bristol international classical season - Colston Hall · I am delighted to introduce the Bristol...

bristolinternational

classicalseasonoct 2015 – jun 2016

www.colstonhall.org0844 887 1500

2 box office 0844 887 1500 www.colstonhall.org

bournemouth symphony orchestra the orchestra at colston hall

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra returns to Colston Hall this season, once again delivering the backbone of our sensational series of concerts.

With a history in Bristol stretching back to the 1950s, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has rightly become ‘the Orchestra at Colston Hall’ – performing some of the most compelling and adventurous concerts in our International Season.

As we head towards our 150th anniversary in 2017, it’s worth reflecting on a relationship which has lasted more than 50 years. Indeed, the BSO was one of a number of orchestras that helped us celebrate our centenary way back in 1967. It was under the baton of Constantin Silvestri on Wednesday 20 September that the Orchestra gave ‘The Hundredth Birthday Concert’ with piano soloist John Ogdon; broadcast live on the BBC Home Service.

It’s with another 150th anniversary that the BSO will doubtless shine this season as they celebrate Sibelius’ milestone birthday in December. We are also particularly excited to see the Bristol premiere of a major new choral work by James MacMillan, co-commissioned by the BSO. Bringing together a special choir of young people from Bristol, Bournemouth and Poole, this is sure to be a landmark event.

With Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits conducting the majority of concerts, the BSO will be continuing its long tradition of stirring and spectacular performances as the Orchestra at Colston Hall.

“Coming to Bristol is always exciting for the Orchestra; we share a special experience with audiences here”Kirill Karabits, Principal Conductor

box office 0844 887 1500 www.colstonhall.org 3

welcome to the bristol international classical season 2015/16

Louise Mitchell Chief Executive, Bristol Music Trust

I am delighted to introduce the Bristol International Classical Season 2015/16. It is a programme that is packed with delights, from much-loved mainstays of the classical repertoire, to brand new music premiered only in 2015.

Extraordinary music is the beating heart of our season, but it only comes alive when the outstanding soloists, conductors and orchestras breathe life into it. These eminent ensembles will be travelling to Bristol in order to take us out of the concert hall to all sorts of destinations: you could find yourself in the midst of Russia’s first revolution courtesy of Shostakovich and the BSO, or blasting into outer space with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Witness a Scandinavian spring with the Oslo Philharmonic or glimpse the souls of the great composers. It’s all possible this classical season.

As well as featuring some debut appearances, we also welcome back some Bristol favourites. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra at Colston Hall, and their Music Director Kirill Karabits continue to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with. Philharmonia Orchestra also returns, and this year it brings BBC’s Planet Earth, complete with stunning visuals projected onto the big screen.

If you’re finding you’re spoilt for choice, Bristol resident and editor of BBC Music Magazine Oliver Condy picks out his highlights on p. 4. Don’t forget that aside from ‘the big 12’, there are talks, chamber and lunchtime concerts taking place throughout the season. And why not join the conversation online on Facebook and Twitter? We’ll post links to additional content before each concert so you can really get inside the music. See p. 32 for details.

As ever, I hope to welcome you to the Hall soon. Enjoy this superb season!

“Extraordinary music is the beating heart of our season” Louise Mitchell


dresden philharmonicfri 2 oct 2015, 7.30pm (p. 7) When Sol Gabetta played Elgar’s Cello Concerto at Colston Hall a few years ago, she gave a wonderfully personal account of this masterpiece – so it’s great to welcome her back. Gabetta joins forces with the Dresden Philharmonic and conductor Michael Sanderling, who take centre stage for Beethoven’s mighty Symphony No. 3.

orchestre révolutionnaire et romantiquefri 15 jan 2016, 7.30pm (p. 13) Sir John Eliot Gardiner has a reputation for authentic, thrilling performances of 17th and 18th century music, so to hear him conduct his Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique in Mozart’s incredible final three symphonies will be a privilege. This concert will be the start of an artistic partnership between Colston Hall and Sir John Eliot – an exciting time for Bristol.

bournemouth symphony orchestrathu 5 may 2016, 7.30pm (p. 21)

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra returns to Colston Hall on 5 May joined by the exceptional violinist Vilde Frang. We described her recent recording of Mozart Concertos as “compelling listening throughout” in BBC Music Magazine earlier this year, awarding her superfluous performance top marks all round. With Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra she’ll be taking on Brahms’ formidable Violin Concerto.

oslo philharmonicfri 11 mar 2016, 7.30pm (p. 19)

Having loved every one of Vasily Petrenko’s recent recordings, I can’t wait to hear him conduct in person. And in the hands of the brilliant Henning Kraggerud, Sibelius’ hauntingly atmospheric Violin Concerto should be something special too.

