London Symphony Orchestra
m Su m er 13 20 WHAT’S ON BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Celebrating Benjamin Britten’s centenary year UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA
From English folk to the plains of Africa MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS
Discover more with the LSO’s Principal Guest Conductor
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BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Four recitals as part of the global 2013 Benjamin Britten Centenary Celebrations place the chamber music of Britten alongside that of Baroque master Bach and 20th-century giant Shostakovich. The series features Joanna MacGregor and Daniel Müller-Schott, amongst others. Pages 5, 7 & 9
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Folk heroine June Tabor, renowned for her sombre, earthy tones, jazz pianist Huw Warren and saxophonist Iain Ballamy perform together as Quercus, in a concert full of the bittersweet tales of courtship. Later in the summer, Ladysmith Black Mambazo bring their unmistakeable South African sound to the spellbinding setting of the Jerwood Hall at night. Pages 6 & 13
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LSO DISCOVERY LSO St Luke’s is home to LSO Discovery, the Orchestra’s education and community programme which gives everyone the chance to learn, create and participate alongside LSO musicians. This summer, delve into LSO Soundhub, our latest initiative for emerging composers, be wowed by the UK’s most promising young percussionists as part of the LSO Timpani and Percussion Academy, and let the LSO Youth Choir put a smile on your face. Pages 9, 12 & 15
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In its 10th Birthday Year, LSO St Luke’s welcomes some wonderful special guests. In April, tenor star Juan Diego Flórez is here for a masterclass, the Fidelio Trio perform as part of the City of London Festival in June, and in July Aurora Orchestra present the latest concert in their strikingly original New Moves series. Pages 5, 15 & 16
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MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS Principal Guest Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas has a long, happy relationship with the LSO, having been Principal Conductor from 1988–1995. A passionate advocate of the democratisation of culture, and of music education, Michael is a powerful communicator, verbally and musically: see him speak, teach and rehearse in a variety of settings this summer. Page 11
A SCREAM AND AN OUTRAGE From Nordic drones to Philip Glass’ long-awaited complete Twenty Études for Piano, the Barbican presents an immersion weekend celebrating the ‘who’s who’ of new music. Curated by New Yorkbased composer Nico Muhly, who has worked with everyone from Björk to the Britten Sinfonia. Page 8
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CELEBRATING BENJAMIN BRITTEN AT 100 BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Benjamin Britten is one of this country’s finest creative talents. 100 years after his birth, the world is taking its hat off to this remarkable man in global centenary celebrations comprising thousands of performances of his music and exploring his life, values and dreams. LSO St Luke’s is proud to play a part in this landmark occasion with our final series in the 2012/13 BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert Season which places chamber works by Britten alongside their equivalents by Bach and Shostakovich. Why these composers? The charming friendship between Britten and Shostakovich, born just seven years apart but divided by cultures, not to mention an Iron Curtain, is well-documented. The two met in 1960 when Shostakovich came to hear the London premiere of his First Cello Concerto. He and Britten shared a box and Shostakovich witnessed ‘Britten bobbing up and down like a schoolboy, even nudging him with happiness at the music’. Afterwards, Shostakovich introduced Britten to cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, sparking the start of one of the most fruitful 20th century musical alliances. ‘What attracts me to Britten? The strength and sincerity of his talent, its surface simplicity and the intensity of its emotional effect’, said Shostakovich. Both composers expressed an aversion to dry, inexpressive music and were opposed to the mathematical formulae in vogue with the avantgarde crowd. They sought to engage directly with their listeners; as composer John Adams has noted, Britten experienced ‘cognitive dissonance with high modernism … he took the common language as the lifeblood for his art’. Much like his conscientious objector status during World War II, so Britten held true to his convictions about the purpose of music. The inclusion of music by Bach (Britten and Shostakovich’s predecessor and inspiration) adds another dimension to the series: hearing how genres such as the fugue have evolved over time is a revealing exercise for which we are delighted to be joined by Lawrence Power, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Joanna MacGregor, Daniel Müller-Schott and the Brodsky Quartet.
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‘[The] last lunchtime concert at LSO St Luke’s was one of the best. I dragged a group of reluctant medics from Moorfields and they all came out gobsmacked. Absolutely great.’ Glen Jeffery, LSO Discovery Lunchtime Concert Audience Member
Rachel Leach
Thu 25 Apr 1pm
Fri 26 Apr 12.30–1.15pm
BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
LSO DISCOVERY
BACH, BRITTEN & SHOSTAKOVICH
LUNCHTIME CONCERT SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5
Britten Suite for Violin and Piano Shostakovich Sonata for Viola and Piano
The first of four recitals marking 100 years since the birth of one of England’s greatest composers: Benjamin Britten.
