earth music bristol music festival (nov 2011)

Festival oF music inspired by the natural world

0845 40 24 001stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

st george’s bristol in association with bbc radio 3 presents

online (24 hours)stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

by phone 0845 40 24 001

in person Box office, st George’s Bristol,Great George street (off park street),Bristol Bs1 5rr

box oFFiceopen 12 noon – 6pmMonday – Fridayand from 10am during earth Music Bristol week 21 – 26 november 2011

in association with in association with

book now

18–26 noveMBer 2011

earth music bristol Festival supporters

01

bbc radio 3 the essay and bbc radio 4 aFternoon story FroM earth Music Bristol

monday 21 – thursday 24 november 12.30pm BBc radio 3 and radio 4 present a series of newly commissioned essays and stories for earth Music Bristol, inspired by and connected to the natural world, and written by the finest writers, poets, scientists and fiction writers. each event is introduced by radio 3 broadcaster petroc trelawny, read by the authors and recorded for later transmission on BBc radio 3 and BBc radio 4. come and hear the essays being recorded with a chance to meet the writers.

For full details of the essays and stories please visit: stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

running time: 50 minutes / no interval.

the essay broadcast: Monday to Friday (21–25 november) on BBc radio 3 at 10.45pm each night.

afternoon story broadcast: 22nd, 23rd and 24th november at 3.30pm on BBc radio 4.

Free admission advance booking recommended.

earth music bristol plus

st george’s comes alive from 10am each day for a week of events:

• Free BBC Radio 3 Live interval events; • Wildlife exhibitions; • Meet the Artist/Presenter events; • Premiere of Nature Picture Library’s

‘coral triangle’ audio/visual slideshow• Live camera and sound feed from Slimbridge Wetland Centre;

plus much, much more!

stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

welcoMe to earth music bristola new kind oF Festival devoted to the celeBration oF centuries oF Musical responses to the livinG world and the Forces oF nature.

presented in association with BBc radio 3 – who will be broadcasting radio 3 live in concert from st George’s Bristol from Monday 21 to Friday 25 november – this is a chance to hear music inspired by landscapes, natural phenomena and the moving and sounding creatures living on this planet. some of the world’s leading musicians will be with us; established and emerging, young and mature. they are joined by eminent wildlife artists, writers, filmmakers and natural scientists – all forming an integral and integrated energy of creative force and imagination.

earth music bristol is about our own species’ place on this planet. we make music, paint pictures, write words and scientifically research nature because it offers an infinitude of mental and sensual possibilities to our enquiring minds and curious senses.

we warmly invite you to listen to some of the most captivating and evocative music ever written; to the studied words of natural scientists; and to see what a naturally curious camera-lens can make of living things, and the workings of visual artists’ minds in representing and interpreting the living world. edward cowie Founder, artistic director suzanne rolt co-director

‘coral triangle’ image courtesy of

nature p

icture library. © Jurgen Freund

cover: Butterfly image courtesy of nature picture library. © visuals unlimited.

in association with

the voice oF natureMust-hear readinGs

03stgeorgesbristol.co.uk02 box office 0845 40 24 001

the crypt gallery at st GeorGe’s Bristol monday 21 – Friday 25 novemberFrom 10am

the art of nik pollard & greg pooleBristol-based international artist-illustrators nik pollard and greg poole channel the richness of the natural world, via prolonged direct observation, into glorious artwork, from raw field sketches to highly deliberated studio works.

Meet nik and Greg at 11am monday 21 november(see page 6)

the gardensat st GeorGe’s Bristol

the poetry-sculpture of ian hamilton Finlaytake a stroll around the gardens at st George’s Bristol and discover the original commissioned installations by one of the country’s great interpreters of nature, poet and artist ian hamilton Finlay.

the glass room galleryat colston hallFriday 4 november – sunday 4 decemberFrom 10am

Feona ness: stormwhile you’re at colston hall check out ‘storm’, a new series of oil paintings from Feona ness, reflecting the stormy landscapes and seascapes of the atlantic coast. a must-see while you’re taking in bbc now’s ‘symphonies of sea and ice’ (sunday 20 november), the Glass room Gallery is situated adjacent to the Foyer and is Free to enter.

bristol museum & art gallery wildliFe photoGrapher oF the Year exhiBitionsaturday 19 november 2011 – saturday 11 march 201210am – 5pm, Monday – Friday 10am – 6pm, saturday – sunday

bristol museum & art galleryQueen’s road, Bristol Bs8 1rl0117 922 3571bristol.gov.uk/museums

launching at Bristol Museum and art Gallery at the start of earth Music Bristol, the ‘wildlife photographer of the Year’ exhibition presents the planet’s best photos. come and enjoy the visually stunning, thought-provoking images that provide an insight into the beauty, drama and variety of nature. this world-renowned yearly touring exhibition from the natural history Museum provides a spotlight on the rarely seen wonders of the natural world.

the competition is owned by the natural history Museum and BBc wildlife Magazine.