Oliver Condy’s picks of the season

Editor of BBC Music Magazine, organist and Bristol resident Oliver Condy casts his expert eye across our season and presents his pick of what’s not to be missed.

get yourseason started


inside the music pre-concert talks the lantern, 6.25pm. free with a concert ticket Get inside the music with music educator Jonathan James, who introduces each International Classical Season concert and interviews members of the orchestra. As a conductor and trained teacher, Jonathan brings a breadth of expertise and a deep enthusiasm to exploring the works being performed. Enhance your experience: We’ll be producing bite-sized videos going inside the music of our season concerts. Look out for these on our website and in the Classical EYE e-newsletter, see p. 32 for more information.

chamber concertswith Stephen Johnson and English Piano Trio the lantern, 7.30pm

Look out for the chamber concerts accompanying selected performances. Highly regarded music lecturer and BBC Radio 3 host Stephen Johnson will give an illuminating talk followed by a performance by the English Piano Trio of works that complement and enhance the main concert programme. Free tickets are available for 8 – 25 year olds with CAVATINA, see p. 33.

enhance your experience

booking opensSubscribers: mon 27 apr 2015 General booking: fri 12 jun 2015 See p. 35 for more information

saver seats for just £10 Experience world class orchestral music for just £10 by booking a saver seat. You will be allocated the best available remaining seat in the auditorium on the night of the performance - it’s the perfect way to try out a live classical concert for the first time or for a low cost evening out. There is limited availability and customers can purchase two tickets per transaction. This offer is not available in conjunction with other offers or subscriptions. For more information, please contact box office or see our website.

international classical season 2015 -16



A dazzling young cellist, a symphony that tramples on tyranny and Wagner aglow with national pride – passions ride high as the curtain goes up on our new season

What more invigorating way to open a season than with the work whose scale and ambition supersized the symphonic goalposts at its first hearing in 1804? Originally composed to salute Napoleon, Beethoven furiously scratched out his dedication for Eroica when the French General crowned himself Emperor. The piece instead acerbically enshrines “the memory of a great man”. Similarly written at a time overshadowed by European conflict, in the aftermath of World War I, Elgar described his Cello Concerto as “a man’s attitude to life”, multi-shaded in character, and prefaced tonight by a burst of resplendent Wagner.

Conductor Michael Sanderling has headed Dresden’s venerable 145 year old Philharmonic since 2011. For the iconic Elgar they’re joined by multi-award-winning Argentine cellist Sol Gabetta who played the work at her Berlin Philharmonic debut with Simon Rattle, and boasts “intensity and lightness of touch in near-miraculous balance” according to Glasgow’s Herald.

Tickets: Book for 3 or more concerts and save up to 30% (see p. 35) A £36 B £30 C £24 D £18 students £8.50, under 18s £1 incl. bf Saver seats £10 incl. bf (see p. 5)

Conductor Michael Sanderling Cello Sol Gabetta

Wagner Die Meistersinger Overture Elgar Cello Concerto Beethoven Symphony No.3 Eroica

dresden philharmonicbeethoven and bonapartefri 2 oct 2015, 7.30pm

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Tickets £13 or £9 incl. bf when bought with a ticket to Dresden Philharmonic Free for 8 – 25 year olds with CAVATINA, see p. 33

Stephen Johnson Insight Elgar Piano Quintet Op.84 with Zsuzsa Berenyi (violin) and Morgan Goff (viola)

A close contemporary of the Cello Concerto Sol Gabetta plays at the launch of our season, the haunting and haunted Piano Quintet reflects Elgar’s experience of the emotional collateral damage of World War I. “It’s strange music”, he confided to the critic Ernest Newman, “and I like it – but it’s ghostly stuff”.

mon 28 sep 2015, 7.30pm

the lantern



From political drama to real-life revolution, James Gaffigan and the BSO man the barricades for an evening rich in zeal and idealism

Defiance stalks the BSO’s first concert of the season as the young Prokofiev’s compact concerto is flanked by two powerful examples of musical agitprop. A Goethe-inspired complement to the Eroica Symphony heard earlier in the month, Beethoven’s gritty Overture in praise of selfless heroism later became associated with the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. Following on, Shostakovich’s blockbuster of a symphony commemorates the 1905 Russian Revolution in music despatched with almost newsreel immediacy; spanning glacial numbness to searing fervour.

American conductor James Gaffigan is an old friend of the BSO who “not only shows you how a piece should sound, but what it means” (Toronto Globe and Mail) and he’s joined by Horowitz Competition winner Alexander Gavrylyuk, described by Gramophone as “a pianist to strike awe and envy into all possible rivals”. Beating off the LSO and Berlin Philharmonic to be voted the ‘World’s Favourite Orchestra’ in Bachtrack’s 2014 poll, the BSO starts the new season with a spring in its step.


Conductor James Gaffigan Piano Alexander Gavrylyuk

Beethoven Egmont Overture Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.1 Shostakovich Symphony No.11 The Year 1905

bournemouth symphony orchestrathe orchestra at colston hall1905thu 29 oct 2015, 7.30pm


Prokofiev and Shostakovich look on as Kirill Karabits makes his season debut alongside an eminent cellist and a vivacious symphony that took Georgian London by storm

“This wonderful man never fails” declared The Morning Chronicle after Haydn’s benefit performance of his tribute to the city that had taken him to its heart – a symphony bristling with wit and elegance; it’s one of the peaks of the classical era. Paving the way is the wry neo-classicism of the student Prokofiev’s delightful Sinfonietta and Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No.1 – a piece with its composer’s name literally written all over it, his initials spelled out in the opening notes.

Karabits and the BSO have been attracting 5-star reviews for their ongoing Prokofiev symphony cycle on the Onyx label and turn their “persuasive command of the idiom” (The Telegraph) on the engaging early symphony-in-miniature. There’s nothing miniature though about Steven Isserlis’ profound rapport with Russian music. Arguably one of the top five cellists in the world today, when Isserlis plays “the temperature rises palpably” observes Sinfini Music.