The first of four summer LSO Discovery Lunchtime Concerts, presented by Rachel Leach, in which LSO and Guildhall musicians explore American music, including works written by Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland, and music inspired by visits to the continent. In this concert, we welcome LSO violinists Tom Norris and David Worswick.
Tickets £10 (£9 concessions)
Free entry, no ticket required
Lawrence Power violin, viola Simon Crawford-Phillips piano
Supported by the Coutts Charitable Trust, Rothschild Charities Committee and LSO Friends
Sat 27 Apr 3pm SPECIAL GUESTS
JUAN DIEGO FLÓREZ MASTERCLASS A rare opportunity to hear the great tenor teaching some of today’s best young singers. Tickets £30 (£10 students) SOLD OUT, returns only Promoted by Barbican
Lawrence Power
All events take place in the Jerwood Hall unless otherwise stated. For full booking information, see page 24.
6 APRIL – MAY Tue 30 Apr 8pm UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA
QUERCUS
June Tabor vocals Iain Ballamy saxophones Huw Warren piano
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Three internationally celebrated UK musicians unite to create mesmerising folk-infused chamber music. Tales of courtship are expressed through traditional songs including As I Roved Out and Robert Burns’ Lassie Lie Near Me. Tickets £10 £15 £22
QUERCUS: FOLKSONG TRANSFORMED UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA
Quercus brings together the gifts of three of the UK’s most unique and talented musicians. Drawing on an eclectic range of musical backgrounds, from jazz to folk, they create lyrical, heartfelt music that transcends traditional stylistic boundaries.
Iain Ballamy (saxophone) and Huw Warren (piano) provide subtle harmonies and plaintive melodies, creating the perfect backdrop for June Tabor’s extraordinary vocal delivery. This UBS Soundscapes: Eclectica evening will see the trio carry their audience through journeys of love and loss, bloody battles and bittersweet courtship, with a mixture of subtly transformed folksongs, jazz standards and transfixing original compositions. This concert is the last date of Quercus’ nationwide tour accompanying the release of their first full-length album Quercus, on ECM Records.
lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 7
‘Dancing energy and occasional outright eccentricity.’ Ivan Hewett, The Daily Telegraph, on Joanna MacGregor Thu 9 May 1pm BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
BACH, BRITTEN & SHOSTAKOVICH
Bach Suite No 1 in G major for solo cello BWV 1007 Britten Suite No 1 for solo cello Op 72 Bach Suite No 3 in C major for solo cello BWV 1009 Daniel Müller-Schott cello Bach’s Cello Suites are, for many, the apex of all music. 250 years on, Benjamin Britten decided to write some of his own. Tickets £10 (£9 concessions)
Joanna MacGregor
Thu 2 May 1pm
Mon 6 May 2.30pm
BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
LSO DISCOVERY
BACH, BRITTEN & SHOSTAKOVICH
Bach Selected Preludes and Fugues from ‘The Well-Tempered Clavier’ Shostakovich Selected Preludes and Fugues
LULLABIES
FOR FAMILIES WITH OVER -5s
Lose yourself in the harmonic maze of Fugue, from Bach’s original Baroque masterpieces to 20th-century counterpoint by Shostakovich.
Come and share in a performance of traditional songs from the Comoros Islands performed by a community group of mothers, teenagers and children from Marseille, in a cultural exchange as part of the LSO’s residency in Aix-en-Provence. Bring the family to share in this cherished passing of cultural memories from one generation to the next.