7.30pM bristol ensemble the Four seasons

roger huckle director stephen preston flute

vivaldi the Four seasons vivaldi concerto for Flute ‘il Gardellini’ richard barnard Bird pieces vivaldi concerto for Flute ‘tempesta di Mare ‘

earth Music Bristol opens with vivaldi’s captivating showpiece, ‘the Four seasons’. dazzling in its depiction of the natural world, from the birdsong of springtime to the frost and ice of winter, its musical scene-painting is enhanced by stunning film footage from the bbc motion gallery – a chance to see, hear and very nearly feel the gradual transformations and richness of the changing seasons. interwoven with virtuosic concerti for baroque flute, and a re-invented dawn chorus, this is a perfect appetizer for the musical and multi-sensual feast that follows in the rest of the festival. £16; £9; £5 under-18s

Family ticket available:buy four tickets and get the lowest priced ticket Free.

every adult ticket price includes a suggested voluntary donation of £1 to help secure the future of st George’s Bristol.

6.30pM meet the soloist stephen preston (BaroQue Flute)

soloist in two concertos tonight, stephen preston will be talking about the workings and wonders of the baroque flute. stephen completed a phd a few years ago in which he expounded on (and performed) an entirely new kind of music, using a technique he developed call ecosonics. what was it inspired by? his study of birdsong. this is a great opportunity to interact with one of the world’s very greatest exponents on the instrument!

Free admission.

wildlife photographer of the year exhibition

image ©

andy rouse

Friday 18 novemberst GeorGe’s Bristol

the image oF natureMust-see exhiBitions

2pM meet the Festival directorsedward cowie & suzanne rolt

edward cowie (artistic director) and suzanne rolt (co-director) have worked together on the development of this entirely new kind of festival of music (the arts and natural sciences too of course!). Before the BBc national orchestra of wales concert, come and join the directors in colston hall 2 for an open forum explaining how this venture was born; its hopes and aspirations for the future.

Free admission.

0504

3pM bbc national orchestra oF wales sYMphonies oF sea and ice

adrian partington conductor hilary summers soprano elizabeth atherton soprano women’s voices of the bristol choral society

britten Four sea interludes elgar sea pictures vaughan williams sinfonia antartica

the sea is a force that awes and inspires and here it is channelled through the magnificent sound lens of a symphony orchestra, one of the most exciting phenomena in the world of the arts. Britten’s ‘Four sea interludes’ transport us from calm and mist to the roar and overwhelming frenzy of the sea in tempest and turmoil, while elgar’s sound-pictures depict it as he saw and loved it. Finally, vaughan williams evokes the snowy wastes of antarctica, an environment hostile yet always majestic.

introduced by nicola heywood thomas and recorded for broadcast on bbc radio 3 (Friday 25 november).

performed and booked at colston hall: 0117 922 3686 / colstonhall.org

£16; £13; £9; £8 Under-26s; £1 under-18s

stgeorgesbristol.co.ukbox office 0845 40 24 001

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c national o

rchestra of wales

bb

c national o

rchestra of wales

sunday 20 november colston hall

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7.30pM radio 3 live in concert bbc concert orchestra orchestral naturallY

barry wordsworth conductor cynthia Fleming violin

vaughan williams the wasps milford Fishing by Moonlight delius on hearing the first cuckoo in spring ravel prelude and dance from ‘Ma Mère l’oye’ milhaud la création du Monde honegger pastoral d’eté vaughan williams the lark ascending bartók Music for strings, percussion and celeste

all of life is contained within this wonderful orchestral concert (all things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small!), from the eerie clicks of night insects emerging from the inky darkness, to the evocation of a perfect spring morning and the seismic events that shaped the creation of the world. Famous for its versatility, the bbc concert orchestra delights in this chance to illuminate the glories of the natural world, no more so than in vaughan williams’ ‘the lark ascending’, recently voted the nation’s favourite desert island disc.

introduced by petroc trelawny and broadcast live on bbc radio 3.

