Manchester Chamber Concerts Society’s events bring a range of world-class musical talents to the Stoller Hall, and we’re delighted to announce details for their 2025/26 season.
Book a season ticket
Get 15% off when you book all six concerts in the season together.
Book full price tickets for any three concerts in the series and get 10% off. This offer will apply automatically during the booking process after you have selected your three concerts.
25/26 Season Programmes
Fenella Humphreys and Martin Roscoe
29.09.25, 7pm
PROKOFIEV 5 Melodies Op. 35
Rebecca CLARKE Midsummer Moon
MENDELSSOHN Sonata in F minor Op. 4
HONEGGER Sonata No. 2 H.24
HOWELL Phantasy
STRAVINSKY Suite for violin and piano
HAYDN String Quartet Op. 20 No. 2 in C major
TABAKOVA The Smile of Flamboyant Wings
PURCELL Fantasia in F major
JANÁČEK String Quartet No. 2 ‘Intimate Letters’
BRUCH A selection from Eight Pieces Op. 83 arranged for violin, cello and piano
CHAMINADE Piano Trio No. 2 in A min Op. 34
BRAHMS Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major Op. 87
Following a fantastic performance here back in 2023, Espíritu Flamenco have created another fantastic night of dance, music and song which you can catch live on our stage on Friday 9 May. We caught up with Sarah Chambers, who has brought guitarist Jesús Guerrero together with dancer and choreographer Andrés Peña and singer David Carpio, for the event.
Can you tell us a bit more about Espíritu Flamenco as an organisation?
Espíritu Flamenco is a small family business, run as collective with other musicians and friends. The aim is to share enjoyment of flamenco music and dance. I want to bring this complex and fascinating art form to music lovers across the north-west of England. I believe that music and dance are good for the soul, good for mental health and good for physical fitness. My passion is flamenco. I run classes, community events and I bring world class flamenco artists to Manchester and beyond.
How do you go about choosing the artists to work together for an event like this?
Jesús has been a favourite of mine for many years and since the pandemic I have seen him perform with Andrés twice and the shows have been some of the most enjoyable that I have ever seen and heard. We were looking for a guitar show and Jesús is a brilliant soloist as well as a very accomplished member of a group, I was not surprised when he won a prize for his accompaniment at the Bienal of Seville last year. When I invited them, I asked them which singer they would like with and I am proud to bring David, I particularly like the singers of Jerez. This team has presented some great shows over the past few years. In general, I invite dancers who I think are exceptionally musical and we try to bring a well-balanced team that particularly enjoy working together.
What are you most excited about for this particular show?
I have been enjoying the music that Jesús has composed and performed recently, I am very excited to hear him play live again. He released a great album with Miguel Poveda last year and I find his ‘Viaje Imaginario’ music that he presented at the Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla completely captivating. I also love his guest artists and am looking forward to seeing and hearing them together again. I think that they are a particularly well balanced team, each an expert but never overshadowing each other. They perform together with enjoyment and humour but also with respect and appreciation. As a classical musician I appreciate the balance and structure of Jesús’s music, as well as the passion and excitement and the way that he connects with singers, dancers and with their audience.
How would you describe the experience who hasn’t been to a traditional flamenco show before?
Flamenco at this level is not trivial, it is intense and complex. I find it beautiful, interesting and hypnotic in a way. Time seems to pass quickly as we are swept up in the moment. The rhythms are incredible, and the best artists leave a little space for improvisation on a journey of powerful emotions. The most unusual part is the traditional flamenco song, which is presented in a range of variations that are personal to the performer. The melody lines rise, circle and eventually fall at the end of a phrase. The singing style is natural and close to the sound of speaking, with huge variation from tender to harsh. The aim of these performers is not to impress, it is to lift each other up to transmit the emotions of the flamenco ‘palo’ being performed. Enthusiasts from the audience will shout encouragement when they hear something that they particularly like, which transforms the connection into even more energy from these virtuoso performers. It’s all about the feeling.
