Welcome to 2015 at the RNCM Concert Hall - rncm.ac.uk · – Michael Finnissy’s Lost Lands Free admission, no ticket required Megson. Friday 23 – Sunday 25 January RNCM Festival

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These are exciting times for the RNCM, in an environment which is at its most stimulating and motivating, when the artistic offer in Manchester is currently changing the cultural landscape of the North West.

Heralding the official opening of our new state-of-the-art Concert Hall later on this Spring, the season kicks off with the RNCM Chamber Music Festival presenting three generations of the best in chamber music in the Czech Republic, represented by the Guarneri Trio Prague, the Talich Quartet and the Pavel Haas Quartet.

Collaborations and partnerships are strengthened as we co-curate a stunning four-day programme with FutureEverything, featuring contemporary artists such as Ólafur Arnalds and an impressive sound sculpture (Nyloid). New adventures ignite as Park Lane Group partners up with the RNCM to present a festival of young artists and British contemporary music. The music of today becomes stronger still with Sound and Music supporting ddmmyy featuring the music of Bryn Harrison, and Third Ear with Manifesto featuring vocalist Loré Lixenberg, laptops and wax cylinders; our second season of Decontamination, responding to Brian Eno’s Music for Airports; a focus on the music of Gerald Barry, in partnership with the BBC Philharmonic, and the Ida Carroll Trust with Sir Harrison Birtwistle.

There are exquisite classical gems throughout the season, including Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos with the RNCM Chamber Orchestra, Manchester Camerata perform Elgar’s poignant Cello Concerto, and we transform the RNCM into Vienna with our Strings Festival. Our Festival of Brass features the UK’s best brass bands and their soloists; there is a stellar line-up for Day of Percussion; and a French Piano Recital Series launched with Pascal Rogé performing Debussy, Ravel and Poulenc.

A special treat awaits our jazz audiences with artists including GoGo Penguin, Courtney Pine and Polar Bear and we are proud to be welcoming the National Youth Jazz Orchestra with a programme that should bring the house down. Making Tracks continues with their fabulous artists, and we also welcome Megson, The Old Dance School and the London African Gospel Choir. RNCM Youth Perform goes to town with Bernstein’s fantastic score On the Town and our Day of Song investigates Berlin and the world of Cabaret.

Spring 2015 reaches its climax with The RNCM Big Weekender, where we celebrate the diversity and breadth of our programming. Highlights include: Britten’s magical opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream, RNCM Big Band with Nikki Iles and Tina May, rock and pop gigs in a nightclub setting in the Studio Theatre, and an exciting Family Day, this time based on the BBC Ten Pieces. In addition there are installations, interactive performances and alumni recitals, all culminating in the performance of Mahler 2 (Resurrection), with Jane Irwin and Sarah Connolly, conducted by Jac van Steen in the now officially-launched Concert Hall.

Dr Michelle Castelletti – Artistic Director

Welcome to 2015 at the RNCM

The newly refurbished RNCM

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Thursday 8 January 1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM Concert OrchestraBedřich Smetana Vltava and Šárka from Má vlast Antonín Dvořák Slavonic Dance in G minor Op 46 No 8*

Matthew Wood, Thiago Santos* conductors

Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Friday 9 – Sunday 11 January

RNCM Chamber Music Festival Má Vlast (My Country)Featuring some of the finest Czech musicians performing today including the legendary Talich Quartet, the Guarneri Trio Prague, Czech ambassadors for over 25 years, and the Pavel Haas Quartet, one of the finest quartets working anywhere in the world today, the 2015 Festival celebrates the breadth of Czech chamber music from the 18th century through to the present day and, as always, will be brought to life by performances from students of the RNCM.

For full details, visit www.rncm.ac.uk/chamberfestival

Supported by the Albert and Eugenie Frost Music Trust

HIGHLIGHTS

Friday 9 January 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Talich Quartet with Jeremy Young Bedřich Smetana String Quartet No 1 in E minor ‘From my Life’ Leoš Janáček String Quartet No 1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’ Antonín Dvořák Piano Quintet No 2 in A major Op 81 Tickets £17 Concessions available

Saturday 10 January 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Guarneri Trio PragueLuboš Fišer Piano Trio Bedřich Smetana Piano Trio in G minor Op 15 Antonín Dvořák Piano Trio No 3 in F minor Op 65Tickets £17 Concessions available

Sunday 11 January 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Pavel Haas Quartet with Delia StevensBedřich Smetana String Quartet No 2 in D minor Leoš Janáček String Quartet No 2 ‘Intimate Letters’ Pavel Haas String Quartet No 2 ‘From the Monkey Mountains’ Tickets £17 Concessions available Full Festival Ticket £135 Friday Day Ticket £55 Saturday Day Ticket £55 Sunday Day Ticket £45

Promoted by RNCM

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Monday 12 January 1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Monday Recital SeriesFrancis Poulenc Oboe Sonata FP 185

Amy Roberts oboe Philip Sharp piano

Frédéric Chopin Nocturne in E flat major Op 55 No 2 Frédéric Chopin Fantasy in F minor Op 49

Ewa Tytman Csiba piano


Wednesday 14 January 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Alexander Panfilov RNCM International Artist Diploma Piano RecitalJ S Bach Partita No 1 in B flat major BWV 825 Robert Schumann Etudes Symphoniques Op 13 Modest Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

Alexander Panfilov performs the first of four solo recitals this term by students on our International Artist Diploma (IAD) course. The Moscow-born pianist is the winner of many international competitions and prizes, including an RNCM Gold Medal, as well as first place in the Taranto and Brant International Piano Competitions. He has also performed at many major venues across the globe, including Carnegie Hall, Tonhalle Zürich and Wigmore Hall. Alexander is generously supported by the Musicians’ Company Carnwath Scholarship and The Helen Mackaness Award. Tickets £10 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM


RNCM Concert OrchestraEdward Elgar Chanson du Matin Op 15 No 2* Robert Schumann Cello Concerto in A minor Op 129

Clark Rundell, Carlos Agreda Arango* conductors Elena Daunyte cello



Monday Recital SeriesFranz Schubert Klavierstücke Nos 2 and 3 D 946

Sid Ramchander piano

Dominick Argento Casa Guidi; The Italian Cook and the English Maid; Manners at the Opera

Jennifer Parker mezzo-soprano James Hendry piano Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Monday 19 January 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Danish String Quartet Manchester Chamber Concerts SocietyFelix Mendelssohn Capriccio in E minor Op 81 No 3 Dmitri Shostakovich String Quartet No 9 in E flat major Op 117 Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet in C sharp minor Op 131 No 14Tickets £25 £12.50 Concessions available www.chamberconcerts.org Promoted by MCCS

+6.30pm Forman Lecture Theatre Pre-concert talk: Professor Barry Cooper on Beethoven Op 131 Free admission to ticket holders

Wednesday 21, Thursday 22, Wednesday 28 January and Tuesday 3 February 6pm RNCM Theatre

RNCM Opera ScenesRNCM singers perform a range of excerpts drawn from a wide variety of operas by composers including Donizetti, Delibes, Mozart, Gounod, Britten, Smetana and Offenbach.Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM


RNCM Wind OrchestraCarl Nielsen Paraphrase on Nearer my God to Thee Jacob Ter Veldhuis (arr R Mark Rogers) Tallahatchie Concerto James MacMillan Sowetan Spring

Mark Heron, Matt Weites conductors Erin Royer saxophone


Thursday 22 January 7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

MegsonStu Hanna and Debbie Hanna are the husband and wife duo Megson. Three times nominated in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and double winners of the 2011 Spiral Earth Awards they draw heavily on their Teesside heritage to create a unique brand of folk music. Their infectious sound is a mix of heavenly vocals, lush harmonies and driving rhythmic guitars and mandolas. As fRoots magazine puts it ‘if you don’t like the music here then you have a problem…’

Tickets £12 Concessions available www.megsonmusic.co.uk Promoted by RNCM


RNCM Brand New OrchestraAdam Kornas, Thiago Santos, Carlos Agreda Arango conductors

Hear newly composed music for symphony orchestra, as RNCM composers unveil their latest work.Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

+6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room Spotlight: Get Lost! – Michael Finnissy’s Lost Lands Free admission, no ticket required

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Friday 23 – Sunday 25 January

RNCM Festival of Brass Spirit of CelebrationThe Spirit of Celebration will be manifest throughout this year’s Festival. Some of the country’s finest brass bands and international soloists pay tribute to composers who have made a significant contribution to the brass band medium; two of whom, Elgar Howarth and Edward Gregson, celebrate important anniversaries and are extensively featured throughout the Festival programme.

With nine bands, world-renowned soloists and world or UK premières of new works from Andrew Baker, Martin Ellerby, Gavin Higgins and Bramwell Tovey, the 2015 RNCM Festival of Brass will be an important opportunity to reflect on the wider impact of the brass band movement and to thank the performers and composers who have shaped it over so many years. We’re all looking forward to the celebration and will be sure to make a joyful noise!

For full details, visit www.rncm.ac.uk/festivalofbrass

HIGHLIGHTS


Black Dyke BandEdward Gregson Variations on Laudate Dominum Elgar Howarth Sonatina for cornet and band Martin Ellerby Malcolm Arnold Variations arr Elgar Howarth Music from the Elizabethan Court Martin Ellerby The Four Elements (Partita for euphonium and brass band) (world première) Edward Gregson The Trumpets of the Angels

Nicholas Childs, Elgar Howarth conductors Richard Marshall cornet Gary Curtin euphonium Mark O’Keefe trumpet Darius Battiwalla organ

Tickets £16 £14 Concessions available

Saturday 24 January 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Foden’s BandBramwell Tovey Deo Gloria Bramwell Tovey Trumpet Concerto ‘Songs of the Paradise Saloon’ (UK première of brass band version) Andrew Baker Atrium Phase (world première) Edward Gregson Connotations Eric Ball Song of Courage Tovey, Gregson, Michael Ball, Howarth, Wilby Variations on a Theme of Michael Tippett Andy Scott Forgotten Place Bramwell Tovey The Night to Sing

Bramwell Tovey, Michael Fowles conductors Mark O’Keefe trumpet


Sunday 25 January 6pm RNCM Concert Hall

Grimethorpe Colliery BandGilbert Vinter Symphony of Marches Elgar Howarth Concerto for cornet and brass band Percy Fletcher Epic Symphony Imogen Holst The Unfortunate Traveller Elgar Howarth Cantabile (for John Fletcher) Edward Gregson Symphony in Two Movements

Robert Childs conductor Iain Culross cornet Michael Dodd, Phillipe Schwartz euphonium


Full Festival Ticket £94 Saturday Day Ticket £46 Sunday Day Ticket £42

Promoted by RNCM

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Tuesday 27 – Wednesday 28 January

Before the Road: The Music of Gerald BarryThe RNCM and BBC Philharmonic are delighted to present a festival of the extraordinary Irish composer Gerald Barry. A musical maverick and at times even a surrealist, the only thing to expect from Barry’s music is the unexpected. Characters are turned on their head, violence is juxtaposed with poetic beauty and the listener is invariably taken on an unforgettable journey.

