PRESS RELEASE
March 2015
Richard Wilson joins Sir Thomas Allen, John Rutter and Ensemble
360 for 2015 May Festival ‘Celebrating Youth and Experience’
Festival features a world premiere from RPS prize winner Elizabeth
Ogonek and a UK premiere from Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
Music in the Round presents:
May Festival 2015, Celebrating Youth and Experience
8 – 16 May 2015
Crucible Studio Theatre
Artistic Director: Angus Smith
Resident Ensemble: Ensemble 360
Highlights:
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17 concerts in nine days including one world premiere and one UK premiere
Guest appearances from actor Richard Wilson, narrating a programme on the
theme of ‘Mendelssohn’s Grand Tour’ and Peter and the Wolf respectively
World premiere by young American composer Elizabeth Ogonek commissioned by
Royal Philharmonic Society, 14 May
UK premiere of Peter Maxwell-Davies’ Stormwatch, Stormfall
Performances from Sir Thomas Allen with three young Samling artists, John Rutter
leading a choral singing day and BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winners Mischa
Macpherson Trio
A ‘Bach Walk’ with music in two churches on the Chatsworth Estate in the Peak
District, inspired by J S Bach’s musical education
Learning and participation activities running throughout the Festival including
drop in film screenings, interactive memory wall and workshops with Music in the
Round’s Polly Ives, London Babies and others
In its 31st year, Sheffield-based Music in the Round presents its most ambitious May Festival
to date – 17 concerts over nine days, featuring a guest appearances from actor Richard
Wilson, performances from baritone Sir Thomas Allen, a workshop open to all singers with
composer John Rutter, a world premiere RPS Commission from young American composer
Elizabeth Ogonek, and the UK premiere of Peter Maxwell Davies’ Stormwatch, Stormfall.
‘Celebrating Youth and Experience,’ this year’s festival theme, provides the perfect
opportunity to present the young members of The Marmen Quartet, recently appointed to
Music in the Round’s ‘Bridge’ development scheme. Their first public appearance will be on
the opening night of the festival partnering resident group Ensemble 360, who celebrate
their 10th birthday later this year, in Mendelssohn’s great Octet.
The festival includes pieces written by composers in their teenage years and in their final
years, including Mozart, Bruch, Brahms and Schumann, works written for the young (and
not so young) inspired by nursery rhymes, young artists including the Mischa Macpherson
Trio, winners of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award and a Bach Walk in homage to the 20
year old composer’s 250 mile walk to hear Buxtehude play the organ, which takes place in
the beauty of the Peak District’s Chatsworth Estate, with three concerts, two churches…and
cake!
Music in the Round’s Artistic Director Angus Smith comments:
“This year the planning for our May Festival started with Ensemble 360’s inspiring idea of
exploring the subject of Youth. It has opened up so many exciting ideas for concerts and
participatory activities. And for added contrast we also include wonderful pieces by
composers writing towards the end of their lives, in some instances reflecting on their own
youth.
Composers’ early works are often characterised by an infectious energy and a wide
emotional range. Yet the pieces we have chosen for this festival also display astonishing
maturity: the brilliance of Mozart from an early age is well known, but the achievements of
Mendelssohn, Bruch, Bartok, Brahms and many others deserve equal attention and praise.
The focus on youth also allows us to demonstrate once again the importance Music in the
Round places on nurturing musical opportunities for future generations of musicians. We
have a wide range of exciting events lined up that will allow even the youngest children to
join us in making great music and numerous concerts that we are sure will have huge appeal
for family audiences.”
‘Prosperous Voyage’ is a new concert-theatre piece exploring Mendelssohn’s two year
‘Grand Tour,’ which, following in the trail of Handel, Mozart, Berlioz and many others, he set
out on at the age of 21 in 1830 . Commentary on the encounters Mendelssohn made –
mostly musical, occasionally literary and, not infrequently, amorous – is provided by the
fictional character Hans Gutmis, who as manservant to Mendelssohn was perfectly
positioned to report back to his father on this romantic young man’s progress.
Other highlights of the programme include a world premiere by young American composer,
Elizabeth Ogonek, commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society. Elizabeth was one of
the winners of the 2014 Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Prize and was
consequently commissioned to write this work for Music in the Round. Elizabeth has also
recently been selected by Music Director Riccardo Muti for the position of Chicago
Symphony Orchestra Mead Composer-in-Residence, along with fellow young composer
Samuel Adams.
Ensemble 360’s violinist Benjamin Nabarro says:
“Since joining Ensemble 360 six years ago, the Sheffield May Festival has become one of the
highlights of my year. I am hugely proud of this annual event, and learn a great deal each
year, from the programming stages, to the effort which goes into preparing such a colossal
amount of music, and of course the concerts themselves, which are unique in their intensity
and atmosphere.
What better time of year than Spring to explore the subject of Youth and some of the
extraordinary music written by the great composers in their early years while
simultaneously reflecting on works written later on in the lives of some of the world's most
important musical figures. The subject of Youth is especially relevant for Ensemble 360 and
Music in the Round, not only because of our work in schools and with young people but also
because playing to children is something which is really important to us all. One of our most
inspiring on-going projects with Music in the Round is Power Plus; an inspirational scheme,
led by Robin McEwan, whereby we spend a day playing compositions written by students
from local Sheffield schools. We are thrilled to include one of these short compositions in
each of our weekday lunchtime concerts.”