Espíritu Flamenco presents: Jesús Guerrero in Concert with Guest Artists Andrés Peña and David Carpio is on Friday 9 May 2025, 7:30pm
Looking for some live music recommendations? We’ve rounded up just some of the great events you can enjoy here at the Stoller Hall across October and November – with many more listed on our What’s On pages.
October kicks off with a performance from Budapest Café Orchestra (4 October), a quartet giving traditional Balkan, Russian, Hungarian and Romanian tunes a jazz and classical-inspired make-over to create a sound of their own.
Fusing jazz and and cross-over continues with the team-up of UK superstar vocalist Claire Martin and the Norwegian jazz giant Martin Sjostedt’s Trio (5 October). They seamlessly blend classic jazz standards, such as the title track from the movie ‘Houseboat’, with contemporary pieces by the likes of Elvis Costello, Rufus Wainwright, and Mark Winkler.
October half-term brings shows to entertain and inspire all the family. Toot! A Concert for Families (25 October) invites you to travel around the world through music, from the Scottish Highlands to the American Deep South, as it introduces children to the wind instrument family. Film and contemporary music performers Mystery Ensemble (25 October) will then rocket audiences from the baroque era to the modern day with a concert that features music from film composer Max Richter and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
Described by The Guardian as ‘one of the adventurous masters of the kora’, Senagal-based virtuoso musician Seckou Keita (8 November) will challenge traditions and genres with his Homeland Band project, presenting a unique sound that embraces afro-pop, urban and hip-hop.
Veteran jazz ensemble Yellowjackets (2 November) will re-imagine well-known big band originals with dynamic new arrangements that feature twists and turns, moving harmonies and bold solos.
Rising stars of the folk scene TRIP (14 November) mix promise traditional sounds from across the UK and Ireland, reflecting the heritage of the band’s musicians. Their performances feature the accordion, fiddle, flute and vocals with piano, guitar, and bodhran.
And finally, folk music singer and violinist Eliza Carthy (27 November), who has been a stalwart and advocate of UK folk for over 30 years, returns to Stoller Hall with a mesmerising show to captivate audiences.
Chetham’s Library will also be hosting fun family activities this half term in Magic Makers (22 October) which includes arts and crafts, plus a Shakespeare-themed scavenger hunt. Adult groups can also explore our Medieval buildings in the evenings as Chetham’s Library After Hours returns (25 October.)
This autumn, BBC Radio 3’s award-winning Delia Stevens and three-time BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year nominee Will Pound will be collaborating on a concert that fuses folk and classical ideas.
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and your career as a musician?
Will and I come from very different worlds, each steeped in centuries of tradition. I grew up as a classically trained percussionist studying scores passed down generations of musicians. Will on the other hand, is a self-taught folk harmonica and melodeon (a type of accordion) player who learns orally but does not read sheet music.
Both of us have used these starting points as a springboard to take our respective genres forward, often creating politically informed works. For example, I made a project called AlgoRhythms, inspired by the proliferation of technology into our privacy and its emotional fallout, and Will created a project where he learnt a folk song from each of the 27 states of the European Union in reaction to the cultural vandalism of Brexit.
How did your collaboration as Stevens & Pound first get started?
Given that we had both already been designing these projects in reaction to the world around us, I think we met each other at a really good time of our respective trajectories in our careers, but most importantly, within 30 seconds of jamming together there was an amazing musical spark.
We had already seen each other perform at Shrewsbury Folk Festival and Will had worked with the globally-renowned percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie before and knew he wanted to work with a percussionist again. He dropped me a message on Instagram (very modern) saying he would love to work together one day. I had a residency as Artistic Director of a concert series at Leeds University exploring their science research and marrying it to music, so I invited Will to be a part of a concert exploring “Multiscale Modelling” where you throw lots of different science at one problem to try and find a deeper truth.
After the concert we had a chat on the way home and decided that we really have to keep this collaboration going as it isn’t everyday you find such a strong musical chemistry. Not wanting to recreate a project too close to our existing outfits, we decided to create a duo where we take the folk music which inspired classical composers (such as Vaughan Williams or Gustav Holst) and reimagine them for the 21st century, taking the music of the past into the future.
How do you go about choosing the music for a concert like this?
