SOPRANO Anna Prosser and tenor Robert Anthony Gardiner will sing with
York Musical Society for the first time in March 28’s performance of Gabriel Fauré’s
Requiem in York Minster.
This luminous work will be complemented by Michael Haydn’s Requiem in C minor. “You might think that having two requiems in one concert isn’t an imaginative programming choice,” says conductor David Pipe.
Tenor Robert Anthony Gardiner
“Even in rehearsals, though, it’s fascinating to hear how these two works, using much of the same liturgical text but separated by over 100 years, are so very different in style and musical content. This is an unusual opportunity to savour the contrasting responses of two fine composers.”
Fauré’s Requiem, first performed in 1890, uses a shortened version of
the funeral mass and is serene, peaceful and full of haunting melodies. Michael
Haydn is the lesser-known younger brother of Josef Haydn. “His less frequently
performed but exquisite Requiem (1772) is said to have inspired Mozart’s own
final work,” says Pipe, York Musical Society’s principal conductorsince
April 2012.
Mezzo-soprano Kate Symonds-Joy
Anna Prosser, a choral scholar and vocal coach at Leeds Cathedral, and Robert
Anthony Gardiner, who lives in Leeds, will be joined on solo duty by mezzo-soprano
Kate Symonds-Joy and bass Alex Ashworth.
Both have sung previously with York Musical Society, Symonds-Joy performing
Verdi’s Requiem in November 2014 and Bach’s St Matthew Passion in March 2018;
Ashworth, the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah in May 2015 and in Bach’s
St Matthew Passion in March 2018.
Bass Alex Ashworth
Both sing with Solomon’s Knot Collective, who performed at last summer’s
Ryedale Festival and enjoyed a sold-out performance at last December’s York Early
Music Christmas Festival at the National Centre for Early Music, York.
Tickets for this 7.30pm concert are on sale at York Minster box office, on 01904 557256, at yorkminster.org or on the door. Prices are £25/£20 in the nave; £12 in the side aisles; £6, age 13 to 17; under-12s, free, but a ticket is required and they must be accompanied by an adult.
The Hoosiers: Irwin Sparkes, on vocals and guitars, and Alan Sharland, on drums, percussion and vocals
APOLLO Festival is taking off again this
summer after a four-year hiatus, promising the biggest and best event to date.
The family-friendly festival will be
held on July 3 and 4 at the new home of York RI in Hamilton Drive, with Musicians
Against Homelessness at the core.
New for 2020, the Friday Night Chill focus
will be on a chilled-out, intimate evening of food, drinks and acoustic music for
over-18s only. The line-up includes 1990s’ acoustic tribute act Melting Pot, Leeds
band The Dunwells, Dodgy lead singer Nigel Clark and York’s lady soul, Jess
Steel.
The Saturday bill will be divided
between the Main Stage and the Musicians Against Homelessness (MAH) stage.
Jess Steel: soulful York singer, performing on the Friday night
Stereo MC’s, The Hoosiers and Happy Mondays’ alumni Bez and Rowetta, in their On The 6th Day God Created Manchester show, will be the leading acts on the bigger stage, backed up by fast-rising York band The Skylights; Gary Stewart’s Graceland tribute to Paul Simon; The Mothers; tribute acts Ultimate Killers; LMX (Little Mix) and Antarctic Monkeys and a DJ set by Danny Glew.
On the MAH stage will be The Perfect
Shambles; emerging York bands The Feds and Seratones; Bravado Cartel; Slow
Train; Page 45; The Silents; The Madchester Anthems; Y Street Band; Hot Dogz;
VLTAGE and The Peacocks.
In past years, Reverend And The Makers, Inspiral Carpets, Cast, Dodgy and, aptly, Space played Apollo Festival. Now, festival director Stuart Kelly says: “Following a break, we feel the time is right for Apollo Festival to return. We pride ourselves on being a family-friendly festival, affordable for everyone and providing a fun environment for everybody to enjoy.
“It’s fantastic to have the likes of Musicians Against Homelessness on board, not only to see the acts they will bring but also in being able to raise awareness to their cause.”
