From Wednesday to Saturday each week, Kings Place will be given over to one artist, group or organisation to present whatever they feel most appropriate within the available spaces. Performers appear by invitation of Kings Place and, in contrast to the majority of music venues, will have carte blanche over the artistic content of their week. This departure from standard practise presents an extraordinary opportunity for artists of all disciplines, enabling them to take risks that few could otherwise contemplate, and to give an in-depth view of their work; take a look at our forthcoming Weekly Themes below.
Eisenstadt Haydn Festival (Mon 7th Sep 2009 - Sun 13th Sep 2009)
Haydn Trio Eisenstadt and guests
in cooperation with Haydn Festival Eisenstadt /Haydn 2009 and supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum
Austria's Haydn Trio Eisenstadt celebrate the bicentenary of Haydn, whose tomb rests in their home town. The week mirrors the Triothlon festival they presented in Eisenstadt in May 2009. Four particular repertoire strands are interwoven: a selection of 14 Piano Trios from the many scintillating Piano Trios of Joseph Haydn and a selection of Haydn's settings of Scottish and Welsh folksongs for voice and piano trio, sung by Lorna Anderson (soprano) and Jamie MacDougall (tenor).
There will be 18 London premières by world-renowned composers from every continent of newly commissioned short Piano Trios "DedicatedToHaydn" (www.D2H.at). Lastly a rare opportunity to hear Haydn's ‘London' flute trios, rare String Trios and Baryton Trios with guest artists from Austria and the UK.
To ‘complete' the Eisenstadt Haydn Festival the Haydn Trio Eisenstadt, Lorna Anderson and Jamie MacDougall also appear at Kings Place on Sunday evening at 6.30pm (with pre-concert talk at 5.20pm) under the auspices of the London Chamber Music Society. The concert features Haydn Trio Eisenstadt performing the eighteenth D2H commission by Belgian composer Jacqueline Fontyn Lieber Joseph! Together with Haydn's settings of Welsh folksongs.
Bite-Size Baroque - Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment (Mon 14th Sep 2009 - Sun 20th Sep 2009)
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s (OAE) second week of performances at Kings Place concentrates on an area of repertoire for which the Orchestra is famous – the Baroque. On Thursday and Friday we present four bite-size 45 minute programmes featuring some of the great names of the era – Bach, Vivaldi and Handel included. Then, on Saturday, we have a full sized feast of Baroque music, featuring one of the OAE’s regular collaborators, the renowned tenor Ian Bostridge. We hope you’ll join us.
Xtreme Cello - Matthew Barley (Mon 21st Sep 2009 - Sun 27th Sep 2009)
The cello is loved for its uniquely soulful sound. In the hands of Matthew Barley, the instrument will prove it is this and much more, as he embarks on a journey into new cello territory. Beginning with some of the great classics by Beethoven and Brahms, this series takes in one of the greatest-ever chamber works featuring two cellos, collaborations with Jazz, Indian and Sufi musicians, daring improvisations, unusual new arrangements, and finishes with an extraordinary event utilising the very latest motion capture technology (as used in Harry Potter films), to project a 7-year old Matthew onto a screen in a virtual world as he plays...
“I wish more people would think about music the way Matthew Barley does.” The Times
Sonic Explorations - The London Sinfonietta (Mon 28th Sep 2009 - Sun 4th Oct 2009)
The London Sinfonietta presents a snapshot of electroacoustic and electronic music from around the world. For the past 70 years composers have been exploring the amazing and compelling music created when the natural, live sound of instruments is added to and altered by taped sounds or electronic manipulation, or new works are created on tape using synthesised sounds or altered recordings of the urban and natural landscape. This mini-festival offers the chance to get inside this fascinating sound-world with both classic pieces and the latest experiments. Look out for your chance to join in with workshops and the culmination of participation projects in the King’s Cross area. The London Sinfonietta is honoured to be joined by Jonathan Harvey for this festival, a major world figure of this music, who has co-curated the events.
Beyond the Loop - John Metcalfe (Mon 5th Oct 2009 - Sun 11th Oct 2009)
British mould-breakers blurring the edges of contemporary classical and electronic music. Following its sell-out success in the Kings Place 2008 Opening Festival, Beyond the Loop, curated by John Metcalfe, returns with 8 concerts showcasing the very best of British creativity and performance at the sharp edge of contemporary classical and electronic scenes. With the programming artist-led and specifically designed to demonstrate a healthy blurring of genre and style these events bristle with artists at the height of their creative energies and experience. From the world renown Duke Quartet to the electronic artistry of Warp Records' Plaid and from Factory's cult group Durutti Column to electro-whizz Jon Hopkins this festival is an absolute must for fans and adventurous newcomers alike. Culminating in the astounding collaboration involving live composition between electro pioneers The Bays, composers Simon Hale and John Metcalfe and the innovative Heritage Orchestra this is not to be missed.
Schubert and Beyond - Levon Chilingirian (Mon 12th Oct 2009 - Sun 18th Oct 2009)
The remarkable outpouring of masterpieces in the last years of Schubert's life has left an indelible impression not only on audiences but also on performers and composers. It is difficult not to include at least one of these expansive works in our individual Desert Island Discs. Profound and yet accessible, substantial and yet timeless, our musical diet would be so incomplete without the high lyricism and the bittersweet beauty of Schubert's distinct and moving voice. Alongside Schubert, we also explore some of the most vivid compositions from the early 20th century. I hope that you enjoy this novel juxtaposition.