2024 is the 150th anniversary of Holst’s birth and his musical soulmate was Vaughan Williams. This programme is inspired by both composers, firstly featuring Vaughan Williams’ iconic The Lark Ascending (originally written for the violin) and Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite (originally written for string orchestra).
As a percussionist, I never really got to play this music, but have been listening to this music since I was a teenager, geeking out on the compositional brilliance of these works. The way we learn the scores (as Will doesn’t read) is that I analyse the music and identify the parts that really form the core identity of the piece, record these on the vibraphone and send them to Will who then memorises them by ear. We then get in the studio and spend days reworking, jamming and improvising around the original composer’s ideas – often focusing on the real folk feel that can get lost in the limitations of a written score back – and see what we come up with. Anything goes and we give ourselves a real creative free rein. The results can be wild.
Our most ambitious reimagination yet is Holst’s Planets Suite – originally for a huge symphony orchestra. We feel very strongly about the power of music to alter the conversation around the climate and so when we performed the piece with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Northern College of Music this Summer we invited a climate activist to help us write a new movement – Earth: The Silent Planet (as Holst omitted the movement from his original suite). We are Earth Percent Artists. meaning we include the planet as a writer on all of our royalties, splitting a percentage of every piece we write with charities protecting the planet.
We’ve also written some originals of our own in response to these works – namely “Larking” and “Ascending” and also throw in some fun tunes like The Sailor’s Hornpipe (which we’ve transformed into a rave) and Norwegian Wood.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the show?
I hope they will realise that classical and folk music are not static traditions. Holst and Vaughan Williams were part of a movement to write down folk music, but it is always a medium that will alter from town to town, depending on who is interpreting it. I feel like classical music can often suffer in spontaneity from being immortalised in the score (which seems to keep the score), but that really the spark that the composers were experiencing when they were creating was a true moment of creative ingenuity. These genres don’t always need to be presented as a museum, but can be brought into the 21st century. We are trying to cultivate a sense of total joy and freedom whilst paying homage to these incredible pieces of music.
“Every man who counts is the child of tradition and a rebel from it” – Holst
Catch Stevens & Pound: Ascending Tour on Saturday 21 September, 8pm.
Inspired by musical traditions and the natural world, Making Tracks brings together exceptional musicians to showcase diverse music and create new collaborations during a month-long residency and tour.
Having previously performed at The Stoller Hall in 2022, Making Tracks returns with eight new international artists to perform here on Thursday 26 September 2024. (Tickets on sale here.)
We’re delighted to announce the eight chosen artists performing as part of the 2024 tour. Read on to discover more about each musician.
Anna Mcluckie (UK) – harpist and singer-songwriter
Ayman Hlal (Syria/Germany) – violinist, singer
Christian Mohr Levisen (Denmark) – hurdy gurdy player and multi-instrumentalist
Helen Anahita Wilson (UK) – composer, vocalist, sound artist, electronics
Kasiva Matua (Kenya) – percussionist, singer, guitarist
Nina Harries (UK) – double bassist and singer-songwriter
Ossi Raippalinna (Finland) – percussionist, electronics
Shohret Nur – Uyghur rawap and dutar player
Anna McLuckie
Anna McLuckie is a Scottish singer, songwriter and clàrsach player. Raised on classical and traditional music, Anna’s writing draws on her musical beginnings and also takes influence from her love of popular music and more experimental sounds. Her music sits in a world of contemporary folklore; her songs layered with interweaving harmonies, story led lyricism and free form structures. Based in London, she has performed in places around the world from Rockwood Music Hall
NYC, to a concert series in Russia, to house shows and folk sessions. She’s appeared at festivals across the UK and supported the likes of Jake Xerxes, Fussell, Rozi Plain and Richard Hawley.