Gary Stewart: paying tribute to Paul Simon in his Graceland set
Stuart continues: “We’re excited to be
at our new venue, York RI, and bringing in the additional evening on the Friday
is a new experience that we hope, in addition the usual Saturday, people will enjoy
too.
“It’s one of the best line-ups we’ve put
together and hasn’t been easy but I’m over the moon with the acts playing on
both days. I personally can’t wait to see our loyal supporters come back and
seeing new faces enjoying themselves too.”
Looking ahead to the July 3 and 4
festival, Stuart says: “One thing for certain is it’s going to be packed full
of entertainment with family quizzes and plenty of free kids’ activities.
“As always, being family friendly and affordable is a huge
priority within Apollo, therefore our infamous kids’ quarter will be returning with ten-pin bowling; hay-bale climbing
frames; face painting; arts and crafts; balloon modelling; magic shows and workshops;
storytelling and a children’s disco to name but a few free-of-charge activities.
Back too will be the much-loved funfair for additional fees.”
Skylights lead singer Rob Scarisbrick
An array of street food, drink, craft
beer and cider will be on offer, and festival-goers will be permitted to bring
in their own picnic food and unopened soft drinks and water (no alcohol and no
glass).
Stuart is delighted Musicians Against Homelessness
(MAH) will be running the second stage. “We could not be happier to be working
with this amazing organisation,” he says.
MAH was founded by music PR Emma Rule with the patronage of music industry guru Alan McGee, the Creation Records founder who famously signed Oasis. The project provides opportunities for up-and-coming talent while raising funds for the UK homelessness charity Crisis, and since 2016 MAH has hosted hundreds of gigs and curated numerous festival stages, featuring thousands of artists.
Emma says: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be
partnering up with Apollo Festival this year and to host the MAH stage. Thanks
to the festival and artists that support us, we will continue to raise funds to
help those living on the streets, while ensuring that people visiting the
festival enjoy a fantastic programme of music.”
The Dunwells: Leeds band playing a York festival
Maverick businessman Alan McGee believes the
MAH campaign also gives new bands a platform, in the way that Rock Against
Racism did in the 1970s.
McGee, who now manages The Jesus & Mary Chain ,
Black Grape, Happy Mondays and Cast, says: “Music brings us together
regardless of politics or social standing. It’s a great leveller and a vital
tool for change.”
Stuart concludes: “York businesses will
be given the opportunity to get involved and play a major role in York’s
premium family festival, giving exclusivity to these businesses to showcase
their company and also give their employees VIP experiences they never forget.”
Friday night tickets cost £5; Saturday general admission is £15; youth, six to 17, £5; under-fives free, at apollo-festival.co.uk. On the day, Saturday’s prices are £20; youth £5; under-fives free.
DANCE troupe Diversity will play York
Barbican on April 25 2021 on their Connected tour.
Last year marked ten years since Diversity won the third series of Britain’s Got Talent, an anniversary celebrated on the sold-out 48-date Born Ready tour.
At those shows, Diversity promised to continue into a second decade and, true to their word, founder and choreographer Ashley Banjo has created Connected, a show that centres around the world of social media, the internet and the digital era we now live in, but, more importantly, how this connects us all.
Banjo says: “Every year that goes by,
and every time we get to create a new touring show, I cannot believe we are
still lucky enough to get to do this.
“But even after all this time, we are
still growing, and this new decade and new chapter for Diversity is sure to be
something even more special than the last. I truly do believe that we are all
connected in more ways than one and I cannot wait to bring this to life on
stage.”
Banjo has returned to the judging
panel for his third series of ITV’s Dancing On Ice, whose final on Sunday will
feature fellow Diversity member Perri Kiely competing for the
winner’s trophy.
He also has hosted, choreographed and starred in the BAFTA-nominated The Real Full Monty from 2017 to 2019 and the International Emmy Award, Broadcast Award and Royal Television Society Award-winning The Real Full Monty: Ladies Night in 2018-2019. His Channel 4 show, Flirty Dancing, completed it second series last December.
Diversity’s nine tours have sold more
than 600,000 tickets. Tickets
for next spring’s Connected show at York Barbican are on sale on 0203 356 5441,
at yorkbarbican.co.uk or in person from the Barbican box office.
