Thirteen for ’13 – Part 2

Continuing the introduction to our Summer Festival 2013 programme, with bring you the second half of Thirteen for ’13. Find what the rest of the Spitalfields Music team is eagerly anticipating in this June!

Aldeburgh

Phil, Development Administrator
It’s a near impossible task, but I have to pick Illuminating Britten as the concert I’m looking forward to the most. Featuring the fantastic Birmingham Contemporary Music Group performing a selection of Britten’s early works, it promises to be an evening of truly inspiring music – showing the genius of this composer that was already evident at a remarkably young age.

Benjamin Britten has long been a favourite composer of mine, and I’m so glad that Spitalfields Music will be able to play a part in celebrating his centenary. With the major celebrations taking place in Aldeburgh at almost exactly the same time, I’m sure this concert will be enough to satisfy the Britten fans who decide to stay in London. Fortunately for me, the concert also features music by another of my favourite composers, Aaron Copland, alongside works by Henze and Oliver Knussen.

Don’t miss the chance to hear this fantastic ensemble perform some beautiful works in the intimate setting of Shoreditch Church.

Illuminating Britten
Thursday 13 June, 7.30pm – 9.15pm

At Idea Store Whitechapel. Image: James Berry

Uju Maduforo, Finance Manager
I’m not a huge classical or contemporary music fan, not because I don’t enjoy it when I hear it, but because I just don’t know enough about it, or grew up listening to that type of music.  A slightly odd confession from someone who works for Spitalfields Music.  Anyway, I’m looking forward to this Summer’s Festival for two reasons.

1. I’m always pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy the different events and,

2. It’s such fun doing something you wouldn’t normally do as part of your day-to-day activities.

I’m looking forward to The Great Enormo because of its location.  How uniquely quaint – an orchestra in a library.  I don’t even what the theme tune for Mr Enormo Biggins’ Great Fun Park sounds like (should I?), but it doesn’t matter because I’m sure anyone attending Idea Store that day either to hear the orchestra or to read, will leave with a smile and pleasant memories.  And it’s something children can enjoy too.  I loved Musical Rumpus at the Winter Festival not just because of the music but for the looks of awe, excitement and wonder on the children’s faces (even the babies looked pleasantly puzzled).

Have you ever felt pleasantly surprised when you tried something new and discovered how much you enjoyed it?  I feel that way anytime I go to a Spitalfields Music festival event.  There’s always something for everyone, and the mixture of settings, sounds, ages, faces – beautiful.  Who knows I just might try my hand at conducting.  Now that would be an interesting sight.

The Great Enormo
Saturday 15 June, 2.00 – 3.00pm

Early Opera Company director Christian Curnyn. Image: Alys Tomlinson

Camille, Development Manager
Just over two years ago I discovered Monteverdi’s music at Spitalfields Music Winter Festival 2010, and I was delighted to learn that Monteverdi’s work would be programmed again this summer, conducted by Christian Curnyn. On top of that, being quite a ballet and dance fan, I am very excited that the performance will include new dance work. And if that wasn’t enough, the choreographer in charge is Tony Adigun – who I recently discovered at The Place, when I attended a performance by his Avant Garde Dance Company. I was struck by the physical strength, intensity and commitment of the dancers, and the unusual mix of music and moves.

So to sum it up: Monteverdi, new dance, Christian’s early music versus Tony’s contemporary dance, in a converted warehouse, in East London – talk about an intriguing concept!

Early Opera Company: Monteverdi Ballets
Monday 17 June, 6.30pm – 7.30pm & 8.30pm – 9.30pm

Women Sing East. Image: James Berry

Kathryn, Programme Manager: Learning & Participation
The first thing I did when looking through this year’s Summer Festival brochure was to write the Women Sing East concert date into my diary!  There’s always something very special about the Women Sing East concerts; whether they’re singing Vivaldi, Scritti Politti or Freddy Mercury, I always get the tingle down the spine, my lips form an instant smile and I feel so much more positive about life!

Women sing East is our all-female group with singers from all walks of life who come together every Wednesday evening simply because they love to sing.  It is a proven fact that the act of singing releases endorphins, reducing stress and making you feel energised.  Even if you’re not singing with Women Sing East, simply listening to them can have that same effect – it’s infectious!

