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Elgar’s Cello Concerto
Wed 5 Nov Symphony Hall
Composed during the blitz and premiered at the 1943 Proms, Vaughan Williams’ serene Fifth Symphony seems like a retreat from the real world to an imagined paradise. Elgar’s equally lyrical Cello Concerto, composed in 1919, also feels like a reaction against the horrors of wartime. Vernon Handley, such a tireless champion of English music, precedes these two masterpieces with a musical fairytale by Granville Bantock, who did so much for Birmingham’s musical life and was instrumental in the founding of the CBSO in 1920. 1.15pm Pre-concert talk - Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Baz Chapman - Programme Director of Sing Up - shares his enthusiasm for Vaughan Williams’ great wartime symphony.
Vernon Handley - conductor Anne Gastinel - cello City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Bantock: The Witch of Atlas 15’ Elgar: Cello Concerto 26’ Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 42’
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Centre Stage CBSO Players
Thu 6 Nov Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
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Celebrity Recital: John Williams
Thu 6 Nov Symphony Hall
One of today’s greatest guitarists, John Williams’s restless questing spirit has led him to work in virtually every genre, from classical to cross-over, jazz to rock, Bach to Beatles. A legend in his own lifetime, he has attracted admiration and controversy but never indifference. His recital at Symphony hall is keenly anticipated - book now. Tickets £5-£20
PROGRAMME: ANTONIO VIVALDI Concerto Op.3, No.9 DOMENICO SCARLATTI Two Sonatas ENRIQUE GRANADOS Valses Poeticos ISAAC ALBENIZ Torre Bermeja JOHN WILLIAMS Notes in the Margin INTERVAL AGUSTIN BARRIOS MANGORE La Catedral JOHN WILLIAMS Prelude to a Song/ Open End/ Song without Words/ Hello Francis ENNIO MORRICONE Cinema Paradiso (theme) STANLEY MYERS The Deer Hunter (Cavatina) JOHN T. WILLIAMS Schindler's List (theme) PETER SCULTHORPE Djilile TURLOUGH O'CAROLAN Carolan's Concerto and traditional Irish tunes
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The Temptations plus support
Fri 7 Nov Symphony Hall
Since the early 1960s The Temptations have thrilled crowds with the likes of Get Ready, Papa Was A Rollin Stone, I’m Gonna Make You Love Me, You’re My Everything, Just My Imagination, My Girl and Treat Her Like A Lady. Their enduring style of lead vocals and emotive harmonies combined with stylish choreography has earned them the crown of Emperors of Soul.
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The Salsa Ball in association with SalsaFever.com
Sat 8 Nov Town Hall
Go Latin in Birmingham at one of the finest music halls in the country. An evening of salsa grooves from the UK’s hottest salsa band. Award-winning Alex Wilson is at the helm of his renowned 12-piece Salsa Orchestra, a scintillating line-up of the best contemporary salsa rhythm, brass and vocal musicians, for the Midlands launch of his new album. Before the full salsa showdown, loosen up those Latino limbs in the hands of our host Rohan Brown and expert instructors from Salsafever.com, with free classes and salsa DJs from 8pm onwards. _‘Alex Wilson has been slaying ‘em with his authentic, exciting Afro-Cuban’_ *Mojo* _‘It’s tempting to wear a hat to his gigs just to be able to throw it up in the air!’_ *Guardian* £18.50 Dress to impress - black tie preferred but not essential.
Alex Wilson Salsa Orchestra
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Family Concert: Steps in Time
Sun 9 Nov Symphony Hall
Time travelling across the musical universe is the theme for today’s family concert! Our own real-life Doctor Who, in the form of popular presenter Alasdair Malloy, will keep the CBSO stepping in time with a selection of dances from across the ages. So forget about two left feet and get with the beat in an afternoon packed with numbers conjuring up twinkling toes for waltzes, courtly dances, marches and sambas, including music by Walton, Mozart, Arnold, Dvorák and Piazzolla. Why not come along dressed as your favourite kind of dancer? FREE CREATIVE WORKSHOPS AND MUSIC in the foyers from 1.30pm
David Danzmayr - conductor Alasdair Malloy - presenter City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
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Lunchtime Organ Concert - Peter Gould
Mon 10 Nov Town Hall
The Derby Cathedral Organist performs Jongen’s Cantabile, Dubois’ Fiat Lux, Fletcher’s Toccata and more. Admission from 12.30pm. Programme lasts approximately one hour.