Image credit: Andrea Terzuoli
Ayman Hlal
Ayman Hlal was born in As-Suwayda, a city in Syria that is particularly famous for producing artists. A rising star in his homeland, war in Syria resulted in Ayman seeking refuge in Berlin. Trained in both Western and Middle Easten classical music, he started several projects in Germany, which have exposed him to further musical traditions. As a result of these collaborations, Ayman has produced two albums featuring his own compositions and arrangements of oriental, flamenco and jazz music (‘Felah Mengu’ with the group Azuleo and the self-titled album of Tawabil Project). He has participated in several national and international events and projects, and performed with multiple orchestras and bands, including the Syrian Expat Philharmonic Orchestra (SEPO), and Nai’ Oriental Orchestra in Austria.
Christian Mohr Levisen
Christian Mohr Levisen is a multi-instrumentalist who was born and raised in the rural area of Vendsyssel in northern Denmark. His main instrument is the rarely seen hurdy gurdy, a mechanical string instrument with roots in the Middle Ages that plays cello-like drones and melodies in the viola register. As the third ever in Scandinavia to graduate from his studies with a focus on this instrument, he now still works with adapting the instrument to different musical traditions. In addition, he also plays the Swedish cittern (10-string octave mandolin), an instrument that was developed to imitate the intricate ornaments and microtonal aspects of the Swedish violin traditions. Christian has played concerts and taught workshops in Denmark and throughout Europe.
Image credit: Siri Anna Flensburg
Helen Anahita Wilson
Helen Anahita Wilson is an Oram award-winning composer, sound artist, and performer who collaborates with trees, plants, people, and other living beings. As composer-in-residence at Chelsea Physic Garden in London, Helen’s creative relationship with plants has developed into a deep form of collaborative composition. Her unique interpretations of plant biodata and physiological activity readings, combined with her experimental Western and South Asian compositional techniques, have lead to a number of groundbreaking, interspecies music-making projects including her 2023 album, Linea Naturalis, with music derived from bioelectricity in plants with medicinal and healing properties.
Image credit: Matt Favero
Kasiva Matua
While Kasiva Mutua learned drumming inspired by folktales told by her grandmother, she has developed her own knack for powerful beats. One of Kenya’s leading percussionists and drummers, her expressive playing can tell a story on its own, or keep a band perfectly in the pocket. Today, she’s an international touring percussionist, integrating African traditional music with modern styles such as jazz, hip-hop, reggae, funk and more. One of only a few African women playing percussion continentally and internationally, Kasiva plays music to celebrate her community’s spirit, tell her people’s stories and elevate the place of African woman in music. She’s been involved in numerous intercultural musical collaborations including The Nile Project, 1Beat, x-Jazz women, Coke Studio Africa, and more.
Image credit: Infocus Studio
Nina Harries
Nina Harries is a double-bassist, songwriter, and vocalist. Her debut self-titled solo album was released in 2019 with funding from the PRS Women Make Music fund, while her second record ‘Water’, funded by Arts Council England and recorded entirely by Nina onboard her narrowboat home, was released in February 2022. In addition to her solo work, Nina is a Grammy-nominated double bassist who’s performed alongside numerous celebrated musicians including Akram Khan, touring extensively across the globe in his award-winning solo production, ‘Xenos’; Anoushka Shankar; sarod virtuoso Soumik Datta, and renowned Tabla player Gurdain Singh Rayatt. Nina also frequently performs for bharatanatyam and kathak dance productions.
Image credit: Philharmonia Orchestra
Ossi Raippalinna
Ossi Raippalinna is a Finland-based percussionist, producer, researcher, educator, and drum-maker. As part of his recent master’s studies at Sibelus Academy, field trips to Senegal, Mali, Scotland, and Cuba have enriched his understanding of the interplay between rhythm and melody in percussion traditions – particularly within West African drum traditions. Ossi’s repertoire includes the drum kit, keyboard, electronics, talking drum, djembe, bodhran, sabar, bugarabu, and congas. As well as making high-quality congas and djembe drums from sustainable Finnish wood, Ossi has taught hundreds of students across Finland, and set up an online platform in 2018, providing tutorials with master drummers. He’s also a founding member of the acclaimed Finland-based band Faso Kan (largely comprising musicians from Finland’s West African diaspora), as well as a percussionist and drummer in many other projects.
