Sheffield International Concert Season 2018/19 Classical Music at Sheffield City Hall Welcome 5 Sheffield International Concert Season 2018/19 6 Friday 5th October The Hallé 8 Thursday 18th October Russian State Symphony Orchestra 9 Friday 9th November The Hallé 10 Friday 30th November Czech National Symphony Orchestra 10 Saturday 15th December Black Dyke Band & Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus 11 Friday 18th January The Hallé 12 Friday 1st February London Mozart Players 70th Birthday Concert 13 Saturday 16th February The Hallé 14 Friday 8th March Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 15 Friday 22nd March The Hallé 16 Saturday 6th April Royal Northern Sinfonia & 17 Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus Friday 10th May Russian Philharmonic of Novosibirsk 18 Friday 7th June The Hallé 19 Tickets and Subscriptions 20 Getting Here 22 Box Office: 0114 2 789 789 Follow us on ba or join our classical mailing list at
Classical music returns to Sheffield City Hall with a bang. Join some of the best musicians in the world on a seatrattling, soaring journey through some of the best music ever written. Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus is proud to be the City Hall s Resident Chorus For the Sheffield International Concert Season 2018/19 they will sing: Friday 9th November 2018 After Hours - a choral treat to follow the Hallé concert Saturday 15th December 2018 Christmas Concerts with the Black Dyke Band Saturday 6th April 2019 J.S. Bach s monumental B Minor Mass with the Royal Northern Sinfonia All tickets available via sheffieldcityhall.co.uk or 0114 278 9789 Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus has further concerts planned including: 12th - 18th July 2018 A short French tour to include a WW1 commemoration performance of Le messe de deliverance by Dubois, in Perigueux Cathedral with two French choirs 7th February 2019 Messiah with the Bochum Choir and Bochumer Symphoniker in Germany 8th 10th March 2019 Classical Sheffield Weekend (Details to be confirmed) The Chorus always welcomes new members in all voice parts, and runs workshops for those wishing to improve their music-reading and singing prior to auditioning. Please call the New Members Officer on 01433 630970 or 0777 157 8233, email newmembership2018@sheffieldphil.org or visit sheffieldphil.org
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Welcome From Richard Hunter General Manager of Sheffield City Hall The 2018-19 Sheffield International Concert Season promises much; a diverse and eclectic mix of pieces and performers, that once more showcases the quality of the Hallé s programming. Whilst acknowledging the rich tradition and heritage of classical music at Sheffield City Hall, we are also constantly looking ahead to ensure the continued delivery of a challenging, yet popular programme. We need to ensure that we are doing all we can to preserve the spirit and meaningful existence of the season. We have noted buying patterns and tastes changing over the last few years and recognise the need to react to this; both to maintain the loyalty of our established customers, as well as to attract, develop and nurture a new audience. Consequently, we will be carrying out a phase of research over the coming months; gathering material to help steer a ten year business plan. Everything is open for discussion, as we look to build on past success and secure a future for classical music at the City Hall, in the 21st century. So, if you are approached for your opinion, please let us know what you think! However, back in the present, as the new season roars into life, once again I d like to say thank you for your valued support of the International Concert Season and I hope that you will enjoy the depth of music that the new programme has to offer. Best Wishes, Richard 4 5
