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There's a lot to look forward to in our 2019/20 season - read on for details…

Sinfonia Cymru had some great adventures last season – Tosca in Abu Dhabi with Bryn Terfel, a sell-out tour with Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Caroline Pether’s wonderful interpretation of The Four Seasons, and our second Radio 3 broadcast within twelve months. With these projects, we’ve introduced many more people to Sinfonia Cymru; like you, they’ve experienced at first hand the amazing energy and commitment that our young players bring to every performance. This season we hope to tempt you with more exciting, high quality concerts, so why not make a note in your diary for the following projects and join us for evenings of inspirational and entertaining music-making.

~ Piazzolla Plus with James Crabb

October 2019 Tour

If you thought the accordion was just a squeeze box, then James Crabb is the man to change your mind. When we started listening to his recordings in the office, we were struck by how his playing combines technical brilliance with exquisite musical sensitivity. James makes the accordion sing and, in his hands, the instrument’s place in the orchestra feels completely natural. In his adopted homeland, James has created a fruitful partnership with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and many of his arrangements have been made for them. He’s really looking forward to working with Sinfonia Cymru’s young players, and with the varied programme - including Piazzolla, Vivaldi, and Arvo Pärt - these concerts

promise to be very special. Programme:

Astor Piazzolla (arr. Crabb) Libertango; Romance del Diablo; La Muerte del Angel  Arvo Pärt Frates Antonio Vivaldi (arr. Crabb) Concerto RV542 in F-Major

Kalevi Aho (arr. Crabb) Kolme Tangoa Antonio Agri/Jose Carli (arr. Crabb) Desde Adentro Astor Piazzolla (arr. Crabb) Aconcagua Concerto

You can listen to James playing Piazzolla’s Romance del Diablo on YouTube – search ‘James Crabb Diablo’. (We’ll have a larger string ensemble (15 piece) than you see in this clip). You’ll find more of James’ playing to enjoy on YouTube and Spotify.

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Thursday 24 October, 7.30pm MANCHESTER, The Stoller Hall Friday 25 October, 7.30pm PONTYBEREM, Memorial Hall Saturday 26 October, 7.45pm CARDIFF, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Sunday 27 October, 4.00pm BRADFORD ON AVON, Wiltshire Music Centre Soloist James Crabb, Classical Accordion Leader Caroline Pether

~ The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

with Pavel Kolesnikov and Gábor Takács-Nagy

Hoddinott Hall, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff - March 2020

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, we’re delighted to present the exceptionally talented pianist, Pavel Kolesnikov, who will play all five Beethoven piano concertos across a single weekend. Pavel is another artist who brings incredible sensitivity to his playing; quite astonishing in someone so young. You may have heard Pavel in autumn 2018, when he stood in for Paul Lewis at short notice for a recital at RWCMD. This is a rare opportunity to hear the concertos together and experience the development and increasing maturity of Beethoven’s concerto writing. Although they were written over a period of only 15 years,

the differences in them, particular between the first two and the final three works, is striking. We’ve paired Pavel with conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy, an audience favourite who always impresses with classical repertoire. This will be a very special and memorable weekend. You can listen to Pavel on YouTube. If you search ‘Pavel Kolesnikov Ludwig’, you can hear extracts from a 2017 Hyperion recording of Beethoven solo piano pieces. I also love his recent Couperin album Dances from the Bayern Manuscript – search ‘Pavel Kolesnikov Couperin’.

Saturday 21 March, 3.00pm Piano Concertos Nos 2 & 1 Saturday 21 March, 7.30pm Piano Concerto No 3 and Symphony No 2 Sunday 22 March, 2.00pm Piano Concertos Nos 4 & 5 Conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy Soloist Pavel Kolesnikov, Piano Leader Caroline Pether This programme is part of a Cardiff-wide celebration of Beethoven in 2020.

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Lunchtime concerts, The Riverfront, Newport

Our First Wednesdays lunchtime concert series continues this season. Join us for inspiring concerts by our young professional players. The last concerts of the recent season were close to sell-out, so book early!

Wednesday 2 October 2019, 1.00pm Wednesday 4 December 2019, 1.00pm Wednesday 5 February 2020, 1.00pm Wednesday 1 April 2020, 1.00pm Wednesday 3 June 2020, 1.00pm

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The April concert will also be performed in the lunchtime series at St. David’s Hall, Cardiff the day before, on Tuesday 31 March 2020. Artists and programme details to be confirmed.

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Curate @ Chapter In this strand of concerts, we hand programming responsibility to the players and ask four of them to each ‘curate’ one performance in the series. The imagination of young musicians knows no bounds and in previous seasons we have had amazingly creative programmes – sometimes contemporary, sometimes eclectic, never ordinary. This season we are moving the concerts to Chapter to herald the start of a new partnership with them. Performances will take place in Stiwdio Seligman; we'll be creating an intimate, informal and atmospheric setting in which to enjoy these concerts.

Thursday 26 March, 8.00pm Thursday 23 April, 8.00pm Thursday 28 May, 8.00pm Thursday 25 June, 8.00pm Artists and programme details to be confirmed.

~ The Singh Sisters

Rakhi and Simmy Singh join forces in a programme that explores both their individual musical paths and their Welsh/Indian heritage. Their musical curiosities have taken them from Llandybie to all corners of the globe and they will design a musical tapestry for a 12-piece string ensemble reflecting all of these explorations ranging from West Wales, Eastern Europe and India. Rakhi has been a guest player in the past with Sinfonia Cymru and Simmy is a current member, appearing regularly in orchestral, chamber and cross-genre projects. This is the first time they unite as an artistic team and promises to be an inspiring evening.

Dates to be confirmed but look out for this project at festivals next summer. Check our website for details later in the year.

~ As I’m sure you know, our exceptionally talented young musicians play with extraordinary energy and commitment; this leads to the highest quality music-making and creates palpable excitement in the concert hall. I hope you will be able to support Sinfonia Cymru again in the 2019/20 season; please book early to secure the best seats. We look forward to welcoming you to our performances. Kind regards Peter Bellingham Chief Executive, Sinfonia Cymru Media Centre S4C, Parc Ty Glas, Cardiff, CF14 5DU | 029 2075 4556 | contact@sinfoniacymru.co.uk | sinfoniacymru.co.uk Sinfonia Cymru is a limited company and registered charity (Charity Number 1058196)

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Ticket prices and on-sale dates

Sinfonia Cymru & James Crabb

Manchester Full price - £20 | Over 60s - £17 | Under 35s - £13 | Students & Under 18s - £3.50 Pontyberem Full price - £18 | Over 60s - £14 | Under 35s - £5 | Members - £1 off Full & Over 60s prices Cardiff Full price - £18 | Over 60s - £16 | Under 35s - £12 | Students & Under 18s - £3 Bradford on Avon Full price - £24 | Under 35s & Students - £12 Under Tickets on sale from 1 July Beethoven Piano Concertos

Full price - £18 | Over 60s - £16 | Under 35s - £12 | Students & Under 18s - £3 See all three programmes and save up to 22%: Full - £42 | Over 60s - £39 | Under 35s - £30 Tickets on sale from 22 July Newport Lunchtime Concerts

All tickets - £5 Tickets on sale from 1 July Curate

Full price - £14 | Over 60s - £12 | Under 35s - £8 | Students & Under 18s - £3 Tickets on sale Autumn 2019 We are most grateful to the following, whose support for Sinfonia Cymru is invaluable:

Ashley Family Foundation

Fenton Arts Trust Gwendoline and Margaret Davies Charity

Oakdale Trust The Leche Trust