Conductor Kirill Karabits Cello Steven Isserlis

Prokofiev Sinfonietta Shostakovich Cello Concerto No.1 Haydn Symphony No.104 London

bournemouth symphony orchestrathe orchestra at colston halllondon callingthu 12 nov 2015, 7.30pm


Kirill Karabits rounds off 2015 with promises of magic and mythology in this Scandinavian musical smorgasbord

Fresh from last month’s Anglo-Russian entente cordiale, Kirill Karabits and the BSO turn their attention to Scandinavia. Ahead of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death next April, they open with a suite from Sibelius’ compelling incidental music to The Tempest. It leads to a near contemporary, the brooding tone poem Tapiola, suffused with the spirit of Finland’s pine forests, and completing the late Sibelian triptych is the magnificent 7th Symphony. In between, Grieg’s evergreen concerto lends Norwegian nuance.

Pianist Juho Pohjonen is a young Finn fast blazing an impressive trail – equally at home in Beethoven with Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Philharmonia or performing Messiaen’s glittering Des Canyons aux Etoiles at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Andras Schiff was so impressed with his playing he awarded him the prestigious Klavier Festival Ruhr Scholarship. As a performer “of keen intellect and passionate reserve” (San Jose Mercury News), he brings a little Nordic know-how to Grieg’s timeless favourite.


Conductor Kirill Karabits Piano Juho Pohjonen

Sibelius Suite from The Tempest Grieg Piano Concerto Sibelius Tapiola Sibelius Symphony No.7

bournemouth symphony orchestrathe orchestra at colston hall stormy sibeliusthu 10 dec 2015, 7.30pm


Three masterworks conducted by a maestro magician who never fails to cast a spell. Concluding with the Jupiter Symphony, this Mozart trilogy is out of this world

“Mozart is happiness before it has gotten defined” said American dramatist Arthur Miller. And while the jovial Symphony No. 39 might tend to agree, the two that quickly followed over the summer of 1788 would tell a different story. From the anguished turmoil and protean energy of the G minor No. 40 to the Olympian grandeur and concluding contrapuntal fireworks of the Jupiter, Mozart’s symphonic trilogy distils the essence of what it is to be human.

To perform them is a period instrument orchestra whose playing is every bit as sophisticated and formidable as its name. For a quarter of a century the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique has been turning heads under its inspirational founder Sir John Eliot Gardiner. There’s a visceral immediacy to everything they do, encapsulated by “exuberant physicality… relentless intelligence and audacity” (The Guardian). Hold on tight. Nothing is ever routine with Eliot Gardiner at the helm.


Conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner

Mozart Symphony No.39 Mozart Symphony No.40 Mozart Symphony No.41 Jupiter

orchestre révolutionnaire et romantiquethe majesty of mozart conducted by sir john eliot gardinerfri 15 jan 2016, 7.30pm

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Tickets £13 or £9 incl. bf when bought with a ticket to Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique Free for 8 – 25 year olds with CAVATINA, see p. 33

Stephen Johnson Insight Mozart Piano Trio in G K.564 Mozart Piano Trio in E K.542

With Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s voyage through the last three symphonies in mind, the English Piano Trio resumes last year’s survey of Mozart’s always engaging piano trios. Like the symphonies themselves, the scintillating G major K.564 and K.542 in E (one of Mozart’s favourites) were composed over that productive summer of 1788.

wed 13 jan 2016, 7.30pm

the lantern

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A cosmic collision of spectacular visuals and live orchestral music paint an awe-inspiring portrait of our Planet Earth

From the towering peaks of Nepal to the lush green of the Amazon, from the dry-sculpted crescents of the Sahara to the glistening polar ice caps, our planet is truly spectacular.

Captured like never before in the world’s most successful natural history television series, the BBC’s landmark documentary Planet Earth tells an astonishing story; following the journey of the sun across continents to visit different habitats and oceans and delve into the private lives of animals.

Emmy award-winning British composer George Fenton scored the series and tonight conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra and special guest soloist Haley Glennie-Smith in a stunning performance that combines emotional and evocative live orchestral music with awe-inspiring reworked HD footage from the BBC series.


Conductor/Composer George Fenton Soprano Haley Glennie-Smith

philharmonia orchestraplanet earth in concertfri 29 jan 2016, 7.30pm

The BBC and BBC Earth are trademarks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence. BBC logo © BBC 1996. Photo © Robert Caputo, Aurora Photos


Elgar’s perennial puzzler and the Overture it momentarily plunders are entwined in an evening given ‘Mass’ appeal by James MacMillan’s new choral work

Premiered on the cusp of the 20th century and dedicated “to my friends pictured within”, Elgar’s Enigma Variations was the making of him. And not just in Europe. Gustav Mahler introduced New Yorkers to its thumbnail sketches writ large and the riddle of its theme remains unsolved to this day. Kirill Karabits cunningly prefaces it with Mendelssohn’s seascape, which is subtly alluded to in Variation XIII’s tender yet troubled Romanza. And first up is something hot off the press: James MacMillan’s abridged Mass for children’s voices and orchestra, co-commissioned by the BSO and premiered in Liverpool in 2015.