Sheffield International Concert Season 2018/19 About the Concert Season Classical music has been a fundamental part of Sheffield City Hall s identity since the building opened in 1932, and remains just as important today. We are proud to be the home of Sheffield International Concert Season and welcome a range of the world s finest orchestras, conductors and soloists to the city each year. Over the years, the City Hall has been honoured to present some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world, including the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra and BBC Philharmonic, as well as our Orchestra in Residence, the Hallé. What You Can Expect on Concert Evenings The City Bar at Sheffield City Hall offers a relaxed yet intimate setting to enjoy a drink and catch up with friends before the concert. With a wide range of hot and cold beverages and a selection of wines, draught beers and spirits on offer, the City Bar is the ideal meeting place. The auditorium is split across three levels: stalls, circle and balcony. As a fully accessible building, lifts are located at either end of the foyer giving access to all floor levels. Toilets are located on each level, including accessible toilets with baby changing facilities. For each concert, we produce a programme outlining the performance schedule and giving a range of information on the orchestra, conductor and soloist performing. Programmes can be purchased on the day of the concert in the foyer for just 3. Image courtesy of www.theoutdoorcity.co.uk Photo by Gemma Thorpe Pre-Concert Talks 6.00-6.30pm before every concert In Conversation with Trisha Cooper and guests. Before each concert*, BBC Broadcaster Trisha Cooper invites the conductor, soloist, or musicians connected with the concert, to chat to us about their lives and music. This informal talk offers a delightful look behind the scenes at the professional and private passions of the international artists performing throughout the season. Several of our pre-concert talks include live music, and always finish with a question and answer session with our guests. Informative and entertaining, it s the best way to start a concert! Details of each pre-concert talk can be found in the concert programme or at www.trishacooper.com If you have a question, you can either ask on the night or email it in advance to trisha.cooper@trishacooper.com Pre-Concert Talks are FREE to ticket holders, and take place on the stage before each concert. *There will be no pre-concert talks before the Christmas Concerts. Classical Music in Sheffield We are proud to be a partner of Classical Sheffield, a collaboration that brings together many of the brilliant venues, performers, organisers and groups that contribute to Sheffield s thriving classical music scene. Visit www.classicalsheffield.org.uk for comprehensive weekly listings, features, resources and much more. Look out for this logo on concerts featuring works included in the BBC Ten Pieces project. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/tenpieces 6 7
Photo: Sam Trench Thursday 18th October 7pm Russian State Symphony Orchestra Valentin Uryupin conductor Chloë Hanslip violin KHACHATURIAN Masquerade: Suite SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto No. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 2 Little Russian Valentin Uryupin and the Russian State Symphony Orchestra treat us to a white night of classics from their homeland. From its famous opening waltz, Moscow-based Khachaturian s Masquerade Suite attractively reflects its composer s Armenian roots. The consummate artist that is Chloë Hanslip is then soloist in Shostakovich s First Violin Concerto. Its remarkably wide range of expression and its sheer wealth of colour make it one of the greatest violin concertos of the twentieth century. The whole company could almost have torn me to pieces in their delight, wrote Tchaikovsky after airing his Second Symphony at a St Petersburg soirée. Nicknamed Little Russian, each of its four movements quote Ukrainian folk songs, including the famous Volga Boat Song. Laura van der Heijden Friday 5th October 7pm The Hallé Karl-Heinz Steffens conductor Laura van der Heijden cello SIBELIUS Lemminkäinen s Return DVOŘÁK Cello Concerto BRAHMS Symphony No. 4 The Hallé opens our season with Laura van der Heijden and Karl-Heinz Steffens for what is simply the greatest cello concerto of them all, that of Dvořák. Packed with both melodies and virtuosity, when Brahms heard it for the first time he was astonished, wishing he could have written it himself. After the interval is Brahms s Fourth Symphony, his greatest achievement in orchestral music. Its finale, a magnificent set of variations, is perhaps the most remarkable part of this most remarkable and moving work. The concert begins with the rousing homecoming of Sibelius's legendary hero, Lemminkäinen s Return. Photo: Benjamin Ealovega Chloë Hanslip 8 9