‘Barry’s is a world of sharp edges, of precisely defined yet utterly unpredictable musical objects. His music sounds like no one else’s in its diamond-like hardness, its humour, and sometimes, its violence.’ Tom Service, The Guardian

For full details, visit www.rncm.ac.uk/barryfestival

HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday 27 January 1.15pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Lunchtime ConcertGerald Barry Trumpeter Dan Ryan New work for solo cello Gerald Barry Triorchic Blues Alex Symcox New work for solo violin Gerald Barry Water Parted Free admission, no ticket required

7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM New EnsembleGerald Barry Before the Road Tom Harrold New work Gerald Barry Hard D for Volharding ensemble Gerald Barry Octet William Marshall New work Gerald Barry Feldman’s Sixpenny Editions

Clark Rundell, Daniel Parkinson, Matt Weites conductors

Tickets £8 Concessions available

+6.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre Pre-concert event: Gerald Barry gives an insight into his life and music with Clark Rundell Free admission, no ticket required

Wednesday 28 January 1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Lunchtime Concert Gerald Barry Ø George Rimmer New work Gerald Barry Five Chorales from The Intelligence Park

Free admission, no ticket required

7.30pm BBC Philharmonic Studio, MediaCityUK

BBC PhilharmonicGerald Barry La Jalousie Taciturne; Wiener Blut for orchestra; Kitty Lie Over Across From The Wall; Day; Baroness von Ritkart; From The Intelligence Park

Clark Rundell conductor

Free admission, by ticket only Once open, ticket applications will be available at bbc.co.uk/tickets. Tickets are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Promoted by RNCM and BBC Philharmonic

Thursday 29 January 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Denis Zhdanov RNCM International Artist Diploma Piano RecitalFranz Schubert (arr F Liszt) Selected Lieder Franz Schubert Piano Sonata in G major D 894 Claude Debussy Images Books 1 and 2 Igor Stravinsky (arr G Agosti) The Firebird

Our second IAD recital features Ukrainian pianist Denis Zhdanov. Denis made his début recital in Łódź, Poland in 2007 to great critical acclaim. Since then, he has gone on to play in major concert halls including Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Salle Cortot, Paris and Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona. He has also won numerous prestigious international music competitions including the 56th International Maria Canals Piano Competition in 2010 and the 2nd International Piano Competition (Czerny-Stefańska in Memorium) in Poznań, Poland in 2011. Tickets £10 Concessions available www.deniszhdanov.com Promoted by RNCM


Monday Recital SeriesClaude Debussy Violin Sonata in G minor L 140

Corey Wickens violin Charles Vincent Barsaga piano

Jean Françaix Three movements from Danses exotiques Maurice Ravel Habanera from Sites Auriculaires Cécile Chaminade Valse carnavalesque Op 73

Leif Kaner-Lidstrom, Hayley Parkes piano



RNCM Concert OrchestraBenjamin Britten An American Overture Op 38 Arvo Pärt Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten Béla Bartók Dance Suite

Gergely Madaras, Adam Kornas conductors


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RNCM Chamber OrchestraMaurice Ravel Le tombeau de Couperin Francis Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos in D minor FP 61 Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No 3 in A minor Op 56 ‘Scottish’

Piero Lombardi Iglesias conductor Yoon-Jee Kim, Jackie Jaekyung Yoo pianos

The RNCM Chamber Orchestra’s first concert of the year opens with Ravel’s beautiful tribute to the fallen of the First World War, followed by Poulenc’s delightful concerto, in which the composer’s unashamed eclecticism is given full rein. The programme is completed by Mendelssohn’s ‘Scottish’ Symphony, inspired by a visit to Edinburgh’s Holyrood Palace and the tragic story of Mary Queen of Scots.Tickets £15 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

+9.45pm Carole Nash Recital Room Late-Night Spotlight: A Nocturnal Journey – An intimate recital of Chopin Nocturnes Free admission, no ticket required

Saturday 31 January 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

RNCM Big Band with Mark NightingaleMark Nightingale director, trombone

The first RNCM Big Band show of the year marks the return of a hugely popular previous guest and one of the country’s finest jazz and session trombonists, Mark Nightingale. Mark came under the spotlight at a tender age as Lead Trombonist in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. As well as playing regularly in his own big band, quintet and a couple of other ensembles, Mark has also performed with the likes of Alan Barnes, Lee Konitz, Kenny Wheeler and Colin Towns to name just a few. Tonight, he will dazzle us with an evening of his own arrangements, compositions and virtuosity. Tickets £18 £15 Concessions available www.mark-nightingale.co.uk Promoted by RNCM

+9.45pm RNCM Café Bar Late-Night Spotlight: A Tale of Two Cities – A celebration of the music of Fela Kuti and Mulatu Astatke Free admission, no ticket required

Saturday 31 January 7pm RNCM Concert Hall

John Wilson Piano Spectacular IIIInternationally-renowned pianists including RNCM alumni, join forces to raise funds for the John Wilson Junior Fellowship in Accompaniment. With no fewer than eight grand pianos on stage, John Wilson will be joined by Peter Donohoe, Julian Evans, John Gough, Nicholas Rimmer, Martin Roscoe, Jonathan Scott, Keith Swallow and Andrew Wilde performing music by Granados, Saint-Saëns and Liszt. Also in tonight’s line-up is improvisation superstar Harry Harris.Tickets £27.50 £22.50 £17.50 Post-concert drinks and buffet £15 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Sunday 1 February 10.30am RNCM Concert Hall

Manchester Amateur Choral Competition Adult Choir CategoryTickets £10 Concessions available www.themacc.org.uk Promoted by Jon Atkin

Sunday 1 February 3pm and 7pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Trouble in Tahiti Leonard BernsteinStuart Overington musical director Jonathan Ainscough director

Behind the picture-perfect façade of 1950s suburbia, two lonely people struggle to save their crumbling marriage in this 45-minute opera-in-miniature, performed by RNCM singers as a prelude to RNCM Youth Perform’s On the Town in April.Tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

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Monday 2 February 1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Monday Recital SeriesAnthony Plog Postcards Eugène Bozza Caprice

Illiam Quane trumpet Hayley Parkes piano

Jorge Gómez Crespo Norteña Máximo Diego Pujol Preludio Tristón Quique Sinesi Cielo Abierto

Yvonne Bloor guitar


Monday 2 February 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

The Frederic Cox Award for SingingCome and hear the singing stars of tomorrow in the first of three major RNCM vocal competitions this year. Previous winners include Simon Keenlyside, Amanda Roocroft and Kathryn Rudge. Tickets £10 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Thursday 5 February 1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM Chamber EnsembleIgor Stravinsky Suites Nos 1 and 2 for small orchestra Igor Stravinsky Dumbarton Oaks

Adam Kornas, Carlos Agreda Arango, Jan Wierzba conductors


Thursday 5 February 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Piano Duo PrizeTonight’s competition for piano duos is adjudicated by the Japanese pianist Noriko Ogawa, who performs at the RNCM later this month, and returns again to give a public masterclass on 21 April.Tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Friday 6 February 1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Friday Chamber Series

with Peter CropperLouis Spohr Octet in E major Op 42Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Friday 6 February From 6.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Spotlight Triple-BillTonight in our regular series of free, student-led concerts, we hear an eclectic mix of old and new repertoire from our brass department.

6.30pm Fewkes Horn Quartet – British Contemporary Horn Music

7.10pm RNCM Cornets - Original works by student composers

7.50pm Just a Closer Walk – A Selection of Sacred Music from Salutation BrassFree admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 7 February From 10.30am Various venues

Junior RNCM Open DayAn opportunity to visit the Junior RNCM, meet current staff, students and parents, and listen to the Juniors perform. For full details, contact the Junior RNCM on 0161 907 5264.Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 7 February 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

Gondwana Records presents:Matthew Halsall & The Gondwana Orchestra + GoGo Penguin + Mammal HandsManchester-based trumpeter, composer, arranger, band-leader and record label boss Matthew Halsall is one of the rising stars of European Jazz and his Gondwana Records label is home to some of the UK’s best music. Tonight’s very special show features Halsall’s The Gondwana Orchestra, local heroes GoGo Penguin and new discoveries Mammal Hands for a brilliant night of the very best in contemporary music.

Halsall opens this triple-bill with music from Alice Coltrane alongside his own take on the Spiritual Jazz legacy of Alice and John Coltrane. He is joined on stage by The Gondwana Orchestra featuring: Rachael Gladwin (harp), Jordan Smart (saxophones), Taz Modi (piano), Gavin Barras (double bass), Luke Flowers (drums), and featuring special guest Josephine Oniyama (vocals).

Joining Matthew for this show are the irresistible Manchester-based acoustic-electronica trio GoGo Penguin, whose skittering break-beats, infectious piano melodies and powerful and propulsive basslines all contribute to a sound that is wholly their own. Their latest album v2.0 was nominated for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize Album of the Year 2014. Completing the bill is Mammal Hands, a trio of like-minded musicians drawing on influences from Steve Reich to Bonobo and Pharoah Sanders to Cinematic Orchestra to produce their own beautiful, inimitable music. Tickets £16 Concessions available www.gondwanarecords.com Promoted by Gondwana Records

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Sunday 8 February

RNCM Day of PercussionThe 2015 RNCM Day of Percussion features an outstanding line-up of internationally renowned artists including leading vibraphonist Anthony Kerr, world music specialist Pete Lockett, acclaimed drummer Troy Miller and London Symphony Orchestra Principal Percussionist Neil Percy with London Philharmonic Orchestra timpanist Simon Carrington, plus the unique sound and sight of a marimba orchestra, directed by Liz Gilliver and Jim Gordon. There are plenty of participatory events to get involved with, including workshops and lessons led by RNCM percussion tutors, as well as an extensive trade exhibition to browse throughout the day.