Tickets £10 (£9 concessions)
Tickets £3 children, £5 adults
Joanna MacGregor piano
Daniel Müller-Schott
Thu 9 May 3.30–6.30pm LSO DISCOVERY
LSO OPEN REHEARSAL Antonio Pappano conductor London Symphony Orchestra Conductor Antonio Pappano puts the Orchestra through their paces ahead of two Barbican concerts on 16 and 19 May. Works to include Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 4. Tickets £4, telephone booking only
Antonio Pappano
8 MAY Sat 11 May 2pm SPECIAL GUESTS
A SCREAM AND AN OUTRAGE: SESSION TWO
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Bang on a Can All-Stars Trio Mediaeval Pekka Kuusisto violin Allan Clayton tenor
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Part two of the Barbican’s new music weekend, A Scream and an Outrage, curated by Nico Muhly. Includes Julia Wolfe’s Steel Hammer, inspired by the legend of John Henry and the sounds of Appalachia; plus Pekka Kuusisto and Allan Clayton perform the UK premiere of Muhly’s Three Songs. Tickets £15 Promoted by Barbican
Sun 12 May 11am SPECIAL GUESTS
A SCREAM AND AN OUTRAGE: SESSION FOUR The Sixteen Harry Christophers conductor Part four of the Barbican’s new music weekend, A Scream and an Outrage, curated by Nico Muhly. A morning of sacred choral music performed by The Sixteen featuring music by Arvo Pärt, Thomas Tallis and Nico Muhly. Tickets £15 SOLD OUT, returns only Promoted by Barbican
A SCREAM AND AN OUTRAGE: NICO MUHLY’S NEW MUSIC WEEKEND SPECIAL GUESTS
New York-based composer and performer Nico Muhly curates a marathon weekend of new music across six sessions at the Barbican and LSO St Luke’s, featuring his own music alongside that of other selected contemporary composers. LSO St Luke’s intimate Jerwood Hall is the perfect setting for the weekend’s chamber offerings, with highlights including Phillip Glass’ recently completed Twenty Études for Piano, a performance by Nordic-folk inspired Trio Mediaeval, and the ultimate New York contemporary ensemble, Bang on a Can All-Stars.
Harry Christophers
lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 9 Fri 17 May LSO DISCOVERY
CONCERTS FOR UNDER-5s Join Vanessa King and LSO players as they re-tell a children’s story through music. This summer they’ll be looking at Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne. 10.30–11.15am Nurseries & Children’s Centres Tickets £2 per person, limited to 50 places per group. To book, email isabel.bedford@lso.co.uk 12.30–1.15pm Families Tickets £3 per person (under 12 months free, no ticket required) To book call the Barbican Box Office Supported by AXA Investment Managers Under-5s
Sun 12 May 2pm
Thu 16 May 1pm
SPECIAL GUESTS
BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Joby Talbot New String Quartet Steve Reich Mallet Quartet Michael Nyman String Quartet No 3 Tristan Perich Octet Jason Treuting Oblique Music
Bach Selections from ’The Art of Fugue’ Shostakovich String Quartet No 11 Britten String Quartet No 3
A SCREAM AND AN OUTRAGE: SESSION FIVE
Calder Quartet So Percussion Part five of the Barbican’s new music weekend, A Scream and an Outrage, curated by Nico Muhly. Groundbreaking ensembles So Percussion and the Calder Quartet have been defying boundaries for the last decade.
BACH, BRITTEN & SHOSTAKOVICH
Brodsky Quartet This dark programme explores mortality in the transcendent way only music can; a stirring end to the 2012/13 season of BBC Radio 3 lunchtime concerts at LSO St Luke’s. Tickets £10 (£9 concessions)
Tickets £15
Soundhub
Promoted by Barbican
Sat 18 May 6.15pm LSO DISCOVERY
LSO SOUNDHUB SHOWCASE
‘A Scream and an Outrage is about composers writing for their friends, and creating environments for great performances.’ Nico Muhly
LSO Soundhub composers Darren Bloom, Richard Bullen, Collectives and Curiosities, Gregory Emfietzis, Philip Venables and Ayanna WitterJohnson showcase their latest work. LSO Soundhub is the LSO’s latest initiative for emerging composers, supporting creative talent across a range of genres – see page 14 for more. Tickets £7 (£5 concessions) Supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
10 MAY – JUNE Sun 2 Jun 6–9pm LSO DISCOVERY
CONDUCTING MASTERCLASS: MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS Now in its tenth year, the 2013 Conducting Masterclass sees aspiring professionals Edward Farmer, Fergus MacLeod and George Jackson work with the LSO and Principal Guest Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. Music will include extracts from Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5 and Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Part of the LSO’s Artist Development programme supported by the Murray-Smith Laird Charitable Trust