Photo: Benjamin Ealovega Saturday 15th December 3pm & 7pm CHRISTMAS CONCERT Black Dyke Band Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus Petroc Trelawny presenter Darius Battiwalla conductor Nicholas Childs conductor The Black Dyke Band and Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus reunite for another heart-warming festive celebration featuring sing-along carols and yuletide favourites. Bring the whole family and join the chorus in singing some of the most beloved Christmas music old and new, as the atmospheric Oval Hall hosts an irreplaceable fixture in Sheffield s festive calendar. One of the most celebrated brass bands in history, the Black Dyke Band have toured the world to critical acclaim, won national and international competitions year after year and collaborated with a diverse range of famous musicians. They are joined by Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, the region s largest mixed voice choir. Returning as presenter this year is BBC Radio 3 s Petroc Trelawny, one of the most charming, engaging and passionate voices in music broadcasting. Sir Mark Elder Friday 9th November 7pm The Hallé Sir Mark Elder conductor Francesco Piemontesi piano WEBER Overture: Oberon BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' WAGNER Lohengrin: Preludes to Act I & III WAGNER Die Meistersinger: Suite Sir Mark Elder is a consummate Wagnerian and in this concert he conducts orchestral excerpts from two of the composer s greatest operas. The selection opens with two highly contrasting preludes from Lohengrin. The first unfolds slowly and with supreme majesty, the second is irrepressibly heroic. Then we hear an attractive suite from Wagner s most genial creation, Die Meistersinger, a work of great humour and humanity. In the first half, Sir Mark and the Hallé are joined by Francesco Piemontesi, a pianist of rare quality, for Beethoven s majestic Emperor concerto, a work with one of the most sublime slow movements in all music. With Weber's enchanting Oberon overture to open, this promises to be a delightful evening. Nikolai Demidenko Friday 30th November 7pm Czech National Symphony Orchestra Heiko Mathias Förster conductor Nikolai Demidenko piano SMETANA The Bartered Bride: Overture CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9 'From the New World' Who better to perform two great Czech signature works than the Czech National Symphony Orchestra? The overture Smetana composed for his comic opera The Bartered Bride simply bursts with exuberance and energy and is the perfect opener for any concert. Nikolai Demidenko, longadmired by British audiences, is soloist in Chopin s Concerto; inspired by a love affair, it is both lyrical and virtuosic. The orchestra returns to its homeland with Dvořák s Ninth Symphony, one of the most beloved works in the repertoire. Composed in America, this richly melodic piece absorbed the influence of American folk music but also conveys deep nostalgia for its composer s homeland. Beyond Wagner Join Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus after this concert for a special After Hours performance in the Ballroom. 10 11
Photo: Davide Cerati Photo: Multarzynsky Francesca Dego Howard Shelley Friday 18th January 7pm The Hallé Daniele Rustioni conductor Francesca Dego violin MUSSORGSKY Khovanshchina: Introduction (Dawn on the Moscow River) TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto RACHMANINOV Symphony No. 3 For the second all-russian programme of the season, Daniele Rustioni, one of the most compelling conductors of his generation, is joined by the brilliant Francesca Dego for Tchaikovsky s perennially popular Violin Concerto. It is rich both in melody and finely-crafted virtuoso writing and culminates in a thrilling Cossack dance! After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Rachmaninov left his native Russia, never to return. His Third Symphony is a great work of exile, notable for its profusion of melodies, aching nostalgia and technical brilliance. The Hallé opens the concert with Mussorgsky s atmospheric dawn in 17th century Moscow. Friday 1st February 7pm London Mozart Players 70th Birthday Concert Howard Shelley conductor and piano HAYDN Symphony No. 95 MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21, Elvira Madigan TURINA La oración del torero MOZART Symphony No. 34 The London Mozart Players have delighted Sheffield audiences many times over in their 70 years of existence. To celebrate their anniversary, Howard Shelley leads them for two great works by the composer who gave the orchestra its name. From the keyboard, he directs Mozart s best-loved Piano Concerto, a work that even by its composer s standards is a wonderfully lyrical and moving creation. This concert opens a run of four Mozart concertos within the season, an opportunity to sample some of the master s finest moments with world-class soloists. One of Haydn s London symphonies provides some spicy contrast, as does a little-known gem, a beautiful 1926 tone-poem for strings by the Spanish composer Joaquín Turina. The ebullient finale of the first of Mozart s late trio of festive C major symphonies rounds off what promises to be a hugely enjoyable birthday party! 12 13
