What's On — All events

CBSO Viennese Masters
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Fri 1 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

Expect the unexpected. Beethoven symphonies are supposed to be thunderous blockbusters, but the Fourth is a sparkling, sunlit delight with a wicked sense of humour thrown in! Mozart’s violin concertos are usually elegant and demure - but in the finale of his Fifth, he throws caution to the winds with a shamelessly rough-cut gypsy dance. And kindly old Papa Haydn would never write a dark and powerful tragic symphony, surely? Well, in his 95th he does exactly that! The charismatic young British conductor Paul Watkins is just the man to spring a few musical surprises, and violinist Jennifer Koh - making her Birmingham debut - is his perfect musical partner. 6.15pm Pre-concert talk with CBSO violinist David Gregory.
*Paul Watkins* _conductor_ *Jennifer Koh* _violin_
*Haydn* Symphony No. 95 21’ *Mozart* Violin Concerto No. 5 (Turkish) 28’ *Beethoven* Symphony No. 4 32’
Flawless - Chase The Drea...
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Sat 2 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

The stars of _Streetdance 3D_ and _Britain's Got Talent_ present their first solo show. This inspirational dance act have become an international phenomenon with stunning street dance and jaw-dropping moves. They've worked with some of the biggest names in music including _Madonna_, _Beyonce_, _Leona Lewis_ and _Jamelia_ and won countless awards including World Dance Champions and Best Street Dance Act. You've seen them on television, now it's time to see them live in this breathtaking, dizzying debut show from one of the UK's hottest dance acts. Don't miss! '_One of the best things I have ever seen in my life_' Simon Cowell '_You make me proud to be British, this was utter perfection_' Amanda Holden '_That was utterly electrifying_' Piers Morgan
Lunchtime Organ Concert Thomas Trotter
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Mon 4 Oct 1:00pm Town Hall

*Widor* _Allegro Maestoso_ from Symphony No 5 *J S Bach* Prelude and Fugue in D minor BWV 539 *Wallen* Tiger *Mendelssohn* Incidental Music to ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
What Would A Martian Look...
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Thu 7 Oct 7:00pm Symphony Hall

Gaze into the vastness of space in the company of some of the biggest scientific brains on the planet. Professor Ian Stewart speculates on the possibilities of extra-terrestrial life and how different it might be to our own, while Professor Andy Fabian and Dr Carolin Crawford reveal the secret sounds of the solar system, including the big bang itself. ‘Amusing, opinionated and expert’ Science-fiction author Greg Bear, on Ian Stewart’s book _What would a Martian look like?_
Rush Hour Blues - The Ste... (Part of the Sounds of Space weekend)
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Fri 8 Oct 5:30pm Symphony Hall Foyer Bars

“M u s i c k o s m o s is my song to the stars.” Steve Tromans Steve Tromans presents a new piece, _M u s i c k o s m o s_, for this special "Sounds of Space":http://www.thsh.co.uk/soundsofspace Rush Hour Blues. Jointly commissioned by Birmingham Jazz and THSH, and performed by The Steve Tromans Debop Band, _M u s i c k o s m o s_ consists of 4 pieces with a ‘cosmic’ theme. _From Nothing_ explores the beginning of the universe and the question of what comes before the beginning. A creation story for eternal optimists. _BetweenTwo Worlds (for Sun Ra)_ is a tribute to the legendary jazz composer and bandleader Sun Ra, whose ‘cosmic philosophy’ has influenced generations of musicians. _Star Clusters_ are groups of stars that are gravitationally bound to each other - a representation of the muisco-gravitational forces at work in the Steve Tromans Debop Band. _Musickosmos (for Carl Sagan)_ is inspired by the records of images and sounds of nature attached to the Voyager space probes, created by Dr Carl Sagan and inscribed by the words “To the makers of music - all words, all times.” "Click here to visit Steve Tromans’s website":http://www.steve-tromans.co.uk Commissioned by Town Hall Symphony Hall and "Birmingham Jazz":http://www.birminghamjazz.co.uk/ as part of the "Sounds of Space":http://thsh.co.uk/soundsofspace weekend at Town hall and Symphony Hall.
*Steve Tromans* _piano and direction_ *Miles Levin* _drums_ *Chris Mapp* _double bass_ *Aaron Diaz* _trumpet_
I. From Nothing II. Between Two Worlds (for Sun Ra) III. Star Clusters IV. Musickosmos (for Carl Sagan)
Stewart Francis - Tour de... Great Comedians Come in Cycles
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Fri 8 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

