Liverpool Philharmonic What's On Guide September - December 2015Whats on guide sept dec 2015

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Featuring Asian Dub Foundation Ronnie Spector Cast Tom Robinson Kate Rusby Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Liverpool Irish Festival

Box Office liverpoolphil.com 0151 709 3789 Image Caro Emerald

2 | Welcome

Contents Welcome Page 2 Music Room Page 3 Contemporary Music Page 4 Family & Variety Page 18 Learning Page 20 Classical Music Page 22 Christmas Page 29 Comedy & Spoken Word Page 32 Film Page 34 Liverpool Irish Festival Page 37 Diary Page 39

Welcome...

This Autumn, as we enter the final months of our 175th anniversary year, Liverpool Philharmonic presents a busy and diverse programme of music, the breadth and depth of which our founders could not have imagined at the time of our formation in 1840.

Our multi-million pound refurbishment of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is nearing completion, and on Saturday 10 October a new chapter begins with the first concert in the Music Room (page 3) a brand-new performance space created as a home for smaller-scale gigs, performances by ensembles from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and well as our extensive learning programme for adults and children. To mark the occasion you’re invited to attend a free ‘Open House’ on Friday 9 October, when we’ll throw open the doors for you to come and have a look!

PRINCIPAL FUNDERS

Highlights of the September – January period include the start of the 2015/16 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra season on 24 September (page 22) and subsequent concerts including Strauss’ ‘Alpine’ Symphony (page 22), Psycho with Live Orchestra (page 35), and the perennially popular Spirit of Christmas concerts (page 30).

Further highlights from the music programme include Asian Dub Foundation performing a live score to George Lucas’s film THX1138 (page 7), Blood & Roses: The Songs of Ewan MacColl sees the visit of a stellar line up including Peggy Seeger, Seth Lakeman and Martin and Eliza Carthy (page 10) and a host of festive concerts this Christmas from Mary Macmaster, Corrina Hewart and Alyth McCormack (page 17), Kate Rusby (page 17) and Joglaresa (page 29).

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PRINCIPAL PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNER

Thanks to the City of Liverpool for its financial support SPONSORS

THE RUSHWORTH FOUNDATION

AFL Insurance Brokers Andrew Collinge Kirwans Solicitors MgMaStudio/architecture O2 Pierhead Housing Association R S Clare & Co. Ltd Tilney Bestinvest

CORPORATE MEMBERS

IN-KIND SPONSORS

OTHER PUBLIC DONORS

TRAVEL PARTNER

HOTEL PARTNER

HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNER

IN HARMONY LIVERPOOL

Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust | The Eric and Margaret Kinder Charitable Trust | The Ernest Cook Trust | Everton Nursery School and Family Centre | Faith Primary School The Granada Foundation | The Hemby Trust | Liverpooljazz | Lord Leverhulme’s Charitable Trust | The Oglesby Charitable Trust | In Harmony Fund | The Rayne Foundation The Rushworth Foundation | West Lancashire Freemasons Charity | Anonymous donors

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MUSIC ROOM Get closer to live music…

As the refurbishment of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall nears its completion, we are excited to announce the opening of our new venue, Music Room.

Situated on the corner of Myrtle Street and Sugnall Street at the back of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Music Room is a small, friendly and informal venue. It will open its doors this Autumn with a programme of roots, folk, classical ensembles, world and new music in cabaret style seating or standing format. Music Room is a home for emerging Liverpool artists, a new space for city festival events and a place to try out new things. Have a drink at the bar, grab a bite to eat and come and enjoy!

Get closer to the music in the new venue with lunchtime concerts, evening gigs, workshops for children and adults, masterclasses and a new programme of music from the musicians of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Highlights in the new venue announced so far include;

Open House

Friday 9 October 7.30pm Free To mark the completion of the refurbishment of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall we are throwing open the doors for you to drop in to explore. The entire building will be open so this is your chance to get a first look at the new venue, Music Room and its new bar, or perhaps stand on stage in front of 1,700 seats. We’ll be offering glimpses of some of the other new back stage facilities as well. So if you are curious, have any questions or just fancy a Friday drink, we’d love you to drop in and say hello.

