Daily Archives: 1 November, 2016

The inaugural BBC Proms Dubai to be held in March 2017

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The BBC Proms, the world’s largest classical music festival, together with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers, has today announced it is going to Dubai for a four-day festival in March 2017.

Taking place from 21 to 24 March at Dubai Opera, part of the UK/UAE 2017 Year of Cultural Collaboration led by the British Council, BBC Proms Dubai will give audiences the opportunity to experience some of the music, talent and tradition the festival offers. Only the second time abroad, following the inaugural BBC Proms Australia in April 2016, this will be the first time the BBC Proms has travelled to the Middle East and will also mark the first visit to the UAE for the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers.

BBC Proms Dubai will host a rich programme including core classical repertoire, British music and new music, all accompanied by a full and varied schedule of learning activity in the region. Mohammed Fairouz’s music will feature in the festival alongside world premieres of works by Dubai-based British composer Joanna Marsh and Australian-Egyptian composer Joseph Tawadros.

BBC Proms favourites, conductor Edward Gardner and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, will join the BBC Symphony Orchestra on stage, whilst James Burton leads the BBC Singers in two a cappella programmes of British choral music and the Joseph Tawadros Quartetlead their own Late Night Prom.

The series of six concerts will culminate in the traditional and wildly popular Last Night of the Proms, where Edward Gardner will lead the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers performing Last Night favourites including Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea-Songs, Thomas Arne’s Rule, Britannia! and Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1.

In the spirit of the founding principle of the Proms – to bring the best of classical music to the widest possible audience – nearly 600 ‘Promming’ (standing) tickets will be made available each day for each concert, priced from just 50 dirhams (£10).

In collaboration with the UK/UAE 2017 Year of Cultural Collaboration led by the British Council, there will be a comprehensive learning programme across the four-day festival, with workshops, masterclasses and open rehearsals providing budding musicians and singers with the opportunity to develop their skills and engage with the performers. Activities include a workshop for the Arabian Youth Orchestra with players from the BBC Symphony Orchestra, a series of workshops for local adult and children’s choirs with the BBC Singers and a masterclass for chamber musicians at the Centre for Musical Arts in Dubai.

The BBC Proms Dubai concerts will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Hastings Philharmonic – the new look !

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On Saturday 12 November Hastings Philharmonic, now a choir and an orchestra, 
launch their new ‘Season’ with the well loved Beethoven’s 9th Choral Symphony 
together with a specially commissioned piece by talented young English composer, 
Philip O’Meara. This incorporates a Beethoven theme and Schiller’s ‘Ode to Joy’, 
intertwined with Gregorian plainsong. The Choir wishes to be welcomed back to 
its old haunt, the White Rock Theatre (formerly Pavilion), where it famously
produced Beethoven’s 9th to a record audience under Sir Malcolm Sargent with 
the ‘Southern Philharmonic’ orchestra in celebration of the Coronation.
white-rock
This was in 1953, of course, but in the 1930s, the choir had already performed Beethoven’s 9th 4 times at the White Rock Pavilion under Julius Harrison and the prestigious Hastings Municipal Orchestra, always to great acclaim. Today’s music director of both choir and orchestra, Marcio da Silva, is ambitiously rekindling the spirit of excellence in classical music that prevailed prewar when, three years in a row (1935-37), the  Hastings Municipal Orchestra broadcast from the White Rock Pavilion on BBC Radio in the prime spot after the King’s Speech on Christmas Day.
Beethoven’s entire 9th Symphony will be performed with the full professional orchestra, the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra’s first public outing. Philip O’Meara’s choral piece is called ‘No Man’ and uses the fine words of great writers, Victor Hugo, W B Yeats, John Donne and the book of Psalms to depict the stupidity of war and the virtues of friendship and cooperation. ‘No Man is an Island’ is an appropriate sentiment in this year when Britain’s relationship with continental Europe is being reset to acknowledge the Referendum result.
marcio da silva
Marcio da Silva’s new name for his orchestra, formerly known as Ensemble OrQuesta, reflects his growing commitment and enthusiasm for living and working in Hastings. He strives towards ever improving standards in classical music. The orchestra is building a wonderful reputation among ‘people in the know’.  This last year in Hastings, Marcio’s musicians produced  the Brahms Requiem, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Faure Requiem and more. Lark Reviews has reported on most of these.
Marcio da Silva and his wife, Aysen Ulucan, who are both renowned soloist singers, also produced recitals together. Aysen is a brilliant virtuoso violinist, who has played in concerts with Maxim Vengerov. Next year’s ‘season’ of classical music in Hastings produced by Marcio will cover 10 orchestral and choral concerts, recitals and opera of the usual outstanding quality. Season tickets for the entire year will be on sale at £130.
For more information see http://hastingsphilharmonic.com/.
Marcio’s musical acumen, zeal and charisma attracts great talent and loyalty from his orchestra and soloists which, at this coming concert, will be a cast of international virtuosi – names to watch! New Zealander soprano Claire Egan, Italian mezzosoprano Alessandra Fasolo, Portuguese tenor Leonel Pinheiro, and British baritone Matthew Sprange. This Beethoven concert will be a memorable event and a waymarker for a whole new World of music in Hastings. Be there at the beginning!
 
“Hastings and St Leonards, you have real talent with this conductor and choir, make sure you don’t let them go. I urge all and sundry to attend their next concert, wherever and whenever it is. Something special has come to the south coast, and we must all appreciate this new arrival.” Hastings Observer 19.5.2016 by Peter Georgiadis, former Chairman, Rotary Club of Hastings and former double-bass with many orchestras
 
HASTINGS PHILHARMONIC at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings TN34 1JX, Saturday 12 November 7.30pm featuring Beethoven’s Symphony n. 9 and Philip O’Meara’s ‘No man’. Tickets £20, £10 and £5 (under 16) – booking fee may apply –  from White Rock Theatre box office (01424 462288)
and online at  whiterocktheatre.org.uk