previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
Rochdale Amateur Light Orchestra - ‘Moonlight, Mystery, Mozart, Glen Miller and much more’
Preview by Steve Cooke
Graham Marshall tells me that he is looking forward to conducting the Rochdale Amateur Light Orchestra's concert on Wednesday, 17 July in Holy Trinity parish church, Littleborough.
Graham is joint conductor, alongside Christopher Irvin, of the wonderful Rochdale Amateur Light Orchestra. It brings together amateur musicians who enjoy rehearsing and performing music of a light-hearted nature of all kinds. Membership is open to all orchestral players, on any instrument and they regularly put on very well received concerts.
The upcoming concert includes 'Six London Sketches' by Mozart. These are six of the piano pieces Mozart wrote while visiting London in 1764-5 aged 8-9 years old. Graham has arranged them for the ensemble and says, ‘ I think they make a pleasant, easy-listening addition to our wide-ranging repertoire’.
The programme will include Gounod's tongue-in-cheek 'Funeral March of a Marionette', the quirky clarinet piece which has become inseparably associated with Alfred HItchcock, and a two-step March entitled 'Rastus on Parade' by the 19th century American composer and music publisher Kerry Mills.
The three movements from Ravel’s Suite of music for children, ‘Mother Goose’, should add a touch of magic to the atmosphere culminating with the fabulous depiction of a Fairy Garden.
The concert is being promoted as an occasion of ‘Moonlight, Mystery, Mozart, Glen Miller and much more’, and the much more consists of still popular examples of 20th century song and dance music like van Heusen’s ‘Moonlight becomes you’, Henry Mancini's ‘Moon River’, Edwin Lamare's ‘Moonlight and Roses’ with Edward McDowell’s ‘To a Wild Rose’, and (not only for the Man City fans!) Richard Rodgers' ‘Blue Moon’.
The concert will end with Glen Miller's iconic ‘Moonlight Serenade’.
Graham founded the RaLO (as they call it) in 2008 to offer local amateur musicians an opportunity to get together to rehearse and play music of a generally light-hearted nature from the pre-Baroque era to the present day and across all genres.
£8 adults, £5 children
MANCHESTER CAMERATA LAUNCHES 2024/25 SEASON EXPLORING IDENTITY, STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ITS ARTISTIC PARTNERS AND EMBARKING ON NEW COLLABORATIONS AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES
Preview by Steve Cooke
Manchester Camerata, the pioneering chamber orchestra, has announced its 2024/25 season, strengthening relationships with its Artistic Partners and forming new collaborations. Led by its Music Director, Gábor Takács-Nagy, Manchester Camerata’s new season sees the orchestra collaborate with its Artistic Partners – AMC Gospel Choir, Kantos Chamber Choir, Daniel Pioro and Rushil Ranjan – in addition to guest soloists and conductors in venues across Greater Manchester and the UK. The range of music in these concerts explores the contrasting identities of musicians and communities.
Clara Marshall Cawley, Head of Artistic Planning at Manchester Camerata, said:
"At Camerata, we are always searching for new ways to connect and communicate with our audiences. This season, we explore the theme of identity - sharing stories of our communities, players and partners through the universal language of music. It's great to have a number of concerts at our home venue, The Monastery, as well as developing exciting projects which will tour nationally with our Artistic Partners. As always, none of this would be possible without the exceptional quality of performance and communication from our players."
Artistic Partners
Building on its relationship with Artistic Partner and revered composer, Rushil Ranjan, Manchester Camerata presents the world premiere of Songs for the soul at Stoller Hall [30 Oct]. Ranjan is one of the most distinctive composers working in the UK today, straddling the worlds of classical, contemporary and Sufi music. The concert will be conducted by Melvin Tay, a versatile Singaporean conductor based in Manchester. It will tour to Howard Assembly Room in Leeds [2 Nov] and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama [7 Nov].
In the forthcoming festive season, the Camerata returns with its two popular Christmas shows. The first is a performance of Handel’s magnificent Messiah with Kantos Chamber Choir conducted by David Greilsammer at Gorton Monastery, Manchester [1 Dec]. Another annual favourite for local audiences is Festive Happening, which returns to the Albert Hall, Manchester [15 Dec]. This family concert is performed with AMC Gospel Choir and appears in Saffron Walden [9 Dec] and at Birmingham Town Hall [13 Dec].
Daniel Pioro has commissioned poetry from Sir Michael Morpurgo inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, which will be narrated at concerts in January [19 Jan]. Pioro will lead the Camerata in a family matinee and a concert on the same day, the latter of which will include a performance of Caroline Shaw’s Evergreen. Both Manchester concerts will be performed in-the-round, with the family show encouraging children to engage with the music.
These performances will also feature at Kings Place [18 Jan, on sale October 2024].
The Camerata’s string section and Kantos Chamber Choir present music inspired by space in a concert conducted by Ellie Slorach at Gorton Monastery in which audience members can gaze at the cosmos [9 Feb]. Images of the universe, including from the world’s most powerful telescope, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, will be projected onto the interior walls of the Monastery. This will create an immersive concert experience like no other.
Manchester Camerata celebrates the proud heritage of its Hungarian Music Director, Gábor Takács-Nagy, with a programme of Kodály’s Dances of Galanta and Bartók’s Hungarian Sketches performed with musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music [21 Mar]. This comes alongside Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with soloist and Camerata section principal, Hannah Roberts.