Running from March 19 to May 29 2021, the Connected tour also will visit Harrogate Convention Centre on March 20; Victoria Theatre, Halifax, March 21; Hull Bonus Arena, April 3, and Sheffield City Hall, April 4. Box office: Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk; Hull, 0844 858 5025 or bonusarenahull.com; Halifax, 01422 351158 or victoriatheatre.co.uk; Sheffield, 0114 278 9789 or sheffieldcityhall.co.uk.
The Very Grimm Brothers: invitation to Grimm Castle aka Poppleton All Saints Hall
THE only thing that cheers up Adrian Mealing and John Denton, alias The
Very Grimm Brothers, is you.
These purveyors of comedy, silliness, wistful poetry, fairy tales, songs and everyday anecdotes invite you to Grimm Castle and its enchanted forest, masquerading for one night only as Poppleton All Saints Hall, Upper Poppleton, York, on April 3 at 7.30pm.
“It’s a very chatty, tangential gig,” promises Grimm John, a Malvern
Poetry Slam Champ, who sings à cappella with Men In General, A
Fistful Of Spookies and The Spooky Men’s Chorale, joined by Denton from John
Denton’s Midnight Band.
“You should expect encounters with direct action, clumsy departures, the
poetry of platforms, Seville marmalade, undimmed love, Severn Trent Water and
the spinning of gold from straw,” say The Very Grimm Brothers.
The duo have appeared alongside the Peatbog Faeries, Attila The
Stockbroker, John Hegley, Elvis McGonagall, Johnny Fluffypunk and Roger McGough
and performed at Poetry On Loan, Bang Said The Gun, Stratford upon Avon
Litfest, Wolds Words, Mouthpiece Poets, Mouth & Music, Speakeasy and the Blue
Suede Sporran Club.
“Think of The Very Grimm Brothers as the love children that Victor
Meldrew and Pam Ayres never had,” trumpeted the Church Stretton Arts Festival,
ahead of their gig there.
Who can resist such a combination?! Tickets cost £12.50 at poppletonlive.co.uk/events.
Bronwynne Brent: “Creating songs that feel like you can live in them”
AMERICANA singer-songwriter Bronwynne Brent travels all the way from the Mississippi Delta to the howling winter winds of Yorkshire to play Selby Town Hall tonight (March 6).
“I absolutely love Bronwynne’s darkly brooding voice,” says Selby Town
Council arts officer Chris Jones. “She creates songs that feel like you can
live in them, and somehow she manages to sound like Lee Hazlewood and Nancy
Sinatra rolled into one.”
Tonight’s 8pm show will be Brent’s Selby debut, performing with her trio.
“Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, she has the kind of
stop-in-your-tracks voice that sounds like Southern sunshine,” says Chris.
“There’s a hint of Delta blues behind the ache in her songs, a glimpse
of honky-tonk twang, an echo of riverboat can-cans, a whiff of Ennio Morricone
and an atmosphere that conjures up of the darker side of country song-writing.”
Harking back to the glory days of Lee Hazlewood and Gram Parsons, Brent’s
writing taps into the murky undercurrent of country that starts with old
Appalachian murder ballads and continues through to today’s crop of psychedelic
country songwriters. “Like a juke-joint Nancy Sinatra, Bronwynne unites all the
best elements of Southern American roots music and ties these many different
influences into a sound that’s both comforting and refreshing,” says Chris.
Brent has released two albums, 2011’s Deep Black Water and 2014’s
Stardust, the second produced by Seattle’s Johnny Sangster with a “spaghetti
northwestern” feel to it.
Playing with Calexico drummer John Convertino and Fiona Apple’s bassist, Keith Lowe, on Stardust, she sang songs with a heavy weight on their shoulders: her stories populated by battered women, defeated lovers, devilish characters, highway ghosts and lonesome wanderers.
Looking forward to tonight, Chris concludes: “Bronwynne Brent is
incredible: one of the very finest contemporary voices you’re likely to hear.
Her songs are so rich and brooding. They’re astonishingly well-crafted with a
compelling dark underbelly mixing country, folk and glorious speakeasy jazz
sounds. This show will be an absolute treat.”
Tickets cost £14 on 01757 708449 or at selbytownhall.co.uk or £16 on the
door from 7.30pm.
