners and experienced players alike come together to play gongs, metallophones, drums and bamboo flutes, with input from professional players and regular performance opportunities. For more information please email wallis.leahy@lso.co.uk

LSO COMMUNITY CHOIR FOR ADULTS WHO LIVE OR WORK IN EC1

Now in its twelfth year, the LSO Community Choir is an integral part of LSO St Luke’s. Conducted by David Lawrence, the Choir rehearses in the stunning Jerwood Hall once a week and performs regularly with professionals, including the London Symphony Orchestra. For more information please email andra.east@lso.co.uk LSO Sing is generously supported by the Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement. LSO Discovery Choirs are generously supported by Slaughter and May and LSO Patrons

LSO CREATE FOR ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

Participants and their carers take the spotlight in these interactive workshops that introduce adults with learning disabilities to creative music-making, developing their skills in an informal, relaxed environment. For more information please email natalie.chivers@lso.co.uk Supported by The City of London Corporation’s charity, the City Bridge Trust

20 LSO ST LUKE’S CAFÉ ~ ACCESS

LSO ST LUKE’S CAFÉ LSO St Luke’s runs an in-house Bar and Café service, offering a selection of hot and cold drinks including a well-stocked bar, sandwiches, snacks, cakes and pastries for one hour before the start of most concerts and again during the interval. Hot food is available before and after the BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts on Thursdays, and our Bar and Café Manager Stuart Connery and his team look forward to meeting you – come down to the Café during your next visit and look out for the latest special offers!

lso.co.ukâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 020 7638 8891â&#x20AC;&#x192; 21

ACCESS You can get this Guide in large print, audio and electronic format. Call 020 7490 3939 or email access@lso.co.uk. Hearing facility We have personal receivers for use with or without a hearing aid in the Jerwood Hall and Clore Gamelan Room. Please call 020 7490 3939 in advance to reserve a personal receiver as numbers are limited.

Membership Visitors who have joined the Barbican Access Membership scheme can inform us of their access requirements, receive information in alternative formats and may be eligible for reductions on tickets. Contact the Box Office or visit barbican.org.uk.

22 HIRE LSO ST LUKE’S

HIRE LSO ST LUKE’S OUR VENUE An impressive and stylish building just yards from Old Street’s bustling Silicon Roundabout, LSO St Luke’s offers flexible and inspiring spaces to hire for arts, corporate and private events. The Jerwood Hall is a distinctive setting that can accommodate a broad spectrum of activity, from intimate dinners through to company parties for as many as 450. An stunning contemporary restoration sits within evocative historical features, whilst black-out blinds and acoustic banners provide maximum versatility. YOUR EVENT After significant reinvestment in our technical infrastructure during 2014, there’s no better time to discover this unique heritage space, and with our experienced team on hand you can organise the perfect event in no time at all. CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS SEMINARS AND TRAINING AWARD CEREMONIES GALA DINNERS CHRISTMAS PARTIES WEDDING RECEPTIONS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PERFORMANCES REHEARSALS AND RECORDINGS FILMING AND TELEVISION WINE TASTING EXHIBITIONS

Call 020 7566 2871 to find out how we can help turn your ideas into reality. ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS LSO St Luke’s is a member of the Islington Sustainable Energy Partnership, an organisation set up eight years ago with a commitment to achieve a 15% reduction in carbon emissions across our busy London borough.

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 23

SUPPORT US MAKE MUSIC MATTER

Thanks to our funders – and through your valued support – we are able to offer many LSO Discovery activities at little or no cost to participants. For us to continue to thrive and offer inspiring opportunities to over 60,000 participants every year, the London Symphony Orchestra seeks additional support from companies, individuals, charitable trusts and foundations. Your contribution means that our investment in music education can grow and ensures that LSO St Luke’s, the UBS and LSO Music Education Centre, remains at the heart of the local community. To find out more about how you can help email helen.greer@lso.co.uk, visit lso.co.uk/supportus or call 020 7588 1116. The London Symphony Orchestra is a registered charity in England No 232391.

BOOKING INFORMATION TICKET PRICES Tickets A

BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts £12 (£10 concessions) + booking fee

Tickets B

London Resounding Walk + Talk £25 + booking fee for walk, talk, lunch at LSO St Luke’s and lunchtime concert

Tickets C

LSO Discovery Days £20 (£15 concessions) + booking fee £14 afternoon only from 2.30pm

Tickets D

Storytelling for Under-5s £3 children, £5 adults + booking fee under 12 months free (no ticket required)

Tickets E

Family Day, Community Choir & Gamelan Concert, LSO On Track £7 (£5 concessions) + booking fee

Tickets F

LSO Singing Days £20 (£15 concessions) + booking fee includes music hire Afternoon spectator ticket £5

Tickets G

LSO Rush Hour Concert £12 (£10 concessions) + booking fee

Tickets H

Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra £20, £15 (concessions available) + booking fee

Tickets I

Melos Sinfonia £17 (£5 concessions) + booking fee

Tickets J

Colin Towns Mask Orchestra £20 (£12 concessions) + booking fee

Tickets K

Sima Bina £45 £35 £25 (see website for concessions and group discounts) + booking fee

Tickets L

Aurora Orchestra £30 £25 £18 £12 + booking fee

Tickets M

Junior Trinity Day tickets £17 (£7 under-18s) + booking fee Single tickets £10 (£5 under-18s) + booking fee

HOW TO FIND LSO ST LUKE’S LSO St Luke’s, UBS and LSO Music Education Centre 161 Old Street, London EC1V 9NG

LSO St Luke’s is situated on Old Street, in the heart of central London. It is easy to get to by public transport. For details of parking, bus routes and train stations, visit lso.co.uk/yourvisit LSO is funded by Arts Council England in partnership with the City of London Corporation, which also provides the Orchestra’s permanent home at the Barbican.

LSO ST LUKE’S PRINCIPAL DONORS

BOOKING FEES / HOW TO BOOK lso.co.uk (£0.60 booking fee per transaction) 020 7638 8891 (£0.70 booking fee per transaction) Open 10am–8pm Mon–Sat, 11am–8pm Sun In person at the Barbican Advance Box Office, Silk Street entrance (no booking fee) Open 10am–9pm Mon–Sat, 12–9pm Sun and Bank Holidays Latecomers are normally admitted during a suitable break in the performance. On occasion, this may not be possible once the performance has started. Some performances are unsuitable for babies and young children; customers are advised to check before booking. Children under 16 must be closely supervised by an adult. Concession ticket prices apply to wheelchair users, disabled patrons, over-60s, students, under-18s and the unemployed. All bookings and discounts are subject to availability. All events are promoted by, or in association with, the LSO. Design Friend Studio Print Tradewinds

LSO is funded by Arts Council England in partnership with the City of London Corporation, which also provides the Orchestra’s permanent home at the Barbican