£16; £9; £5 Under-18s;



11aM meet the widliFe artistsGreG poole & nik pollard

throughout this festival, two important and acclaimed wildlife artists nik pollard and greg poole will be presenting some of their work in the crypt Gallery at st George’s. this is a wonderful chance to hear them talk about how they work and why they love doing what they do. how do they capture those fabulous wild creatures and natural moments? come and find out!

Free admission.

12.30pM bbc radio 3 the essaY bbc radio 4 aFternoon storY

see facing page.

6.30pM meet the composer edward cowie

tonight’s concert features (mainly) music directly inspired by a ‘sense of place’: what could be called landscape music. edward cowie, himself a composer and visual artist, will ‘set the scene’ for the concert by talking about how ‘being there’ can imbue music with very special qualities of seeing as well as hearing.

Free admission.

12.30pM bbc radio 3 the essaY richard MaBeYbbc radio 4 aFternoon storY horatio clare

introduced by broadcaster petroc trelawny, read by the authors and recorded for transmission on bbc radio 3 and bbc radio 4.

Free admissionadvanced booking recommended.every adult ticket price includes a suggested

voluntary donation of £1 to help secure the future of st George’s Bristol.

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c concert orchestra ©

chris c

hristodoulou

monday 21 november st GeorGe’s Bristol

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7.30pM radio 3 live in concertelias string Quartet the tenor oF nature

gurney ludlow & temeJanácek on the overgrown path Book 1: ‘Our Evenings’; Leaf blow away’; ‘Little Owl’vaughan williams on wenlock edgewarlock 3 Songs: ‘Autumn Twilight’; ‘Late Summer’; ‘Frostbound Wood’elgar piano Quintet

Bright young things, and BBc new Generation artists, the elias string Quartet are joined by tenor allan clayton and proms 2011 pianist tom poster for a concert of music inspired by the english countryside. From the rapturous and tender settings by vaughan williams and ivor Gurney of poems from a e housman’s ‘a shropshire lad’ to elgar’s almost unbearably poignant ‘piano Quintet’, the english idyll is expressed through the rich palette of sounds created by the fusion of string quartet, piano and voice. a stirring reminder of just how deeply memorable and moving a sense of place, and a place for the senses, can be.

introduced by petroc trelawny and broadcast live on bbc radio 3. £16; £9; £5 Under-18s;

Family ticket available:buy four tickets and get the lowest priced ticket Free. 12.30pM

bbc radio 3 the essaY tiM Birkheadbbc radio 4 aFternoon storY tessa hadleY


Free admissionadvanced booking recommended.

during the interval...

petroc trelawny will be broadcasting live from the doric room of st George’s Bristol, where he will be joined by special festival guests. You can be there too! a limited number of advance tickets will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. contact the Box office on 0845 40 24 001.

broadcast live on bbc radio 3.


11aM meet the wildliFe FilmmakersroGer JackMan & Mitch turnBull

roger Jackman and mitch turnbull are two very important wildlife filmmakers, sharing between them eMMYs and other major awards for their films. Before you listen to two wild and largely ‘untamed’ musicians in the ‘pan-syrinx’ concert, come and hear stories about wildlife filmmaking; special moments, special creatures, special skills. and whilst they’re there, how do they fit music into the scenarios?

Free admission.

6.30pM meet the producer tiM dee

tim dee is a distinguished radio producer, working for BBc radio 3 and radio 4. he is also a writer and birdwatcher, someone deeply inspired by the natural world. tim has been responsible for the design, commissioning and directing of the festival’s three stories and five essays. he’ll be talking about how his thinking shaped these projects and of course, what it means to be a producer for radio.

Free admission.

elias string Quartet


1.30pM pan-syrinx

stephen preston baroque flute edward cowie piano

the baroque flute is a perfect partner to birdsong. stephen preston is joined by composer-pianist edward cowie in an improvised concert of music inspired by birdsong and the habitats in which they live. new sounds, new insights into the ‘music’ of birds that will surely surprise and delight you!

£7; £4 Under-18s and students; Free for jobseekers / all seats unreserved.

tuesday 22 novemberst GeorGe’s Bristol


see facing page.

