20th Birthday Concert in Pictures

In late October Britten Sinfonia celebrated its 20th birthday with celebratory concerts in Cambridge, Norwich and London. The London concert launched the orchestra's association with the Barbican and photographers Benjamin Ealovega and Rhydian Peters captured the day.

 

Stephen Williams and Andy Sheppard in rehearsal  (c) Ben Ealovega

Andy's sax (c) Ben Ealovega

Joanna MacGregor rehearsing Moondog (c) Ben Ealovega

Tom Herbert rehearsing Moondog (c) Ben Ealovega

Sound Engineer, Matt Fairclough (c) Ben Ealovega

Kuljit Bhamra rehearsing Moondog (c) Ben Ealovega

Seb Rochford rehearsing Moondog (c) Ben Ealovega

A smile during rehearsal (c) Ben Ealovega

Pekka Kuusisto & Mark Padmore in rehearsal (c) Ben Ealovega

Pekka & Alina Ibragimova rehearsing the Bach Double (c) Ben Ealovega

Nico Muhly multi-tasking during the rehearsal of his piece  (c) Ben Ealovega

Eamonn Dougan conducting the rehearsal of Nico's piece (c) Ben Ealovega

Britten Sinfonia Voices rehearsing (c) Ben Ealovega

The 'running board' backstage - a busy day! (c) Ben Ealovega

Backstage (c) Ben Ealovega

Birthday Cake! for the musicians to share! (c) Ben Ealovega

Claire, Marketing Director & Nico Muhly sharing a drink (c) Rhydian  Peters

Will (Development Director) talking to a guest at the reception (c) Rhydian Peters

Alexandra Reid introducing the Britten Sinfonia Academy performance (c) Rhydian Peters

Britten Sinfonia Academy (c) Rhydian Peters

Britten Sinfonia Academy performing on the free stage (c) Ben Ealovega

Backstage before the concert (c) Ben Ealovega

Backstage before the concert (c) Ben Ealovega

Orchestra and choir on stage (c) Rhydian Peters

Pekka & Alina performing the Bach Double (c) Rhydian Peters

Mark Padmore performing Les Illuminations (c) Rhydian Peters

Pekka performing his birthday tribute, OMG HBD (c) Rhydian Peters

Joanna MacGregor performing Bach (c) Rhydian Peters

 

Post concert performance on the Club stage (c) Ben Ealovega

Jackie Shave (c) Ben Ealovega

Post concert party time (c) Ben Ealovega

James MacMillan and David Butcher after the concert (c) Ben Ealovega

James (Creative Learning Assitant) and Gabrielle Deschamps (Development Assistant) enjoying the party (c) Ben Ealovega

Pekka gives the night a thumbs up! (c) Ben Ealovega

Nico enjoying a glass of vino (c) Ben Ealovega

Smiles all round (c) Ben Ealovega

A view from a steward

As our 20th Birthday season approaches we've been asking various people their thoughts on Britten Sinfonia and what event has been a highlight for them. Beth Morgan,  a regular steward in Cambridge picked out one of her highlights;

It has been a great delight and privilege to steward for the Britten Sinfonia for the last 5 years. The wide-ranging programmes, the new music, the relationships that the orchestra develops with guest performers and composers, all add up to series after series of special concerts.

One lunchtime concert earlier this year was devoted to a cycle where Luke Bedford took Franck’s Piano Quintet in F minor and interspersed its 3 movements with 3 of his own. The result was wonderfully stimulating and the audience left the auditorium on a high. I lost count of the number of people who wanted to share their excitement with the stewards. I think we all went home very happy that day.

Beth Morgan

Take-off for Britten Sinfonia Academy!

After six lengthy days of auditions across the East of England, where we met many lovely enthusiastic and talented musicians, we have finally selected 18 young instrumentalists to join the first year of Britten Sinfonia Academy. The chosen young talented musicians represent the whole of the East of England, and come from Saxmundham to St Neots, Colchester to Cambridge, and rural Norfolk to Newmarket! The ensemble comprises a ten person string section, three wind and three brass players, a harpist and a pianist, who range in age from 12 year-old violinist, to 17 year-old double bass player.

We were delighted to finally meet the group this Sunday, and to spend time getting to know one another. Starting with rhythms and modes, we created music together as a group, through improvisation. The essence of the afternoon was to start to communicate as an ensemble; to listen to one-another and to make music together, to build trust, and to look forward to what is to come. Qualities which are present in so much of Britten Sinfonia’s own music making – the spark of energy on sharing a musical moment with another member of the group, or the excitement of starting on a musical adventure together – were captured during the afternoon, and we hope that this flavour for exploration and communication will remain when the group meet again at the end of the month. At the end of September, the ensemble will start to work on repertoire, including the new composition by Alissa Firsova, which the Academy will be performing, alongside Britten Sinfonia at our 20^th Birthday concerts in Cambridge, Norwich and at the Barbican Centre in London this October. 

 

After the session, the gang relaxed and got to know each other better over pizza in the park.

Find out more about Britten Sinfonia Academy here

Isobel Timms

Creative Learning Director