As seen on _Mock The Week_, _Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow_ and _8 Out of 10 Cats_. "_One of very few stand-ups whose perfectly-crafted gags bear proper comparison with transatlantic greats like Steven Wright and Woody Allen_." Guardian "_Consistently brilliant one-liners... 80 minutes of mind-blowing stand-up comedy_." Scotsman ***** "Stewart Francis":http://stewartfrancis.com
The Planets: An HD Odysse... Birmingham International Concert Season 2010/11
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Fri 8 Oct 7:30pm Symphony Hall

'The images . . . were often astonishing. Photographs from rovers and satellites, radar images and computer-generated graphics were combined to give the audience the impression of circling individual planets and sometimes flying over their awesomely barren landscapes.' New York Times Holst’s _The Planets_ was inspired by his interest in astrology. Nearly one hundred years later he would have been astounded by the state-of-the-art, high definition images from NASA’s exploration of the solar system. For tonight’s European Premiere, Producer Duncan Copp has brought these images together with a commentary by the world’s leading planetary scientists, all projected on a large screen above the orchestra. Classic FM’s Anne-Marie Minhall, says of tonight’s recommended concert: “Classical music reaches for the stars in this unique project between the "Houston Symphony":http://www.houstonsymphony.org/ and NASA no less. Premiered in the Space Agency and Orchestra’s home city in January 2010, this will be your chance to watch some extraordinary images of our solar system alongside Holst’s astrological masterpiece”. Part of the "Sounds of Space":http://thsh.co.uk/soundsofspace weekend at Town hall and Symphony Hall.
*Houston Symphony* *Hans Graf* _conductor_ *Ladies of the City of Birmingham Choir*
*Stravinsky* _Fireworks_ 5’ *Adams* _Dr Atomic_ Symphony 25’ *Holst* _The Planets_ 65’ Sponsored by University of Birmingham.
Sounds of Space Family Da... Family event
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Sat 9 Oct 11:00am Symphony Hall Foyer Bars

Meet Aliens from Planet Flip Flop, explore the planetarium, hear the sounds of space and help us create our own special galaxy.
Space Tourism Talk by Stephen Attenborough
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Sat 9 Oct 11:00am Town Hall

Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Two will carry the first paying passengers into space, marking the beginning of a new age of human expedition. Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic and a key player in realizing Richard Branson’s vision, is overseeing one of the most ambitious commercial technology projects in the world. Hop on board to hear more about the ultimate out-of-this-world experience, including the chance for questions!
Birmingham Icknield Male ... A Second Century of Song
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Sat 9 Oct 7:00pm Symphony Hall

A concert marking 110 years of Birmingham Icknield Male Voice Choir.
Massed Male Voice Choirs Special guests: *Sovereign Brass Band* *Rhian Lois Evans* _soprano_, winner of the Bryn Terfel Scholarship, and the Roland Jones prize at the National Eisteddfod
Brian Eno's Apollo: For A... Music by Brian Eno, Roger Eno and Daniel Lanois, Performed by Icebreaker and BJ Cole (Part of the Sounds of Space weekend)
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Sat 9 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