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7.30pM radio 3 live in concertpeter hill (piano)a cataloGue oF Birds

messiaen La Colombe (1928); le Merle Bleu (1958)sculthorpe night pieces (snow, Moon, Flowers, stars)takemitsu rain tree sketch ii(in memoriam Messiaen)messiaen Le Traquet strapazin;la Bouscarledouglas young riverravel oiseaux tristes (from ‘Miroirs’)messiaen le courlis cendre

pale silver moonlit pools, the interlacing branches of trees, a tapestry of stars and haunting bird calls from the tide-edge of an estuary – just some of the magical sights and sounds that inspire this intimate evening of solo piano music by Messiaen, takemitsu, ravel and others. Messiaen birdscapes unfold alongside a succession of other pieces, some as delicate as a beautiful watercolour, all conveying these composers’ profound love of the natural world. the pianist is peter hill, widely acknowledged as one of the truly great interpreters of Messiaen, whose recording of ‘the catalogue of Birds’ was made under the composer’s personal supervision.

presented by petroc trelawny and broadcast live on bbc radio 3. £10; £5 Under-18s;


12.30pM bbc radio 3 the essaY natalie seddonbbc radio 4 aFternoon storY helen dunMore




petroc trelawny will be broadcasting live from the doric room during the interval, where he will be joined by special festival guests. You can be there too! a limited number of advance tickets will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. contact the Box office on 0845 40 24 001.


11aM meet the Film composerwilliaM Goodchild

william goodchild is a ‘local’ but has an international reputation for his musical interactions with wildlife film producers, many of these films (together with his music), having won major prizes and awards. the composer has just finished a very special commission for the nature picture library, writing new music to accompany a photo slideshow called ‘coral triangle’ which receives its premiere right here. come and see will introduce the piece and learn more about how he does what he does, and why.

Free admission.

6.30pM meet the conservationist laurence rose oF the rspB

laurence rose spans the worlds of birding and music. he is a top executive in the royal society for the protection of Birds, managing the north of england reserves, but is also on the Board of the huddersfield contemporary Music Festival. he has a long experience of coming ‘under the spell’ of olivier Messiaen. so do come and listen to one of the country’s top bird specialists, unzipping his love of the natural world and its connection with the music it inspires.

Free admission.


olivier m

essiaen


wednesday 23 novemberst GeorGe’s Bristol


see facing page.

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7.30pM radio 3 live in concertbbc singers enchantinG Birds

david hill conductor peter hill piano

hailed as one of the greatest choirs in the world, the bbc singers are famous for their vivid, dynamic and vital performances of music both new and old. this concert sees choral music interspersed with piano works played by peter hill, in a birdsong-inspired musical adventure. a procession of pieces that respond to the sounds and habitats of birds, from stanford’s ‘the Blue Bird’ to elgar’s ‘owls’ and vaughan williams’ ‘the turtle dove’, the concert features the world premiere of edward cowie’s ‘dawn-piece’, ‘Bell Bird Motet’. all in all, a tremendous chorus of gorgeous harmonies and rich embroideries of sound from nature. presented by petroc trelawny and broadcast live on bbc radio 3. £16; £9; £5 Under-18s;


11aM meet the soloistpeter hill (piano)

peter hill is one of the greatest exponents of the music of olivier Messiaen and was singly honoured by the composer when he ‘sat-in’ on peter’s recordings of Messiaen’s ‘catalogue d’oisseaux’. tonight’s concert (mainly for voices but with peter appearing again as a pianist), focuses exclusively on birdsong. not surprisingly, peter hill has rare and vivid insights (and sounds) of the relationships between birdsong and music. come and hear him expound on those relationships.

Free admission.

6.30pM meet the controller roGer wriGht

roger wright is the controller of BBc radio 3 and director of the BBc proms. come and hear him talk about radio 3 and the BBc proms, the world’s largest classical music festival. put your questions to roger about the station or the festival and learn more about their aspirations and challenges.

Free admission.

12.30pM bbc radio 3 the essaY paul FarleYtBc

introduced by broadcaster petroc trelawny, read by the authors and recorded for transmission on bbc radio 3.



petroc trelawny will be broadcasting live from the doric room of st George’s Bristol where he will be joined by special festival guests. You can be there too! a limited number of advance tickets will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. contact the Box office on 0845 40 24 001.



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thursday 24 novemberst GeorGe’s Bristol

12.30pM bbc radio 3 the essaY

see facing page.

roger w

right © B

Bc

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7.30pM radio 3 live in concertcoull string Quartet hiGhlY strunG Birds

haydn string Quartet in c op 33 no 3 ‘the Bird’ cowie Birdsong Bagatelles; Quartet No 5 dvorák string Quartet in F op 96 ‘american’

two classics and a classic for the future from a truly great string quartet... the Haydn thrills and trills; Dvorák throbs with wild energy and the tremulous song of the American scarlet tanager; and cowie’s ‘Birdsong Bagatelles’ offer ‘sound-portraits’ of 24 common european birds. Melodic, mellifluous, mysterious and mesmerising music!

presented by petroc trelawny and broadcast live on bbc radio 3.

