Songs and poems of remembrance

10th November

Poems by Wilfrid Owen, Edward Thomas, A E Housman, Thomas Hardy, Edith Sitwell, Simon Armitage and others.

Music by Benjamin Britten, George Butterworth, Ivor Gurney and Hildegard of Bingen.

A concert of songs composed around the poetry of World War 1, much by Wilfrid Owen who composed many of his works while stationed in Ripon awaiting return to the western front where he died. The recital includes the Wilfrid Owen poems used by Benjamin Britten in his War Requiem and his Canticle 3 for tenor, piano and horn based on a poem by Edith Sitwell after the 1940 air raids on London.

Nicholas Watts Tenor   (left)    Gave a wonderful recital for us in 2022, is well known to Opera North supporters especially for his performance in the critically acclaimed and award winning production of Orpheus reimagined. "Nicholas Watts Orpheus dominates the stage with a generous tenor sound and a physical presence to match"  Independent

Simon Armitage                 Is Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds and Poet Laureate since 2019. Elected to serve as Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford from 2015-19, he has received numerous awards for his poetry and published many collections of poems.

David Cowan                      Is Head of Music at Opera North

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Iyad Sughayer - piano

12th January

Born in Amman, the Jordanian-Palestinian pianist was chosen as the one to watch by International Piano Magazine. Nominated as a 2022 Rising Star artist by Classic FM.

He studied at Chetham's School of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where he won the College's prestigious Gold Medal.

An outstanding performer of piano music by Khachaturian and Mozart.

"He captures the music's essence with such a close sense of recreative identity that it feels on occasion as though he could be composing it as he goes along. An outstanding debut."                                 BBC Music Magazine / Khachaturian: Piano works CD (BIS Records) March 2020

"...exhilarating and delivered with perfect clarity...It's a release that leaves one eager to hear Sughayer in other repertory while eloquently arguing that Khachaturian's piano music deserves a re-evaluation as something more than teaching pieces."                                               Gramophone / Khachaturian: Piano works DC (BIS Records) March 2020

"..this Jordanian-Palestinian pianist shines.."                                                 International Piano Magazine February 2020

"Sughayer's delivery was wonderfully deft but direct, light yet assertive, witty as well as profound."   Sussex Express / Brighton Festival May 2022

Mozart              Piano Sonata in A Major

Schubert           Drei Klavierstucke

Sibelius             Impromptu op.5

Khachaturian   Sonata for piano

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Kosmos Ensemble

9th March

Kosmos Ensemble are redefining the relationship between classical and world music. The trio has accolades from all over the world. United by a shared passion for improvisation, music from around the world as well as the rigours of classical music training. Each member is an international soloist in their own right and brings their individual flavour to the trio.

Harriet Mackenzie is a concert solo violinist and chamber musician, who has played across the globe, with many accolades.  "Superbly responsive playing...faultless technique and unfailing insight"   Gramophone

Meg-Rosaleen Hamilton is a unique viola player, specialising in world and folk music styles including Celtic, Romanian, Greek and Middle Eastern music. "Meg explored the highest range of sounds...the sound was beautiful and truly evocative.. charming and vivacious"  Chichester Observer.

Milos Milivojevic a Serbian classical accordionist, had a full scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, won many international competitions and the prestigious Derek Butler London prize at the Wigmore Hall, contested by students from all four of the London conservatoires. His debut album on the Nimbus label was ".. a hurricane of imaginative invention." The Times.

The programme is unique to Kosmos, inspired by music from all around the globe. Wild gypsy fiddling, emotive Jewish and Greek music glide seamlessly into hot blooded tango, alongside interpretations of Japanese, Polish and Swedish songs, Scottish reels with new arrangements by and for the trio, referring to composers including Bach, Satie, Piazzolla, Ligeti, Brahms and Sarasate.

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