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Steve Nieve Plays Elvis Costello

Saturday 1o October The first ever concert in Music Room is the contemporary composer, pianist and member of Elvis Costello’s band The Attractions.

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Seckou Keita: 22 Strings

Monday 26 October The extraordinary Senegalese musician is the master of the Kora, the wondrous 22-stringed West African harp.

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Skip ‘Little Axe’ McDonald + King Size Slim

Wednesday 28 October Blues guitarist Little Axe was an integral part of the Sugar Hill Records house band providing the music for seminal records

by Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaata and Force M.D’s.

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9Bach

Thursday 5 November Intriguing band from North Wales who scooped Best Album at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards by public vote, and have been remixed by Gruff Rhys.

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Music of the Travellers

Sunday 8 November An evening of klezmer, folk tunes, tangos and gypsy jazz by musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Treacherous Orchestra

Wednesday 11 November The eleven-piece, pan-Scottish super group whose membership reads like a who’s who of the best of the current young generation of Scottish tradition based musicians.

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Tom Robinson

Friday 4 December Founder of the Tom Robinson Band and BBC 6 Music presenter plays the Music Room with the release of his first album in 20 years.

4 | Contemporary Music

An Intimate Evening with

Art Garfunkel

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CONTEMPORARY MUSIC October and November have always been a time of festival and celebrations in these isles marking the end of harvest and beginning of winter. To mark this time we have put together a series of concerts by musicians who represent the very best of British folk roots music.

Simply book for one of the concerts in Music Room marked ‘Folk Roots Five’ and get £5 off Blood & Roses: The Songs of Ewan MacColl.

Image Richard Thompson

Thursday 3 September 7.30pm £17.50, £23.50 – The Australian Spooky Men’s Chorale is a black-clad behemoth of a male voice choir, seemingly capable of rendering audiences moist eyed with appreciation or grinning with merriment. With grand foolishness, the Spooky Men seek to commentate on the absurdity and grandeur of the modern male armed only with their voices, a sly collection of hats and a staggering diversity of facial hair. It is unclear what is more dangerous to your general equilibrium: missing them, or not?

‘The lunacy is broken up with splashes of cuteness and poignancy and because of the sheer musical excellence…

Highly entertaining.’

Sydney Morning Herald

Electric Trio Tour

Richard Thompson plus special guests

Tuesday 8 September 7.30pm £25, £28.50, £34.50 – The multi-talented British singer/songwriter/guitarist

Richard Thompson tours the UK in support of his latest album, Still (Proper Records), which was produced by Jeff Tweddy of Wilco. Thompson’s unparalleled career now spans five decades, from his formative years as lead axe man and budding songwriter in seminal folk-rock alchemists Fairport Convention, to his acclaimed solo work.

Nathan Carter and his Band plus support

Côr Glanaethwy

Sunday 20 September 7.30pm £17.50, £25, £35, £41 – The 160-plus strong Welsh choir stormed straight to this year’s Britain’s Got Talent finals where they sang Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, with judge David Walliams describing their performance as ‘completely magical.’ With Cefin Roberts as their musical

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The Spooky Men’s Chorale

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Wednesday 16 September 7.30pm £35, £41 – Blessed with what the New York Times described as a ‘beautiful countertenor,’ Garfunkel has made an indelible mark on the music world as both a solo artist and half of the unrivalled Simon & Garfunkel. He has also enjoyed a successful film career, published a book of poetry and released 12 original solo albums, the most recent being Some Enchanted Evening in 2007, plus a two-CD compendium of his full body of work The Singer.

Thursday 10 September 7.30pm £22.50, £25, £30 – Nathan Carter is a household name in Ireland, with fans of all ages flocking to hear his brand of Irish country music and to see him and his superb six piece band. His shows are big, and he is renowned for going that extra director the choir is renowned for their stunning vocal arrangements. In this concert they showcase highlights from their extensive repertoire from

mile to make the Nathan Carter show different. This rising star was asked to support Garth Brooks at Croke Park and is now a huge attraction on the Irish music scene. He has brought a whole new generation of fans of all ages to country music in Ireland. Born and raised in Liverpool. Carter grew up in a family with strong Irish roots. This will be a heartwarming homecoming gig on his first major UK tour. classical to modern in an enchanting and mesmerising show.

Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

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Contemporary Music | 5

Saturday 26 September 7.30pm £25, £31 (£16 for Under 16s).

– A Liverpool Philharmonic debut, for one of the world’s leading brass ensembles. The septet from Vienna is probably the strangest brass ensemble ever.

With their musical virtuosity and their unique kind of comedy perhaps the best way to describe them is as ‘a cross between Mr Bean and the Monty Python of the music world’. Their hilarious but astonishingly skilful live performances really have to be seen to be believed, which is why they are currently going viral and concerts are selling out.

Monday 5 October 7.30pm £32.50, £47.50, £59.50 – The enduring British pop act whose songs have tenderly and wittily chronicled life and love stretching across four decades have announced their first album of new material for 17 years.

Steve Nieve Plays Elvis Costello

The 75th Birthday Tour

Saturday 10 October 8pm Music Room £15 – The Paris-based contemporary composer Nieve has been playing keyboards for Elvis Costello for over thirty years, firstly as a member of The

Attractions, and in more recent times with The Imposters.

Perhaps the most intimate performances, however, are those where Elvis and Steve toured together creating a spellbinding tour-de-force of piano, guitar and voice.

Anybody who has witnessed these or indeed any of Elvis Costello’s live shows will appreciate the special magic

that occurs when Steve Nieve is let loose to solo on the piano.

Now, finally, get to experience a full evening of this magic as Steve and his piano take centre stage. Expect to hear intimate stories of Steve’s adventures with Elvis. Expect a heart in mouth display of piano virtuosity, incendiary Steinway frenzy, and melodic inventiveness.

classics performed by five of the most influential artistes of the era. Starring Chris Farlowe, Hermans Hermits, Steve Ellis (Voice of Love Affair), New Amen Corner, Union Gap uk and hosted by Alan Mosca from Freddie & The Dreamers. With timeless classics such as, I’m Into Something Good, Out Of

Time, Everlasting Love, Bend Me Shape Me, Young Girl plus many more, step back in time and relive the past, in an evening true to the 60s; a time for many when pop music was at its very best.

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Cliff Richard

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Plus special guest John Cooper Clarke

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Squeeze

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Mnozil Brass YES! YES! YES!

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Saturday 3 October 7.45pm £65, £75 – Celebrating his 56th anniversary in the music business this year and his 75th birthday in 2016, Cliff Richard is indisputably Britain’s all-time greatest hit-maker, the ultimate pop star! No other UK band or solo artist is even close to equalling his 100 album releases, 123 single hits, or can claim to have occupied a place in our charts for the equivalent of over 20 years!

The Sensational 60s Experience

Sunday 11 October 7.30pm £26, £32 – Without doubt, one of the most explosive 60s shows. This 60s extravaganza features original

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

6 | Contemporary Music

Catfish Keith

An Evening with

Donovan 50th Anniversary Tour Tuesday 13 October 7.30pm £25, £30, £36 –

Frigg

When he was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 it was exclaimed ‘Donovan single-handedly initiated the Psychedelic Revolution with his album Sunshine Superman.’ This album also announced flower power and meditation, a whole year before The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Donovan continued to influence The Beatles on The White Album, teaching John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison his fingerstyle guitar and unique chord structures, inspiring Dear Prudence, Blackbird and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, to name just a few. This legendary folk-rock-pop poet remains an important part of popular culture. He created many innovative recording techniques and pioneering musical fusions which have influenced so many artists worldwide.

Thursday 15 October 8.30pm Music Room £15 – ‘You can put me down as a fan’ says Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention. Featuring the premier talents of a new generation of folk musicians, the international fiddle septet, Frigg has developed a blend of their own called Nordgrass, a mix of Nordic folk and

American bluegrass. A hairraising, voice-losing, heart-burstingly beautiful gig full of traditional Finnish tunes with Norwegian detours.

Energy, fun, humour and interaction are what Frigg gigs are about.

‘High-energy, full force fiddle attack to pastoral chamberfolk … a thrilling performance from start to Finnish and the audience Lapped it up!’