For full details, visit www.rncm.ac.uk/dayofpercussion

HIGHLIGHTS

10am RNCM Theatre

Opening Concert

RNCM Percussion Ensemble 12pm RNCM Concert Hall

Manchester Marimba Masters

with Liz Gilliver and Jim Gordon A fascinating and informative programme demonstrating the development of the marimba orchestra.

2pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Pete Lockett

Indian Rhythmic Systems: A Western PerspectiveA look at the rhythmic systems and drum techniques from North and South India.

3.20pm RNCM Theatre

Troy Miller

The Musical DrummerTroy explores the possibilities of becoming a well-rounded and in-demand drummer.


Neil Percy and Simon Carrington

Orchestral ArtistryAn insight into how closely timpani and percussion function together, with technical and musical demonstrations.


Evening Concert

featuring Neil Percy, Simon Carrington, Pete Lockett, Anthony Kerr, Troy Miller and The Marimba Consort

Full Day Ticket £30 Individual session tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM


Monday Recital SeriesJudith Weir King Harald’s Saga

Emma Walton soprano

Andy Scott Three Letter Word Esbjörn Svensson (arr McPhilemy) Viaticum

Emma McPhilemy saxophone Nick Seymour piano



090215Tom Rose Same amount in fivers Jack Sheen Hullabaloo and all types of malarkey Bryn Harrison Four Cycles

ddmmyy returns to the RNCM for the second of its three ensemble concerts, setting new works by the series’ curators Tom Rose and Jack Sheen alongside Bryn Harrison’s epic Four Cycles in a programme that explores notions of repetition, stasis, and our perception of time.Tickets £6 Concessions available www.ddmmyyseries.com Supported by Sound and Music Promoted by RNCM

+6pm Carole Nash Recital Room Pre-concert talk: Bryn Harrison in conversation with Jack Sheen Free admission, no ticket required

Wednesday 11 February 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Manchester CamerataGeorges Bizet Symphony in C major Edward Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor Op 85 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No 40 in G minor K 550

Gábor Takács-Nagy conductor Hannah Roberts cello

Tickets £32 £26 £19 £10 Concessions available www.manchestercamerata.co.uk Supported by Nigel Hirst Promoted by Manchester Camerata

+6.30pm RNCM Concert Hall Pre-concert performance: Webster Primary School reveal their own musical creation Free admission, no ticket required


RNCM Chamber EnsembleClaude Debussy (arr Walter) Prelude à l’après-midi d’un faune L 86* Gustav Mahler (arr Schoenberg) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen**

Thiago Santos,* Daniel Parkinson,** Steffan Morris** conductors


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Thursday 12 February 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Kathryn Williams

RNCM International Artist Diploma Flute RecitalJonathan Harvey Nataraja Laurence Tompkins la Kunah Ai Cayanuh (world première) Karlheinz Stockhausen Susani’s Echo Salvatore Sciarrino Hermes J S Bach Partita in A minor BWV 1013 George Crumb Vox Balaenae for Three Masked Players

Kathryn Williams flute Kathleen Tertell cello Carla Fernandez Boix piano

Our third IAD solo recital features flautist Kathryn Williams. Originally from Ohio, Kathryn moved to the UK in 2007 to study on a full scholarship at the RNCM where she earned a BMus with First Class honours and has recently completed a MMus with Distinction as an ABRSM Postgraduate Scholar.

Kathryn was the second-prize winner in the 2012 British Flute Society Young Artist Competition and is a former winner of the RNCM Concerto Competition. She is committed to a busy career of solo and chamber playing, and has performed at St Martin-in-the-Fields and Wigmore Hall. As an orchestral player she has also had engagements with the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic, and Sinfonia Cymru. Tickets £10 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Friday 13 February 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

London African Gospel ChoirWith live shows at the O2 Arena and the Roundhouse in London, the London African Gospel Choir is a platform of excellence for African gospel singers, dancers and musicians, reflecting all African nations as one. One of their most memorable occasions was performing for the Nelson Mandela memorial service at the Great Hall, Westminster. Tonight they aim to excite and enthral our audiences with a spectacular show that brings a unique flavour to performance and presents a colourful night of cultural excellence.Tickets £18 £15 Concessions available www.thelagc.com Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 14 February 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

National Youth Jazz Orchestra

My Funny ValentineJazz is grown up music. It expresses the full depth and breadth of human emotions. From the most visceral to mundane, angry to comedic, it articulates the profound. Love and romance are intrinsic to all great art and the jazz tradition is rich in odes to amour!

Stories of loss, admiration, joy, betrayal and lust all feature in the jazz canon, and some of the greatest moments in the history of the music have been poured out during renditions of classic love songs - Miles Davis’ version of My Funny Valentine, Billie Holiday’s You Don’t Know What Love is and Ben Webster on Days of Wine and Roses to name but a few.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, NYJO will don their red roses and present an evening of elegant, romantic and swinging love songs, classic and original.Tickets £18 £15 Concessions available www.nyjo.org.uk Promoted by RNCM

Monday 16 February 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Avi Avital, Ksenija Sidorova and Itamar Doari Between WorldsManchester Chamber Concerts SocietyManuel de Falla Siete canciones populares españoles Astor Piazzolla Histoire du Tango Ernest Bloch Nigun from Baal Shem Nikolai Budashkin Concerto for mandolin in A minor J S Bach Ciaconna from Partita in D minor BWV 1004 Béla Bartók Romanian Folk Dances plus Traditional Balkan folk music

Avi Avital mandolin Ksenija Sidorova accordion Itamar Doari percussion

Tickets £25 £12.50 Concessions available www.chamberconcerts.org Promoted by MCCS


Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra Family Matinée Concert: A Painted PastoralA special family event introduced by the artist and illustrator James Mayhew, featuring Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No 3 ‘A Pastoral Symphony’.Tickets £3 No concessions Promoted by Chetham’s School of Music

Friday 20 February 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra

Images of World War IGeorge Butterworth A Shropshire Lad Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor Op 37 Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphony No 3 ‘A Pastoral Symphony’Tickets £18 £14 Concessions available Promoted by Chetham’s School of Music

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Friday 20 February 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

TroykaTroyka is an explosive jazz-rock trio and multi-textured band with a wild and ground-breaking style, led by Montreux Jazz Festival prizewinner Chris Montague on guitar and loops, Joshua Blackmore on drums and featuring Mercury Music Prize nominee and BBC Award Winner Kit Downes on keyboards. Recently, they have chalked up blistering sets at Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Love Supreme Festival, Latitude Festival, Elbjazz Festival, Jazzfestival Frankfurt, Nattjazz Festival, Jazz in Duketown Festival and Jazz à la Villette, leading The Independent to describe the trio as: ‘Mingus meets Motorhead... improvised jazz, metronomic beats and extreme volume…’

Tickets £14 £12 Concessions available www.troyka.co.uk Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 21 February 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Soundscape Chamber Orchestra with Noriko Ogawa and Murray McLachlan in collaboration with KS Dance LtdAaron Copland Two Pieces for String Orchestra Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in E flat major K 365 Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings Franz Schubert Symphony No 5 in B flat major D 485

Daniel Parkinson conductor Kate Simmons choreographer

Tickets £15 Concessions available In aid of HelpMusiciansUK Promoted by Daniel Parkinson

Sunday 22 February 10.30am RNCM Concert Hall

Manchester Amateur Choral Competition Youth Choirs CategoryTickets £10 Concessions available www.themacc.org.uk Promoted by Jon Atkin


Monday Recital SeriesClaude Debussy Ariettes oubliées L 60

Alexandra Lowe soprano Simon Passmore piano

Claude Debussy Cello Sonata in D minor L 135 Manuel de Falla (arr Gendron) Spanish Dance from La Vida Breve

Joshua Salter cello Yulia Vershinina piano


Monday 23 February Doors 7pm RNCM Concert Hall

Scott MatthewsThe Wolverhampton singer-songwriter showcases songs from his recent album Home (Part One), along with favourites from his previous releases.Tickets £16.50 No concessions www.scottmatthewsmusic.co.uk Promoted by DHP family

Monday 23 February 7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Manifesto featuring Loré Lixenberg, Federico Reuben and Aleks KolkowskiArtist manifesti were first written and performed in the early 20th century. Vocalist Loré Lixenberg, laptop artist Federico Reuben and Aleks Kolkowski on wax cylinders and horns bring these texts alive musically, highlighting their ground-breaking and often astonishing nature. Initially playful, provocative and radical reactions to the art establishment of the time, manifesti in later years often featured anti-war propaganda. All manifesti and works featured in Manifesto have had a profound influence on music as well as art, and can be seen as the early foundations of the performance art and sound art forms we are familiar with today.

The texts range from Marinetti’s Futurism Manifesto (1909) to George Maciunas’ Fluxus Manifesto (1963) and an exhibition of rarely seen and exciting artifacts – including original manifesto tracts, scores and photographs, as well as artworks by the manifesto authors – will be staged in our Studio Theatre, accessible before, during and after the performance.Tickets £12 Concessions available Supported by Sound and Music Promoted by RNCM

Wednesday 25 February 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Organ Recital PrizeRNCM organists return to the refurbished Concert Hall to compete for this annual prize, adjudicated by Kevin Bowyer.Tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

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Wednesday 25 – Saturday 28 February

FutureEverything FestivalCelebrating its 20th year, the FutureEverything Festival returns to the RNCM, to build on the artistic partnership between the two organisations. Bringing the North’s foremost conservatoire and venue together with an award-winning leader in digital culture offers an incredibly exciting opportunity for creative partnership. This co-curated programme features installations, performances and new commissions. One highlight is a UK première of ‘The Well’ by live visual artist Emmanuel Biard and electronic musician Koreless, which builds on their collaboration at the RNCM as part of FutureEverything Festival, 2014. In addition, and for the first time, we also present a film programme in the RNCM’s Forman Lecture Theatre.