For tonight’s performance of the Little Mass, the BSO assembles The MacMillan Choir – a specially formed choir of young people from Bristol, Bournemouth and Poole developed in partnership with Bournemouth Symphony Youth Chorus, Bristol Plays Music and Soundstorm Music Education Hubs. After conducting 2013’s uplifting Friday Afternoons Project for the Britten centenary, which featured nearly 2,000 Bristol schoolchildren, Kirill is a dab hand!

James MacMillan’s Little Mass: commissioned by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society for their 175th Anniversary and Royal Scottish National Orchestra.


Conductor Kirill Karabits

James MacMillan Little Mass Mendelssohn Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Elgar Enigma Variations

bournemouth symphony orchestrathe orchestra at colston hallgreat britonsthu 11 feb 2016, 7.30pm

Image courtesy of The Elgar Birthplace Museum


The Oslo Philharmonic goes back to its roots for its Hall debut with lyrical Grieg, virtuosic Sibelius and amorous Mahler, under dynamic Music Director Vasily Petrenko

Jean Sibelius only composed one concerto, but it’s a corker! A great smouldering Leviathan of a piece crowned by a finale musicologist Donald Tovey famously likened to a ‘polonaise for polar bears’. Norway’s pre-eminent orchestra brings a gift from home in the shape of Grieg’s charming Lyric Suite, and Mahler makes a declaration of love in his emotional 5th Symphony, through the exquisite and enduringly popular Adagietto.

With links back to Grieg, and a golden era ushered in by Mariss Jansons, André Previn and Jukka-Pekka Saraste, the Oslo Philharmonic maintains its enviable pedigree under Vasily Petrenko. To keep Sibelius’ Polar bears on their toes, Oslo native and Sibelius Prize winner Henning Kraggerud revisits a concerto his recording of which Gramophone hails as “Masterly…warm and powerful”.


Conductor Vasily Petrenko Violin Henning Kraggerud

Grieg Excerpts from Lyric Suite: Gangar, Notturno, Trolltog Sibelius Violin Concerto Mahler Symphony No.5

oslo philharmonica scandinavian springfri 11 mar 2016, 7.30pm

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Tickets: £13 or £9 incl. bf when bought with a ticket to Oslo Philharmonic Free for 8 – 25 year olds with CAVATINA, see p. 33

Stephen Johnson Insight Grieg Andante con moto in C minor for piano trio Grieg Cello Sonata in A minor Op.36 Mahler Piano Quartet Movement in A minor with Zsuzsa Berenyi (viola)

Pressed to come up with a sequel to his Piano Concerto, Grieg protested that “Pegasus wouldn’t budge”. When Pegasus finally obliged, the result was a cello sonata, like the concerto, laced with enlivening folk idioms. Also in A minor, the key of his fate-obsessed 6th Symphony, adolescent angst fuels the student Mahler’s soulful piano quartet movement.

tue 8 mar 2016, 7.30pm

the lantern


A symphony issuing a thrilling wake up call to modernism meets a violinist oozing “musical maturity coupled with youthful effortlessness”: the BSO takes its season’s leave with panache to spare

Buffeted by distant fanfares; eerily lit by string harmonics, an elemental unison ‘A’ sounds across the orchestra. Nature stirs. More than a century after its first performance, Mahler’s symphonic debut still packs a startlingly contemporary punch, charting a bold journey whose endgame is the Paradise attained by the Titan of the work’s subtitle. For his last programme of the season Kirill Karabits pairs it with a Titan of very different stamp: Brahms’ colossus of a concerto composed just six years before Mahler started work on his symphony.

The rise and rise of Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang has been something to behold. She’s that rare thing, a star without the affectations of stardom – or as one newspaper put it: “she’s not trying to be a snake charmer, nor is she going for gold – Vilde Frang is only herself – unique, effortless and natural” (Neue Zurcher Zeitung). With Kirill Karabits’ trademark “freshness and buoyancy” (The Guardian), Brahms’ hot-blooded concerto is in persuasive hands.

Tickets Book for 3 or more concerts and save up to 30% (see p. 35) A £36 B £30 C £24 D £18 students £8.50, under 18s £1 incl. bf Saver seats £10 incl. bf (see p. 5)

Conductor Kirill Karabits Violin Vilde Frang

Brahms Violin Concerto Mahler Symphony No.1 Titan

bournemouth symphony orchestrathe orchestra at colston halltitansthu 5 may 2016, 7.30pm

Quote at the top of the page from Kronen Zeitung


Rachmaninov and Prokofiev beam in the hands of their compatriots; Pavel Kogan’s magnificent Muscovites are in their element

A distinguished Russian orchestra. A virile Russian programme. The combination is irresistible as the Moscow State Symphony returns with a delectable double helping of Rachmaninov. Exiled from his homeland, and prey to the changing tastes in musical fashion, he remarked “I feel like a ghost wandering in a world grown alien”. There’s nothing remotely alien however about the impish humour and inventiveness of the Paganini Variations, and saturated with supple lyricism, the expansive 2nd Symphony was a triumph from the start. Perky Prokofiev – the music of an exile returned – sets the scene.