As part of the THSH "Sounds of Space":http://thsh.co.uk/soundsofspace weekend we present a live arrangement of Brian Eno’s seminal album _Apollo_, performed with NASA footage. Eno, pioneer of ambient music, conceived it for Al Reinert’s 1989 documentary on the Apollo space missions, _For All Mankind_. He jokingly referred to it as an attempt to write ‘zero gravity country and western,’ since that was the astronauts’ preferred on-board listening and the long reverberations of the pedal steel guitar evoke the vast emptiness of space. Music from the album was also used in the movies _28 Days Later_, _Traffic_, and _Trainspotting_. The innovative Icebreaker ensemble and renowned pedal steel guitarist BJ Cole return the music to its original conception, matching the mesmerizing beauty and tranquil mystery of images of the moon and Earth and capturing the humour of the astronauts as they skitter about on the moon’s surface. '...with the blown-up, grainy NASA footage and Icebreaker’s diligent musicianship, this “weightlessness” becomes moving and sublime. Apollo’s moonstruck ambience has aged gracefully, and Lee’s spare, fiercely intelligent orchestration gave it the bloom of youth.' The Guardian ***** "Click here to watch a video of Icebreaker and B.J. Cole performing _Weightlessness_, part of Brian Eno's _Apollo_":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsXTxmoR8eo&feature=related *6.15pm Pre-concert talk: The Gift of Apollo* Between 1968 and 1972 twenty-four Americans flew to the Moon. What was arguably Mankind’s greatest achievement had taken over 400,000 engineers working round the clock for a decade to accomplish. Over forty years later the full significance of the endeavour is still being debated. As a prelude to the concert, space flight historian, writer and film-maker Dr Christopher Riley reflects on what the Moon landings meant and reminds us of the great legacy of Apollo.
Serenade for A Satellite
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Sat 9 Oct 9:00pm Town Hall

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group provide late-night entertainment inspired by space and time, blasting off with Wiegold’s brilliant interpretation of Bruno Maderna’s Serenade per un Satellite. Mysterium - a piece combining live improvisation and recordings from the first Earth-orbiting artificial satellite, Sputnik - and Constellations, a collection of three space-inspired movements by Param Vir, complete the programme.
*Birmingham Contemporary Music Group* *Peter Wiegold* _conductor_
*Bruno Maderna* _Serenade for a Satellite_ *Param Vir* _Constellations_ *Peter Wiegold* _Mysterium_
Level 42 - The 30th Anniv... Plus special guests
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Sun 10 Oct 7:30pm Symphony Hall

Level 42 took the ‘80s by storm with their brand of jazz funk driven by Mark King’s trademark bass lines, and with their roots firmly set in the underground soul scene of the time they helped change the face of the music scene in Britain. Top 40 singles for the band include _Lessons in Love_, _Something About You_, _Leaving Me Now_, _Running in the Family_, and _Hot Water_. The line-up of Level 42 for this 30th Anniversary tour is: Mark King bass/vocals, Mike Lindup keys/vocals, Nathan King guitar/vocals and Sean Freeman sax/vocals.
*Mark King* _bass/vocals_ *Mike Lindup* _keys/vocals_ *Nathan King* _guitar/vocals_ *Sean Freeman* _sax/vocals_
Naturally 7 With no support
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Mon 11 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

Growing out of the a cappella tradition, Naturally 7 take the classic close-harmony style to stratospheric new highs. Mixing beat boxing, basslines and uncanny instrumental imitation with rap and hook-laden soul, pop and jazz, this New York group is in a league of its own. They come to Town Hall having supported Michael Bublé on his Crazy Love world tour. _'Naturally 7 have taken acappella singing to places it’s never been before. The rhythmic and harmonic richness they produce - using only their voices - is jaw-droppingly impressive, and their musicality is phenomenal. This is one of the must-see performances of all time.'_ Brian Eno _'Impressive_' The Sun _'Dazzling_' The Guardian For more details visit "Naturally 7"://naturallyseven.com
Ian Hunter & The Rant... plus support
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Tue 12 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