Throughout the Festival, the RNCM hosts the After Hours Hub and the heart of the artistic programme. This programme is presented alongside the FutureEverything Conference at Manchester Town Hall and labs and workshops along Oxford Road. Taking place on Thu 26 & Fri 27 Feb, speakers include technology and science fiction writer Warren Ellis, digital artist Jer Thorp, Director of New Inc. Julia Kaganskiy, contemporary artist Paolo Cirio and many more.

Full live programme / tickets: www.rncm.ac.uk/futureeverything

FEATURING:Wednesday 25 February 8pm RNCM Theatre

Koreless & Emmanuel Biard: The Well (New Commission, UK Première)Tickets £12


Ólafur ArnaldsTickets £20 Promoted by Hey! Manchester

Thursday 26 and Friday 27 February 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

Cod.Act: ‘Nyloïd’Free admission, no ticket required

Friday 27 February 7pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Deep Hedonia: ‘Unresolved Projects’Free admission, no ticket required

Saturday 28 February 7pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Renzo Spiteri: Sounds UnlimitedFree admission, no ticket required

Saturday 28 February 8pm doors, show starts 8.15pm RNCM Theatre

Ariel Pink

Plus special guest Gazelle TwinTickets £15

Full live programme / tickets: www.rncm.ac.uk/futureeverything

Sounds and Signals from the New NormalThis programme captures what exists in the spaces between the organic, the mechanical and the digital; between the human and the non-human. We present artists who effortlessly shift between the spaces of contemporary classical, sound art, experimental electronica, club culture and lo-fi DIY aesthetics. They transcend the language of live performance, using bespoke musical instruments as fascinating sculptural devices, collaborating with creative technologists and reimagining the stage as a new scenographic language.

Film ProgrammeIntroduced this year, the FutureEverything Festival film programme features new and existing works, including Metahaven’s City Rising exploring the Sounds and Signals from the New Normal, by filmmakers spanning documentary and visual arts. The film programme transforms the stage into a screen for performance and artistic interpretation, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in visions exploring the tensions between the organic, the mechanical, the analogue and the digital. Most screenings are free, and a full programme can be found at www.futureeverything.org

After Hours Hub: Free EntryWednesday 25 - Saturday 28 6pm-late

Open each evening throughout the Festival, the RNCM hosts the After Hours Hub at the heart of the artistic programme - a social space where visitors can explore the programme and meet other attendees and friends. A fully licensed café bar will be open all night, as the Festival transforms the central concourse space. Each evening will feature DJ sets, performances and pop-up ‘secret shows’ from artists across the Festival programme.

For full details, visit www.futureeverything.org

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RNCM Concert Orchestra and Chamber ChoirWolfgang Amadeus Mozart God is our Refuge K20; Ave verum corpus K 618* Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Mass in C major K 317 ‘Coronation Mass’

Roger Hamilton, Stuart Overington* conductors


Thursday 26 February 7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Trio Da Kali Making TracksThe three musicians of Trio Da Kali hail from the Mande culture of Mali, from a heritage of distinguished griots, the caste of specialist hereditary musical artisans. Aiming to showcase neglected repertoires and performance styles of the griots, they bring a fresh, contemporary, creative twist to their musical art, breathing new life back into this ancient tradition. Their performances offer a rare glimpse into the soul of the art of the griot, celebrating the African continent’s finest, most subtle and sublime music.Tickets £14 Concessions available www.makingtrackslive.org.uk Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 28 February 12.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Junior RNCM Formal ConcertA showcase performance featuring talented soloists from Junior RNCM.Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 28 February 7pm RNCM Concert Hall

Manchester Welsh Society St David’s Day Concert with Côr Godre’r Aran and PiantelAn evening of classical and traditional music and song in Welsh and English in celebration of St David’s Day.Tickets £17.50 Concessions available Promoted by Manchester Welsh Society

Sunday 1 March 3pm Carole Nash Recital Room

A Royal Concert for Louis XIV RNCM Baroque Soloists

Roger Hamilton director

The inspiration for this afternoon’s programme comes from the private Sunday chamber concerts given for Louis XIV during the final months of his life in 1715. The ailing monarch would call upon his court musicians, led by François Couperin, to entertain him, and the music Couperin wrote for these occasions was later published as a collection of so-called Concerts Royaux.

Today’s concert features two of these exquisitely fashioned pieces, alongside music by Jean-Baptiste Lully, Jean-Philippe Rameau and Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre. So enter the palace of Versailles and enjoy music that is exuberant and poignant, opulent yet intimate: a fitting tribute to one of the most important figures in music history.Tickets £10 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Monday 2 March 1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Monday Recital SeriesJ S Bach Toccata in C minor BWV 911

Emily Hooker piano

C P E Bach Duet for flute and violin H 598 Béla Bartók Selection from 44 Duos for two violins SZ 98

Pola Kompf flute Clemence Prudhomme violin


Thursday 5 March 1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM GuitarsCraig Ogden director

RNCM guitarists present a mixed programme for a variety of combinations, including Malcolm Arnold’s Guitar Concerto and Cumbiamba for guitar ensemble by Jaime Cordoba.Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM


Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House EnsembleMaverick, award-winning saxophonist Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House Ensemble are back in the UK after an extensive world tour. For the last 14 years, the quartet have been touring all over the world, stunning audiences with their firebrand performances packed with drama, luscious harmonies and wit.

Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House Ensemble are still one of the few jazz bands whose audience is beyond the ‘usual’ jazz audience. The band are a true example of a group whose appeal is as strong with fans of hard bop and be bop as it is with an audience to whom the message of the music transcends the technical virtuosity displayed.

‘A formidable improvisational array...a jazz giant steadily drawing himself up to his full height...’ The GuardianTickets £18 Concessions available www.gilad.co.uk Promoted by RNCM

+6.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre Spotlight: Doodle Quartet – An Evening of Klezmer Music Free admission, no ticket required

Thursday 5 March 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Norman George Violin ScholarshipRNCM violinists compete for this prestigous annual award.Tickets £7 Concessions available Friday 6 March 1.15pm RNCM Concert Hall

Friday Chamber Series Scarlett String TrioA showcase performance by the winners of the RNCM Hirsch Prize.


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Friday 6 – Saturday 7 March

The Manchester PLG Young Artists FestivalIn a new partnership with Park Lane Group, an organisation which has launched the careers of outstanding young artists for over 50 years, the RNCM collaborates to create an exciting programme focusing on British composers and the music of our time.

For full details, visit www.rncm.ac.uk/parklanegroup

Friday 6 March 1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Anthony Brown saxophone Leo Nicholson piano

Works by Graham Ross and Alfred Desenclos.Tickets £7 Concessions available

7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Diana Mathews viola Ariana Kashefi cello Leanne Cody piano

Works by Philip Grange, Adam Gorb, Thomas Adès, David Matthews and Mark-Anthony Turnage.Tickets £10 Concessions available

Saturday 7 March 1.15pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Helen Wilson flute with Elinor Nicholson and Chloe Roberts harp

Works by George Benjamin, Paul Patterson, Kenneth Hesketh and David Horne.Tickets £7 Concessions available


Maxwell String Quartet with Elinor Nicholson harp

Works by Robert Saxton, David Horne, Philip Grange, Paul Patterson and Adam Gorb.Tickets £10 Concessions available

Festival Ticket £25 Promoted by RNCM and Park Lane Group

Friday 6 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Tai Murray Violin Recital Silke Avenhaus pianoFelix Mendelssohn Violin Sonata in F major Robert Schumann Three Romances Op 94 Felix Mendelssohn (arr F Hermann) Three Songs Without Words Robert Schumann Violin Sonata No 2 in D minor Op 121Tickets £20 £15 £10 Concessions available Promoted by Choices Available Ltd

Saturday 7 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

St George’s Singers with Northern Baroque OrchestraJ S Bach Magnificat in D major BWV 243 Dietrich Buxtehude Membra Jesu Nostri BuxWV 75

Conducted by Neil Taylor, the St George’s Singers are joined by RNCM soloists in this sacred programme.Tickets £15 Concessions available Promoted by St George’s Singers

Saturday 7 March 7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

The Old Dance SchoolThe Old Dance School’s expansive landscapes of ear-bending contemporary folk place them as true innovators of the music. Duelling fiddles, soaring brass crescendos, and irresistible grooves, their live show charts their remarkable journey from ballet school basement jam sessions and cowshed rehearsals, to remote lighthouses, to headline appearances at international festivals.

Championed by BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, the septet’s provocative songs and cinematic sound has received plaudits throughout the country including Songlines Top Of The World 2010, and The Scotsman’s Album of the Year. From jazz festivals to European opera tours, film score commissions to classical recitals, green festivals to tattoo conventions, members of the band have performed with artists such as Martha Wainwright, Cerys Matthews, Graham Coxon, Zoe Rahman, Michael McGoldrick and Neil Yates.Tickets £12 Concessions available www.theolddanceschool.com Promoted by RNCM Sunday 8 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Sale Choral Society with The Lindow Singers and Sale SinfoniaWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Exsultate, Jubilate K 165; Overture to The Marriage of Figaro; Piano Concerto No 17 in G major K 453; Requiem in D minor K 626

Roderick Barrand performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 17 in celebration of 30 years with Sale Choral Society.Tickets £17 Concessions available Promoted by Sale Choral Society


Monday Recital SeriesSergei Prokofiev Five Poems of Anna Akhmatova Op 27

Anne-Marie Loveday soprano Elin Rees piano

Leoš Janáček Violin Sonata

Philip Brett violin Jeremy So piano Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Monday 9 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Ensemble DeNOTE Viennese QuartetsWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Quartet in G minor K 478 Johann Nepomuk Hummel Clarinet Quartet in E flat major Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Clarinet Quartet in B flat major after K 317d Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Quartet in E flat major Op 16

We’re delighted to welcome chamber ensemble DeNOTE to the RNCM for an evening of Viennese quartets. This ensemble’s musical approach returns to the roots of 18th century performance style, exploring the soundworld of period instruments, going beyond the notated texts into the world of creative improvisation. Tickets £17 £14 Concessions available www.ensembledenote.wordpress.com Promoted by RNCM

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Tuesday 10 March 6pm Forman Lecture Theatre