“Vibrant, soulful and involving” was Gramophone’s verdict on the Moscow State Symphony’s Rachmaninov cycle under Music Director Pavel Kogan, and having premiered works by Prokofiev, the Russian Overture is wired into its DNA. John Lill’s affinity with the Russian repertoire remains undimmed: a pianist “driven by trenchant intellect and unflinching authority” proclaims The Herald.


Conductor Pavel Kogan Piano John Lill

Prokofiev Russian Overture Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2

moscow state symphony orchestrarussian rhapsodywed 11 may 2016, 7.30pm

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Tickets: £13 or £9 incl. bf when bought with a ticket to Moscow State Symphony Orchestra Free for 8 – 25 year olds with CAVATINA, see p. 33

Stephen Johnson Insight Rachmaninov Trio élégiaque in D minor Op.9

Rachmaninov composed a single movement Trio élégiaque in 1892 with more than a passing glance to Tchaikovsky’s great A minor Trio mourning Nikolai Rubinstein. The following year he wrote tonight’s élégiaque in D minor, this time to honour the memory of Tchaikovsky in an impassioned work shot through with tenderness, regret, and a king-sized piano part for Rachmaninov himself.

tue 3 may 2016, 7.30pm

the lantern


bbc national orchestra of walesromantic reverieswed 1 jun 2016, 7.30pm


A repertoire of romantic music, charmed to life by the supple playing of BBC NOW makes for a stirring concert whose atmosphere will be bottled and broadcast by BBC Radio 3

There’ll be a hearty welcome in BS1 as the BBC National Orchestra of Wales returns to the Hall after last season’s exhilarating contribution to the BBC’s weeklong Brahms Experience in Bristol.

Whether coupling Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony with an exuberant orchestral celebration by Composer-in-Residence B Tommy Andersson, or supplying the soundtrack to Doctor Who, BBC NOW is nothing if not versatile. Proms regulars, and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World mainstays, Wales’ flagship orchestra performs a programme of 19th century romantic music which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

A full programme and details of the broadcast will be announced prior to the concert, which is certainly in capable hands – as Bachtrack said of the orchestra last year: “the BBC NOW could bend to whatever the music demanded of them, whether that was jollity, tragedy or tranquillity.”

Promoted by St George’s Bristol in conjunction with Bristol Music Trust.


It’s a case of ‘Holst’s heavenly bodies but not as we know them Jim’ when Robert Ziegler, the RPO, and NASA’s breathtaking film converge on a landmark centenary

Bar a little orchestration it’s exactly 100 years since Holst completed The Planets, and we have lift-off for a celebration like no other. From menacing Mars to ethereal Neptune, Holst’s extra-terrestrial score is docked with Duncan Copp’s stunning HD film, which will be shown on the big screen as the orchestra perform the milestone suite. And by way of introduction there are interviews with NASA scientists who set the stage for what the audience are about to witness. Beforehand, conductor Robert Ziegler starts the countdown with a whistle-stop intergalactic tour of Sci-Fi musical classics.

Moreover, film and Robert Ziegler go hand in hand. He’s conducted the soundtracks to The Hobbit and Sense and Sensibility among others, regularly directs concerts of film music, and is a serial accompanist of silent movies. Who better then to pilot the RPO in its 70th birthday year as Holst and Houston shake hands?

Tickets: Book for 3 or more concerts and save up to 30% (see p. 35) A £42 B £36 C £30 D £24 students £8.50, under 18s £1 incl. bf Saver seats: £10 incl. bf (see p.5)

R. Strauss Sunrise from Also Sprach Zarathustra J. Strauss On the Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor, orch. Stokowski Beethoven Symphony No. 7 Allegretto John Williams Star Wars Main Title Holst The Planets

Conductor Robert Ziegler

royal philharmonic orchestrathe planets – an HD odysseysat 11 jun 2016, 7.30pm

more great concerts


bristol choral society with british sinfoniettaverdi – requiem

sat 17 oct 2015, 7.30pm

Conductor Adrian Partington Soprano Clare Rutter Mezzo-soprano Maria Jagusz Tenor Gerard Schneider Bass Baritone TBC Like Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts or the Britten War Requiem, Verdi’s tribute to Alessandro Manzoni is a Requiem writ large and from the heart. Headed by a distinguished line-up of soloists Bristol Choral Society usher in a new season with a work whose graphic depiction of the Day of Wrath will set Colston Hall trembling. Viva Verdi!

Tickets £26.88, £21.50, £16.13, £10.75, under 25s £5.38 incl. bf, OAPs 10% discount

john wilson and the john wilson orchestragershwin in hollywood

sun 15 nov 2015, 7pm

Join John Wilson and The John Wilson Orchestra plus special guests in this sensational new live show celebrating the genius of George Gershwin. Featuring some of his greatest hits such as I Got Rhythm, The Man I Love, Somebody Loves Me, Fascinatin’ Rhythm and Strike Up The Band – all in their sumptuous original film orchestrations. “There are few conductors who receive rapturous applause before they have even lifted their baton for the first beat … John Wilson is one of them,” says the New Statesman.