London Guitar Festival in the Fall - International Guitar Foundation (Mon 26th Oct 2009 - Sun 1st Nov 2009)
Celebrating Origins and Creating Identities
a chamber festival of guitar-based music that brings the past into the future
This is a cosmopolitan festival for a global city. At its heart is the cultural golden age of the Arabic, Jewish and Christian melting pot of Andalucia, lasting from about 700 to almost 1500. Rediscovering the music of this remarkable period has provided many of the highlights of recent years. It reminds us that intercultural creativity can produce truly outstanding work. It also informed Andalucian guitar culture in a profound way.
In this festival we can hear several versions of the mainly acoustic guitar and many ways of playing it. The variety extends from the imitation of traditional Chinese instruments to ouds dynamised by electronica, from semi-improvised to notated music and from roots music to jazz. It is truly a festival of highlights.
LIFEM 09: London International Festival of Exploratory Music (Mon 2nd Nov 2009 - Sun 8th Nov 2009)
LIFEM: London International Festival of Exploratory Music is a festival of inspired and boundary-expanding music explorations. Where else can you see UK minimalist avant chamber pop; Inuk snow songs, ice folk and throat singing from Canadian and Greenland Eskimos; old and new world music touching approaches from Ireland, Turkey, Iraq and China; the newest exotic electro Latin sounds from Brazil; Yiddish, Sephardic, old Klezmer and more from Israel, Serbia and Poland; and exquisite organic electronica from Japan? Plus a five-star audiovisual programme, all UK premieres, by award-winning artists?
This is definitely not your traditional jazz or world music festival. At LIFEM you will be surprised, excited, find out about music you have not seen and heard before.
LIFEM: Life with Music is so much more exciting!
Throughout the week LIFEM 09 will be taking over Hall One, Hall Two and the St Pancras room with an exciting range of 45-minute concerts and films.
Aldeburgh Highlights 2009 (Mon 9th Nov 2009 - Sun 15th Nov 2009)
The best of Aldeburgh Music encapsulated in four evenings. We open with the Festival’s Artistic Director - a charismatic performer and brilliantly unconventional programmer. A snapshot of Britten’s incomparable legacy of songs is given by outstanding recent alumni of the young artist programme that bears his name; three recent participants of the Aldeburgh Residencies scheme bring repertoire developed during their time by the Suffolk coast; an insightful take on sensuous 17th century Italian vocal music from La Nuova Musica, Aurora’s virtuosic performances of 20th century classics rub shoulders with Haydn, whose quartets form the backbone of the Chiaroscuro Quartet’s work.
Celebrating Mendelssohn - Peter Cropper (Mon 23rd Nov 2009 - Sun 29th Nov 2009)
Nearly everybody knows his octet, a piece of music written at the age of sixteen. Surely no other composer has surpassed that achievement at so young an age. Unfortunately the rest of his wonderful chamber music is unjustly neglected. We do not need an excuse to celebrate this outstanding composer, but I will seize any opportunity to bring his great talent to a wider audience. Peter Cropper
From the astonishing Op.13, an immense tribute to Beethoven, unbelievable from an 18 year-old, to the violent, heart-wrenching Op.80 written months before his death, each of his quartets is completely unique and a masterpiece in its own right. Mendelssohn holds a very special place in our hearts, which is why we wanted a connection to him, through our name, and chose his music for our first disc. Sara Bitlloch, Elias Quartet
Classical Opera Company - Handel in Italy (Mon 30th Nov 2009 - Sun 6th Dec 2009)
The Classical Opera Company commemorates the 250th anniversary of Handel’s death with a survey of the magnificent series of works which he wrote in Italy at the outset of his career. Handel arrived in Italy towards the end of 1706, at the age of twenty-one, returning to his native Germany in early 1710. This period marked his coming of age as a composer, and many of his Italian compositions are now recognised as masterpieces. The Classical Opera Company has assembled an outstanding line-up of artists for this major Handel celebration.
Transition_Projects - Darkness and Light (Mon 7th Dec 2009 - Sun 13th Dec 2009)
Led by director/video artist Netia Jones, soprano Claire Booth and conductor Ryan Wigglesworth, the critically-acclaimed Transition_Projects present staged concerts and performances with new media, video and film, exploring a new language for live performance.
In Darkness and Light, Transition explore some of the most stunning works of modern and baroque music - works which were both experimental and influential.
"Bold and lively, contemporary and profoundly moving" The Guardian
"Transition…startlingly original… bright, imaginative…fresh and fascinating" The Independent
I Fagiolini's Christmas Party (Mon 14th Dec 2009 - Sun 20th Dec 2009)
Vocal soloists I Fagiolini, now in their 24th year, have long been one of the jewels in the British music scene. Their innovative small-scale productions have opened up their favourite Renaissance and contemporary music to new to all have included films and operas as well as chamber style events, In 2006 they won the top UK ensemble prize from the Royal Philharmonic society.
This special week sees them appear a capella in a festive Christmas programme, with their fiery Norwegian colleagues in Bach (there is no better venue than Kings Place for this), and a Schubert recital from ex-Fagiolino James Gilchrist.