Tickets £5 Fri 7 Jun 12.30–1.15pm LSO DISCOVERY
LUNCHTIME CONCERT SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5 LSO Conducting Masterclass
Fri 24 May 7.30pm
Fri 31 May 12.30–1.15pm
SPECIAL GUESTS
LSO DISCOVERY
CITY UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Beethoven Piano Concerto No 5 (‘The Emperor’) Britten Suite on English Folk Songs Britten Selection from ‘Fourteen Folk Songs’ Anthony Weeden conductor Annie Yim piano City University Symphony Orchestra Hong Kong-born pianist Annie Yim joins Anthony Weeden and the City University Symphony Orchestra to bring the final and grandest of Beethoven’s five piano concertos to life. City University also pays tribute to Benjamin Britten as part of his centenary year celebrations. Tickets £10 (£5 concessions) Promoted by City University London
LUNCHTIME CONCERT SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5
The second of four summer LSO Discovery Lunchtime Concerts, presented by Rachel Leach, in which LSO and Guildhall musicians explore American music, including works written by Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland, and music inspired by visits to the continent. Free entry, no ticket required Supported by the Coutts Charitable Trust, Rothschild Charities Committee and LSO Friends
Fri 31 May 7.30pm SPECIAL GUESTS
RAIME
An evening of relentless rhythmic cycles, intricate, shadowy sounds and hypnotic visuals from Londonbased electronic duo Raime, in the atmospheric surroundings of LSO St Luke’s. Tickets £15 Promoted by Barbican
The third of four summer LSO Discovery Lunchtime Concerts, presented by Rachel Leach, in which LSO and Guildhall musicians explore American music, including works written by Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland, and music inspired by visits to the continent. Free entry, no ticket required Supported by the Coutts Charitable Trust, Rothschild Charities Committee and LSO Friends
Fri 7 Jun 6.15–7pm, Gamelan Room LSO DISCOVERY
CENTRE FOR ORCHESTRA ARTIST CONVERSATION: MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS Ahead of a series of Barbican concerts with the LSO and star cellist Yo-Yo Ma, LSO Principal Guest Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas talks to LSO Principal Flute Gareth Davies about his latest projects and takes questions from the audience. Free entry, telephone booking only (limited availability)
lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 11
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MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS: CHAMPIONING MUSIC FOR ALL LSO DISCOVERY
Michael Tilson Thomas, LSO Principal Guest Conductor and former Principal Conductor from 1988–95, is a real catch: technically gifted, a brilliant and natural communicator with musicians and audiences alike, and passionate about taking classical music into the 21st century. This last aspect of Tilson Thomas’ personality is what sets him apart. Few conductors can compete with his 360 degree dedication to making great music available to all – from masterclasses to guided concerts and multimedia spectacles, TV documentary series to open rehearsals and talks, Tilson Thomas is the public face of classical music in America, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama for ‘commitment to engaging new artists and audiences in contemporary music’.
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In 1987 Tilson Thomas founded the US orchestral academy, New World Symphony, Miami, which prepares gifted young musicians for leadership roles in orchestras around the world in much the same way as Centre for Orchestra, the alliance between the LSO, Barbican and Guildhall. In 2011, Frank Gehry’s New World Center opened – the performance venue, designed as the New World Symphony’s campus, embodies access: its huge glass walls allow the public to peer in and watch rehearsals, and the grounds include a 7,000 square foot screen where concerts are shown to audiences of thousands. It’s not surprising to find that Tilson Thomas holds a real affection for LSO St Luke’s, a venue conceived with an almost identical access mission. True to form, Michael joins us at LSO St Luke’s this June for a Conducting Masterclass and an Artist Conversation to complement his three Barbican dates with the LSO and Yo-Yo Ma. Don’t miss your chance to watch one of the most inspiring musical communicators of our time at close quarters.
