The places and stories of our past, both imaginary and real, hold a curious power over us.

At the heart of this adventurous programme for string ensemble is a new commission by Oliver Leith – the voice of a new generation of British composers. “Deadpan, subversive and quietly anarchic” (BBC Radio 3), Oliver’s music seamlessly crosses the boundary between contemporary classical and electronic worlds. His new work will o wisp is an exploration of the weird and wonderful, based on an old English folk legend.

Elsewhere, we’re transported to the flower gardens, little stone paths and imposing beech trees at the beautiful Dumbarton Oaks estate in the USA with Caroline Shaw’s ‘Plan & Elevation’. Dmitri Shostakovich’s tour-de-force ‘Chamber Symphony’ stands in stark contrast – a gut-wrenching musical rollercoaster that packs a devastating emotional punch for seasoned concert-goers and first time audiences alike. The show opens with a tender piece about loss and reinvention by Missy Mazzoli, a firebrand Brooklyn composer described by NPR as “the 21st century’s gatecrasher of new classical music”.

Dates & Tickets

2 Dec – Manchester – Royal Northern College of Music
4 Dec – London – Southbank Centre
10 Dec – Leeds – The Holbeck
11 Dec – Liverpool – Tung Auditorium

Setlist

Missy Mazzoli You Know Me From Here
Oliver Leith will o wisp – World Premiere
Caroline Shaw Plan & Elevation
Dmitri Shostakovich Chamber Symphony

Approximate run time: 100 minutes (including an interval)

LISTEN TO ‘PLAN & ELEVATION’ →

Line-up

Rakhi Singh Music Director, violin
Manchester Collective String orchestra

Programme Notes →

This programme was devised by Pekka Kuusisto, who had to withdraw from performing due to illness. The tour went ahead with our Music Director, Rakhi Singh, stepping in to lead the ensemble.

Oliver Leith’s new work has been co-commissioned by the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and is funded by the British Council’s International Collaboration Grants and the RVW Trust.