Events Calendar

Tin Men and the Telephone present their new album World Domination volume 1: Furie. Far more than a collection of tunes, the album follows a science fiction story, a humorous and provocative look at our modern world through the lens of fake news and alternative facts. Furie stands for Federal Union for Restoring Intergalactic Equilibrium, an alien peace force sent to Earth to intervene against the rise of populism and abduct despotic world leaders. The music is a combination of acoustic jazz and futuristic electronic sounds, all composed around the speeches of various populist politicians. It is a return to activism and politics in jazz. As a companion piece to the album, Tin Men have also launched an interactive website: http://tinmendo.com/furie/. Visitors can select world leaders to be abducted, suggest any leaders that may be missing, and hear extracts from Furie as they do so. Tin Men have made a name for themselves with their cutting edge use of technology and multimedia, as well as their unique interactive performances, in which the audience participates via their self-developed smartphone app Tinmendo. Over the course of several residencies in the UK, Tin Men have been collaborating with some of the leading figures of London’s immersive theatre scene to bring Furie to the stage and push the interactivity even further. The audience are invited to help the aliens pick which world leaders deserve abduction and collectively compose a new world anthem to be performed on the spot by the band. The Times described it in a 5 star review as a 21st-century gig in which multimedia gadgetry and a sense of mischief combine to create something fresh and unexpected.

Since becoming Prize Laureate of the 2012 Honens International Piano Competition, Pavel Kolesnikov has been winning hearts around the world through his live performances and recordings on the Hyperion label. Described as a poet of the keyboard (The Guardian), his Turner Sims debut interweaves Brahms’ late Intermezzi, Op 117 with music by Couperin, Beethoven, his early Op 7 Sonata, and three quietly reflective miniatures by Tchaikovsky.

One of the country’s most distinguished chamber groups, the Endellion Quartet mark their 40th anniversary in 2019. This evening’s recital celebrates the occasion with two premieres: the world premiere of Sally Beamish’s new work, co-commissioned by Turner Sims, (and one of a series of short pieces which the Quartet are presenting in their landmark year); and the UK premiere of Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin’s string quartet. The concert begins with music by the ‘father of the string quartet’, and ends with Tchaikovsky’s popular first work. Sally Beamish’s work is commissioned by the Endellion String Quartet on the occasion of their 40th anniversary, with generous support from Turner Sims Southampton, Lark Music and Brompton’s.

Following explorations of Soft Machine and King Crimson, the latest project from the DSQ follows in the imaginary footsteps of David Bowie and his Berlin Years. The music explores and re-visits the period when Bowie experimented with the ambient world of Brian Eno, free improvisation, and the minimalist works of the classical composer, Philip Glass. Project Flicks presents a selection of short films accompanied by music performed live by DSQ. The International films chosen cover a wide period of classic cinema, from the early black and white movies, newsreel footage from the ‘Prelinger Archives’, an Oscar winning Parisian classic, and a brand new commission from Australia, based on the relationship of ‘Brian & Banksy’ (a budgie and a dog!). Through the ‘prism’ of live film, the DSQ has commissioned new scores which will engage, enthral and delight, opening up a freshness of discovery for inquisitive minds from age 8 to 108. Pre-concert talk 7pm

Turner Sims Associate Artist Lawrence Power is soloist-director of Collegium, an exciting new group formed from Europe’s finest young musicians. For their Turner Sims debut they traverse all four seasons in a journey that takes us from Schubert to Jazz-Age America. Piazzolla’s tango-charged Four Seasons of Buenos Aires is laced with arrangements of haunting Romantic Lieder. Composer-violinist Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber was an innovator in the development of string technique. His La Battalia is remarkable because it re-creates the battle sounds of muskets and cannon using strings alone.