Image credit: Rio Gandara
Shohret Nur
Shohret Nur is a rawap and dutar player, originally from Xinjiang and currently based in London. An award-winning performer, Shohret specialises in the Uyghur stringed instruments, rawap and dutar. Shohret’s great grandfather was a musician and dutarplayer from kasghar, Xinjiang, while his grandmother was a dutar player and a professional dancer. Continuing this rich musical lineage and supported by his grandmother – Shohret’s first dutar teacher – Shohret fell in love with dutar and rawap as a young child. He has since reached an impressive mastery of these instruments, and is a talented composer as well as a virtuoso performer. Shohret is also a teacher, researcher, and skilled musical analyst, with a particular focus on the Uyghur Twelve Muqam classical music repertoire. He is currently a Research Assistant at the Music Department of SOAS, University of London.
Catch these musicians live here at The Stoller Hall this September.
We’re gearing up for a fantastic summer of music-making and events, including family shows, rare appearances from legendary performers, and ten days of world-class piano music.
Our exciting line-up kicks off with a performance from singer-songwriter Emily King on Tuesday 9 July. The New York City-bred artist has brought ever-evolving levels of depth and nuance to her songwriting, promising a mesmerising blend of soul, R&B and pop for audiences.
The Spooky Men’s Chorale returns to Stoller Hall on Wednesday 10 July following a barnstorming 2022 performance. Formed in the Blue Mountains of Australia in 2001 by ‘spookmeister’ Stephen Taberner, the Spooky Men soon attracted attention with Georgian table songs, beautiful ballads, highly inappropriate covers, and humorous anthems like ‘Don’t stand between a man and his tool’.
For film-lovers, the North West’s oldest amateur orchestra, Gorton Philharmonic, celebrates some of the world’s greatest theme tunes from James Bond to Star Wars, on Saturday 13 July.
On Sunday 14 July, our family programme takes centre stage with a new edition of Terra Musica, interactive sessions for primary school-aged children. Featuring a special story created by Brazilian music specialist Tony Watt and violinist/beatboxer Faz Shah, families will explore the sights and sounds of carnivals from around the world.
Jumping into the realm of comedy, Thursday 18 July sees stand-up performer Sammy Obeid (famous for his Guinness World Recording-breaking stint of performing 1001 nights of comedy in a row) take to the stage, while on Friday 19 July, chart-topping podcast I’m Grand Mam will bring a night of laughs and skits while exploring life landmarks that accompany growing up gay in the world today.
Chetham’s International Piano Summer School returns from Thursday 8 – Sunday 18 August with live performances every day, from lunchtime recitals featuring young, up-and-coming musicians to late-evening appearances from world-leading classical pianists.
Finally, we’ll be closing out the summer season with a rare UK appearance from the legendary American musician and storyteller Rickie Lee Jones on Friday 30 August. (Now sold out!)
Head over the Chetham’s Library this summer and discover the life and times of the Tudor scientist, astrologer and magician Dr John Dee, including an opportunity to see some of his own book collection and excerpts from his diary during his time in Manchester in a special event on Friday 26 July.
On Saturday 23 June, singer and poet Keith James will be performing in the intimate surroundings of our Carole Nash Hall, celebrating the music and genius of songwriter Leonard Cohen.
We had a chat with Keith about his music, inspirations and what audiences can expect from this show.
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and your career as a musician?
I have been a musician throughout the whole of my working life – I celebrate 50 years in music this year. I have always been drawn towards writing, recording and performing deeply honest and thought provoking songs. I have recorded 13 Albums of my own material, with a brand new one entitled WORD PAINTINGS being released on Monday 10 June. I spent a middle decade of my music career working as a record producer… towards the end of that sidestep, I couldn’t wait to get back to live performance. I perform around 80 – 100 concerts a year in the UK.
What first drew you to performing Leonard Cohen’s music?
The beauty and honesty in his writing.
How do you go about choosing the songs for a concert like this?
I realise that for the most part, audiences like to hear the earlier classic songs like Suzannne, Bird on a Wire and Famous Blue Raincoat, so I make a point of including those no matter what. I also like to present songs of his which are beautifully crafted, but less well known, for example: In My Secret Life, Coming Back to You, Take This Waltz. This gives the concert balance and dynamism.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the show?
