Resident Orchestra round up
Bank holidays. Two of them. We knew there was a reason why May was one of our favourite months.
Given the weather we’ve endured so far this year you might want to hold off on the full-scale plans to cavort around the city in the sunshine, and have some back up options for indoor entertainment. And that’s exactly where our Resident Orchestra round up comes in handy. Should you find yourself shut away from the elements we’ve plenty to keep you pleasantly occupied, including past performances by Chineke! Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta, an introduction to an increasingly rare instrument, and, to begin, a recap of a recent residency.
Soumik Datta: Artist in Residence
from the Philharmonia Orchestra
For the past year the renowned sarod player and composer, Soumik Datta, has been in situ as the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Artist in Residence. This short film from the orchestra looks back at that past year as Datta reflects on his experiences working with the musicians of the Philharmonia. Datta’s residency culminates in a performance of his new score Borderlands, with players from the Philharmonia, here in our Queen Elizabeth Hall on Saturday 11 May.
Book now for Somik Datta: Borderlands
Romeo and Juliet and TikTok
from the London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conveying the joys of classical music to young audiences who’ve perhaps never experienced it before is an ongoing challenge for all our Resident Orchestras, with a number of them turning to social media site TikTok to bridge the gap. For the non-social media savvy, this isn’t a website dedicated to metronomes, but one on which users can post short videos for their followers to enjoy. The London Philharmonic Orchestra have been using their TikTok channel to take followers behind the scenes – of both orchestra life and the music they perform – and, as in the example above, to highlight classical works that audiences may already be familiar with. In this case, it’s not just the theme for The Apprentice, it’s also Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev.
Follow the Southbank Centre on TikTok
Introducing the Serpent
from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Did you know there exists a brass instrument that not only has no valves nor slides, but also isn’t made of brass at all, but wood wrapped in leather? Well you do now, as that instrument is the serpent and the job of playing it for the Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment falls to their tuba player Andrew Kershaw. In this video Kershaw gives an insight to the instrument, a distant relative of the tuba, which was written for by composers including Wagner, Mendelssohn and Berlioz.
Sound Out 2024
from the London Sinfonietta
On Wednesday 27 March, 2,000 young people from schools across London descended on our Royal Festival Hall for the London Sinfonietta’s annual schools concert. The first part of the concert offered the young people a tour of contemporary music courtesy of conductor Patrick Bailey and musicians of the London Sinfonietta. The second part saw the performance of world premieres of works by three young composers; including Electra Perivolas and James B Wilson. All of which you can happily enjoy in this video.
Joan Armatrading's First Symphony
from Chineke! Orchestra
In late November last year Chineke! Orchestra gave the world premiere performance of Joan Armatrading’s First Symphony here in our Queen Eizabeth Hall. If you were unfortunate enough to miss that performance there’s good news as you can now enjoy a recording of the concert, which also included a performance of Tchaikovsky;s expansive Fifth, online for free courtesy of ABC Listen.
Listen to Chineke! perform Armatrading
Aurora Under-30s
from Aurora Orchestra
We’re well aware that many of you are feeling the pinch at the moment, so here’s a timely reminder from Aurora Orchestra of their offer for younger classical music fans. If you’re 29 or under, being part of Aurora Under-30s is a great way to get discounted tickets to the orchestra’s concerts, as well as exclusive emails and content offering you more insight into their work and performances.
Find out more about Aurora Under-30s
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