Renowned for their quality of performance and diversity of programming, Hebrides Ensemble presents an extraordinary line-up for their 2010/11 season, starting with a winter tour featuring three of the UK's most acclaimed living composers, with works inspired by the Renaissance.
Performing musical fireworks to light up Perth Concert Hall on Bonfire Night, the sparkling programme includes Peter Maxwell Davies' dramatic work Vesalii Icones, inspired by the groundbreaking, 16th century book on anatomy, De Humani Corporis Fabrica by the Renaissance Belgian physiologist, Andreas Vesalius. Part-ballet, part-performance art piece, the work is scored for solo dancer, cello, percussion and ensemble. Here, Hebrides Ensemble perform with innovative dancer and choreographer, Michael Popper and virtuoso percussionist, Colin Currie.
The other works in the programme are Peter Maxwell Davies Scottish Renaissance Dances, Harrison Birtwistle's tour-de-force for percussion Axe Manual, performed by Colin Currie, and Thomas Ades Court Dances from The Tempest.
Tenor Andrew Kennedy and baritone Roderick Williams join Hebrides Ensemble at 7.30pm on Tuesday16 November at Perth Concert Hall for a performance of Mahler's masterpiece Das Lied von der Erde in an arrangement for chamber orchestra. Artistic director and cellist of Hebrides Ensemble, William Conway, conducts.
Since its London debut in 2008, Scotland's foremost contemporary music group, Hebrides Ensemble, has increasingly appeared outside Scotland. This year the Ensemble's debut appearances included Aldeburgh Festival; Clore Studio at the Royal Opera House, Bridport Arts Centre Dorset, Opera North Leeds, and in Scotland at Edinburgh University‘s Reid Hall. Hebrides Ensemble makes its Kings Place, London, debut on 11 November, with highlights from this year's Aldeburgh Festival with works by Britten and three other artistic directors of Aldeburgh Festival: John Woolrich, Thomas Ades and Oliver Knussen.
As well as its commitment to the ReNew project premiering works from across Europe, the Ensemble continues to commission and premier UK composers and has expanded its education work with young musicians.
Tickets for the two Perth concerts are available from Horsecross Arts Box Office. Call 01738 621 031 or click here.