The affirmation that Leonard Cohen is a wonderful writer, and hopefully, that I am a good interpretive artist and a devoted performer of his work.
Book your tickets for Keith James: The Songs of Leonard Cohen Saturday 23 June, 5pm, here.
Manchester Chamber Concerts Society’s events bring a range of world-class musical talents to the Stoller Hall, and we’re delighted to announce details for their 2024/25 season.
10% off any three concerts
Book full price tickets for any three concerts in the series and get 10% off. This offer will apply automatically during the booking process after you have selected your three concerts.
24/25 Season Programmes
Martin Roscoe and Peter Donohoe
16.09.24, 7pm
MOZART Sonata in D K.448
SAINT-SAËNS Variations Op.35
DEBUSSY En Blanc et Noir
RACHMANINOV Suite No.2
Bridge Quartet
22.10.24, 7pm
HAYDN Quartet in G Minor Op. 74 No.3 ‘The Rider’
Arnold COOKE Quartet No. 4
BRAHMS Quartet in C Minor Op. 51 No. 1
BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Op. 73
Julian ANDERSON Commissioned Work (Commissioned for the Engegård Quartet, premiered in 2024)
MENDELSSOHN String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2
Pixels Ensemble
14.01.25, 7pm
Rebecca CLARKE 3 Movements for 2 Violins and Piano
MOZART Piano Concerto in E-flat, K.449
ELGAR Piano Quintet in A Minor Op. 84
Leonkoro Quartet
05.02.25, 7pm
HAYDN String Quartet, Op. 50 No. 5 ‘Dream’
BERG Lyric Suite for String Quartet
RAVEL String Quartet Op. 35
Mithras Trio
19.03.25, 7pm
URINA Ciruclo, Op. 91
Joy LISNEY Petrichor (2023)
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8
SCHUBERT Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat Major, D.898
Earlier this year, we opened applications to our Emerging Artists Scheme, working with emerging and early career artists from a range of genres and backgrounds. We’re delighted to announce the artists who will be taking part in 2024/25, and you can read more about them and their plans for the coming year below.
This scheme is generously supported by The Haworth Trust.
THE PORTRAIT PLAYERS
We are called The Portrait Players because we curate programmes which present portraits of both historical and fictional characters, offering the audience an alternative listening perspective to music played on period instruments.
We are really excited about the opportunity to perform at Stoller Hall and grow our audience. As we enter our second year as an ensemble we will hugely benefit from the experience and guidance of the staff for our upcoming projects, including a song cycle commission!
THE LYONS MOUTH
As for our name, we all trained in ensemble singing at the University of York, and the name is a hark back to the Jack Lyons Concert Hall in the music department there, where we did many of our first momentous performances.
“We are so excited to be a part of the Stoller Hall Emerging Artists Scheme this year. To be given a platform at such a prestigious venue, and the license and support to freely create, is such an invaluable opportunity for any ensemble or artist at their outset. We hope to use this as a chance to experiment with our medium of solo voices, and find new ways to connect with a new audience.”
THE AKIKO QUARTET
We found that other Saxophone Quartets have links with Greek mythology, but we felt it was fitting to find our own identity and character in the music that we play and that’s how we came across Akiko. The name Akiko comes from the Japanese word for Light or bright child (when given as a name for someone). When we first suggested it, among others, this was the name that stuck. We all love to create, perform and find joy in music and believe that music brings light into our lives especially when there are many issues that the world is facing at the moment, so Akiko seems very apt.
The Stoller Hall Emerging Artists scheme will open doors to new opportunities Akiko wouldn’t have been able to think of doing without the help provided such as commissioning and recording new Saxophone repertoire. We want to show off how versatile and amazing this instrument is and with the Saxophone being relatively modern, we would love to continue the legacy of this wonderful instrument in chamber music and add to the rather limited repertoire already available. With professional as well as financial help, we believe this scheme can help us do this and build a great platform to continue to go forward in the future.
VULVA VOCE
Our name, Vulva Voce, symbolises the empowerment of women’s voices from across history. It’s celebrates that we play music created by women and underrepresented composers, including our own original material and specially commissioned works.