Tickets £48.38, £43, £37.63, £28.49 incl. bf

uwe orchestra with uwe singers + guest ensemblesteatime feast of music

sun 6 dec 2015, 4.30pm

The University of the West of England presents the UWE Orchestra, UWE Singers and a myriad of smaller ensembles in an afternoon of music celebrating Bristol as European Green Capital 2015; showcasing the wonderful musical talents of its students, staff and friends. The main orchestral and choral concert at 4.30pm will feature a number of large-scale works themed around issues arising from Bristol’s European Green Capital status, including the world premiere of several newly-commissioned works by composers that reflect upon Green issues. Free performances of jazz and classical music as well as a pre-concert talk take place before the main concert.

Tickets £16.13, £10.75, £13.98 conc., £8.60 conc., accompanied school-age children £1.08 incl. bf


bristol choral society with bristol ensemblemini-messiah family concert

sat 19 dec 2015, 4.30pm

Conductor Adrian Partington Weighing in at under an hour, Bristol Choral Society’s family-friendly selection box of highlights ensures that the Handel habit starts young!

Tickets £7.53 incl bf, accompanied under 18s free

handel’s messiah

sat 19 dec 2015, 7.30pm

Conductor Adrian Partington Christmas is coming and it’s time to jettison the scores as Bristol Choral Society once more performs Handel’s most cherished oratorio from memory. Heading up the festive foursome of soloists is Mark Padmore, a peerless Handelian, and Society President.


bournemouth symphony orchestranew year viennese gala

wed 30 dec 2015, 7.30pm

Conductor Aleksandar Markovic See in the New Year in style with the BSO’s traditional celebration of Johann Strauss, the King of Waltz. Don’t miss your chance to hear his waltzes, marches and polkas as they should be heard, played by a full symphony orchestra. Following on from his hugely successful debut at the BSO with the New Year Gala in 2013, the Orchestra is delighted to welcome back charming Viennese conductor Aleksandar Markovic for what is sure to be a festive evening looking towards the excitement of the New Year.

Tickets A £30, B £25, C £20, D £15, students £8.50, under 18s £1 incl. bf

the orchestra pittsscratch orchestra and chorus

sun 31 jan 2016, 4pm

This massive event is now in its seventh year, as an orchestra of nearly 300 amateur players join with a chorus of a similar number for one day only. They rehearse during the day from 9.30am and then put on a free concert at 4pm. Donations are encouraged for Cancer Research UK, and the last concert raised over £10,000. The sound simply has to be heard: 60 violins, 26 cellos, 52 flutes, 46 clarinets, 16 trumpets, 20 saxophones, 8 percussionists and a chorus of 300. A magical experience. For more information on how to participate please visit www.theorchestrapitts.wix.com/theorchestrapitts or email [email protected]

Tickets Free for audience. To participate, please visit the Orchestra Pitts website

more great concerts


bristol choral society with music for awhilebach – st matthew passion

sat 12 mar 2016, 6pm

Conductor Adrian Partington Evangelist Rufus Muller Jesus Adrian Powter Soprano Nicola Wydenbach Alto James Neville Tenor Robin Bailey Bass Baritone Dominic Sedgwick The pre-eminent Bach Evangelist Rufus Muller (“superb in his animated lyricism” - the Independent on Sunday), and the period instruments of Music for Awhile lend added authority as Bristol Choral Society scale the Everest of Bach’s Great Passion; a work fusing ‘then’ and ‘now’ with searing immediacy.


bournemouth symphony orchestraheroes & aliens: epic galactic soundtracks

thu 17 mar 2016, 7.30pm

Conductor Pete Harrison Join the BSO and boldly go where no orchestra has gone before in another blockbuster concert featuring music from some of the most iconic and successful space movies of all time, including Apollo 13, Star Wars, Star Trek, ET, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Avatar and War of the Worlds... plus many more.

Tickets A £30, B £25, C £20, D £15, students £8.50, under 18s £1 incl. bf

national children’s orchestras of great britain

sat 9 apr 2016, 7pm

Join NCO’s Main Orchestra as they present a stunning programme of classical favourites at an exceptional standard. Experience the excitement and hear the nation’s most talented young musicians perform their first concert of 2016. You are guaranteed to be captivated by the passion, precision and professionalism of these young musicians, and kept on the edge of your seat with an equally thrilling programme. “A magnificent concert” Classic FM

Tickets £23.65, £19.35, £15.05, £10.75, children £5.38 incl. bf. Concessions and family tickets available. Tickets go on sale in January 2016


bristol ensemblea night at the musicals

sun 24 apr 2016, 4pm

Join the Bristol Ensemble and the Westenders, top performers from London’s West End, for a show of the best of the musicals. The Westenders features six exceptional performers who between them have appeared in over twenty of the most popular and prestigious West End shows of the last decade - including Beauty & the Beast, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Aspects Of Love, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oliver!, Crazy For You and many more. Under the musical direction of Jae Alexander, the Westenders give a semi-staged concert performance, featuring favourite songs from the magical shows of the West End.

Tickets £29.56, £23.11, £17.74, under 18s £2.15 incl. bf

bristol ensemblemozart 260 celebration

thu 19 may 2016, 7.30pm

Conductor David Ogden Violin/Director Gilles Apap Mozart Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Mozart Violin Concerto No.3 in G Mozart Requiem Bristol Ensemble is joined by the extraordinarily talented violinist Gilles Apap and two of Bristol’s leading choirs for this celebration of the music of Mozart. In his first performance in the UK with an orchestra, Gilles Apap performs Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.3. Hailed as a true violinist of the 21st century by Yehudi Menuhin, Gilles Apap has become widely known for his remarkable ability. Also joining the Ensemble are singers from the City of Bristol Choir, Exultate Singers and Bristol Youth Choir under the baton of conductor David Ogden.