Mind the Gap: Mozart’s Keyboard Music in Notation and Performance Following last night’s Viennese Quartets programme and looking ahead to the weekend’s focus on Vienna, Mozart scholar John Irving presents this popular lecture with examples demonstrated from the keyboard. Tickets £5 Concessions available Free admission, for Ensemble DeNOTE ticket holders Promoted by RNCM

Wednesday 11 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

The Elizabeth Harwood Memorial Award for SingersThis special award was founded in memory of the much-loved Yorkshire soprano and provides support for an outstanding final year singer. Tonight’s adjudicating panel includes Russell Smythe and Lynne Dawson.Tickets £10 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM


RNCM Saxophone OrchestraRob Buckland, Andy Scott directors

The RNCM Saxophone Orchestra performs an engaging programme displaying the incredible versatility of the saxophone family.Free admission, no ticket required Promoted by RNCM

Thursday 12 March 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Special Virtuosi Springtime MusicSpecial Virtuosi musicians perform orchestral and solo pieces in this Spring term concert.Tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by Special Virtuosi CIC

Friday 13 March Doors 12pm RNCM Theatre

Manchester Theatre AwardsOne of the most eagerly-anticipated events on Manchester’s arts calendar is the annual Manchester Theatre Awards, when the nominees and a starry audience find out who has won the coveted trophies for the best performances and productions of the year, as chosen by an expert panel. Friday 13 March is going to be lucky for some and you could rub shoulders or even glittery frocks with the stars of stage and screen at this gala event, as a limited number of tickets have been reserved for the theatre-loving general public. Tickets £15 No concessions Promoted by RNCM and Manchester Theatre Awards

Friday 13 March 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Felix Niël RNCM International Artist Diploma Flute RecitalJohann Joachim Quantz Sonata No 273 in G major QV 1:109 Walter Gieseking Sonatine for flute and piano Rudolf Escher Sonata for flute and piano Oliver Knussen Masks Op 3 Sergei Prokofiev Flute Sonata in D major Op 94

Felix Niël flute Carla Fernandez Boix piano

Our final IAD recital of the term features Dutch flautist Felix Niël. As a soloist, Felix has won several awards, including the Dr William Dobie Award, Pat Barney Award and the RNCM School of Wind, Brass and Percussion Solo Competition prize. He has performed across Europe and Asia, both as a soloist and with orchestras including the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Concertgebouw Orchestra Academy and the Hallé Orchestra. Tickets £10 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 March

RNCM Strings Festival Vienna: From Schubert to SchoenbergThis year’s celebration of all things strings explores music from Vienna, in performances, masterclasses and workshops for string players and music lovers alike. A weekend packed full of musical activity, highlights include the complete Brahms string sonatas, chamber music by Strauss, Schubert and Brahms, Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht for large string orchestra, specialist sessions for harps and guitars, a cello-making marathon, a ‘Kreisler Hour’ with coffee and sachertorte, and a line-up of world-class guest artists.

For full details, visit www.rncm.ac.uk/stringsfestival

Featured Artists: Sophia Jaffé, Gina McCormack, Catherine Yates violin Lise Berthaud, Henk Guittart, Thomas Riebl viola Leonard Elschenbroich, Karine Georgian, Chris Hoyle cello Michinori Bunya, Ronan Dunne, Jiří Hudec, Nabil Shehata double bass Eira Lynn Jones harp Craig Ogden guitar

HIGHLIGHTS


Evening ConcertJohannes Brahms Viola Sonata in F minor Op 120 No 1; Cello Sonata in E minor Op 38; Violin Sonata in A major Op 100; Viola Sonata in E flat minor Op 120 No 2; Cello Sonata in F major Op 99; Violin Sonata in D minor Op 108

Sophia Jaffé, Danbi Um violin Lise Berthaud, Kimi Makino viola Leonard Elschenbroich, Mikhail Nemtsov cello


Sunday 15 March Throughout the day

Double Bass DayAn intense day of activity for double bassists including workshops and performances with our special guest artists.


Evening Concert featuring RNCM String OrchestraMusic to include: Johannes Brahms String Sextet No 1 in B flat major Op 18 Arnold Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht Op 4

Henk Guittart conductor

Tickets £12 Concessions available

Full Festival Ticket £50 Saturday Day Ticket £33 Sunday Day Ticket £24 Promoted by RNCM

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Monday Recital SeriesFrancis Poulenc Improvisation No 15 ‘Hommage à Édith Piaf‘; Mélancolie; Trois Novelettes

Charles Vincent Barsaga piano

Andy Scott Eighteen Andy Scott Deep Blue Fritz Kreisler (arr Butt) Hungarian Rondo

Toby Butt tuba David Gibson piano


Wednesday 18 March 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Chopin PrizeRNCM pianists and students from Chetham’s School of Music compete for this prestigious annual prize, adjudicated this year by Martin Roscoe.Tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Thursday 19 March, Saturday 21*, Monday 23, Wednesday 25* and Friday 27 March 7pm RNCM Theatre

Sunday 29 March* 3pm RNCM Theatre

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Benjamin Britten Rebecca Starling, Kieron-Connor Valentine* Oberon Rosanna Harris, Joanna Norman* Tytania Jonathan Stevens, Charlotte Christensen* Puck Matthew Thistleton, Eugene Dillon-Hooper* Theseus Chloe Latchmore, Charlotte Badham* Hippolyta Adam Temple-Smith, Alexander Banfield* Lysander Aaron O’Hare, Thomas Cameron* Demetrius Hollie-Anne Bangham, Jessica Eccleston* Hermia Alexandra Lowe, Anne-Marie Loveday* Helena Aidan Edwards, James Fisher* Bottom Neil Balfour, Timothy Bagley* Quince Matthew Palfreyman, Jeffrey Taylor* Flute Daniel Hayes, Peter Edge* Snug Brian McNamee, Alexander Grainger* Snout David Cane, Steven Griffin* Starveling Eleanor Sanderson-Nash, Alexandra Downie, Helen Lacey Cobweb Rhyanne Acott, Georgia Gardiner, Isla MacEwan Mustardseed Rachel Maby, Rosie Payne, Naomi Rogers Peaseblossom Cally Youdell, Ho Yan Chui, Leh Lin Thai Moth

Andrew Greenwood conductor Harish Shankar assistant conductor Garth Bardsley director Michael Holt set and costume designer Bethan Rhys Wiliam choreographer Jason Taylor lighting designer RNCM Opera Orchestra

In August 1959, Benjamin Britten decided to compose an opera to mark the re-opening of the refurbished Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh the following June. As this left no time for the libretto to be written anew, he chose to adapt with Peter Pears Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. While the libretto is a drastically reduced version of Shakespeare’s play, it retains the three distinct groups of characters – the fairies, the mechanicals and the Athenian lovers who

enter the wood – and gives each group its own distinctive musical characteristics. So in a nutshell, the story remains the same – Oberon, the fairy king, and Tytania, his queen, are locked in a conflict which spills over into the human world…

This opera is completely faithful to the spirit of the original play and is one of the most successful operatic adaptations of a Shakespeare play. It is possibly the most beguiling and enchanting of all Britten’s operas, a work with a spell-binding atmosphere that inhabits a truly unique, dream-like world.

This production will be sung in English.Tickets £34 £28 £21 (weekdays) £36 £30 £23 (weekends) Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

+Friday 27 March 6pm RNCM Studio Theatre Spotlight: Khymerikal – Classical Chamber Music Inspired by Shakespeare Free admission, no ticket required

Join us for four fantastic days of live music in the multiple venues of the RNCM, as the building comes to life with sound and visuals. This exciting event is a celebration of the many genres of music that we programme and teach - from jazz to opera, big band to classical, contemporary to pop. Many events are FREE so why not explore our building, check out our re-vamped Concert Hall, and try something new this Spring?

CONCERT HALLThursday 19 March 1.15pm

RNCM Harp Ensemble plus special guestsA 13 piece harp ensemble of RNCM students and alumni performs Bill Connor’s Songs of Love and Remembering. FREE admission, no ticket required

Friday 20 March 11am

Masterclass with Sarah Connolly and Julius DrakeSarah Connolly and Julius Drake work with RNCM students in this public masterclass for singers and pianists. FREE admission, by ticket only

Sunday 22 March 5pm

RNCM Symphony Orchestra and ChorusGustav Mahler Symphony No 2 ‘Resurrection’

Jac van Steen conductor Jane Irwin soprano Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano

Trumpet signals, pealing bells, violent bursts, and lyricism and ethereal floating lines mark the official opening of our Concert Hall in one of the most powerful symphonic statements of the 20th century.

Special Event Price £10

THEATREThursday 19 and Saturday 21 March 7pm

RNCM OperaBenjamin Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream

See p30/31 for detailsTickets £34 £28 £21 (weekdays) £36 £30 £23 (weekends)

Friday 20 March 7.30pm

RNCM Big Band with Tina May and Nikki IlesLadies in MercedesPianist Nikki Iles and vocalist Tina May have been working together as a duo for over 20 years. This concert features Nikki’s own big band pieces, featuring Tina in numbers she has commissioned, plus Steve Swallow’s Ladies in Mercedes, which inspired the title of tonight’s show. Tickets £18 £15

Sunday 22 March 8pm

Courtney Pine presents Song (The Ballad Book) with Zoe Rahman

For his latest project, Courtney Pine plans to strip everything right back for the most intimate shows of his long and celebrated career as he takes to the stage playing bass clarinet accompanied only by fellow Mercury nominee and MOBO Award-winning pianist, Zoe Rahman. Tickets £20 VARIOUS VENUESSaturday 21 March from 10am

RNCM Family Day with Junior RNCM BBC Ten PiecesA special day of music for all the family to mark the BBC Ten Pieces initiative. Join musicians from the RNCM and Junior RNCM as they bring the building to life in a blaze of sound. Tickets £5 adults. Admission for children is FREE, by ticket only, accompanied by an adult.

STUDIO THEATREA series of FREE rock, pop, jazz and world music events. Our Black Box will become our nightclub for the weekend, with high tables and a bar, while on the Sunday, the spotlight shines on a new instrument - the Magnetic Resonator Piano - and the Studio becomes home to an installation as well as host to some cutting-edge contemporary music throughout the day.

CAROLE NASH RECITAL ROOMA rolling programme of FREE performances by RNCM alumni and current students.

FORMAN LECTURE THEATREA rolling programme of artistic films.