Vulva Voce are so honoured to have been chosen as participants in the Emerging Artists Scheme for 2024-25. As early career artists, we know how valuable it is to learn as much as possible about the business side of the arts, as well as developing ourselves as players. The mentoring and connections we hope to gain from the scheme will help us to keep building on our knowledge and ultimately to bring music by women to as many diverse audiences as possible.
RYLAN GLEAVE
It’s lovely to be returning to Manchester as a Chetham’s alumni, and I’m thrilled to be coming back with a set of varied and eclectic musical experiences that inform the art I now make. I’ve worked hard to find my voice, and I’m hoping that the Stoller Hall’s Emerging Artist Scheme will help me find my feet as a solo performer blending genre and disciplines.
PERFORMANCES IN OUR 2024/25 SEASON
Keep an eye out for these artists performing in concerts across our 24/25 season!
On Tuesday 30 April, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) returns to the Stoller Hall on Tuesday 30 April for a very special concert featuring brand new and reimagined jazz works. We caught up with the NYJO team to find out a bit more about the event and the music.
Can you tell us a little more about NYJO? How did it start and what kind of projects does the orchestra focus on?
The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) is a registered charity, whose mission is to nurture and develop young jazz musicians, and inspire audiences across the UK, through engaging participation projects and impactful live performances.
Founded in 1965, NYJO has grown from a single jazz orchestra to a multifaceted organisation that is committed to supporting musicians of all styles and standards – whether they want to become the next emerging artist or simply play for fun.
We work in close collaboration with renowned artists and likeminded partners to deliver projects that respond to local community needs and create an inclusive learning environment which centres the voices of young people.
Members of NYJO in performance
How many players will be involved in the concert on 30 April?
For this programme, Nikki Yeoh & NYJO Present: Speechmik X-Ploration, celebrated composer and pianist, Nikki Yeoh is joined on stage by a 19-piece ensemble of NYJO musicians. The expanded line-up for this performance, including strings and woodwind, shows Yeoh and NYJO re-examining the textural and stylistic boundaries of large ensemble jazz in contemporary UK society.
Adding to Yeoh’s awe-inspiring compositions, the show features moving visuals, specially designed by Bret Syfert, which accompany and build on the music being played on stage – creating a transfixing atmosphere that must be experienced live.
How did Nikki Yeoh first get involved?
Nikki Yeoh’s seminal multimedia work promotes a message of unity and plurality, which remains poignant today. Over a quarter of a century after it was first commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and Bath Festival in 1997. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, NYJO asked Yeoh to rearrange the piece and invited her to tour it around the country with our young musicians – bringing new life into the work.
Inspired by the music of Hermeto Pascoal and his experiments with speech, Yeoh uses an original poem as the central motif. Through the piece the poem is repeated 6 times, in 6 different languages, each masterfully accompanied by Yeoh on piano. The cadence, melodies and rhythms of each interpretation compose a rich tapestry of language and sound on which the ensemble builds, to create an ever-expanding sonic narrative.
NYJO will also be performing a brand-new work as part of the concert. Can you tell us a little more about that?
Complementing this re-interpretation of ‘Speechmik’ is a brand-new companion piece, ‘Nucleus’, especially commissioned by NYJO and dedicated to legendary UK trumpet player and educator, Ian Carr, who was a major influence in Yeoh’s musical upbringing, as well as a driving force in progressive UK jazz, fronting the jazz-rock band of the same name.
The second half of the show features 5 new arrangements of Carr’s music by 5 NYJO musicians (Rianna Henriques, Andrew Chen, Asha Parkinson, Flori Maunders, and Tom Hardy), who have each picked their favourite of the late trumpeter’s songs to be played by the NYJO ensemble.
What you do hope audiences will take away from the concert?
We hope audiences enjoy this special show, which brings together the best of the past, present, and future of UK Jazz (in the form of the late Ian Carr, Nikki Yeoh, and 19 young emerging professional musicians). Besides the exceptional sonic experience, Bret Syfert’s audiovisual journey throughout the performance makes for a truly unforgettable experience.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more