Fatea Magazine

The Christians and Roachford

Sunday 18 October 7.30pm £27.50, £33.50 – With full 70 minute sets each, both bands play their hits transporting you back to days of old. Both acts seemingly haven’t aged a day and are in finer voices than ever…belting out their surprisingly large catalogue of well-known hits and arguably sounding finer than you remember. Ideal World, Born Again, Harvest for the World, Words, Father and many more from The Christians and Cuddly Toy, Only to be with you, This Generation, Lay Your Love On Me, The Way That I Feel from Roachford.

International Guitar Night

Sunday 18 October 8pm Music Room £14 – International Guitar Night (IGN) brings together the world’s foremost acoustic guitarists to perform their latest original compositions and

exchange musical ideas in a concert setting. For this show IGN founder Brian Gore is joined by three of Europe’s finest acoustic guitarists: Gypsy Jazz legend Lulo Reinhardt, contemporary fingerstyle innovator Mike Dawes and multi-genre showman Andre Krengel. Lulo has expanded on the legacy of his grand-uncle Django with Latin-flavoured rhythms and melodies. Dawe’s

Friday 16 October 8.30pm Music Room £14 – Rock ‘n’ Reel Magazine describe him as ‘The real acoustic blues king!’ With his innovative style of foot-stomping, deep delta blues and American roots music, Catfish has reinvented the guitar. The groundbreaking blues singer, songwriter and bottleneck slide guitarist brings a rare beauty and vitality to his music. He has been inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame and also has 15 number one independent radio chart-topping albums to his credit. The 30 year veteran has performed thousands of gigs, headlined major music festivals, and appeared with legends John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Robert Cray, Koko Taylor, Taj Mahal, Leo Kottke, Jessie Mae Hemphill and Johnny Shines among many others.

‘Catfish lays down a footstomping groove. One of the most exciting guitarists of any genre.’

Acoustic Guitar – Catfish Keith Blues Guitar Masterclass See page 21 for details

lightning-speed and deft tapping and percussion were among the highlights of the 2014 IGN tour. Krengel is a master of many styles from flamenco to swing to modern ballads and he is a frequent collaborator with Reinhardt in Germany. There is no better way to get closer to some of today’s masters of the acoustic guitar universe.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Contemporary Music | 7

Marcus Miller

Monday 19 October 8pm £21, £26, £34 – The multi Grammy Awardwinner, composer, producer and one of the world’s most innovative and eclectic bassists presents his highly anticipated new album in a rare Liverpool concert. Best known for his work with jazz legend Miles Davis, Miller’s CV is packed with over five hundred recording credits on albums across the entire musical spectrum including work with Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Chaka Khan, Billy Idol, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg. His live band

Asian Dub Foundation Live score of George Lucas’s film THX1138 12a

Tuesday 20 October 8pm £18.50, £24.50 – Experience the cult sci-fi classic – a chilling dystopian fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic future – with ADF performing a live soundtrack. The group’s brutal, beautiful and sparse interpretation of the score transports you to a world where brainwashing drugs are mandatory, sex is prohibited, android police and CCTV are

everywhere and a young Robert Duval rages against the system.

Audio samples of dialogue and the soundtrack have been used by a host of influential electronic artists including Nine Inch Nails, UNKLE and Orbital.

ADF’s trademark fusion of punk, electronic beats, reggae, bhangra and hip-hop have seen them collaborate with Radiohead, Chuck D, Primal Scream and Sinead O’Connor.

They are celebrated for their brilliant live shows and have previously performed live soundtracks to films including La Haine and Battle of Algiers.

Ticket price includes a Pre-concert Talk & Aftershow DJ set in Music Room.

features a signature mix of infectious funk, jazz and soul that’s guaranteed to rock the house.

‘This one gets the balance between rich content and easy accessibility just perfect. I read somewhere that Miller is the most successful living jazz musician…that comes as no surprise.’

The Jazz Breakfast

Pierre Bensusan

Wednesday 21 October 8pm Music Room £13

Steve Hackett Acolyte to Wolflight with Genesis Revisited The Total Experience

The ‘Mozart of Guitar’ is back.