Mozart, Made in Manchester
The highly acclaimed concert and recording series, in which Manchester Camerata has performed and recorded all Mozart’s piano concertos with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet across eight years and 10 albums, comes to a dramatic finale at Stoller Hall [20 Sep]. For Bavouzet’s last performance in the series, he will be joined by pianists Andrea Nemecz and Rose McLachlan in Mozart’s Concerto No. 7 for Three Pianos and Concerto No. 10 for Two Pianos, with the programme including the overtures to La finta semplice and Idomeneo, among other pieces, conducted by Gábor Takács-Nagy. The concert will be recorded and issued on Chandos in 2025.
The Mozart, Made in Manchester series then evolves as the Camerata performs two concerts of Mozart’s beautiful horn concertos with leading horn player, Martin Owen [2 Apr, 23 May]. The concerts will take place at Stoller Hall led by Gábor Takács-Nagy. The first features an overture by classical-era composer Marianna Martines as well as Haydn’s 94th symphony, and the second features Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
Further highlights
Donald Grant is one of the UK’s foremost fiddle players. He performs with Manchester Camerata for the first time in a concert of traditional and contemporary Scottish music, alongside his own arrangements of Gaelic songs. The event is called The Night Overtook Us and will be held at the Royal Northern College of Music [24 Nov].
Manchester Camerata celebrates composer Daniel Kidane’s return to Manchester in a performance with Daniel Pioro at The University of Manchester and acclaimed violinist Jonian Ilias Kadesha [29 Nov]. The Camerata then returns to Wigmore Hall in London with a programme of Bach alongside Kidane’s music performed with harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani [30 Nov]. The orchestra has commissioned several pieces by Kidane previously, most recently the pandemic-era piece, Be Still.
Outreach
Manchester Camerata continues its industry-leading community work in the 2024/25 season, serving local residents in Gorton and across the Greater Manchester boroughs. Greater Manchester was recently named as the UK’s first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia, hosted by Manchester Camerata. This will see the Camerata’s weekly music cafes – where orchestral musicians use music-therapy based techniques to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their carers – expanded from their current schedule in Gorton and Wigan to all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs from Autumn/Winter 2024. In partnership with The University of Manchester and the Power of Music Fund established by The National Academy for Social Prescribing, the aims of the initiative are to improve people’s lives and relieve pressure on the NHS.
Applications are now open for the Camerata 360° Ruth Sutton Fellowship. Inaugurated in 2023, this programme funds training for five young musicians and composers based in the North of England to learn about all aspects of Camerata’s work and the impact it makes. Successful applicants have the chance to perform with Manchester Camerata or have their music performed by the orchestra, organise events, work with the administration team and receive training in marketing, finance and concert programming. Each fellow receives a dedicated mentor, and all training is paid. The fellowships last one year and their aim is to improve musical provision in the North of England.
Manchester Camerata also continues its work in local schools throughout the 2024/25 season, promoting personal and social development in young people’s lives. Pupils in Manchester schools such as Webster Primary benefit from Camerata activities such as creative workshops that encourage diverse approaches to music education.
To celebrate the launch of its 2024/25 season, Manchester Camerata has partnered with local craft beer brewer, Cloudwater, to create a limited edition pale ale called ‘Support Your Local Orchestra’. The beer will be rolled out nationwide on 21 June, available in approximately 200 bars, pubs and shops, and will draw attention to Manchester Camerata’s performances and community work via a QR code on each can.
RECOMMENDED
Saturday 13 July 2024
A Summer’s Evening with Cantare Ladies Choir
Join the choir for a celebration of summer: a varied programme of beautiful and uplifting music in the stunning setting of St Edmund’s Church.
Light refreshments available.
£8
Phone: Joanne Eaves 07854116347
7.30pm
St Edmund’s Church, Edmund Street, Falinge, Rochdale OL12 6QF
Tuesday 16 July 2024 - Saturday 20 July 2024
Syke Arts & Craft Exhibition
A fantastic week long display of 100s of pieces of artwork by local artists across two floors, with demonstrations.
Tuesday 16 July - Launch night reception exhibition open 6pm - 8pm
Wednesday 17 July - Exhibition open 2pm - 4pm | 6pm - 8pm
Thursday 18 July - Exhibition open 2pm - 4pm | 6pm - 8pm
Friday 19 July - Exhibition open 2pm - 4pm | 6pm - 8pm
Saturday 20 July - Exhibition open 10am - 2pm, 3pm onwards open for collection of artwork
Phone: 01706 346666
Tuesday - Friday, 2pm - 4pm & 6pm - 8pm
Syke Community Base, 206 Syke Road, Rochdale OL12 9TF
Wednesday 17 July 2024
Rochdale Photographic Society
Tonight's session - Selection evening for Prestwich battle.
We meet every Wednesday at Rochdale Unitarian Church, starting at 7.30pm prompt (doors open from 7.15pm). The door is kept locked so please ring the bell on arrival.
If you would like to see the club for yourself and meet our members, you are welcome to attend as our guest for up to 3 weeks before committing to membership. Annual subscription is £36 for single or £46 for joint membership.
A weekly room fee of £2.50 is also payable on arrival at the meeting. Refreshments are 50p.
Visit the link below for a full 2024 syllabus.
£2.50 for room fee
Doors open 7.15pm, 7.30pm start
Rochdale Unitarian Church, Clover Street, Rochdale OL12 6TP
Wednesday 17 July 2024
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have Jonathan Ellis concert pianist (RNCM & Manchester University)
The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020… during the pandemic!
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.
Comments