CONCOURSESMore FREE contemporary live music, including a response to Brian Eno’s Music for Airports, a fanfare for 20 euphoniums, an art exhibition, DJ sets and lots of other creative activity across our concourse spaces, plus an imposing late-night sonic sculpture transforming the space as we know it from 8pm onwards every night.

For more information, please visit www.rncm.ac.uk/bigweekender

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Monday Recital SeriesE J Moeran Selected Songs

Richard Moore baritone Simon Passmore piano

Leo Brouwer El Decameron Negro

Richard Haslam guitar



Endellion Quartet Manchester Chamber Concerts SocietyFranz Schubert String Quartet in C minor D 703 ‘Quartettsatz’ Anton Webern Six Bagatelles Op 9 Béla Bartók String Quartet No 2 Op 17 Franz Schubert String Quartet in D Minor D 810 ‘Death and the Maiden’Tickets £25 £12.50 Concessions available www.chamberconcerts.org Promoted by MCCS

Tuesday 24 March 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

RNCM Composers ConcertAdam Gorb, RNCM Head of Composition, introduces this concert of new and recently premièred works, written by RNCM composers and performed by their fellow students.Tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Tuesday 24 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Cheadle Hulme School Spring ConcertTickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by Cheadle Hulme School

Wednesday 25 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Pascal Rogé RNCM Piano Recital SeriesClaude Debussy Suite bergamasque L 75 Maurice Ravel Sonatine M 40 Francis Poulenc Les soirées de Nazelles FP 84 Claude Debussy Preludes Book 1 L 117

For the first concert in our RNCM Piano Recital Series celebrating the masters of French repertoire, we welcome Pascal Rogé back to the RNCM. This pianist’s particular strengths lie in his sensitive and personal interpretations of 20th century French composers. Tonight’s programme includes Ravel’s seminal masterpiece for piano and Debussy’s Preludes Book 1, which beautifully captures the composer’s love for tonal colouring.

Buy tickets for all four events in the Piano Recital Series and save 15%. Visit www.rncm.ac.uk/pianoseries for details. Tickets £17 £14 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM


RNCM First Year String and Wind OrchestrasIgor Stravinsky Circus Polka Paul Hindemith Symphony in B flat major Dag Wirèn Serenade for Strings Op 11

Mark Heron, Catherine Yates, Matt Weites conductors


Friday 27 March 8pm RNCM Concert Hall

Radio 2 Young Brass Award – The FinalFeaturing The Grimethorpe Colliery Band and presented by Ken Bruce and Listen to the Band’s Frank Renton, the exciting nationwide search for the next brass star ends tonight live on Radio 2 as the finalists play for the title. The Award has a great track record at spotting talent. Previous winners include Ben Thompson, Principal Tuba of The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Lewis Musson, Solo Euphonium at the Central Band of the Royal Air Force; Katrina Marzella, now Solo Baritone with Black Dyke Band; and Matthew White, Solo Euphonium with the Tredegar Town Band.Free admission, by ticket only (maximum 4 tickets per person) Promoted by Radio 2 in association with RNCM


Salford Choral Society with Manchester CamerataLuigi Gatti Requiem in C major (UK première) Joseph Haydn Te Deum for the Empress Marie Therese Joseph Haydn Symphony No 48 in C major Hob I:48 ‘Maria Theresia’

RNCM soloists join Salford Choral Society in this première performance of Luigi Gatti’s recently re-discovered Requiem, conducted by Matthew Hamilton.Tickets £19 Concessions available Promoted by Salford Choral Society

Sunday 29 March 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Oldham Choral Society Behold The Sea! Henry Wood Fantasia on British Sea Songs Edward Elgar Sea Pictures Op 37 Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphony No 1 ‘A Sea Symphony’

Conducted by Nigel Wilkinson, Oldham Choral Society are joined by RNCM alumni soloists Linda Richardson, Kathleen Wilkinson and Dean Robinson in this feast of British music.Tickets £14 Concessions available Promoted by Oldham Choral Society


Laura Wright Live in ConcertSoprano Laura Wright performs works including Jerusalem, World In Union, Nessun Dorma, as well as Invincible, from the Opening Ceremony of the Invictus Games. Tickets £20 (£59 VIP tickets also available) No concessions Promoted by Senbla Ltd

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Wednesday 1 April 7pm RNCM Concert Hall

Piccadilly Symphony OrchestraMark-Anthony Turnage Texan Tenebrae Alberto Ginastera Harp Concerto Op 25 Gustav Mahler Symphony No 9

We are delighted to welcome the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra to the RNCM: an organisation set up to give aspiring professional musicians the opportunity to perform, bridging the gap between a player’s studies and professional orchestras.Tickets £12 Concessions available Promoted by Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra

Thursday 2 April 8pm RNCM Concert Hall

Gretchen PetersRecently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, this singer-songwriter has risen to the top of her craft, writing and recording songs that explore the deep corners of life with empathy and integrity. Tickets £22 Concessions available Promoted by Edge Street Live

Saturday 11 April 7pm RNCM Concert Hall

National Concert Band Festival RAF Gala Concert Featuring the Central Band of the Royal Air ForceWing Commander Duncan Stubbs conductor Simone Rebello percussion

Tickets £6 Concessions available Sponsored by Yamaha UK and Royal Air Force Promoted by NCBF

Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April From 9am RNCM Theatre and RNCM Concert Hall

NCBF National FestivalThe National Concert Band Festival celebrates its 30th year with Wind Bands and Big Bands performing every 30 minutes throughout the festival. Tickets £7 per day Concessions available Family Ticket £15 Sponsored by R Smith & Co, Yamaha UK and Royal Air Force Promoted by NCBF

Tuesday 14 April 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Christian Blackshaw Piano Recital For Music in Hospitals and East Cheshire HospiceThe British pianist performs works by Mozart, Schubert, Liszt and Chopin.Tickets £18 No concessions Promoted by Music in Hospitals

Friday 17 April 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Polar BearPolar Bear have once again marked themselves as one of the most exciting and progressive bands of their generation with a recent second nomination for a Mercury Music Prize. The band, led by three times Mercury nominee Seb Rochford (Paul McCartney, Brian Eno, Beck, Yoko Ono) on drums, has continued to innovate and transcend genres, connecting with jazz, rock, hip-hop, electronic and mainstream audiences alike. Saxophonists Pete Wareham (Acoustic Ladyland) and Mark Lockheart (Django Bates) together possess a broad emotional vocabulary, yet here they appear translucent, elusive. Bassist Tom Herbert is irresistible when he plays inside the groove, but does so only occasionally, giving these moments rare power. All this is combined and melted together with the magic touch of electronic wizard Leafcutter John. This Manchester show anticipates the release of their sixth album in April 2015.Tickets £15 Concessions available www.polarbearmusic.com Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 18 April 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Taiko Meantime with special guest Chieko KojimaIn a unique collaboration with the world famous Chieko Kojima of Kodo, Taiko drumming returns in a show that tells the dramatic Japanese legend of ‘Dojoji’ through drums, flute and dance.Tickets £15 Concessions available Promoted by Rhythmworks Ltd

Sunday 19 April From 9am Various venues

National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great BritainOver 40 leading youth brass bands compete for one of the four national titles.Tickets £10 from www.brassbandsengland.co.uk Concessions available Promoted by Brass Bands England

Tuesday 21 April 11.30am RNCM Concert Hall

A Concert to Celebrate the Opening of the Ida Carroll Walkway Formal Opening by Sir Harrison BirtwistleThe newly-named Ida Carroll Walkway recognises the Ida Carroll Trust’s generous donation to the Concert Hall Campaign and its longstanding support of the RNCM. In this celebratory concert, artists including Anthony Halstead (horn), Thomas Verity (clarinet), John Wilson and Peter Lawson (piano duo), John Turner (recorder), Solem Quartet and the Manchester Chamber Ensemble perform works by Grieg and Schubert, and new works by a host of eminent British composers.Free admission, by ticket only Promoted by Ida Carroll Trust and RNCM

Tuesday 21 April 7.30pm Carole Nash Recital Room

Masterclass with Noriko OgawaContinuing our focus on French piano music, Noriko Ogawa works with RNCM pianists on French repertoire ahead of the next recital in the series with Stephen Hough on 30 April.Tickets £8 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

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Thursday 23, Friday 24 and Saturday 25 April 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

On the Town RNCM Youth PerformMusic by Leonard Bernstein Book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green Based on a concept by Jerome Robbins

Caroline Clegg director Stuart Overington musical director Stewart Bartles lighting designer

New York, New York, it’s a helluva town! So says the most famous song from this award-winning musical about the adventures of three sailors in the city that never sleeps. With 24 hours of shore leave they’re eager to experience all the city has to offer…and hopefully find the girl of their dreams. Full of sharp dialogue, electrifying dance and lush music, this Broadway hit, set against the background of the war, now drops anchor in Manchester with the RNCM’s talented Youth Perform.

This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Boosey and Hawkes Music Publishers Limited.Tickets £12 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Thursday 23 April 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM Percussion EnsembleMusic to include: Edgard Varèse Ionisation John Cage Third Construction Kenneth Hesketh Polygon Windows (after Aphex Twin)

Scored for 13 percussionists, Ionisation was the very first work to be composed for a stand alone percussion ensemble. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this key work, plus a selection of works that followed it, performed by the RNCM’s virtuoso players.Tickets £7 Concessions available Promoted by RNCM

Friday 24 April 7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Mariana Sadovska Making TracksIn her home country she is known as the ‘Ukrainian Björk’: in her furious performances the singer, actress and composer Mariana Sadovska crosses all borders: Archaic midsummer night invocations, wedding songs and migrant chants from remote villages of rural Ukraine get a singular turn and transmute into contemporary sound that spans from folk to avant-garde. Creating innovative compositions and arrangements in dialogue with ancient traditions, Sadovska approaches each piece with a fresh and uniquely personal vision. With a voice of impressive power and range her stage presence is a tour de force that oscillates between fragility and defiance. For this tour she has teamed up with German percussionist and electronica specialist Christian Thomé, creating an ever-changing collage of ancient Ukrainian folk songs and contemporary electro-acoustic sounds. Tickets £14 Concessions available www.makingtrackslive.org Promoted by RNCM

Saturday 25 April 7.30pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Andy IrvineMusician and singer-songwriter Andy Irvine has been a world music pioneer and icon for traditional folk music and musicians for over 40 years. He is the founding member of bands such as Sweeney’s Men, Planxty, Patrick Street and Mozaik and he has been hailed as ‘a tradition in himself’ and ‘Woody Guthrie’s representative on earth’ by the magazine Hot Press.Tickets £15 Concessions available www.andyirvine.com Promoted by RNCM

Sunday 26 April

RNCM Day of Song

Cabaret!Join us for a day of cabaret-inspired song, ranging from the revolutionary beginnings of Le Chat Noir and Kabarett, to Broadway and beyond. This year’s performances will showcase final year undergraduate singers and culminate in a theatrical extravaganza featuring the RNCM Cabaret Band.