Following on from their mesmerising performance in our most recent Winter Festival of Vivaldi’s Gloria I’m thoroughly looking forward to hearing them again in our Summer Festival.  Some people might be asking how can they top the Vivaldi? You’ll be amazed at how well this group can rise to a challenge – I can’t wait!

Women Sing East
Wednesday 19 June, 7.30 – 8.30pm

Musical Rumpus. Image: James Berry

Laura, Programme Officer: Learning & Participation
In a general sense, the excitement of our Summer Festival 2013 comes from its newness. Having experienced my first Winter Festival only a short while ago, I am looking forward to exploring what the warm weather and uplifting sunshine mood brings to a fantastic Spitalfields Music Festival.

Delving into the programme, Summer 2013 for me is the takeover of Monteverdi.  For a more matured ear, we have the cross arts celebration of Monteverdi Ballets. Combining the talents of the Early Opera Company and Avant Garde Dance, Monteverdi will be revealed in a new light.  For the more delicate ears, we have Musical Rumpus: Movers & Shakers which follows on from the massive success of Musical Rumpus: A Fairy Queen in the Forest which we toured in Barking & Dagenham and Newham last year. Monteverdi will be re-imagined into another interactive and captivating piece for 0-2 year olds. Working once again with the experiences of the Early Opera Company and East London Dance, the same magnificent minds will cultivate this piece, the only difference being that the audience members will be less than half the size!

As always I am looking forward to reaching new audiences, bringing new insight into the area of cross cultural and cross arts work, and of course, indulging in sunshine and ice-cream!

Musical Rumpus: Movers & Shakers
Thursday 20 June, 10.30am – 11.30am & 12.00pm – 1.00pm

Scanner. Image: Alys Tomlinson

James, Programme Manager: Festivals 
This is my first summer festival working on producing events for Spitalfields Music and I’m continually inspired by how rich and diverse the programme is to the extent that it is incredibly hard to single out any one event or aspect of the festival as one I’m most looking forward to; they all promise to be stupendous!

What I find most attractive about Spitalfields as a place is how the old and new seem to coexist seamlessly; one minute you’re walking past the former home of a Huguenot silk-weaver, the next you’re crossing the ruins of a 13th century crypt whilst gazing up at the wall of glass which is the Heron Tower. So, for me, what I’m most looking forward to is Gazelle Twin’s Flow Forms, which forms part of our Associate Artist series with Scanner and promises to celebrate this unique and diverse history.  It’s a wonderfully fresh project, inspired by John Dowland’s flow my tears where we’ll be taking a trip underground to visit some very unusual, unique and rarely seen spaces in Spitalfields.  I grow to love every element of this project more and more as it develops and how it is set to transverse such a variety of genres, periods and art-forms.

Scanner: Flow Forms
Friday 21 June, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Saturday 22 June, 3.30pm – 5.30pm & 6.30pm – 8.30pm

You can explore our full Summer Festival programme on our website. With general booking now being open, we look forward to hearing your own top picks!

Spitalfields Music Summer Festival
7 – 22 June 2013
Booking opens Monday 4 February, 10.00am
spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk | 020 7377 1362

In Pictures: Winter Festival 2012

It’s a new year with lots of new performances to come, but before we leave our end-of-2012 indulgences behind, we wanted to share some of our favourite moments the Winter Festival with you, courtesy of our Festival photographer, James Berry.

If you came along to any of our events, then why not share your experiences with us below.

EXAUDI. Image: James Berry

Behind the magic. Image: James Berry.

Storyteller Stefan at Shoreditch Church. Image: James Berry

Trainee Music Leaders James, Abimaro and Ignacio in “But who knows the East End?” Image: James Berry

Matthew Robins and I Fagiolini in the little match girl passion. Image: James Berry

Walking through the East End Backpassages. Image: James Berry

the little match girl passion. Image: James Berry

Alan Gilbey on tour. Image: James Berry

Our newest venue Hoxton Hall. Image: James Berry.

Matthew Robins in performance

Early Opera Company and Christian Curnyn. Image: James Berry

James Weeks conducts EXAUDI at Hoxton Hall. Image: James Berry.

