The English Symphony Orchestra, one of Worcester’s most celebrated international cultural exports, will launch a new collaboration with Worcester Live with a gala evening of light classical favourites in Huntingdon Hall on Friday the 17th of February. Joining the ESO musicians and their Artistic Director, Kennneth Woods, is rising soprano superstar, April Fredrick, whose recent performance in the title role of John Joubert’s Jane Eyre was one of 2016’s breakout performances.
The concert is a celebration of the ESO’s new role as Orchestra in Residence for Worcester Live, the company behind the Worcester Festival, the Swan Theatre, Huntingdon Hall and Worcester Rep. The programme, entitled “All Singing, All Dancing” includes Hungarian Dances by Brahms, Slavonic Dances by Dvorak and waltzes and polkas by Johann Strauss alongside some of the most beloved soprano arias in the repertoire. “We wanted to make this first concert of our Worcester Live residency as joyful an occasion as possible, so we’ve chosen a a programme of works very close to our hearts: one which is as full of life and excitement as we could possibly make it,” says Kenneth Woods, the ESO’s conductor and Artistic Director. “April Fredrick is one of our most valued artistic partner and one of the most exciting emerging talents in the UK, and we’re so thrilled she’ll be joining us for this concert.”
Long a mainstay of musical life in Worcestershire, the ESO’s recordings and tours have been one of the county’s most powerful cultural exports for many years. The orchestra is currently enjoying a major artistic resurgence, having recently released their first full-length CD is 10 years- a recording of Krenek Piano Concertos which won a string of five-star reviews and landed on the Sunday Times Best Recordings of 2016 list. 2016 also saw the release of the ESO’s recording of the Elgar Piano Quintet as arranged for symphony orchestra by Donald Fraser- a recording which became Disc of the Month on Classic FM and a one of the year’s best-selling CDs. Other highlights of 2016 include winning Classical Music Magazine’s “Premiere of the Year” accolade for the second year in a row and a stream of international broadcasts.
The new alliance between Worcester Live and the ESO bring together Worcester’s two most important cultural organisations in a project to build new audiences for classical music in the country and to expand music education opportunities for area young people. “Developing the audiences of the future is all about collaboration,” says Worcester Live’s CEO Chris Jaeger. “This kind of cooperative approach is the best way to engage new listeners”
The ESO’s Worcester Live Residency will continue with Façade and the Enduring English Eccentric starring Ben Humphrey at the Swan Theatre on the 7th and 8th of April.
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More about the ESO: http://eso.co.uk/
More about Worcester Live: http://www.worcesterlive.co.uk/
More about Kenneth Woods: http://kennethwoods.net
More about April Fredrick: http://www.aprilfredrick.com/
Additional enquiries or interview requests: eso@eso.co.uk
Concert information:
Friday 17 February, 2017 at 7:30 PM
Huntingdon Hall
Gala Launch of New ESO/Worcester Live Orchestra Residency Project
English Symphony Orchestra
Kenneth Woods- Principal Conductor
April Fredrick- Soprano
PROGRAMME
Brahms Hungarian Dance no. 1 3’
Brahms- Hungarian Dance no. 3 3’
Johann Strauss Jr. – Mein Herr Marquis from Die Fledermaus 4’
Rossini- Una voce poco fa
Johann Strauss Jr- Titsch Tratsch Polka 3’
Brahms- Hungarian Dance no. 5 3’
-Interval-
Dvorak- Slavonic Dance opus 72 no. 2
Dvorak- Slavonic Dance opus 72 no. 7
Dvorak- “Song to the Moon” from Russalka
Gounod- Jewel Song from Faust
Sibelius- Valse Triste
Johann Strauss Jr- “Saffi’s” Song from The Gypsy Baron
Johann Strauss Jr.- Emperor Waltzes
Prices: £19, £16.50, Under 16’s £8, Family Ticket £34.50
Tickets available here: http://www.worcesterlive.co.uk/events_review.asp?eid=453059724
Book By Phone Via Worcester Live: 01905 611427