Ian Hunter has produced a matchless repertoire of music combining homage, honesty and killer hooks. He was one of the toughest and most inventive writers of the early 70s, paving the way for punk rock with his thought provoking and gritty songs. As a solo performer he has also succeeded with an eclectic catalogue including classics such as _Once Bitten, Twice Shy_, _Cleveland Rocks_ and many more. For both his solo output and work with Mott The Hoople, he has been cited as a huge inspiration by numerous artists including The Clash, REM, Oasis, Blur and Primal Scream. 2009 saw the release of his thirteenth solo album, _Man Overboard_ and the long-awaited reunion Mott the Hoople, fronted by Hunter. *‘Hunter, dressed in skinny black jeans and a little black jacket, was in awesome shape. Lithe and cocky, he glided around the stage behind his huge shades, still the complete rock’n’roll star’* **** The Times
CBSO The Birmingham Mahle...
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Wed 13 Oct 7:30pm Symphony Hall

'The Symphony is like the world,' declared Gustav Mahler ' - it must embrace everything!' His huge Third Symphony doesn’t quite manage that - but it has a pretty good try. Beginning with a mighty horn call and ending with a wordless hymn to love, it's a vast, colourful panorama of the world according to Gustav Mahler: church bells, country dances, grand, echoing climaxes and the mother of all trombone solos! It’s a symphony like no other, and for this next instalment in the Birmingham Mahler Cycle, regular CBSO guest conductor Vassily Sinaisky has assembled a world-class team of performers, including the full CBSO, our famous choruses and operatic mezzo extraordinaire Susan Bickley. Prepare to be astonished. 6.15pm Pre-concert performance by the Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Seal. Part of "The Birmingham Mahler Cycle":http://www.thsh.co.uk/the-birmingham-mahler-cycle
*Vassily Sinaisky* _conductor_ *Susan Bickley* _mezzo_ *Ladies of the CBSO Chorus* *CBSO Youth Chorus*
*Mahler* Symphony No. 3 92’
Juan Martin Flamenco Ense...
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Thu 14 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

Voted into the top flamenco guitarists in the world by US Guitar Player magazine, Juan Martín will perform his own compositions, supported by a line-up of fabulous flamenco dancers and singers direct from Spain including Raquel de Luna, Miguel Infante and Carlos Brias, all prize winning artists direct from Andalucia. "Watch a video of Juan Martin's Flamenco Dance Ensemble":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzXzZiYicbQ "Visit Juan Martin's website":http://www.flamencovision.com

The performance will finish at approximately 9.30pm including one interval.
MacMillan Lunchtime Conce... Birmingham International Concert Season 2010/11
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Fri 15 Oct 1:00pm Town Hall

Four short pieces by MacMillan share a programme with a new work by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Shostakovich’s mighty Piano Quintet. This is part of the James MacMillan Day, which also includes "MacMillan Conducts MacMillan and Beethoven":http://www.thsh.co.uk/view/macmillan-conducts-macmillan-and-beethoven at 7.30pm at Town Hall.
*Britten Sinfonia*
*James MacMillan* _For Max; 25 May 1967; Walfrid, on his arrival at the gates of Paradise; For Sally_ 12’ *Peter Maxwell Davies* New work 5’ *Shostakovich* Piano Quintet 34’
Centre Stage - Turina &am...
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Fri 15 Oct 1:10pm Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre

*CBSO Players*
*Turina* Piano Trio No. 2 *Chopin* Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8
MacMillan Conducts MacMil... Birmingham International Concert Season 2010/11
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Fri 15 Oct 7:30pm Town Hall

In this first of two ‘Composer Conducts’ concerts, James MacMillan premieres his Oboe Concerto with soloist Nicholas Daniel. It is heard alongside two pieces by composers who both struggled with ideas of revolution and change: Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony (an arrangement of his searing String Quartet No 8) and Beethoven’s sunny and genial Second Symphony. 6.15pm Pre-concert conversation with James MacMillan. This is part of the James MacMillan Day, which also includes "MacMillan Lunchtime Concert":http://www.thsh.co.uk/view/macmillan-lunchtime-concert at 7.30pm at Town Hall.
*Britten Sinfonia* *James MacMillan* _conductor_ *Nicholas Daniel* _oboe_
*Shostakovich* Chamber Symphony 20’ *James MacMillan* Oboe Concerto (world premiere) c.20’ *Beethoven* Symphony No 2 34’