12 JUNE Wed 19 Jun 7pm
Fri 21 Jun 12.30–1.15pm
LSO DISCOVERY
LSO DISCOVERY
LSO TIMPANI & PERCUSSION ACADEMY CONCERT Join LSO percussionists and the most talented young percussionists scouted from across the country as they showcase highlights from an intensive week of training, as part of the LSO Timpani and Percussion Academy. Tickets £7 (£5 concessions) With generous support from trusts, foundations and individual donors
LUNCHTIME CONCERT SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES OVER 5
The last of four summer LSO Discovery Lunchtime Concerts, presented by Rachel Leach, in which LSO and Guildhall musicians explore American music, including works written by Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland, and music inspired by visits to the continent. Free entry, no ticket required Supported by the Coutts Charitable Trust, Rothschild Charities Committee and LSO Friends
LSO TIMPANI AND PERCUSSION ACADEMY LSO DISCOVERY
Since 2004 the LSO Academy scheme has provided exceptionally gifted musicians aged 14–24 with an unbeatable opportunity to work with LSO players in a week of workshops and one-on-one tuition, held each summer at LSO St Luke’s. In 2013 the spotlight turns to the Timpani and Percussion section, and on 19 June you can witness the culmination of an intensive week of training in a concert which includes chamber performances, solos and showpieces designed to astonish; audiences should expect more percussion instruments than they can shake a stick at (pardon the pun). The evening will also include the presentation of a £1,000 bursary, awarded to the participant judged to show the most promise. Antoine ‘Tony’ Bedewi took part in the 2005 LSO Timpani and Percussion Academy as a 24-year-old graduate from the Royal Academy. In 2012 he was appointed LSO Co-Principal Timpani, and is now on the teaching panel for this year’s Academy. He’s not the only Academy participant who has gone on to flourish: LSO Principal Trumpet Phillip Cobb was spotted on the 2008 LSO Brass Academy. These success stories stand as testament to
LSO Discovery Lunchtime Concert
the panel’s ability to talent-spot. ‘We look for people who work hard to polish their performance’, says Tony, ‘but we also search for raw talent. That might mean accepting an applicant who is less technically perfect but shows flashes of brilliance. They need to be willing to learn and respond fast to suggestions. We want team players: and above all, musicality.’ This year, the percussion section auditioned over 100 applicants, 25 of whom were selected. Unsuccessful applicants aren’t forgotten however – they’re invited to watch sessions and network with LSO players. ‘Being turned down is actually a learning opportunity’, Tony points out, ‘it gives young musicians the chance to work on skills every professional musician needs, such as resilience, and how to use a disappointing audition experience constructively.’ So what are his hopes, now that the shoe is on the other foot and the student has become the teacher? Tony smiles: ‘A good teacher tailors their advice to each and every student, so I hope to quickly get the measure of all of them. Ultimately, I want to inspire them to up their game’. If being taught by an LSO Principal who was only a few years ago sitting where you are isn’t inspirational, then we don’t know what is.
lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 13
‘Our people tell us that our music gives them hope. The first time we performed for Mandela, at his birthday party, he said: ’Keep up the good work, your music is an inspiration for me’.’ Albert Mazibuko, member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo interviewed for The Observer
mbazo a M k c ith Bla Ladysm MAMBAZO MAGIC UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA
Tue 25 Jun 8pm UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO
In 2013, Ladysmith Black Mambazo – led by founder Joseph Shabalala – celebrates over fifty years of joyous and uplifting music that marries the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music. Tickets £10 £15 £22
Founded in South Africa in the early 1960s by young farmboy turned factory worker Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s name originates from Shabalala’s rural hometown (Ladysmith); Black is a reference to oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; while Mambazo is the Zulu word for axe, a symbol of the group’s ability to ‘chop down’ any singing rivals. Their collective voice was so unified and their harmonies so polished that they were banned from local competitions – although they were welcome to participate as entertainers. In the mid-1980s, Paul Simon visited South Africa and incorporated Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s rich harmonies into his Graceland album, a landmark 1986 recording considered seminal in introducing world music to mainstream audiences. Their sound became even more familiar to UK audiences in 1997 through popular Heinz television adverts which many still recall fondly today. In addition to their work with Paul Simon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has recorded with numerous artists from around the world, including Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban. They have provided soundtrack material for Disney’s The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen starring Sean Connery, and Clint Eastwood's Invictus, amongst many other films. Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s appearance at LSO St Luke’s marks 50 years since the group Nelson Mandela once called ‘South Africa’s cultural ambassadors’ came into being. Their brand of uplifting a cappella songs and tightly-choreographed dance moves continues to thrill audiences worldwide; we are delighted to welcome the group to Old Street for Londoners to share in the Mambazo magic.
