60 seconds with…Orlando Gough

The next installment of 60 seconds with… is here and today we have one of tonights Songs in the wires composers. Orlando Gough tells us about the first album he bought, the difficulties of choosing his favourite composer and what inspires him.

Composing or performing?
Composing – I’m not a great performer, though I enjoy MCing.

Black tie or all black?
Have never worn a black tie – but all black? Hoorah for colour!

What was the first CD/LP/Album you bought?
Gorilla, by The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band – slightly strange to start with an album that was taking the mickey

Who’s your favourite composer?
Too difficult! Monteverdi, Bach, Stravinsky, Bartok, Messaien, John Adams…

Where’s your favourite venue in London?
Again, too difficult! Cafe Oto, Young Vic, Roundhouse, Wiltons…

What’s been the best thing about working on the Fables project?
Mad, exuberant, slightly out-to-lunch recording day in a scuzzy recording studio in Nottingham – very enjoyable

What one thing would you most like to tell your audiences?
The story – as clearly as possible

What do you think your breakthrough moment was?
I don’t think I’ve had one yet…

What inspires you?
Working with brilliant people

There are still tickets available for tonights performance of Songs in the wires. Get yours on the door from 8.00pm tonight!

Songs in the wires
Wednesday 15 December, 8.30pm
Christ Church Spitalfields
Tickets: £10, unreserved

Mira Calix talks to us..

We’ve just uploaded another video from the fantastic Fables – A Film Opera launch event. Marketing Intern Michael talks to Mira Calix about her role in Fables and Songs in the wires.

Discover more videos on our YouTube channel!

Less than a week to go!

Our Acting Executive Director, Sarah Macnee shares with us a selection of the treats on offer at this year’s Winter Festival.

This is my first Festival with Spitalfields Music, and I could not be more excited. Our Executive Director, Abigail Pogson, has just had a baby, and I have stepped into her shoes; being here for the Festival is one of the best parts of my temporary role.

I have yet to meet so many of the people who will be making the Festival a success, including all of the volunteer stewards – we couldn’t do without them. I am also beginning to become aware of the great work done by the temporary team who join us and manage the events to make them work technically, creatively and logistically, ensuring that the audiences have a wonderful hitch-free experience.

Now that we’re getting closer, I can ruminate on what I’m most looking forward to, although in truth I want to mention all of them!

There are five concerts featuring the work of Monteverdi, and our opener on Monday 13 December promises to be a great introduction to the baroque form with La Nuova Musica’s performance of songs from the Book Seven of Madrigals, illuminating the turning point from renaissance to baroque. We are also delighted to welcome a filetta from Corsica and Carmina from Iceland. I can’t wait to hear Carmina’s interpretation of renaissance polyphony in their performance of songs from two renowned Icelandic songbooks.

I have a deep rooted affection for fables of all kinds, so it is a great pleasure to be able to host the premiere of Fables – A Film Opera on Friday 17 December. The whole event, part film, part opera, is created by Streetwise Opera and promises to be a magical experience. I’m also looking forward to hearing other fabulous work from the composers involved with Fables, in Songs in the wires a couple of nights earlier.

The great thing about all Spitalfields Music Festivals is the way they mix great artists, amazing and diverse locations and engage the local community as participators and performers as well as audience members. I know that local primary school children, our young musicians and our community choirs have also been hard at work preparing seven fabulous free events. I’m particularly looking forward to Spitalfields Soundings where our winter stage will play host to musicians and bands performing in the market, enticing shoppers to stop and listen for a while.

Spitalfields Music Winter Festival
13 – 18 December & 5 – 7 January

Full listings here.

Book your tickets now!

[ A filetta photographed by J M Colonna ]

Best of the Fest (and the Rest)

Here at Spitalfields Music HQ, we spend a lot of time asking what you are looking forward to at our Festival. So we thought it was high time, that we began telling you what we are looking forward to this Winter Festival. And sadly, because our lovely Festivals cannot run all year long… I know, it saddens us too, but programming have assured me these things take months of careful planning, we thought we’d let you know what we’re looking forward to in London this Winter.

And to get the ball rolling…

I’m really looking forward to Songs in the Wires. Folk music was a bit of a speciality for me at university, and the mix of composers (Mira Calix, Orlando Gough, Emily Hall & Andy Mellon) at this concert promises to be something truly eclectic and inspiring. The great thing about this concert is not only the mixture of new music it will showcase, but none of the performers are in a traditional band together, and it’s unlikely they will ever tour together, so it’s a one-off, for one night only performance! A chance to see something brand new and special.

And what I’m looking forward to outside of the Festival – not that there is much else better than our Winter Festival- is the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. This is my very first Christmas in London, and I’m excited to see how it’s all done- let’s hope we get some snow too!

Danielle Sutcliffe
Box Office Manager

Songs in the wires
Wednesday 15 December, 8.30pm
Christ Church Spitalfields
Tickets: £10, unreserved
Book now!

A Songs in the wires teaser

As promised in our last post about the deliciously enigmatic Winter Festival concert, Songs in the wires, we will be posting some teasers and exclusive information about the composers and performers. This time, we have a little more on what song composer Emily Hall is planning:

Emily’s section of the programme displays some of her extraordinary song writing talent. Since 2006 she has worked with the writer and poet Toby Litt, whose beautiful words provide all the texts to Emily’s songs in our concert. Here’s one of the song texts, his poem, Lyric.

Lyric

What gentle kind of love is this,
a kind I have not known before,
which will not break its promises
or rip what it would repair?

A love not furious with itself
or with its object but concerned.
A love which when it gives itself
creates the love which is returned.

This love, both kind and beautiful,
enlivens those who think they’ve failed
and will not fail itself but will
grow stronger ever growing old.