For full details, visit www.rncm.ac.uk/dayofsong

HIGHLIGHTS


Hommage to Le Chat NoirA tribute to Paris’ first modern cabaret club, featuring music by Satie, cabaret-inspired songs by Francis Poulenc, and a tribute to a heroine of French Cabaret, Édith Piaf.Tickets £6 Concessions available


The Truth About LoveThemes of infatuation and love’s frustrations abound in Britten’s Cabaret Songs, cabaret-inspired songs by William Walton and new cabaret songs commissioned from RNCM composers. Tickets £6 Concessions available


Berlin, Brecht and BeyondA programme of Brecht-inspired German Kabarett, with music by Kurt Weill, Hanns Eisler and Arnold Schoenberg.Tickets £6 Concessions available


Life is a Cabaret! with the RNCM Cabaret BandIn cabaret-inspired music of more recent times, this exciting finale to our Day of Song features a selection of witty Cabaret Songs by William Bolcom in music for the stage. Highlights include selections from The Threepenny Opera and the hit musical Cabaret! Tickets £10 Concessions available

8pm RNCM Café

Post-concert Event – Cabaret RecreatedJoin us at the end of the day for a thrilling real-life cabaret experience in the RNCM Café and bar!Free admission, no ticket required

Day Ticket £25 Promoted by RNCM

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COMING SOON Thursday 30 April 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Stephen HoughThe Cheshire-born pianist brings a programme of Debussy and Chopin to his alma mater, in the second recital of our focus on French repertoire.

Friday 1 May 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM Symphony OrchestraIn this exciting programme, the award-winning percussionist Le Yu performs a new arrangement of Keiko Abe’s Concerto for Marimba, The Wave, conducted by the renowned German conductor, Roland Böer.

Thursday 7 May Doors 7pm RNCM Theatre

MagmaParisian progressive rock band, Magma, are one of the most musically adventurous and imaginative groups of the genre and have garnered a number of high-profile fans. Their extensive use of a choral format, combined with influences from John Coltrane help to create their unique and innovative sound.

Saturday 16 May Doors 7pm RNCM Theatre

Eddi ReaderIn a career spanning over 30 years, the eclectic singer-songwriter Eddi Reader went from performing at the local folk clubs in her native Glasgow to harmonising with Annie Lennox and touring with the Eurythmics, after her time with successful punk outfit Gang of Four.

Saturday 23 May 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

Jean-Efflam BavouzetOne of the finest French pianists of our time and regular soloist with the BBC Philharmonic performs a recital programme featuring works by Debussy, Boulez, Ravel and Ohana.

Saturday 30 May 7.30pm RNCM Theatre

Tango Siempre

TangomotionA sensual evening of passion and energy, featuring world-class dancers and musicians from the hit show Midnight Tango. Virtuoso dance and the luscious sounds of the Tango Siempre quartet transport you to the steamy salons of Buenos Aires.

Saturday 13 June From 10am RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM Gold Medal CompetitionTen of the RNCM’s star performers compete for the College’s most coveted accolade, in front of a distinguished panel from across the industry.

Tuesday 23 – Friday 26 June

Seven Gates: The Music of Poland ExploredThe RNCM is honoured to welcome the Polish composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki to Manchester in a festival of music from his homeland, culminating in the UK première of his Seventh Symphony, Seven Gates of Jerusalem, at The Bridgewater Hall performed by the RNCM Symphony Orchestra and conducted by the composer.Supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute

Thursday 2 July 7.30pm RNCM Concert Hall

RNCM Chamber OrchestraThe final Chamber Orchestra programme of the year features two of the great orchestral song cycles – Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été and Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel performed to a backdrop of newly created visuals.

Keep in touch with updates on www.rncm.ac.uk/whatson

RNCM on the RoadRNCM ensembles and soloists perform regularly at prestigious venues and festivals throughout the UK. Over recent years, our musicians have performed at The Bridgewater Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Royal Albert Hall, and at major festivals including Huddersfield, Deal, Buxton, Chester, Lichfield, and Salisbury, as well as providing musicians for ongoing series at Buxton Opera House and Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Here are the highlights of our travels this Spring:

Sunday 8 February 1.10pm The Bridgewater Hall

RNCM Chamber Choir

with The SixteenRNCM singers perform alongside members of The Sixteen in a programme featuring Britten’s Hymn to St Cecilia and new works by RNCM composers. Thursday 26 February 2.30pm Ambleside Parish Church

A4 Brass Quartet A4 Brass, recent winners of the RNCM Chamber Ensemble of the Year, perform for the Lake District Summer Music Festival’s Patrons concert. Tuesday 3 March 1.05pm Lincoln Drill Hall

Meridiem DuoSarah Miller (flute) and Elinor Nicholson (harp) give this recital as part of the Lincoln International Chamber Music Festival, featuring works by John Rutter, Bernard Andrés and Adrian Shaposhnikov. Monday 9 March 7.30pm Wigmore Hall

RNCM Gold Medal Winners Pianist Leanne Cody, soprano Lauren Fielder, percussionist Delia Stevens and pianist Alexander Panfilov perform repertoire from their Gold Medal-winning programmes in this very special performance at London’s Wigmore Hall.

Tickets on sale from 1 December at www.wigmore-hall.org.uk

Thursday 12 March 7.30pm Live at LICA, Lancaster University

RNCM String OrchestraHenk Guittart conducts the RNCM String Orchestra in a programme of sumptuous Viennese repertoire featuring Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht.

The RNCM also provides musicians for regular concert series at Emmanuel Church in Didsbury and St Ann’s Church in Manchester City Centre.

Didsbury Coffee Concerts Emmanuel Church, Didsbury Concerts take place on Saturday mornings at 11am

17, 24 January, 7, 21 February 7, 21, 28 March

St Ann’s Piano Recital Series St Ann’s Church, Manchester Concerts take place on Saturday afternoons at 3pm

24 January, 28 February, 21 March

St Ann’s Chamber Music Series St Ann’s Church, Manchester Concerts take place on Wednesday lunchtimes at 1pm

4, 25 February, 11 March

Looking for musicians?The RNCM’s Professional Engagements team co-ordinates a large number of engagements on behalf of music societies, clubs, companies and individuals throughout the year. Performances range from formal recitals, soloists for choral societies and for concertos, through to background music for weddings and events, and incorporate a wide range of styles from classical to jazz. Contact the Professional Engagements Team on 0161 907 5358 or [email protected] for further details.

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Support the RNCM

As our Concert Hall underwent its magnificent transformation, naming a seat proved to be an extremely popular way for people to show their support for the College and commemorate something personal in their lives.

With 160 seats named to-date, these lasting dedications have been made to honour musicians, memories of loved ones, staff, students, family and friends. Now that the hall is open and we look forward to filling it with music for many years to come, there is still time for you to name a seat of your own.

Email [email protected] or telephone 0161 907 5394 for more information

RNCM Friends EventsThursday 8 January 10.45am RNCM Studio 7

Ma Vlast: Behind the Scenes with Petr Prause, Artistic Director of the RNCM Chamber Music StudioAhead of this year’s Chamber Music Festival, watch Petr Prause coach one of our leading RNCM chamber ensembles, hear him speak about the music of his homeland, and engage directly with his ideas behind this year’s Festival programming. Friends are invited to meet for tea/coffee on the Carole Nash Mezzanine from 10.45am, and join the musicians from 11.15am. The event will finish in time for the lunchtime chamber music performance in our newly refurbished Concert Hall.

Tickets £4 available from the RNCM Box Office Admission to lunchtime concert free

Thursday 5 March 2pm RNCM Studio Theatre

Meet Chart-topping Guitarist Craig OgdenAn exciting and versatile artist, Craig Ogden is one of the world’s finest classical guitarists. Originally from Australia, he has performed concertos with all of the major British orchestras, and recent albums The Guitarist, Summertime and Summer Guitar all shot straight to number one in the UK classical chart. Friends are invited to meet and talk to Craig about his current projects, ask questions, and hear him play. This event follows the lunchtime guitar concert in the RNCM Concert Hall.

Free admission, by ticket only Admission to lunchtime concert free

Tuesday 17 March 7pm (Red cast) Wednesday 18 March 7pm (Blue cast)

Opera PreviewsJoin RNCM staff, students, and fellow RNCM Friends to be one of the first to see our Spring production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Tickets: £12.50, free to Silver Members and above (restrictions apply)

Membership to the RNCM Friends starts at just £2.50 a month. Visit www.rncm.ac.uk/friends or contact the Development team on 0161 907 5394 or email [email protected] to find out more.

RNCM Engage is the Royal Northern College of Music’s learning and participation programme, and the training ground for its students, in creative and professional practice. It provides opportunities for engagement with music, for people of all ages and with tastes for all types of music, and supports the development of the next generation of dynamic music educators. RNCM Engage brings together students, professional artists, and community and business leaders to exchange and develop ideas, and to reach out to new and increasingly diverse audiences.

Learning and ParticipationThe Learning and Participation team engages with the RNCM’s wider community through a year-round programme of events including an annual Children’s Opera Project, Family Days which are held termly, and RNCM Youth Perform, a musical theatre group which runs on Wednesday evenings and is a low-cost, non-audition group for young people aged 13-21. In addition the Learning and Participation team designs bespoke projects for a range of community groups and is always happy to discuss new ideas.

To find out more about any of our projects contact Jennie McCusker and Fiona Stuart on 0161 907 5281 or [email protected] or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/communityoutreach. The RNCM Learning and Participation team is grateful for the support of the Eric and Margaret Kinder Charitable Trust.

