Henley Symphony Orchestra in Concert with Dame Evelyn Glennie
Photo: Jim-Callaghan
The Hexagon, Reading, Sunday 22 March 2015 at 7.30pm
The world renowned Scottish virtuoso percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie is to appear with the Henley Symphony Orchestra at their next concert on Sunday 22 March at the Reading Hexagon.
Awarded Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2007, Evelyn Glennie is the most in-demand solo percussionist in the world. She is the first person to have created and sustained a full-time career as a solo percussionist in the history of classical music, and has performed with the world’s finest orchestras and greatest conductors in the most prestigious concert halls.
Evelyn has been profoundly deaf since the age of 12 and was a featured performer in the opening ceremony of the Deaf Olympics in Taipei in 2009. She also took a lead role in the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony. In collaboration with Underworld, Evelyn led 1000 drummers for the world premiere of And I Will Kiss, and also premiered Caliban’s Dream on a newly developed instrument called the Glennie Aluphone to accompany the lighting of the olympic flame.
The Henley Symphony Orchestra joins Evelyn Glennie on Sunday 22 March for a performance of one of the flagships of the marimba repertoire, Eric Ewazen’s Marimba Concerto. Requiring extraordinary accuracy, it is one of the most beautiful pieces written for the instrument. Evelyn will also perform Askell Masson’s thrilling Concert Piece for Snare Drum and Orchestra. This piece includes a cadenza that gives the soloist a chance to demonstrate a range of techniques and colours on the snare drum, which most people think of as having only one or two different sounds.
Evelyn Glennie’s superb technical ability and profound appreciation of the visual elements of percussion take her into the ranks of the elite, and an opportunity to see her perform locally should not be missed.
The percussion concertos are framed by two of the best loved and most recognised works in the classical repertoire: the sparkling overture from Rossini’s ‘The Barber of Seville’ and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no 5 which clearly demonstrates why he was one of the romantic era’s finest composers. Conducted by HSO’s guest conductor Jacques Cohen., this will be a special concert indeed.
Tickets priced £18 – £12, with half price for U16s and students and special group rates, are available though: Henley Symphony Orchestra 01235 859210 www.henleysymphonyorchestra.co.uk/contact
or www.readingarts.com (Booking fee applies)