Photo: Benjamin Ealovega Photo: Tom Barnes Dancing in the Ballroom At Sheffield City Hall Jennifer Pike Sheffield City Hall s famous Tea Dances remain as popular as ever, drawing visitors from across South Yorkshire and beyond for a sociable and lively afternoon of ballroom, Latin and sequence dance. Many of Sheffield s married couples first met on the illuminated dance floor and the city s brave wartime Women of Steel, now immortalised with a statue outside the venue, could often be found quickstepping and waltzing around the art deco Ballroom. Tuesdays & Thursdays Doors: 11.00am Dancing: 11.30am-2.30pm Admission: 3 Saturdays Doors: 1.00pm Dancing: 1.30pm-4.00pm Admission: 3.50 Carlos Miguel Prieto Saturday 16th February 7pm The Hallé Carlos Miguel Prieto conductor Sergio Castelló López clarinet FALLA El amor brujo Love the Magician MOZART Clarinet Concerto BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 The Hallé s Principal Clarinet Sergio Castelló López is soloist in Mozart s serene concerto. It was written for Anton Stadler, hugely respected despite Mozart s nickname for him: old redcurrant face. The concerto was tailored to exploit Stadler s virtuosity, celebrated singing tone and love of the instrument s rich lower register. Carlos Miguel Prieto brings his panache to bear on Beethoven s exhilarating Seventh Symphony, a work described by Wagner as the apotheosis of the dance. The concert opens with Falla s remarkably beautiful El amor brujo. Friday 8th March 7pm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Anu Tali conductor Jennifer Pike violin SIBELIUS Finlandia MOZART Violin Concerto No. 3 VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The Lark Ascending ELGAR Enigma Variations After Sibelius s great hymn to his fellow countrymen, Finlandia, the super-talented Jennifer Pike joins the Royal Philharmonic and Anu Tali for two contrasting pieces for violin and orchestra: Mozart s richly melodic Third Concerto and Vaughan Williams s The Lark Ascending. Inspired by a poem by George Meredith, in the latter piece the soloist imitates the skylark s ecstatic song before soaring aloft over a delicate orchestral texture. One evening in October 1898, Elgar sat down at his piano to improvise. That s a good tune commented his wife, what is it?. Nothing yet, replied Elgar, but something might be made of it. What resulted was an affectionate series of musical pictures in which, taking the original enigma theme as their starting point, Elgar portrayed his friends and loved ones in a gallery of melodious and richly orchestrated canvases. Visit or call 0114 2 789 789 for dates. Please Note: All dates subject to change. 14 15
Friday 22nd March 7pm The Hallé Johannes Debus conductor Pavel Kolesnikov piano BRAHMS Haydn Variations MOZART Piano Concerto No. 22 NIELSEN Symphony No. 5 Johannes Debus begins with Brahms s colourful variations on Haydn s St Anthony Chorale. He is joined by the young piano virtuoso Pavel Kolesnikov, winner of the prestigious Honens Prize 2014, for one of Mozart s most memorably lyrical and sunny piano concertos. Nielsen s astonishing Fifth Symphony darkens the mood. The composer saw it as the division of dark and light, the battle between evil and good. A militaristic side-drum threatens to derail the orchestra before a dawn of hope emerges and eventually triumphs. One of the great symphonies, not to be missed. Photo: Benjamin Ealovega Andrew Griffiths Pavel Kolesnikov Photo: Eva Vermandel Saturday 6th April 7pm Royal Northern Sinfonia Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus Andrew Griffiths conductor Soloists to be announced BACH Mass in B minor For Hubert Parry, the B minor Mass was the mightiest choral work ever written, while for the organist and philosopher Albert Schweitzer it was as enigmatic and unfathomable as the religious consciousness of its creator. Assembled by Bach near the end of his life from his earlier settings of the Lutheran Mass, it is a work replete with great arias, uplifting choruses and thrilling orchestral writing, the trumpet lines being particularly stunning, and is a summation of the composer s entire creative output. A remarkable experience is in store, under the spirited direction of Andrew Griffiths. 16 17