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Olivia Chaney makes a very welcome return to Turner Sims. Since her acclaimed debut The Longest River in 2015, Olivia has collaborated with Kronos Quartet on a record entitled Folk Songs, featuring Natalie Merchant and Sam Amidon, and received a Grammy nomination fora record she made with The Decemberists – called Offa Rex The Queen of Hearts. For this special evening, Olivia performs music from her recent Nonesuch album Shelter, her Grammy-nominated collaboration with The Decemberists and pays tribute to great female singer-songwriters and artists that have influenced and inspired her, including Sandy Denny, Edith Piaf, Joni Mitchell and Billie Holiday as we mark International Women’s Day. Following a long period of life on the road, Olivia returned to a family retreat, a rustic, 18th-century cottage in the hills of the North Yorkshire Moors, to write the songs of Shelter. Produced by Thomas Bartlett, the album features eight original songs, plus Chaney’s interpretations of Purcell’s O Solitude and Frank Harford and Tex Ritter’s Long Time Gone, first recorded by the Everly Brothers.

Kick-starting Southampton Science and Engineering Festival, Science and Engineering Day is a free, one-day event that sees the University of Southampton opening two of its campuses to the public and allowing them to explore science and engineering through a wide-range of hands-on activities, shows, talks and tours. Turner Sims is delighted to host events as part of this. The Virus Within: Hearing HIV is a new three-movement musical work for ensemble and electronics that musically depicts biological processes involved in HIV replication and how innovative ‘Shock and Kill’ treatments might provide a cure for HIV. Presented in a lecture-recital format The Virus Within: Hearing HIV enables audiences to develop an understanding of the HIV life cycle, cutting-edge therapies for HIV and innovative music structures. This exciting new work is the outcome of extensive collaboration between Benjamin Oliver (composer/conductor, University of Southampton), Chad Swanson (virologist, King’s College London), Richard Polfreman (music technologist, University of Southampton) and Workers Union Ensemble. Two performances: 12 – 1pm / 2.30 – 3.30pm Free admission: no ticket required In association with Southampton Science and Engineering Festival and the Public Engagement with Research Unit at the University of SouthamptonKick-starting Southampton Science and Engineering Festival, Science and Engineering Day is a free one-day event that sees the University of Southampton opening its campuses to the public allowing them to explore science and engineering through a wide-range of hands-on activities, shows, talks and tours. Turner Sims will host two Workers Union Ensemble performances of The Virus Within: Hearing HIV (2017-2018), which is the outcome of a collaboration between British Composer Award 2017 nominated composer/conductor Benjamin Oliver (University of Southampton) and leading virologist Dr Chad Swanson (King’s College London). The piece musically explores HIV replication processes and explores how innovative ‘Shock and Kill’ treatments might provide a cure for HIV, and has been described as both a ‘top science/music mash-up’ and a ‘structurally chaotic masterpiece’. Expect disjointed grooves, whistles and duck calls, complex systematic musical processes developed from biological principles, whimsical chords, sirens, gnarly electronics and bags of science…! Two performances: 12 – 1pm / 2.30 – 3.30pm Free admission: no ticket required In association with Southampton Science and Engineering Festival and the Public Engagement with Research Unit at the University of Southampton

Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham have established themselves as the epitome of excellence in the world of traditional music and have been described as probably the best traditional musicians you are ever likely to hear (Glasgow Herald). With their incomparable mastery of fiddle and accordion, they have been performing together in packed venues all over the world for over 30 years. Individually they pursue other ventures in performance, television and education, but it is when they tour together that they truly shine with their well-honed skills and hilarious banter delighting audiences everywhere. Their musical magic and quick-witted humour will pull your emotional strings one moment and have you falling off the seat with laughter the next. Aly and Phil lived up to their international reputation with the musical and personal chemistry flowing relentlessly. Immaculately turned out tunes were interspersed with self-deprecating banter and stories worthy of any comedy duo. The Shetland Times

Unconstrained by limitations and conventions, Norwegian composer and tuba player Daniel Herskedal has earned a reputation as a musician who has pushed his instrument’s boundaries technically and sonically and who creates spellbinding and mesmerically beautiful music. Following the release of his first album, Slow Eastbound Train in 2015, Herskedal toured throughout Europe. His follow up, The Roc, prompted critics to praise the wide mix of influences from folk, jazz, classical and Arabic sources, while national broadcaster France Musique described the group as one of the most unique and innovative small ensembles. His third album Voyage emerges as his most defining album yet, merging awe-inspiring beauty with a refreshingly original sound.