14 JUNE – JULY
‘LSO Soundhub is one of the most exciting projects I can imagine.’ Colin Matthews OBE, composer
LSO Soundhub
LSO SOUNDHUB: A VITAL RESOURCE FOR EMERGING COMPOSERS LSO DISCOVERY
Based at LSO St Luke’s, Soundhub provides a flexible space where composers can explore, collaborate and experiment, with access to vital resources, support from industry professionals and LSO players. Soundhub is a composer-led space, responding directly to the needs of those using it; a supportive environment for artists to try out new ideas, develop existing work and benefit from peer-to-peer networking and support. The composers’ needs are at the core of LSO Soundhub. Participants are encouraged to refine and develop their ideas through intensive workshopping with LSO players, other ensembles and established composers. New works are then presented to the public in regular Soundhub showcases (as in the ones on 18 May and 6 July). Soundhub seeks to support composition across the board, not just in the classical sphere, so in the showcases you’ll hear everything from avant-garde to film music, electronics and R’n’B. The support on offer isn’t limited to workshops, performances and mentoring: using the LSO Soundhub microsite, participants are encouraged to master the art of self-promotion through autobiographies and regular blog posts. Soundhub’s unique combination of artistic and practical support has already assisted the careers of several talented composers, which can make all the difference in this field.
lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 15 Fri 28 Jun 7.30pm CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL
FIDELIO TRIO
Nigel Osborne The Piano Tuner Trio Ravel Piano Trio Frank Lyons The River Still Sings (world premiere) The River Still Sings is a multimedia work set to a new text by Seamus Deane with visuals by Paul Moore. Commissioned as part of the 400th Anniversary celebrations of the link between Derry~Londonderry and the City of London, this new work reflects the importance of the rivers in both cities. Tickets £10 £15 £20 LSO Youth Choir
Fri 5 Jul 7pm
Sat 6 Jul 7.30pm
LSO DISCOVERY
LSO DISCOVERY
Lee Reynolds youth choir director
LSO Soundhub presents this concert in association with composer and jazz pianist Raymond Yiu, graduate of the LSO Panufnik Young Composers Scheme. The evening will include the world premiere of a new set of piano variations, and the latest creative projects the Soundhub composers have been working on.
LSO YOUTH CHOIR CONCERT
The LSO Youth Choir presents their summer concert featuring an exciting selection from classical music by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (Master of the Queen’s Music) to chart hits you can sing along to. Tickets £3 children, £5 adults Booking opens 28 May MUSIC EXPLORERS
Sat 29 Jun LSO DISCOVERY
MUSIC EXPLORERS FOR FAMILIES WITH UNDER-8s
10am–12pm Workshops 12–12.30pm Concert Bring the whole family for a fun, interactive day with LSO musicians and other artists. Take part in music workshops, make something special to take home and show off your new skills in the celebration concert at the end of the morning. Tickets £3 children, £5 adults (under 12 months free, no ticket required) Supported by the Ann and Frederick O’Brien Charitable Trust
Part of the LSO and LSO Choral Development Programme, supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust LSO Youth Choir is also supported by the Finsbury Educational Foundation and the Slaughter and May Charitable Trust
LSO SOUNDHUB SHOWCASE
Tickets £7 (£5 concessions) Supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
16 JULY
Wed 3 Jul 7.30pm GUILDHALL GREAT HALL CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL
AT SIXES & SEVENS Mendelssohn Incidental music from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Mark-Anthony Turnage At Sixes & Sevens (world premiere) Nicholas Collon conductor Ailish Tynan soprano Ben McAteer baritone LSO Ensemble Guildhall School Musicians London Symphony Chorus New London Children’s Choir Students from City of London Academies in Hackney, Islington & Southwark Tickets £10 £15 £20 Commission supported by The Honourable The Irish Society and the City of London Nick Collon, Aurora
Sun 7 Jul 7pm
Mon 8 Jul 8pm ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
Sun 21 Jul 10am–6pm
AURORA: NEW MOVES – MEMENTO
CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL
FLUTEWISE FLUTE DAY
Debussy Syrinx Boulez Mémoriale Ives Three Places in New England Beethoven Symphony No 7
Arvo Pärt Cantus, in memoriam Benjamin Britten Anon L’homme armé Josquin Missa super L’homme armé Britten Metamorphoses after Ovid Strauss Metamorphosen Barber Adagio; Agnus Dei
LSO Principal Flute Gareth Davies leads a team of professional musicians alongside workshop leader Rachel Leach in a day of flute playing for 8 to 18-year-olds. The day will include workshops, playalongs and a flute choir, including two brand new works. All participants will then perform in an evening concert.
CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL
Nicholas Collon conductor Jane Mitchell flute Jon Frank film-maker Since its launch in 2010, Aurora Orchestra’s New Moves series has pioneered a new kind of orchestral concert, infused with inspiring collaborations, eclectic programming and innovative presentation. ‘Memento’ includes Charles Ives’ mysterious and beautiful Three Places in New England (here performed with a new film by award-winning Australian photographer and film-maker Jon Frank), Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, Debussy’s hypnotic Syrinx and Boulez’s haunting Mémoriale. Tickets £12 £18 £25 £30 (20% student discount)
LSO WITH TENEBRAE
Gordan Nikolitch violin/director Emanuel Abbühl oboe LSO Chamber Orchestra Tenebrae Renewing their stunningly successful artistic partnership, the LSO and choir Tenebrae join forces for a specially conceived City of London Festival highlight. The concert reflects the paradoxes of war and peace and celebrates the transformative power of words and music. Tickets £5 £10 £15 £25 £32 £42 Sponsored by Mizuho
SPECIAL GUESTS
For all ticket information visit flutewise.com Sun 28 Jul 7.30pm LSO DISCOVERY
LSO FUSION ORCHESTRA & DIGITAL TECH GROUP SHOWCASE Teenage members of LSO Discovery’s Fusion Orchestra and Digital Technology Group are joined by LSO musicians for this one-off performance, the culmination of a three-day project giving young people from the local area the chance to create their own music. Free entry, booking essential
Aurora’s New Moves series is supported by Arts Council England and the Jerwood Charitable Foundation Promoted by Aurora in association with LSO St Luke’s
The Digital Technology Group is supported by David and Alexandra Scholey
lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891 17
City of L
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CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL 23 JUNE TO 26 JULY 2013 Founded in 1962, the City of London Festival – or COLF as it’s fondly known – exists to entertain and inspire people who live, work and visit the City with special events and world-class artists in beautiful surroundings. For three weeks every summer, COLF brings the unique buildings and outdoor spaces of the Square Mile to life with a buzzing programme of music, visual arts, film, walks and talks, proving that the City isn’t just a place of business. The LSO, as Resident Orchestra at the Barbican, has been a fixture of COLF for many years. The relationship has resulted in countless memorable concerts, many in the magnificent setting of St Paul’s Cathedral. Last June, the Orchestra performed Berlioz’s Requiem under the baton of the late Sir Colin Davis: the concert received outstanding reviews, with The Guardian writing: ‘If your sense of awe lacks an existential dimension, Berlioz’s great Requiem will restore it … The London Symphony Orchestra played with the kind of brilliant concentration only loyalty and love can command’. One of the themes for the 2013 City of London Festival is ‘Conflict and resolution’; the 400-year relationship between the City of London and Derry~Londonderry will also be marked. The LSO takes up both themes: on 3 July at the Guildhall Great Hall, LSO musicians and various groups of young musicians connected with LSO Discovery projects will perform a world premiere by Mark-Anthony Turnage, At Sixes & Sevens, to mark the City of London/Derry~Londonderry link. On 8 July, the LSO Chamber Orchestra appears at St Paul’s alongside Tenebrae, one of Britain’s leading chamber choirs, to perform an intriguing programme centred on war and peace, reaching from the Renaissance strains of Josquin to the 20th-century sounds of Britten and Barber.
18 LSO DISCOVERY
ALWAYS ON: LSO DISCOVERY’S REGULAR 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 performances and workshops listed in this Guide, Discovery offers a range of weekly clubs for those living or working locally. Making music is only half the story – 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 give one a go? To find out more about LSO Discovery visit lso.co.uk/lsodiscovery
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SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL! FOR 1- TO 5-YEAR-OLDS
The LSO Early Years team and LSO players help little ones sing, listen, move and groove their way through interactive and creative music sessions. For more information email isabel.bedford@lso.co.uk
LSO COMMUNITY GAMELAN GROUP FOR ALL OVER 16
Explore the hypnotic and dynamic world of Balinese gamelan. Beginners and experienced musicians alike come together to play gongs, metallophones, drums and bamboo flutes, and work towards showcases. For more information email isabel.bedford@lso.co.uk
LSO COMMUNITY CHOIR FOR ADULTS WHO LIVE OR WORK LOCALLY
Now a decade old, the Community Choir is an integral part of LSO St Luke’s. Previously conducted by TV star Gareth Malone, the choir rehearses weekly and performs regularly with professional artists, including the LSO. For more information email andra.east@lso.co.uk
LSO CREATE
LSO YOUTH CHOIR
FOR ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
FOR CHILDREN AGED 7–18
Participants and their carers take the spotlight in these interactive workshops which introduce adults with learning disabilities to creative music-making.