Heather Findlay, left, Jess Steel, Beth McCarthy and Annie Donaghy relishing I Feel Like A Woman at A Night To Remember. Picture: David Harrison
REVIEW: Big Ian’s A Night To Remember, York Barbican, February 29
DEMENTIA
is a team game, says Ian Donaghy, now as much a motivational speaker at
conferences as a showman, fundraiser and event host.
Not only Dementia
Projects in York, but also St Leonard’s Hospice, Bereaved Children’s Support in
York and Accessible Arts and Media benefit from these nights to remember.
Saturday,
sold out as ever, was the eighth such night, nights that had raised £150,000 so
far. Big Ian is yet to confirm this year’s total, but £5,700 was taken in bucket
collections alone.
Torch singer! Big Ian Donaghy has the phones out for Lionel Richie’s Hello at A Night To Remember at York Barbican. Picture: David Harrison
Yes, the
fundraising is important, but Big Ian puts the fun into that fundraising, as
well as the heart and soul, in a community event that, no matter what hell of a
world is going on outside right now, always brings out the best in York.
Here’s
the news, delivered in a specially recorded Look North spoof bulletin from Phil
Bodmer, devotee of Big Ian’s Guestlist nights at York Racecourse. This would be
the biggest gathering of A Night To Remember yet: not only the old father time
of musical directors, George Hall, on keyboards with his band of bass, guitars,
drums and percussion, but 14 brass players to boot, four from Big Ian’s band
Huge and a whole heap of shiny young players from York Music Forum, gathered
under the tutelage of Ian Chalk.
What’s
more, the musicians and singers had an 80-year age range, from those fledgling
brass talents to 93-year-old Barbara from the Singing For All choir, a force of
nature who summed up everything joyful about this celebration of the power of
music throughout our lives.
River deep, mountain high: Graham Hodge conquering Cry Me A River. Picture: David Harrison
Big Ian
took the lead, brass assisted, on Elton John’s I’m Still Standing and, yes, he
would still be standing three hours later, still urging us to fill those
buckets.
Simon
Snaize’s rendition of Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, with the brass section breathing fire, was an early highlight; Boss
Caine’s mine-deep voiced Dan Lucas turned Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 from daytime to
night-time hours; Jess Steel, as vital to these nights as Big Ian, climbed the
first of several vocal mountains with Barbra Streisand’s The Way We Were.
Songs
were interspersed with Dementia-themed video clips, usually recorded on Ian’s
phone, some bringing tears, others cheers, all indeed making it a team game.
Thank you for the music: A Night To Remember’s singers and musicians take a bow at the finale. Picture: David Harrison.
Kieran O’Malley’s
fiddle bow was a wand of magic whenever he played, whoever he accompanied;
Heather Findlay and Simon Snaize’s duet for Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain had exactly
The Chain reaction it deserved, guitar solo and all.
Ken
Sanderson, alias Las Vegas Ken, normally restricts himself to a solo slot, but for
the first time, he was joined by Hall’s band, at Big Ian’s urging: another hit
at this “Gang Show with people we really like”.
Later, a fellow staple of these shows, 6ft 3 folk stalwart Graham Hodge, newly turned 70, would be seen as never seen before, again at Donaghy’s suggestion, as he eschewed folk balladry for a dinner jacket to knock Cry Me A River out of the park with the vocal performance of the night. Better than Bublé? No troublé!
Jessa Liversidge, front, centre, leads one and all in I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing..and she did! Picture: David Harrison.
What better way to open the second half than radiant York singer Jessa Liversidge leading her Singing For All group, ebullient Barbara and all, in fact all the audience, as we sang I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing. In perfect harmony, of course! “I’m a bit c**p these days,” said Barbara, but singing is about so much more than the act of singing, and you could see how much it means to her after all these years.
From Annie
Donaghy’s Careless Whisper to Beth McCarthy’s U2 and Guns N’Roses mash-up, Hope
& Social’s Gary Stewart turning into Paul Simon for You Can Call Me Al, to
Annie, Beth, Heather and Jess, all in black and white, for Shania Twain’s I Feel Like A
Woman, the show-stoppers kept coming.
