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“THE GREAT MAN OF SMALL INSTRUMENTS”
Poul Høxbro has been called “the great man of small instruments”. He’s an endlessly fascinating and inspiring musician – a Danish master of ancient flutes and bells, of bones and drums. As soon as we met him, we knew we had to work with him.
While we were building the show, we had a moment when we realised that this combination of instruments has literally never been heard before. The set that we are presenting is all new – terrifyingly, ink-barely-dry new. Ancient music, brought vividly to life for 21st century ears.
Full disclosure – Ecstatic Dances feels scary for us. New work is always frightening, mostly because until you start making it, you never really know what you’re going to end up with. Fortunately, we’re not particularly fond of being comfortable. Come join us, and let’s get risky.
Ecstatic Dances is kindly supported by Arts Council England and the RVW Charitable Trust.
PROGRAMME
Warlock Capriol Suite
Adés Arcadiana (Selections)
Trad. Ancient Songs and Dances from England, Scotland and Denmark
CREATIVE TEAM
Flutes & Percussion Poul Høxbro
Violin Rakhi Singh, Simmy Singh
Viola Ruth Gibson
Cello Abel Selaocoe
Electric Bass Alan Keary
2020 UK Tour
LONDON / 17.01.20 / CLF Art Café
GLASGOW / 16.01.20 / Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
MANCHESTER 19.01.20 / The Stoller Hall
LEEDS 15.01.20 / Leeds Town Hall
GLASGOW / 16.01.20 / Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Poul Høxbro
Poul Høxbro is a true pioneer in the field of music. He has been called ”the great man of small instruments” and it is true that he is quite unique in the way he has taken the medieval instrument of pipe and tabor – played simultaneously by one person – out of the shadows and into the full glare of concert platforms all over the world.
Poul is currently Guest Conductor of Concerto Copenhagen, designing and managing projects that present baroque music in a slightly different way than the usual. Poul is also a guest teacher at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. He has performed in intimate chamber music settings, as a soloist in a contemporary Danish Opera at the Royal Opera House in Copenhagen, on traditional music stages, and as a theatre musician. He has always amazed and delighted audiences with his virtuosity and lively musicality, crossing the borders of what might be expected from his ”small” instruments – instruments which, apart from pipe and tabor, include all types of historical percussion and traditional flutes.
Besides his music, Poul Høxbro is a much sought-after storyteller. He has received outstanding reviews for his dramatic and utterly magic way of drawing an audience into the world of myth and legend – be it in Danish, Swedish, German or English. His outstanding performing skills and his depth of knowledge in his field has led to invitations to give concerts, lectures and courses in USA, Australia, China and throughout Europe.
He has recorded for Classico, ABC Records, Move Records, BIS, Exlibris, Gefion Records, Universal Records, Sony Music, Chandos and Naxos.