Tickets: £26.88, £21.50, £16.13, £10.75, under 26s £8.60, under 18s £1.08 incl. bf

bristol ensemblethe virtuoso piano

thu 23 jun 2016, 7.30pm

Piano/Director Andrei Gavrilov Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.1 Ravel Concerto for Left Hand Andrei Gavrilov’s unique and unforgettable performance with the Bristol Ensemble in 2014 brought Colston Hall to its feet in what one audience member described as ‘an explosion of delight’. Expect a similarly gripping, intense, energetic, passionate rollercoaster ride from this virtuosic Russian soloist when he returns to perform three demanding concertos in one evening – Rachmaninov’s Second, Prokofiev’s First and Ravel’s Concerto for Left Hand. Fireworks, exhilaration and passion guaranteed.

Tickets £26.88, £21.50, £16.13, £10.75, under 26s £8.60, under 18s £1.08 incl. bf


learning to play

Enhance Your Experience Look out for the Classical EYE e-newsletter – taking a closer look at the Classical Season. Get latest news, exclusive interviews with conductors and soloists, get Inside The Music with music educator Jonathan James and more. Plus Visit our website to access digital extras including expanded concert programme notes, concert photography and videos. Find out more at: www.colstonhall.org/classical-season-15-16 Feeling Social? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Our Twitter feed has been buzzing with Classical music fans enjoying the thrills of our 2014-15 season

@Mizz_Moneypenny: Just arrived @Colston_Hall to see the amazing @MilosGuitar with @BrusselsPhil & @OliverCondy this eve #veryexcited

@PierreCullen5: Wonderful concert on Thursday night at @Colston_Hall with the National Arts Orchestra of Canada & the great Pinchas Zukerman!

@DrBeccaWilson: A great Sat night with Sir Mark Elder & @the_halle @Colston_Hall - live music always has such emotion and passion!

Bristol Plays Music (BPM) is the music education hub for Bristol, run by Bristol Music Trust. We have a vision that all young people will be able to play the music that they love, no matter what their background, experience or level of skill.

We believe in giving the best possible start to children and young people who are exploring their musical talents. We aim to offer the right kind of support, whether through high quality tuition in school or through one of our exciting workshops or groups.

We run orchestras, creative workshops and ensembles for all ages and levels to get young people playing the music they love. No matter what age or level of skill, young people can be creating and performing in no time.

If you would like more information on how to get playing please email [email protected] or call 0117 204 7140.

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@Colston_Hall

instagram.com/colstonhall

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join the conversation


lunchtime concerts

Colston Hall has joined forces with the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) and the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) to present a special series of bite-sized afternoon performances from the rising stars of the classical world. Visit our website or contact the box office for each concert programme.

All concerts take place in The Lantern at 1.05pm. Tickets: £5.50 incl. bf

YCAT lunchtime sessions

We welcome back the Young Classical Artists Trust and some of the country’s most exceptional young musicians for another stimulating series of lunchtime concerts. Be among the first to see these maestros in the making.

thu 1 oct 2015* Trio Isimsiz

fri 30 oct 2015* Trombone: Peter Moore Piano: Jonathan Ware

mon 30 nov 2015* Violin: Benjamin Baker Piano: TBC

thu 28 jan 2016 Piano: Ji Liu

thu 25 feb 2016* Bassoon: Amy Harman Piano: Jonathan Ware

fri 8 apr 2016 Piano: Alexander Ullman

RAM lunchtime sessions

The Royal Academy of Music presents a series of concerts given by top students of the prestigious London School. Enjoy a bite-sized concert by the rising stars of the classical world.

oct 2015 tue 6, tue 13, wed 21, tue 27

nov 2015 tue 3, tue 10, tue 17, tue 24

feb 2016 tue 2, tue 9, tue 16, tue 23

mar 2016 tue 1, tue 8, tue 15, tue 22, tue 29

CAVATINA *Thanks to CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust, free tickets to selected concerts are available for 8 – 25 year olds. All International Classical Season Chamber Concerts are eligible as well as the lunchtime concerts marked with an asterisk. For more information, please contact the box office.


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price bands

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seating plan


‘Principal’ Subscription

‘Virtuoso’ Subscription

‘Maestro’ Subscription

3 concerts

4 - 5 concerts

6 -7 concerts

8 – 9 concerts

10 – 11 concerts

12 concerts

Rewards Save 5%

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Priority booking from Mon 27 April

Free ticket to lunchtime concerts x 1

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concertsALL

concertsALL

concertsALL

concerts

Free concert programme x x x

Invitation to the launch of the 2016-17 Season launch event

x x x x

Invitation to ‘Maestro’ Reception

x x x x x

save money with a subscription

World class concerts and a host of rewards are available when you book for 3 or more concerts in our International Classical Season and save up to 30% on tickets*

Plus, no postage fees** and the chance to secure the best seats in an exclusive booking period open from Monday 27 April – Saturday 23 May 2015. Please contact the box office for a booking form.

All subscriber benefits still apply even if you are booking later in the year. Tickets can be booked through the box office or online, where the discount will be applied at the checkout. Subscriptions are not available on discounted tickets or saver seats.