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime
Programme ChangeWed 12 Nov Town Hall
Thomas Gould was chosen by the Evening Standard as a rising star of 2008. You'll have heard him at Town Hall as co-leader of the Britten Sinfonia, but today we have the chance to hear this outstanding young player in his own right, performing popular works by Schubert and Debussy and another in our series of Beethoven Violin Sonatas. This concert replaces the previously advertised Radio 3 Lunchtime concert by Alina Ibragimova and Cedric Tiberghien which has been rescheduled to 13 January 2009.
*Thomas Gould* Violin *John Reid* Piano *Beethoven* Sonata No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2 *Debussy* Violin Sonata *Schubert* Rondo Brillant in B minor *Schubert* Sonata in A minor, _Arpeggione_
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John Martyn plus support
Wed 12 Nov Town Hall
John Martyn will revisit his classic album, _Grace and Danger_, for a very special UK tour. He will also be showcasing new material as well as playing some of his best loved songs. This year legendary singer-songwriter John Martyn received the lifetime achievement award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Martyn was presented the award by his friend Phil Collins and in a special message, Eric Clapton described Martyn as: "So far ahead of everything, it's almost inconceivable." Martyn has romanced generation after generation for more than 40 years with his powerfully heartfelt song-writing, as relevant now as ever, thanks to the homage paid by a new movement of folk artists. Fuelled by his huge voice and staggering guitar playing, there is always a near-religious intensity to a John Martyn show. Don't miss this rare opportunity to see the Scottish song-writing genius. £24.50
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Romeo and Juliet
Thu 13 Nov Symphony Hall
Popular CBSO guest Andrew Litton returns with a colourful programme featuring two brilliant musical responses to Shakespeare: Walton’s score for Laurence Olivier’s 1944 film of Henry V, together with highlights from Prokofiev’s ever-popular ballet (currently featured as the music for the BBC series _The Apprentice_) premiered six years earlier. Barber’s gloriously lyrical Violin Concerto, composed between these two works, receives its first-ever CBSO performance, played by a dazzling American soloist.
Andrew Litton - conductor Anne Akiko Meyers - violin City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Walton: Henry V - Suite 15’ Barber: Violin Concerto 25’ Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet (highlights) 50’
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CBSO Romeo and Juliet
Thu 13 Nov Symphony Hall
*Walton* Henry V • Suite 15’ *Barber* Violin Concerto 25’ *Prokofiev* Romeo and Juliet (highlights) 50’ Popular CBSO guest Andrew Litton returns with a colourful programme featuring two brilliant musical responses to Shakespeare: Walton’s score for Laurence Olivier’s 1944 film of Henry V, together with highlights from Prokofiev’s ever-popular ballet. Barber’s gloriously lyrical violin concerto receives its first ever CBSO performance, played by a dazzling American soloist. £9.50, £13.50, £17, £20.50, £23.50, £28, £32, £37, £39.50
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra *Andrew Litton* Conductor *Anne Akiko Meyers* Violin
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Hayley Westenra with Special Guest
Thu 13 Nov Town Hall
The five years since the release of Hayley Westenra's debut international album _Pure_ have been a whirlwind. Along with her second album _Odyssey_ and her third, _Treasure_, she has achieved combined sales of well over three million albums around the world making her a household name in many countries and breaking many records along the way. Pure is still one of the fastestselling classical albums in the history of the UK charts and in December 2007 it was announced Hayley Westenra was the biggest selling Classical artist of the 21st Century to date. £27.50
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Free Piano Recital
Fri 14 Nov Symphony Hall
Ahead of this evening’s concert at 7.30pm the successful finalist in this year’s Symphony Hall-Birmingham Conservatoire Competition takes the stage to give her prize-winning recital. This annual prize is open to advanced music students of the Conservatoire and invariably produces top-quality performers. Tatiana’s programme will include music by Rachmaninov, Chopin and Brahms. Admission FREE
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Strauss's Four Last Songs
Fri 14 Nov Symphony Hall