Learning, participation and accessibility continues to be at the centre of the Festival with
this year’s festival including more events and activities for young people than ever before,
and many free events - including daily activities in Sheffield Theatres’ Adelphi Room and a
free open rehearsal with Sir Thomas Allen (date) offering a rare opportunity to witness the
working method of a major performing artist. The Singing Day with John Rutter (a prefestival event on Mon 4 May) offers a relaxing and informal vocal workshop day with the
internationally-renowned composer and choir director, designed to introduce singing
enthusiasts of all ages to some of John’s favourite choral pieces from across the centuries.
Family highlights include family concert Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants, by
children’s composer-in-residence Paul Rissman (Sat 9 May) and national treasure Richard
Wilson narrating Peter and the Wolf (Sat 16 May).
ENDS
For all press requests and information, please contact Jane Verity on
jane@bonnerandhindley.co.uk / 07854 759480.
Information about the May Festival concerts can be found at www.musicintheround.co.uk
Notes to Editors
Festival Diary
MONDAY 4 MAY
10.30am Singing Day with John Rutter
(Pre-festival event)
FRIDAY 8 MAY
7.15pm Mendelssohn
Ensemble 360 & Marmen Quartet
SATURDAY 9 MAY
11.30am Sir Scallywag & the Golden Underpants
FAMILY CONCERT with Ensemble 360 and Polly Ives
6.15pm Pre-concert talk
7.15pm Mendelssohn’s Grand Tour
Ensemble 360 & Simon Callow
SUNDAY 10 MAY
12.30pm
String Day: The Boy Made of Bread
1.30pm The Bach Walk in the Peak District
Ensemble 360
MONDAY 11 MAY
10.15am & 11.30am Classical Babies
12.45pm Britten, Elgar, Smetana
Ensemble 360
7.15pm Schumann, Janacek, Ives, Ravel
Ensemble 360
TUESDAY 12 MAY
10.15 & 11.30am Songbuds Music workshops
12.45pm Mozart, Schumann, Nielsen, Boulez
Ensemble 360
5pm Open rehearsal with Sir Thomas Allen
7.15pm Sir Thomas Allen and friends
Schubert, Britten, etc
WEDNESDAY 13 MAY
10.15 & 11.30am Music Box Workshops
12.45pm Debussy, Poulenc
Ensemble 360
7.15pm Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Webern, Sibelius
Ensemble 360
THURSDAY 14 MAY
12.45pm Brahms-Schumann-Dietrich, Brahms
Ensemble 360
4pm & 5pm Come and Sing
7.15pm Bruch, Ravel, Shostakovich, Ogonek
(WORLD PREMIERE)
Ensemble 360
FRIDAY 15 MAY
12.45pm Beethoven, Schubert, Weber
Ensemble 360
1.50pm Come and Sing
7pm Mozart, Maxwell-Davies (UK PREMIERE)
Ensemble 360
9.15pm Mischa Macpherson Trio
SATURDAY 16 MAY
12.45pm - Prokofiev's Peter & The Wolf, Berio, Ridout
Ensemble 360 & Richard Wilson
7.15pm Bartok, Sibelius, Spohr
Ensemble 360
About Music in the Round
The UK’s leading promoter of chamber music outside of London, Music in the Round, based in
Sheffield, is dedicated to presenting the best in small-scale classical music in an informal
atmosphere. In 2013 it won the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music
and Song.
Driven by the belief that music has the power to change and enrich people’s lives, Music in the
Round aims to thrill wide and diverse audiences with the unique intensity of performances in an
intimate setting. The organisation hosts performers from the UK and around the world, building
audiences regionally and nationally, and developing and deepening relationships between artists,
venues, promoters and audiences.
Music in the Round has been active since 1984 and now promotes more than 100 concerts a year
through its three main series:
i) the Sheffield concerts, in the 400-seater Crucible Studio.
ii) a national programme supporting a range of venues to promote high quality chamber music;
iii) the South Yorkshire concerts featuring Ensemble 360.
Music in the Community is the learning and participation programme that initiates and delivers
ground breaking activity in collaboration with its Children’s Composer in Residence, Paul Rissmann,
winner of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in 2012, and a David Bedford
Award for Music Education in 2013. Each year, thousands of young people are introduced to live
classical music by this programme of work.
At the heart of much of Music in the Round’s work is Ensemble 360 who have been resident
ensemble since 2005. Building on the tradition of Music in the Round’s founding ensemble, the
Lindsay String Quartet, Ensemble 360 is one of the leading chamber music ensembles in the country
and is an ensemble of high musical quality and integrity whose members are passionate about
chamber music. Outside of Ensemble 360 the players all have careers as soloists and/or orchestral
players, both in this country and internationally.
Music in the Round is funded by Arts Council England, Mayfield Valley Arts Trust and the Andrew
McEwan Fund, numerous local trusts and foundations, and supported by Sheffield City Council.