Out came
the phone torches on Big Ian’s command for Lionel Richie’s Hello and a big, big
finale followed up the apt Don’t You Forget About Me with Jess does Dusty for
You Don’t Have To Say You Love M and, what’s this? A video message of support
from Rick Astley that arrived in Ian’s in-box from Sydney, Australia, at quarter
to five that morning.
Cue a Never Gonna Give You Up singalong, and no, you just know Big Ian is never gonna give up on these special nights, his belief in making every life vibrant and vital to the last. Well done big fella, well done sound techie Craig Rothery, well done York.
Even the audience’s shoes were shining stars on A Night To Remember at York Barbican on Leap Year Saturday
New York Brass Band: seven-piece Mardi Gras jazz powerhouse from York, although there appears to be nine of them here
POCKLINGTON Arts Centre will be celebrating its 20th
anniversary on Friday (March 6) with a party night.
A private reception at 7pm will be followed by a
public performance by North Yorkshire’s only contemporary New Orleans-inspired brass
band, the New York Brass Band from old York.
This seven-piece powerhouse, complete with
percussion, sax, trumpets, trombones and sousaphone, will raise the roof with
their rousing brand of Mardi Gras jazz from 8pm.
Looking forward to Friday’s celebrations, director Janet
Farmer says: “New York Brass Band are a far cry from being your typical brass
band. This is up-on-your-feet dancing, party-loving, Mardi Gras-style funky
brass music that will be a lot of fun.
“As Pocklington Arts Centre celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, we felt a band like this
added a true party vibe to our diverse programme of live music.”
Hailing from the ancient streets of York, New York
Brass Band are at the forefront of a funky brass revolution now sweeping Great
Britain.
“Inspired by Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels, Hot
8, Youngblood and Brassroots, New York Brass Band pack a powerful punch of
relentless drums, rumbling tuba and wailing horns,” says Janet.
“Nothing kicks a party into gear like the sound of
a smokin’ New Orleans Mardi Gras jazz band.
Although New York Brass Band’s inspiration is drawn from New Orleans musicians, their repertoire ranges from Marvin Gaye to George Michael, from Cee-Lo Green to Stevie Wonder, with some funky, gritty northern originals thrown in for good measure.
Their past performances include Glastonbury Festival from 2014 to 2017; Bestival on the Isle of Wight; Durham Brass Festival; Cork Jazz Festival; Le Tour de France; the Monaco Grand Prix and England’s cricket Test matches.
New York Brass Band have entertained guests at
celebrity parties and weddings for comedian Alex Brooker, Liam Gallagher, ex-Scotland
footballers Joe Jordan and Gordon McQueen and Jamie Oliver.
Tickets for Friday cost £11 each on 01759 301547 or at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.
Laurence Knight performing in Bowie Experience. Picture: Charlie Raven
A BRACE of tribute
shows is lined up for the Grand Opera House, York, next weekend, Bowie
Experience and Re-Take That.
On March 7,
Laurence Knight leads Bowie Experience, a concert celebration in sound and
vision of Bowie’s hits from Absolute Beginners to Ziggy Stardust.
On March 8, Re-Take
That promise the “ultimate Take That party night” with a fully interactive
singalong experience with song lyrics for the greatest hits on screen.
Tickets for these two 7.30pm gigs are on sale on 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york.
Annie Donaghy, Big Ian Donaghy, Beth McCarthy, Heather Findlay and Jess Steel at A Night To Remember in 2019 at York Barbican. Picture: Karen Boyes
A NIGHT To Remember, tomorrow’s charity concert at York Barbican,
has sold out but any returned or cancelled tickets will go on sale this morning
from 10am.
Now in its eighth year, this annual fundraising event helps good
causes in the city to make a difference, as organiser and host Big Ian Donaghy
brings together “the finest musicians and singers for a gang show like no
other”.
Tomorrow
night, all the singers will perform as an ensemble exceeding its constituent
parts. “When you have a dream team on the stage, it seems a shame to not use
them, so everybody sings on everybody else’s songs,” reasons Big Ian.
Jess Steel: taking on “near-impossibly demanding songs” at York Barbican
A Night To Remember lets singers take on their favourite songs.