Over the past 40 years, finger style acoustic guitar virtuoso Pierre Bensusan has taken his unique blend of world, Celtic, jazz and folk inspired music to all corners of the globe. He is recognised as one of the great guitar players of the 21st century. Described as a ‘genius’ by the likes of Jon Gomm and Melody Maker, immortalised by the tune Bensusan written in tribute by the late Michael Hedges, and referenced as an important inspiration to many other great musicians, Pierre Bensusan is a one-of-a-kind artist whose music transcends genre and time.

Friday 23 October 7.30pm £27.50, £29.50, £34.50 – This concert covers a vast part of Hackett’s discography, with a selection of solo material from early albums including Voyage of the Acolyte (celebrating its 40th Anniversary) and Spectral Mornings, right up to his new studio album Wolflight, gig goers will also enjoy some Genesis classics. Wolflight is Hackett’s first original album since Beyond The Shrouded Horizon in 2011. This show sees the renowned guitarist bring the latest chapter of his career to the stage while re-living his musical evolution with his loyal fan base.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

8 | Contemporary Music

Christy Moore with Declan Sinnott

Saturday 24 October 8pm £30, £33, £39 – Christy Moore was named as Ireland’s greatest living musician in RTÉ’s People of the Year Awards back in 2007, and

he remains a relevant force on today’s contemporary music scene. 2010 saw him win Best Male at Ireland’s prestigious Meteor Music Awards and the Penguin Book of Irish Verse included his song Lisdoonvarna. 2011 saw him take the stage with Coldplay in front of 80,000 at Oxygen Festival. He continues his reign as the king of Irish roots music,

Edward II

FOLK ROOTS FIVE

Saturday 24 October 8pm Music Room £15 standing – Edward II uniquely blend the rhythms of the Caribbean with traditional songs from the British Isles. For this show the band delve deep into a repertoire of songs born of the industrial revolution in the North West, specifically of their home town, Manchester.

Upbeat, and with rock-steady rhythms, blazing horns, fabulous harmonies and fiery

Bella Hardy

Seckou Keita: 22 Strings support Gwyneth Glyn

Monday 26 October 8pm Music Room £14 – Following the critical acclaim of his award-winning collaborative project with Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, we are delighted to welcome back the extraordinary Senegalese kora player Keita. He is a true master of the kora - the 22 stringed West African harp. Seckou’s last two albums Miro and The Silimbo Passage hit number one in the European world

music charts, and Clychau Dibon, the fruit of his collaboration with Finch, won fRoots Critics Poll Album of The Year 2013, Songlines Magazine Best Cross Cultural Collaboration 2014, and two BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominations. Keita is now one of the most influential and inspiring Kora players of his generation. In his new album 22 Strings, he gives us the kora in its purest guise, a wondrous instrument that can soothe the bloodlust of warriors and take the human spirit to a place of deep meditation, stillness and beauty.

Tuesday 27 October 8pm Music Room £15 – Bella Hardy released her latest album With The Dawn – her first since being named BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer Of The Year – 2014. The Sunday Times describes it as ‘nothing short of a masterpiece’. The album is an account of one year of her life.

Where previously Hardy has adapted and explored traditional ballads and fables to tell her contemporary folk tales, the stories that inspired these songs are her own experiences: good and bad, happy or sad.

Appearing with her new With The Dawn Band, Bella Hardy is joined by Anna Massie (Blazin’ Fiddles), the album’s producer Ben Seal (Urban Farm Hand), Tim Lane (The Hidden Orchestra) and Tom Gibbs, in a powerful and evocative

in a career – both as a solo musician and with Planxty and Moving Hearts – that has spanned over four decades.

Moore is accompanied by his long term collaborator Declan Sinnott.

‘He is a fine storyteller with a glorious, soulful voice…his potency is undiminished.’

Robin Denselow, The Guardian melodeon melodies, this will be a new set mixed with some of the old favourites and a familiar sound for the faithful. The new repertoire focusses on the lives of those living through a time of great change almost 200 years ago. Not surprisingly, many of the themes are still relevant today with songs of love, loss, poverty and political rights featuring heavily, but in the hands of Edward II, these have been turned into an inspiring celebration of the working people who really forged Manchester and transformed Britain into an industrial powerhouse. The band roam free across the musical spectrum, bringing in dashes of jazz and soul alongside the reggae and folk, but always with an air of good humour and, more than anything, a desire to make you dance.