Friday 7th June 7pm The Hallé Gergely Madaras conductor Benjamin Grosvenor piano MOZART Overture: Die Entführung aus dem Serail BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 MAHLER Symphony No. 1 The spirited and charismatic Hungarian Gergely Madaras joins the Hallé for our final concert of the season. It opens in lively style with the overture Mozart composed for his opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio). Benjamin Grosvenor, one of the finest young pianists in the world, makes a welcome return to Sheffield as soloist in Beethoven s youthful Second Concerto. Though in some ways a traditional work, it also looks forward to the more rebellious Beethoven to come. Mahler believed that a symphony must be like the world it must contain everything. With its birdsong, fanfares and Jewish funeral music, his glorious First Symphony pretty much does, and its conclusion is one of the most uplifting ever written. Alexander Sitkovetsky Friday 10th May 7pm Russian Philharmonic of Novosibirsk Thomas Sanderling conductor Alexander Sitkovetsky violin SHOSTAKOVICH Festive Overture PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2 RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio espanol RACHMANINOV Symphonic Dances The Siberian capital's orchestra is no stranger to these shores, and Thomas Sanderling completes this season s exciting trilogy of all-russian concerts with a programme that opens with Shostakovich s ebullient Festive Overture, one of its composer s happiest creations. Alexander Sitkovetsky, a violinist of both brilliant technique and natural musicianship, is then soloist in Prokofiev s G minor Concerto, with its slow movement of ravishing beauty. As well as being full of Spanish colours and dance rhythms, Rimsky-Korsakov s Capriccio Espanol is a study in virtuoso orchestration. So too are Rachmaninov s Symphonic Dances. In them, the composer s rich musical imagination was stimulated by the different phases of man s life: Noon, Evening and Midnight. The results are simply stunning. Photo: Decca/Sophie Wright Benjamin Grosvenor 18 19
Tickets and Subscriptions Subscriptions Platinum Subscription: Book all 13 concerts and save 30% off your preferred seat. Pre-purchase 13 concert programmes with your subscription and receive 1 off a programme (normally priced 3). Book a Sheffield International Concert Season 2018/19 subscription to reserve your seat throughout the season and ensure you get the best value for money. With our different subscription packages you can guarantee your place at the pick of the season s most exciting concerts in advance, tailoring the season to suit your tastes. Gold Subscription: Book any 10 concerts, including the Christmas Concert and save 20% off your preferred seat. Pre-purchase 10 concert programmes with your subscription and receive 80p off a programme. Oval Hall Seating Plan Balcony Silver Subscription: Book any 5 concerts, including the Christmas Concert and save 10% off your preferred seat. Pre-purchase 5 concert programmes with your subscription and receive 80p off a programme. Balcony Single tickets Tickets are available online at through the ticket hotline on 0114 2 789 789 and in person at the Sheffield City Hall Box Office from Monday 7th May 2018. Under 18 and student tickets Purchase a 5 ticket in advance from through the ticket hotline on 0114 2 789 789 or in person at the Sheffield City Hall Box Office. Please note these tickets cannot be posted, all must be collected from the Box Office with valid ID for proof of age or student status. Group bookings Book 10 tickets to one concert and only pay for nine. Available in person or over the phone via the Box Office on 0114 2 789 789. School bookings Book a school party for 5 a ticket per child where the accompanying adults go free. Subject to conditions and approval. Available by post, in person or over the phone via the Box Office on 0114 2 789 789. Programmes Subscribers can purchase concert programmes in advance at a discounted rate: 13 programmes for 26 saving 1 per programme. 10 programmes for 22 saving 80p per programme. 