A fantastic path for young people to hone their singing talents, make friends and be part of something bigger, with regular chances to perform at diverse venues, including the world-famous Barbican.
For more information email isabel.bedford@lso.co.uk Supported by LSO Patrons
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY GROUP FOR 12- TO 18-YEAR-OLDS
A chance for teenagers to make the most of the high-tech studio equipment at LSO St Luke’s, and develop their creativity under the guidance of digital music experts. For more information email chris.rogers@lso.co.uk Supported by David and Alexandra Scholey
For more information email andra.east@lso.co.uk
20 LSO ST LUKE’S CAFÉ
LSO ST LUKE’S CAFÉ LSO St Luke’s runs its own in-house Bar and Café service. Our Bar and Café Manager, Stuart Connery, and his team look forward to welcoming you. A selection of hot and cold drinks including a well-stocked bar, sandwiches, snacks, cakes and pastries are available for the majority of public events, opening one hour before concerts begin and during the interval (unless otherwise advertised). Hot food is available before and after BBC Radio 3 Thursday Lunchtime Concerts. To find out more come along to the Café on your next visit to LSO St Luke’s – and look out for special offers!
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ACCESS You can get this guide in large print, audio and electronic format. Call 020 7490 3939, email access@lso.co.uk or visit 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 YOUR EVENT
An impressive and stylish building in the heart of central London, LSO St Luke’s offers flexible contemporary spaces to hire for arts, corporate and private events. Award ceremonies Banquets Parties Wedding receptions Civil partnerships Meetings Conferences Seminars Training Public and private performances Rehearsals Filming Recording There’s no better time to hire this unique heritage space and with our experienced team on hand you can organise the perfect event in no time at all. Call our events team on 020 7566 2871 to find out how we can help turn your ideas into reality. THE JERWOOD HALL
The Jerwood Hall is a distinctive central space that can accommodate a broad spectrum of activity. The original interior has been retained and the acoustic banners that flank the walls and ceiling are designed to provide maximum versatility. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VENUE
LSO St Luke’s is a member of the Islington Climate Change Partnership, an organisation set up five years ago with a commitment to achieve a 15% reduction in carbon emissions across this busy London borough.
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YOUR MONEY, OUR MISSION SUPPORT US London Symphony Orchestra is a registered charity and for us to continue to thrive each year we seek support from companies, individuals and charitable trusts and foundations. Thanks to our funders, we can continue to offer many LSO Discovery activities at little or no cost to participants. Through your support, we can continue to invest in music education and ensure 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, visit lso.co.uk/supportus
BOOKING INFORMATION lso.co.uk (reduced bkg fee) Phone 020 7638 8891 (10am–8pm Mon–Sat, 11am–8pm Sun, bkg fee) In person at the Barbican Advance Box Office, Silk Street entrance (10am–9pm Mon–Sat, 12–9pm Sun and Bank Holidays)
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. Underground Old Street (Northern Line). Take Exit 7 when leaving the station, walk straight ahead and the spire of LSO St Luke’s will become visible. LSO St Luke’s is on the right hand side of the street and the main entrance is on Helmet Row. Buses Old Street – 55 & 243 City Road – 21, 43, 76, 141, 205, 214 & 271 Goswell Road – 4 & 153 National Rail Old Street, Liverpool Street, Moorgate & Farringdon stations Car Parking The nearest NCP parking is at the Barbican Centre
Group Booking (for 10 or more people) Call our dedicated group booking line on 020 7382 7211 or email groups@barbican.org.uk To find out more visit lso.co.uk/groups LSO St Luke’s, the UBS and LSO Music Education Centre, is the home of LSO Discovery and a venue for a unique range of concerts and events. To find out more visit lso.co.uk/lsostlukes 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 or young children. Customers are advised to check before booking. Children under 16 must be supervised by an adult. Concession ticket prices apply to wheelchair users, disabled patrons, over-60s, students, under-16s and the unemployed. All bookings and discounts are subject to availability. All events promoted by, or in association with, the LSO. Photography Marco Borggreve, Igor Emmerich, Kevin Leighton, Jack Liebeck, Bill Robinson, Christine Schneider, James Sims-Williams, Samantha West Design Steam
lso.co.uk/yourvisit
GET IN TOUCH Join us on Facebook facebook.com/lsostlukes LSO St Luke’s Principal Donors: Follow us on Twitter @lsostlukes
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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