RWCMD Spring 2019 Music Highlights

13 December 2018

As a taste of things to come with BBC Cardiff Singer of the Year here at the College in June, we start the year in partnership with the BBC to present the Radio 3 Big Song Weekend, celebrating the work of Richard Strauss and his contemporaries with four concerts which will be recorded live for future broadcast. (featured images shows Singers (clockwise from top left) James Newby, Carolyn Sampson, Sophie Rennert & Katharina Konradi)

A focus on the cello will see Pieter Wispelwey work with the College’s String Soloists in January and we’re delighted that Sheku Kanneh-Mason will be making his first visit to the college performing Haydn with Sinfonia Cymru in March (this concert is already sold out).

The College will be presenting a new Orchestradventure! for schools and families to be performed by our Symphony Orchestra in Cardiff, Llandudno and Builth Wells.

The jazz season has a focus on drummers with visits from two great American players, Ari Hoenig and Jeff Ballard who has played with jazz legends from Ray Charles to Pat Metheny and Chick Corea; alongside the cream of UK jazz including a major new project from Mercury nominated trumpeter Laura Jurd, the cool piano sound of Ashley Henry and the dynamic sax and piano duo, Jason Yarde and Andrew McCormack.

We transport you across the centuries and the globe with four very special concerts – experience the wild and exhilarating musical world of the 17th century tavern with Barokksolistene led by Norwegian violinist Bjarte Eike; the shimmering sounds of Senegal and Mali with Bassekou Koyate & Ngoni Ba in an incredible doublebill with the home-grown Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita; the dynamic virtuosity of Scotland’s folk visionaries, Lau; and the heights of ecstatic sufi singing and drumming with Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali.

For piano lovers the Steinway season continues to thrill with two exceptional Russian pianists, Yulianna Avdeeva and Nikolai Demidenko and we present the last of Llŷr Williams’ Schubert recitals and announce an exciting new series with him starting in May. Spotify sensation Alexis Ffrench joins us for his only performance outside London.

The season’s close offers something for all tastes with Monteverdi’s exquisite Vespers at Llandaff Cathedral while our Musical Theatre troupe perform Stephen Sondheim’s Company at the Sherman Theatre, and the College’s David Seligman Opera School presents Albert Herring in the Dora Stoutkzer Hall.

Finally, a heads up that the college first opened its doors to students in 1949 and later in the year we’ll be marking our 70th anniversary with some special events featuring College graduates and Fellows and celebrating Welsh cultural figures, so look out for announcements over the coming months!

Click here for full What’s On Guide . For review tickets contact press@rwcmd.ac.uk

Radio 3 Song Weekend – Fri 11 January – Sun 13 Jan

Think Richard Strauss, and you think of colourful orchestral story-telling – or the luscious world of operas like Salome or Der Rosenkavalier. But over his extraordinary 78-year career, Strauss also wrote over 200 songs. In partnership with BBC Radio 3, Joseph Middleton explores them with four exceptional soloists this weekend: and invites you to follow them into a miniature world of fantasy, emotion and romantic drama.

These concerts are being recorded by BBC Radio 3 for future broadcast.

Alexis Ffrench – Tues 5 Feb, 7.45 pm, Dora Stoutzker Hall

A pianist following in the footsteps of Ludovico Einaudi and Michael Nyman to redefine perceptions of classical music – over a million monthly listeners on Spotify – only performance outside London

Orchestradventure! –Tues 5 – Thurs 7 Feb

Three concerts across Wales imaginatively devised to introduce younger audiences to the power of the symphony orchestra

Tues 5 February 1pm
St Davids Hall, Cardiff
To book call 029 2087 8444
Wed 6 February 11am
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
To book call 01492 872001

Thurs 7 February 11am
Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells
To book call 029 2039 1391

Orchestradventure! has been specially devised to capture the imagination of young audiences through the power of a live symphony orchestra. The Royal Welsh College Symphony Orchestra and presenter Tom Redmond introduce the instruments and inner workings of an orchestra whilst vividly bringing to life some of the greatest stories ever told, inspired by landscapes, contrasting environments and fantasy. Don’t miss the fun!

Ticket prices vary – contact your local venue for further information.
This concert is aimed at a schools audience, but public are more than welcome to attend.

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali – Sat 16th March, Dora Stoutzker Hall

Nephews of the great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and tutored by the master singer himself, Rizwan and Muazzam perform hypnotising sacred Qawwali music with their ensemble of traditional instruments. Nusrat’s nephews continue his pioneering approach to transcend cultural, language and religious barriers, bringing to the world the devotional and vibrant music of the Sufi mystics.

Albert Herring, 27 – 29 March, Dora Stoutzker Hall

It is May Day in Loxford and an unexpected appointment leads to young greengrocer Albert Herring’s disappearance – but how will the villagers react?
Brilliantly scored for small chamber orchestra, Benjamin Britten’s love of parody and caricature is wonderfully captured in this comic opera.

Laura Jurd & guests, Sat 8th March, Dora Stoutzker Hall
– special Welsh date by the Mercury nominated trumpeter featuring the Mavron Quartet and a host of other guests

‘Stepping Back, Jumping In’

Featuring Dinosaur, The Mavron Quartet, Heida Mobeck & Anja Lauvdal

Curated by trumpet player/composer Laura Jurd, Stepping Back, Jumping In is a celebration of new music featuring a dynamic, 14-piece ensemble of world-class improvisers and music-makers from Norway and the UK. A bold and ambitious meeting of creative minds, this is sure to be a unique and spell-binding evening, showcasing the sonic magnitude of some of Europe’s most intriguing and eclectic composer-performers.