5 programmes for 11 saving 80p per programme. Single programmes can be purchased at the start of each concert for 3. Three subscription packages are available and the price band of your subscription is dependent on the position of your seat in the auditorium: Single Tickets Circle Platinum Subscription 30% Discount 13 Concerts* Gold Subscription 20% Discount 10 Concerts* Price Band A 21 14.70 16.80 18.90 Price Band B 19 13.30 15.20 17.10 Price Band C 16 11.20 12.80 14.40 Under 18 and Student 5 5 5 5 Stalls How to book Subscription booking forms are available from the Sheffield City Hall Box Office or by emailing info@sheffieldcityhall.co.uk Silver Subscription 10% Discount 5 Concerts* All artists, programmes and prices are correct at the time of going to press, but may be subject to change in the event of unforseen circumstances. Stage Stalls Circle Telephone Box Office: 0114 2 789 789 Subscriptions: 0114 256 0440 Website Mailing list Register with the Box Office to receive International Concert Season emails and be the first to receive all the latest news. In person Purchase tickets over the counter at the Sheffield City Hall Box Office, open Monday to Saturday 9.00am 5.30pm. Payment & booking fees Please note booking and fulfilment fees apply. Go to or ask a member of the Box Office Team for more information. All major credit/debit cards accepted. Currently, online and telephone bookings are subject to a 12% booking fee. In person at our Box Office bookings are subject to a 5% booking fee. Additional fulfilment fees may be added depending on your chosen delivery method. Access information Wheelchair Users Please inform the Box Office when booking if a member of your party is a wheelchair user so that an appropriate position can be allocated. Hearing Impaired On booking please ask a member of the Box Office team for Sheffield City Hall s Infra-red Hearing Enhancement facility. Lifts The City Hall has lifts to all floors. Blind and Partially Sighted Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas of the building. Toilet Facilities Accessible toilets are available on all levels. Alternative Formats The Sheffield International Concert Season Brochure and Concert Programmes are available in large format print. Please contact the Box Office to order your copy. * Please Note: Subscription ticket prices are only available when purchased as a subscription. Any additional concerts added to a subscription will be charged at single ticket prices. 20 21
A61 Tenter St. Park Square Broad Ln. Sheffield Cathedral Ponds Forge West St. Rockingham St. City Hall Crucible Theatre Winter Garden Arundel Gate Sheffield Hallam University A61 Sheffield Railway Station A61 Moore St. Eyre St. Getting Here Visit sheffieldcityhall.co.uk for links to googlemaps Parking There is limited parking at Sheffield City Hall, however SIV recommend Q Park on Rockingham Street/Portobello Street, S1 4NL, at a cost of 3.50 for 24 hours. Parking tickets are available to purchase from the City Hall Box Office on the day or in advance when booking your concert ticket over the phone, in person or online. Please note if you purchase parking tickets in advance they cannot be posted but can be collected anytime before or on the concert day. Please Note: Parking spaces cannot be reserved. By Car Exit the M1 at Junction 33 and take the A630 signposted the City Centre. Merge onto the A57 continuing to the City Centre and turn right onto the A61. Exit the A61 for Corporation Street. Take the 2nd exit at the roundabout onto Tenter Street and continue up the hill. Take the third exit at the roundabout and then turn left at the traffic lights for Q Park. Alternatively take the 2nd exit at the roundabout onto Townhead Street. Merge right onto Trippet Lane and take the first left. Cross straight over West Street and arrive at the back of City Hall. Bus For details of the most suitable service from your area call the Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 or visit www.travelsouthyorkshire.com Park and Ride Park and Ride is available, please consult the Sheffield City Council website for details or call the traveline on 01709 51 51 51. Please note last entrance for certain Park and Ride facilities is 7.30pm however exit is available till midnight. From the North: Meadowhall Interchange Junction 34 M1. Follow signs to Meadowhall and Park and Ride. From the South: Nunnery Square (off Parkway) A630 from Junction 33 M1. From North/West: Middlewood A6012. From South/West: B6053/B6058 roundabout at Halfway. Stagecoach Supertram Sheffield City Hall has a designated Supertram stop. 22