London Handel Players with Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas. Image: James Berry

Women sing in performance. Image: James Berry

Storyteller Sarah in Shoreditch Church. Image: James Berry

Tambourines at the ready in Shoreditch Church. Image: James Berry

A Holographic Opera. Image: James Berry

I Fagiolini. Image: James Berry

Enjoying Scottish Reels and Winter Riffs. Image: James Berry

Alan Gilbey and ‘The Visual Aide’. Image: James Berry

Toujours et Pres de Moi: A Holographic Opera. Image: James Berry

Audience enjoying Vivaldi’s Angels at Christ Church Spitalfields

Scottish Reels and Winter Riffs. Image: James Berry

Women sing East perform Vivaldi’s Glora. Image: James Berry

An Unexpected Journey

Prior to their performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria in Vivaldi’s Angels at Christ Church Spitalfields, one of our Women sing East members reflected on the journey on which putting the work together has taken them.

Working towards our performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria has been, for this member of Women sing East at least, a series of small shocks. The first of these occurred when the idea was mooted towards the end of the Summer term – it felt rather like a tunnel into which we would enter at the beginning of the Autumn term with no way out until it ended with a concert, and the tunnel felt narrow… just one piece of music? For some the unfamiliarity of baroque music has caused anxiety or even temporary departure. For me it has been a return to ‘safer ground’, a sound world more familiar than that of much of the music we have sung in the past. I have been unsure, though, about defecting from the choir’s perceived strength of delivering stomping performances of jazz and blues with a folk tune or two thrown in and perhaps a classical number when pushed, all of which I have so loved being part of.

Women sing East perform Vivaldi’s Glora. Image: James Berry

More recently I was startled to tears by a brief recording of one of our rehearsals made on an iPhone at which we sang the Cum Sancto Spiritu for the first time, albeit in Christ Church Spitalfields and accompanied by Jonathan Williams. Although the timings were a little muddy, the purity of sound – the one voice – was literally overwhelming.

Just last week I migrated from practising at home on Dropbox to plugging headphones into the CD deck and playing the Andrew Parrott recording with the volume turned right up straight into my head. I was thrilled anew by this glorious music that so lifts the spirits and no longer seems quite so impenetrable.

Finally last night’s rehearsal with Christian Curnyn drew us all upright and removed us from the security blanket of the score for most of the evening, releasing a much more confident, positive sound in all four parts.

The final shock will come at the performance when accompanied by trumpets and confronted by a full church but whatever the outcome, the singing will be the wholehearted culmination of a term’s committed energies on the part of everybody, not least Laka, Jonathan, Becks and all the Spitalfields Music team urging us on!

Women sing East member

On the eleventh day of the Winter Festival…

Spitalfields Music sent to me… video highlights from The English Concert.

The English Concert return to Christ Church Spitalfields this evening with a programme of seasonal splendour, including Corelli’s Christmas Concerto and JS Bach’s marvellous Magnificat. They were kind enough to share some video footage with us, including some from a performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria, which you can hear tomorrow night with our own Women sing East.

A Glorious Revelation

My first reaction was NO! No, No, No, NO, NO!!! even. I had been missing Women sing East all over the long summer break (three months) and although I had a vague notion we would be singing something very different this term – I hadn’t fully appreciated the fact that we would be singing Vivaldi’s Gloria which was new to me. Not only that – but we would be singing ONLY the Gloria for the WHOLE TERM!!!

Women sing East in rehearsal. Image: James Berry.

Gone were the lovely, diverse and fun selections of songs that usually make up our Women sing East concerts. I became distraught – what to do? Back out? I called Kathryn, one of Spitalfields Music’s Learning & Participation managers. I talked to Laka D – our inspirational and genius musical director. With their support and encouragement I decided to give it a go – after all – was I man or  mouse?

I loved the first part of the Gloria. Then I struggled with the harder parts – but loving harmony as I do I just started marvelling at the actual music and when Jonathan accompanied us on the piano at that special rehearsal at the Barbican Centre – well – I just fell in love with it. And then, last week, we rehearsed in Christ Church Spitalfields on Commercial Street and almost raised the beautiful refurbished roof. I believe I may be the only member of the choir to wear hearing aids so I get an even more acute sense of the acoustics and we sounded so, so good. I was very happy. I felt the fear – and did it anyway. Taking a trip out of my usual comfort zone seems to have really inspired me and I am so glad I am in this special choir and took a chance on the glorious Gloria.

Women sing East member