Trumpeter Eric Vloeimans is one of the stars of the vibrant and highly creative Dutch (indeed, entire European) jazz scene, a musician who works across a wide range of music styles having studied classical trumpet at the Rotterdam Academy of Music and jazz in New York with Blue Note label legend Donald Byrd. For his latest project, Oliver’s Cinema (an anagram of Eric’s name), he joins forces with Belgian accordionist Tuur Florizoone and German cellist Jörg Brinkmann. In this unusual combination they perform music written for film as well as music with a cinematic quality, ranging from Ennio Morricone soundtracks and the themes from Rosemary’s Baby and Cinema Paradiso, to new compositions for imaginary films. It’s a lovely album by the way, beautifully atmospheric and full of old movie themes and compatible original material that lend themselves to café bar jazz that make you want to spend a weekend getting lost somewhere in the Low Countries eating ridiculous amounts of mussels, counting craft beers, and watching old episodes of Van Der Valk. Marlbank

Eric Lu makes one of his first solo appearances in the UK since winning the Leeds International Piano Competition in September 2018. His programme includes one of Brahms’ late sets of miniatures, and Chopin’s second sonata, arguably best known for the funeral march which features in its third movement. Handel’s work comprising 21 variations on a sarabande theme comes from a collection of suites published in 1733.

The legendary saxophonist brings his latest project to Turner Sims. The Steve Williamson Experience provides a unique journey around the sonic potential of music as a true art form that can change our state and make us feel better. Through his lifelong study of harmonics, Steve creates music that soothes and heals as well as entertains. He uses primordial tones that speak directly to the essence of who we are, blending Classical and Jazz to create an entrancing, life-enhancing, soul advancing combination that will have you leave the concert a different person to the one that arrived. So join us to witness one of Britain’s greatest musical achievements, Steve Williamson, who alongside his trio, is joined by jazz string quartet, StringTing to create a unique, compelling DNA level musical experience. If you could listen to Virtual Reality, this is what it would sound like! StringTing is a flagship ensemble from Tomorrow’s Warriors, the celebrated hothouse for young jazz talent in the UK. Mentored by acclaimed bassist and artistic director, Gary Crosby OBE, StringTing are blazing a wide trail for women and strings in jazz.

Founded in 2009, the Aris Quartet attracted widespread attention in 2016 after winning the International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition in Weimar, and no fewer than five prizes at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich. This evening they perform Beethoven’s favourite of his late quartets, the monumental single-movement Op 131, and music by Bach. For Reger’s work they are joined by renowned Belgian clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe. Presented by Turner Sims in partnership with BBC Radio 3.

Formed 20 years ago, by legendary guitarist John Etheridge to celebrate the work of the 20th century’s greatest jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli, with whom he toured the world for five years, Sweet Chorus is a band that revels in melodic, swinging acoustic jazz. The partnership of John Etheridge and Christian Garrick has been described as One of the most potent combinations in European Jazz (Jazzwise) and the rhythm team of Dave Kelbie and Andy Crowdy the Rolls Royce and Jaguar of rhythm sections. The music is inspired by the classic sounds of Django Reinhardt and Grappelli, whose legendary partnership galvanised European Jazz. Expect a dazzling and varied mixture of standards, American swing, Latin American and original compositions played with wit, humour and virtuosity, alongside affectionate and often funny reminiscences of John’s time with Grappelli – a man who was eccentric, inspired, and highly individual.