Research Forums at the RNCMCome along for some refreshing mental stimulation, hopefully in an area of musical activity that you may not be that familiar with yet. Research Forums are FREE and open to the public; RNCM staff and guest speakers give presentations on an aspect of their work - whether it’s musicological, creative, educational, music-psychological or other kinds of research. The talks last about 45 minutes and then the floor is open for questions and discussion.

This Spring, we’ll be exploring: Wednesday 25 February 5.15pm Forman Lecture Theatre

Professor Rebecca Herrisone (University of Manchester)A Complete and Correct Score: Music Printing and Creativity in Late Seventeenth-Century England Wednesday 4 March 5.15pm Forman Lecture Theatre

Dr Karen Jensen (University of Manchester)Breakthroughs in Singing

Wednesday 11 March 5.15pm Forman Lecture Theatre

Dr Roddy Hawkins (University of Manitoba)Questions of Method: The New Music Ensemble as Research Object Wednesday 25 March 5.15pm Forman Lecture Theatre

Dr Emily Howard (RNCM) and Dr Matthew Sergeant (RNCM)M62: From Liverpool to Leeds via Paris Wednesday 22 April 5.15pm Forman Lecture Theatre

Dr Michelle Castelletti (RNCM)Re-discovered = Re-constructed = Re-born: Mahler’s Tenth Symphony Wednesday 29 April 5.15pm Forman Lecture Theatre

Dr David Vickers (RNCM)Handel’s Last Prima Donna: Rediscovering and Exploring the Repertoire of Giulia Frasi

Open to all, free admission, no ticket required. You can read more about these sessions at www.rncm.ac.uk/researchforums

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Booking Information

Booking online www.rncm.ac.uk/whats-onBooking by phone0161 907 5555Booking in person or by postBox Office, RNCM, 124 Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9RD

Booking FeesA booking fee of £1 per ticket applies to most transactions. No booking fee applies to tickets bought in person at the Box Office.

PaymentPayment can be made by cash, Mastercard, Visa or Maestro.

Enquiries by [email protected]

Box Office Opening HoursSeptember – June 11am - 6pm Monday to Saturday (later on performance nights)Sunday 1 hour before performances (closed on non-performance Sundays)

For full terms and conditions visit www.rncm.ac.uk/whats-on/terms or contact the Box Office.

ConcessionsConcessions are available for events where the RNCM is the promoter. For all other events please contact the Box Office for precise details of concessions as they vary according to the event promoter. All concessions are subject to availability and it is advisable to book well in advance to ensure the seats you require are available. Please note that proof of concession will be required. For further details please check with the Box Office or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/discounts

Ticket Exchange & RefundsExchanges may only be made under current guidelines. Contact the Box Office or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/exchanges for full details. Refunds are only made in the case of a cancelled performance.

Group DiscountsDiscounts are available for groups of 10 or more for all events promoted by the RNCM. For more information contact the Box Office or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/groups

Flexible Series Save 15% or more on your tickets by creating your own flexible series. Simply choose at least 3 concerts you’d like to attend (marked with logo)

Sonic ManchesterSonic Manchester is a free scheme for students run by the RNCM, The Bridgewater Hall, BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata. It gives students the opportunity to buy tickets to a diverse range of concerts from as little as £3. (NB Tickets are subject to availability and prices may vary depending on the event.) For more information and to sign up for the latest offers, please visit www.facebook.com/sonicmanchester.

Email & Mailing List Keep in touch with events at the RNCM by joining our free mailing list for regular updates. Sign up at www.rncm.ac.uk/mailinglist or contact the Box Office for details.

RNCM Historic Instrument CollectionThe RNCM Historic Instrument Collection is located in the basement of the Library part of the College building (to the left of the main entrance on Booth Street West). It can be accessed using the staircase behind the Box Office or by the lift situated opposite the RNCM Library. Spring 2015 opening hours can be found at www.rncm.ac.uk/instrumentcollection

Artists and programmes are correct at the time of going to press and we reserve the right to change artists and/or programmes without notice if necessary.

We aim to deliver a quality events programme with efficient and courteous service. If you have any comments please contact Head of Marketing & Communications, RNCM, 124 Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9RD.

Artistic Proposals We are always interested to hear your suggestions for future programming. If you have an artistic proposal you would like us to consider, please email Richard Collins, Programming Manager, at [email protected]

Access All public spaces and facilities (with the exception of the balconies within the Concert Hall) are accessible to wheelchair users (via lifts).

Large print and audio versions of this brochure are available from 0161 907 5555 or [email protected] dogs are welcome, please inform the Box Office when booking your ticket. The RNCM Concert Hall and RNCM Theatre are fitted with hearing assistance systems and receivers (available from the Front of House team on request). Receivers can be used in conjunction with a standard hearing aid in the ‘T’ position or an earpiece provided. The RNCM Studio Theatre, Carole Nash Recital Room and Forman Lecture Theatre are fitted with induction loops (hearing aids should be switched to the ‘T’ position). Free parking is available for disabled patrons, reserve your space with reception on 0161 907 5300. Please contact the Box Office or visit www.rncm.ac.uk/access for detailed access information.

How to find usThe RNCM is located on the corner of Oxford Road and Booth Street West. Oxford Road connects the RNCM by bus to the City Centre, Piccadilly and Victoria train stations. Oxford Road station is a 15 minute walk away. Go to www.tfgm.com for details of public transport in the Greater Manchester area.

Parking(1) The RNCM car park is located next to the College in the basement of the Sir Charles Groves Hall of Residence, off Rosamund Street West. Open from 5pm weekday evenings and anytime over weekends and bank holidays, costing £3.50 (payable on entry). Closes at 11.30pm.

(2) The University of Manchester Booth Street car park is situated off Booth Street West. Open 6am - midnight.

(3) The Aquatics Centre car park is situated off Booth Street East. Open 6am - 11pm.

New RNCM Concert Hall plan

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Looking for a venue?The RNCM has a wide selection of excellent purpose-built spaces to hire for every type of event, performance or conference. Following a £7.1 million refurbishment project completed in November 2014, our largest spaces have now been revitalised with excellent back of house facilities and the latest technical set−up including a new lighting rig and sound equipment.

Our venues:The RNCM CONCERT HALL has been completely refurbished with additional seating capacity, air conditioning, new interior and an updated technical fit out. The new space has a variety of flexible options for your event with layouts including 445 capacity seating on Level One, 610 capacity seating with our new Balcony and Oglesby Balcony open, or even up to 730 capacity seating with a reduced stage size for amplified bands and small ensembles (NB – please speak to our Events Manager for further details about the 730 layout). This unique octagonal performance space also contains a Hradetsky Four Manual Concert Organ, a variety of dressing room spaces suitable for very large ensembles and a private soloists’ room, a separate lighting box area, new discrete multicore runs and fly motors for ease of rigging equipment, all with easy access for a flat floor load−in and parking for buses and trucks.

The RNCM THEATRE boasts one of the largest black box stages in Manchester with ample wing space, orchestra pit, lighting box area and space for a sound desk in addition to the seated capacity. Along with these features, it also benefits from the newly refurbished backstage area including access to all the new dressing room spaces, technical equipment and loading area. There are 607 seats in the Theatre with an option to place additional audience seating over the orchestra pit, taking the total maximum capacity to 657 seats.

The RNCM STUDIO THEATRE is a flexible black box space which has an audience capacity of up to 140 seats. The space is equipped with projector, screen and a flexible lighting rig, suitable for a variety of events from theatre to talks to music performances. It has two private dressing rooms attached to the space and can be configured in a variety of set-ups from Theatre Style, Cabaret or even In The Round.

The CAROLE NASH RECITAL ROOM is a stunning shoebox venue which has up to 110 seats in a Theatre Style configuration. The room has a wonderful acoustic making it a great venue for small-scale performances as well as being a beautiful room for conferences and catering receptions. It is equipped with one private dressing room, projector, screen and a small lighting rig.

The FORMAN LECTURE THEATRE has a 150 capacity and has been completely updated following the refurbishment project. It comes equipped with projector, screen and is ideal for pre-concert talks, discussions and presentations.

The RNCM also has a wide range of smaller spaces suitable for social functions, events, dinners, rehearsals or conferences.

For dates and rates regarding performances, workshops and public events, please contact Andy Macauley on 0161 907 5289 or [email protected]

For conference and catering enquiries, please contact our Conference and Catering Team on 0161 907 5353 or [email protected]

Eating and Drinking at the RNCMThere are refreshment facilities available at the RNCM with the Café, Brodsky Restaurant and Bar and the Concert Bar offering a range of fresh, home cooked and locally sourced food from just a coffee and a pastry to a three course meal.

During term time, Monday to Friday, the Café is open from 8am until the interval on performance nights; Brodsky is open from 11am with last food orders at 7pm and the Concert Bar is open from 5pm until 11pm.

On Junior School days during term time the Café is open from 8am until 3.30pm or until the interval of the evening performance. At other times the Café is open one hour prior to the performance time until the interval for events in the Concert Hall or Theatre.

During vacations the Concert Bar opens one hour prior to the performance time.

Outside term time and at weekends opening hours are dependent upon the performance programme. Please call 0161 907 5353 or 5252 for full details of menus and opening hours.

Brodsky and the Concert Bar are Cask Marque accredited.

All food items and menus are subject to availability.

BrodskyIn conjunction with the opening of the refurbished Concert Hall, Brodsky is delighted to be launching a new menu with vibrant new dishes sitting alongside firm favourites. To reserve your table in Brodsky please call 0161 907 5353 or 5252.

Afternoon TeaHaving enjoyed a lunchtime concert, why not treat yourself to afternoon tea in Brodsky? Priced at £9.95 per person, afternoon tea is available Monday – Friday and must be pre-booked. Please call 0161 907 5353 or 5252.

Hospitality at the RNCMThe RNCM can also provide catering for social functions, events, dinners, training events, meetings and conferences in our venues. Please contact our Conference and Catering Team on 0161 907 5353 or [email protected] for further details.

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Event Partners

Eric and Margaret Kinder Charitable Trust

Albert and Eugenie Frost Music Trust

Documents

Welcome to 2015 at the RNCM Concert Hall - rncm.ac.uk · – Michael Finnissy’s Lost Lands Free admission, no ticket required Megson. Friday 23 – Sunday 25 January RNCM Festival