“Soulful Jess Steel will take on a Dusty Springfield classic, as well as other
near-impossibly demanding songs that she’ll deliver in the manner she’s now
well known for.
“Heather Findlay will bring her class into the mix, performing
two of her favourite songs,” says Big Ian.
Beth McCarthy, who made her debut at the Mount School when Big
Ian ran a School of Rock concert there, will be stepping out of her comfort
zone to rock the Barbican foundations.
Beth McCarthy: “Stepping out of her comfort zone to rock the Barbican foundations”
Annie Donaghy will put her spin on a George Michael classic on a
night when the set list will feature covers of Dusty Springfield, Shania Twain,
Simple Minds, Paul Simon, Michael Buble, Guns N’ Roses, Barbra Streisand, Peter
Gabriel, Elton John and Marvin Gaye classics, as well as a few surprises.
York singer Jessa Liversidge will lead her fully inclusive
Singing For All choir, a group with members aged up to 98, who will sing The
New Seekers’ I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing.
Among the men, Graham Hodge will “venture into very different
areas” as he celebrates his 70th birthday; gravel-voiced
Boss Caine, alias Dan Lucas, will tackle a country favourite that nobody would
ever guess; Hope & Social’s Gary Stewart will play the congas, as well as
singing a Paul Simon rouser.
Jessa Liversidge: bringing her Singing For All choir to York Barbican
The gig’s house band will be led by York music stalwart George
Hall, joined by powerhouse duo Rob Wilson and Simon Snaize on guitar duty.
“This year, the show has a bigger, brassier feel with a 12-piece
brass section, made up of Kempy, Pete, Stu and Chalky from my band Huge, being
joined by funk horns and brass players from York Music Forum, ranging in age
from 13 to 18, led by Ian Chalk,” says Big Ian.
He also
promises “ground-breaking, heart-warming and heart-breaking films” to raise
dementia awareness. “Watch out for surprise appearances, as previous years have
included messages from Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, The Hairy Bikers, Rick
Astley, Nick Knowles, Anton du Beke and Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson,” he says.
Oh, what A Night To Remember as singers and musicians gather at the finale of last year’s fund-raising concert at York Barbican. Picture: Ravage
“But the
real reason these musicians come together is to help St Leonard’s Hospice,
Dementia Projects in York, Bereaved Children Support York and Accessible Arts
& Media.”
Any
returned or cancelled tickets for tomorrow’s 7.30pm concert will be on sale on
0203 356 5441, at yorkbarbican.co.uk or
in person from the Barbican box office.
Delta Saxophone Quartet: Friday night is Late Music night at the Unitarian Chapel
YORK Late Music’s 2020 season opens with
a trio of concerts next week, one on March 6, two on March 7, at the Unitarian
Chapel, St Saviourgate, York.
First up, at 7.30pm on the Friday, Delta
Saxophone Quartet celebrate the music of iconic composer Steve Martland alongside
new works by David Power and Steve Crowther in the first half.
The second half has four pieces from Project Flicks: silent film with live music featuring Frank Milward’s Brian And Banksy and David Lancaster’s Rendezvous.
Murphy McCaleb: tackling climate change in his Instruments Of Change concert
On the Saturday, York St John University senior lecturer in music Murphy McCaleb and his ensemble present Instruments Of Change, addressing the issue of climate change at 1pm.
Dr McCaleb is a bass trombonist and pianist who can turn his hands to classical, jazz, rock, pop, electronic and experimental music.
Later that day, singer Merit Ariane Stephanos’s 7.30pm concert tells the love story of the sun and the moon. Destined never to meet, their enigmatic relationship affects our lives deeply, rules our daily rhythms and fires up our imagination.
Merit Ariane Stephanos: singing songs to the sun and the moon
“The cycles of light and dark in which
they are intertwined create breath-taking displays,” says Merit, who will be
performing with Jon Banks on accordion, qanun and santur, Antonio Romero on percussion
and Baha Yetkin on oud.
“Punctuated with Shakespeare and anonymous quotes
and rhymes, our songs journey through musical styles, eras and languages,
illuminating each other in an ever-changing light.
Tickets on the door cost £5 for the lunchtime recital; £10, £8 concessions, for the evening concerts.
