Manchester Collective at BBC Proms 2021
Mahan Esfahani with Manchester Collective. Photo: César Vásquez Altamirano
Five years on since we started Manchester Collective, we are absolutely thrilled to be making our debut at the BBC Proms this summer. Performing live at the Royal Albert Hall on 17 August, we are joining forces with Iranian-American harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani to present a thrilling programme that will challenge perceptions and celebrate musical outsiders.
Often overlooked by the classical music establishment, Joseph Horovitz is a prolific composer across ballet, opera, TV and film. Born in Vienna and living and working in the UK, his Jazz Concerto for harpsichord, strings, and jazz kit draws on his rich personal history and wide-ranging musical influences, combining jazz harmonic language with the rhythms and structure of sonata and rondo form.
Julius Eastman was a key voice in the story of American minimalism, but his identity as a black and openly gay composer did not easily fit into the musical landscape of the 1960s and 70s. Until recently, his compositions have been largely neglected and unperformed. The Collective will give the world premiere of a new string orchestra arrangement of Eastman’s The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc marking the first time Eastman’s music will be performed at the festival.
Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, the Prom will also include Henryk Górecki's Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings, Suite in Old Style by the British-Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova for solo viola, harpsichord and string orchestra, alongside Edmund Finnis’ The Centre is Everywhere. Commissioned by Manchester Collective and the title track of our latest album, Finnis’ work for twelve strings also underpins the visual experience of the Collective’s forthcoming audio-visual installation in Salford.
“It’s an incredible milestone for us to celebrate Manchester Collective’s fifth anniversary with a BBC Proms debut this summer. We’ll be asking audiences to come along with open ears and open hearts as we shine a light on two composers of immense talent – Joseph Horovitz and Julius Eastman. Outsiders to the music establishment, they’ve not always received the acclaim they deserve and we’re honoured to have this opportunity to share their music more widely.
“Like us, Mahan is always exploring new creative approaches to sharing the experience of classical music, challenging perceptions and conventions of the artform. What better piece to perform with him at the Proms than Horovitz’s exhilarating Jazz Concerto which, just like Mahan, completely defies description or categorisation. We can’t wait!”
Rakhi Singh, Music Director and Co-Founder
Manchester Collective and Mahan Esfahani recently collaborated on concerts in Nottingham, Leeds and Norwich and will embark on a UK tour in November 2021.
Manchester Collective perform live from the Royal Albert Hall on 17 August 2021 at 7.30pm – full details here.