*Discount applies to concerts on pages 6 – 27 excluding chamber concerts. **All online bookings are subject to a £1.50 postage fee.

More great ways to save: Look out for our great value saver seats and excellent prices for students and under 18s on all International Season concerts.

box office 0844 887 1500 www.colstonhall.org 37box office 0844 887 1500 www.colstonhall.org 37

getting to colston hall and how to book

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we are hereColston Hall, Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 5AR

by car If you are travelling by car, we recommend parking in Trenchard Street Car Park, which is behind Colston Hall. For more information on getting to Colston Hall please visit www.colstonhall.org/visit-us

Via M5: Exit junction 18, follow A4 (Portway) to the centre. At the promenade (St Augustine’s Parade) turn left into Colston Street.

Via M4: Exit junction 19 (M32). Follow brown signs to the Hall.

For dropping off/picking up turn into Colston Street, or use the lay-by next to the Hall in Pipe Lane.

by train Bristol Temple Meads, the nearest station, is about a mile from Colston Hall. Buses 8 and 9 run directly to the city centre promenade. Call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 for train times.

by bus Most city centre buses stop at the central promenade where you should alight for Colston Hall. For bus information, call Traveline on 0871200 2233.

disability access For more information on disability access please visit www.colstonhall.org/visit-us/accessibility

how to book

By telephone on 0844 887 1500 Online at www.colstonhall.org In person at Colston Hall box office

booking fees All prices include a 7.5% booking fee (bf)

box office hours Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm

This programme is correct at time of going to press.


become a patron

At the heart of the region’s music making since 1867 Colston Hall has built a resounding reputation for excellence and entertainment, with performances enjoyed by 250,000 people each year.

Alongside our artistic programme is our community work and the work of our education hub, Bristol Plays Music. Reaching 9,000 people each year, we’re helping young people transform their lives and nurturing new talent. Bristol Music Trust (registered charity no 1140898) relies on the support and generosity of individuals to continue its ambitious programme of education and entertainment. Join us as a Patron of Colston Hall and enjoy a range of benefits not open to the public including exclusive events and behind-the-scenes access. The support of our Patrons will play a key role in building our world-class programme of entertainment and education. As we begin an exciting chapter in Colston Hall’s history, our Patrons will be central to the future growth of the Trust and its work and will be at the heart of what we do.

If you would like to become a Patron of Colston Hall, please get in touch: Rosa Corbishley Head of Development Bristol Music Trust [email protected] 0117 204 7176

“Colston Hall is a fantastic venue to play at – it is always clear from the audience reaction that this building means a lot to the people of Bristol”Charles Hazlewood, Conductor

We are hugely grateful to our Founding Patrons for their support of Bristol Music Trust:

gold patrons

H-M. Lord Lieutenant of Bristol The Nisbet Charitable Trust

silver patrons

Beth and Steve Evans S and Y Chapman

bronze patrons

Mr and Mrs H Kenyon Tim and Kamala Grice Nicole Sherwood James Wetz


principal sponsors

major sponsors

sponsors

corporate partners

in kind support

supportersWe would like to thank our sponsors and funders for their support

trusts

media partner

feb 2016

thu 11 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: Great Britons p. 16

mar 2016

tue 8 Stephen Johnson Insight p. 19

fri 11 Oslo Philharmonic: A Scandinavian Spring p. 18

sat 12 BCS with Music for Awhile: Bach - St Matthew Passion p. 30

thu 17 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: Heroes and Aliens p. 30

apr 2016

sat 9 National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain p. 30

sun 24 Bristol Ensemble: A Night at the Musicals p. 31

may 2016

tue 3 Stephen Johnson Insight p. 23

thu 5 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: Titans p. 20

wed 11 Moscow State Symphony: Russian Rhapsody p. 22

thu 19 Bristol Ensemble: Mozart 260 Celebration p. 31

jun 2016

wed 1 BBC National Orchestra of Wales: Romantic Reveries p. 24

sat 11 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: The Planets - an HD Odyssey p. 26

thu 23 Bristol Ensemble: The Virtuoso Piano p. 31

diary box office 0844 887 1500 www.colstonhall.org

colston street, bristol, BS1 5AR

sep 2015

mon 28 Stephen Johnson Insight p. 7

oct 2015

fri 2 Dresden Philharmonic: Beethoven and Bonaparte p. 6

sat 17 BCS with British Sinfonietta: Verdi - Requiem p. 28

thu 29 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: 1905 p. 8

nov 2015

thu 12 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: London Calling p. 9

sun 15John Wilson & The John Wilson Orchestra: Gershwin in Hollywood

p. 28

dec 2015

sun 6 UWE Orchestra with UWE Singers: Teatime Feast of Music p. 28

thu 10 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: Stormy Sibelius p. 10

sat 19 BCS with Bristol Ensemble: Messiah & Mini-Messiah p. 29

wed 30Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: New Year Viennese Gala

p. 29

jan 2016

wed 13 Stephen Johnson Insight p. 13

fri 15Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique: The Majesty of Mozart

p. 12

fri 29 Philharmonia Orchestra: Planet Earth in Concert p. 14

sun 31 The Orchestra Pitts p. 29

For a full list of lunchtime concerts see p. 33.

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