Three great masterpieces: the autumnal sweetness of Strauss’s final songs, the gentle Idyll that Wagner presented to his wife on Christmas Day, and Beethoven’s _Eroica_ - a work that changed the course of Western music for ever. The Orchester der KlangVerwaltung Munich is made up of musicians from leading german orchestras including the Berlin and Munich Philharmonics. it was founded in 1997 with the aim of realising the unique musical vision of conductor Enoch zu Guttenberg, who has gained a cult following for radical performances of fierce integrity and depth. *BBC music magazine’s editor, Oliver Condy, explains why he has recommended tonight’s concert:* _"The Four Last Songs are Richard Strauss’s emotional farewell to the world. With Wagner’s exquisite Siegfried Idyll and Beethoven’s groundbreaking Third Symphony, this concert features three of the finest works to have emerged during the last 200 years.”_ "BBC Music Magazine":http://www.bbcmusicmagazine.com Tickets £5-£37.50
*Orchester der KlangVerwaltung Munich* *Enoch zu Guttenberg* conductor *Solveig Kringelborn* soprano
*Wagner* Siegfried Idyll 18’ *Strauss* Four Last Songs 20’ *Beethoven* Symphony no 3, Eroica 50’
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KOOP with special guests BBC Big Band In association with BBC Radio 2
CancelledFri 14 Nov Town Hall
This concert has been cancelled, please note that the BBC Big Band will now be performing with Jack Bruce on November 14. For more details "click here":http://www.thsh.co.uk/view/jack-bruce-meets-the-bbc-big-band
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Jack Bruce meets the BBC Big Band In association with BBC Radio 2
Fri 14 Nov Town Hall
A Town Hall and UK exclusive featuring legendary singer, bassist and composer Jack Bruce in concert with the BBC Big Band. This new collaboration features music from Jack’s solo career along with classics from the super group Cream; including Smiles & Grins, The Consul at Sunset, Spoonful, Deserted Cities of the Heart and Sunshine of Your Love.
*Jorg Achim Keller* Conductor and arranger
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Notelets - Hands On Notelets
Sat 15 Nov Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
An opportunity to join in and work with the CBSO's musicians in specially created one-hour workshops for pre-school children, designed to harness their creativity! Please note: all children must be accompanied. Ticket prices: £4 each/£13 group of 4 (children & accompanying adults)
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Notelets - Hands on Notelets
Sat 15 Nov Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
An opportunity to join in and work with the CBSO's musicians in specially created one-hour workshops for pre-school children, designed to harness their creativity! Please note: all children must be accompanied. Ticket prices: £4 each/£13 group of 4 (children & accompanying adults)
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Beethoven's Missa Solemnis
Sat 15 Nov Symphony Hall
There is no genuine choral possibility undeveloped in the Mass. Beethoven imagines everything humanly possible - and then adds more! Join us as we scale the majestic heights of Beethoven’s late, great dramatic Mass in a glorious musical tour de force bursting with exuberance and exhilaration. “Adrian Lucas draws fine responses from the Choir with impressive dynamic contrasts, refined inner tuning and impeccable blending of parts resulting in a greatly satisfying performance”. £10, £12.50, £16, £21.50, £26.50, £31.50, £35.50. Discounts available.
*City of Birmingham Choir* *Bristol Choral Society* *City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra* *Adrian Lucas* Conductor *Lee Bissett* Soprano *Hannah Pedley* Mezzo soprano *Ben Segal* Tenor *David Soar* Bass
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World's Greatest Drummer 2008
Sat 15 Nov Town Hall
On the 29th September 2007, Palmerlive held the sell-out concert 'The World's Greatest Drummer' to celebrate the music and the man who most agree was the world’s greatest drummer, Buddy Rich. Seven of the UK’s leading drummers performed together for the first time the music made famous by Buddy Rich with a live Big Band. ''A top quality band playing 'full-on' accompanying each drummer, and so many legendary figures on one stage, made my night. The finale was astounding." Kevin Thomas, audience member. The 2008 show is set to be another sell out and early booking is advised. Now with 'The World's Greatest Drummer Big Band', where only the best UK session musicians have been selected, you will experience a show that's full of passion with drumming at it's very best. Line up for 2008 is... Gary Husband (John McLaughlin, Level 42) Steve White (Paul Weller, Trio Valore) Karl Brazil (James Blunt, Natalie Imbruglia) Pete Cater (Pete Cater Big Band) Darrin Mooney (Primal Scream) Ian Palmer (Georgie Fame) To see pictures from last years sell-out show and read reviews go to "www.myspace.com/worldsgreatestdrummerlive":http://www.myspace.com/worldsgreatestdrummerlive To receive updates and exclusive e-letters from the drummers, please subscribe to the Palmerlive ebulletin at "www.palmerlive.co.uk":http://palmerlive.co.uk
*Unfortunately, Jon Brookes of The Charlatans is unable to perform in The World's Greatest Drummer. This is because he now has commitments with The Charlatans.* *We are pleased to announce that Darrin Mooney of Primal Scream will now be performing .*