£10; £5 Under-18s;


special oFFeraged 8–25? in full time education? then you can enjoy this concert absolutely Free! Quote cavatina when making a ticket booking.

12.30pMmeet the Film producerBrian leith

as an executive producer brian leith has been involved in some of the BBc natural history unit’s most impressive and celebrated television series. From ‘the natural world’ and ‘wild china’ to the staggering ‘human planet’, Brian has been at the forefront of wildlife filmmaking, helping to bring the world – in all its glory – a little closer to home for millions of viewers.

Free admission.

6.30pM meet the presenter petroc trelawnY (BBc radio 3)

radio 3 presenter petroc trelawny will have been presenting – and present at – most of the events in the festival this week. come and find out what being a presenter entails, what kinds of things petroc likes most to present and how he has enjoyed the first earth Music Bristol.

Free admission.


coull string Quartet. im

age © d

anielle king.

meet the presenter petroc trelaw

ny 6.30

pm. im

age © B

Bc.


Friday 25 november st GeorGe’s Bristol

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3pM martin kisZko & nick parkGreen poeMs For a Blue planet

Join Bristol-based film composer and screenwriter martin kiszko and four-time oscar-winning filmmaker nick park as they share material from their recent book ‘Green poems for a Blue planet’, featuring Martin’s witty and thought-provoking poems and nick’s brilliantly colourful illustrations.

Free admissiona limited number of advance tickets are available on a first-come first-served basis. contact the Box office on 0845 40 24 001.

great Food on-site

st George’s Bristol is delighted to have teamed up with the real olive company for the duration of earth Music Bristol so you can enjoy delicious Mediterranean-infused tapas and pasta throughout the festival. Food will be available at each of the earth Music Bristol evening concerts, except for the Bristol ensemble on Friday 18 november. it’s the perfect pre-concert dining solution. enjoy!

therealolivecompany.co.uk

st George’s café Bar opens from 10am, with food available at all lunchtime events.

how to Find us

box office 0845 40 24 001

paying by card: all major credit cards (except american express), Maestro and delta cards are accepted. there is a £1 charge for each transaction where the total spend is over £15. online: book online 24 hours a day at stgeorgesbristol.co.uk. Booking fee: £2.50 for each transaction (irrespective of the number of tickets being booked). children: children are welcome at all earth Music Bristol events, but parents are asked to remember that concerts broadcast by the BBc may not be suitable for very young children. Babes in arms and young toddlers cannot be admitted to the auditorium for ticketed events unless otherwise stated. all children must be issued with a ticket. Facilities for disabled patrons: st George’s welcomes all disabled concert-goers and the venue is fully accessible from charlotte street. please mention your particular needs to the Box office when you book and all assistance will be given. limited parking is available for Blue Badge holders, but must be reserved in advance. accessible toilet facilities are located within the bar, accessible by lift.

17stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

by bus: park street is served by frequent bus services (1, 8, 9, 40, 41, 54, u5, u6). visit firstgroup.com for details of the best bus for your journey. the nearest bus stops are located at Queens road and college Green. Bristol Bus station, served by regional and national bus/coach services, is a 15 minute walk or a short taxi ride away.

by train: the nearest main line railway station is Bristol temple Meads, a 25 minute walk from st George’s Bristol or a short taxi ride. Bus services 8 and 9 also serve the station at regular intervals.

by road: st George’s Bristol is located just off of park street in the west end of Bristol. on street parking is metered (Monday-saturday £2.50 after 6pm, sunday no charge). the nearest car parks are located on trenchard street, Berkeley place, college street, Frog lane and Millennium square. visit bristol.gov.uk/carparks or ncp.co.uk for details of the best car park for your visit.

by air: Bristol airport is served by regional, national and international flights. a regular bus service runs between the airport, Bristol temple Meads and Bristol Bus station.

5pM earth music party

as a joyous end to the festival, the young singers of the st George’s cosmos choir, instrumentalists of the bristol ensemble youth orchestra, and children and adults of the audience, unite in a family-friendly creative workshop culminating in a grand musical finale celebrating the natural world and one of Britain’s truly spectacular natural phenomena, the great surge wave known as the ‘severn Bore’. take part Bring pencils and sketch paper, get creative, practice your listening and draw the sounds you hear. Great for kids aged 6+ and their families.

running time: 70 minutes / no interval. Free admission no advance ticket required.

the information given in this leaflet was correct at the time of going to press. programme subject to change.

saturday 26 november st GeorGe’s Bristol

earth music bristol music festival (nov 2011)

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