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collaboration of voice and fiddle, banjo and guitar, piano and keys, electronics and drums.

‘The ‘6 Music’ market surely beckons for Bella. As well as reaffirming her status as a shining star in the folk scene’s firmament, With The Dawn feels like a game-changer.’

(5 Stars) fRoots.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

The Proclaimers

Wednesday 28 October 7.30pm £25.50, £28.50, £34.50 –

Skip Little Axe McDonald + King Size Slim

Wednesday 28 October 8pm Music Room £14 – Skip ‘Little Axe’ McDonald made his name as an integral part of the Sugar Hill house band. He has made some of the most adventurous and praised

UK music of the last twenty years. ‘Little Axe’ sees Skip’s return to the blues he grew up with: ‘gospel dub’ like you have never heard before. The big warm tones from his resonator guitar along with direct vocal delivery are the trademarks of King Size Slim. Toby Barelli (aka King Size Slim) has a reputation as an immensely engaging, passionate and powerful performer; definitely a ‘must see’ on the blues circuit.

Twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid have carved a niche for themselves where pop, folk, new wave and punk collide as the emotional honesty, political fire, wit and sing-along raucousness of their songs, and fabulous live shows has enlightened and entertained fans new and old. Expect to hear the classics Sunshine on Leith, I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), Letter From America, I’m on My Way, Life With You, Lets Get Married and more.

Hothouse Flowers

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Faustus

Thursday 29 October 8pm Music Room £12 – ‘The concept? To rescue contemporary folk from the curse of feyness…Bloke-folk!’

Independent On Sunday.

Previously nominated for the Best Group Award in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and in the wake of the latest album Broken Down Gentlemen, Faustus brings to the stage three of the leading lights of their generation: Saul Rose

plus support

(Waterson:Carthy, Whapweazel, War Horse), Benji Kirkpatrick (Seth Lakeman Band, Bellowhead) and Paul Sartin (Bellowhead, Belshazzar’s Feast). They have a plethora of experience between them, brought together here in a virtuosic display of musicianship and testosterone representing the best of the boys in the current vibrant English folk scene.

Saturday 31 October 7.30pm £28, £29.50, £34.50 – When Hothouse Flowers step onto the stage there is a sense of musical adventure, an impulse to reach new heights.

The Irish rock group combine a rousing mix of traditional Irish music with soul, gospel and rock. In their search for innovation they once created a

Contemporary Music | 9

Aly Bain, Ale Möller & Bruce Molsky

Friday 30 October 8pm Music Room £17.50 – Join three of the world’s finest exponents of their art and experience, close up, them sharing their Celtic, Nordic and Appalachian cultures. Aly Bain, Scotland’s supreme traditional style fiddler, Swedish multiinstrumentalist Ale Moller, and American old time fiddler, singer, guitarist and banjo player Bruce Molsky can blow you away with their musicianship, but at the same time draw you in with a relaxed and conversational wit, as if you were sitting in their living room. ‘super group’ with Def Leppard and for a while were signed to Bono’s record label. With a career which is now heading into its fourth decade there is a sense of unfinished business.

Every night they want to play the best gig they have ever played and take the musical risks that maybe makes reaching new heights possible.

There are still songs to be written and emotions to share.

‘A distinctive blend of subtlety and attack.’

The Guardian Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

10 | Contemporary Music

Clive Carroll

Saturday 31 October 8pm Music Room £12 – A past scholarship winner at the Bath International Guitar Festival Summer School, Carroll is now a world class guitarist, composer and mentor himself. He regularly toured with John Renbourn and Tommy Emmanuel and is described by Acoustic Guitar Magazine as ‘Probably the best and most original young guitar player in Britain’.

ABC

Wednesday 4 November 7.30pm £35, £45, £55, £65, £69 – ABC play all their greatest hits before performing their debut album The Lexicon of Love, in its entirety, with the Southbank Sinfonia Orchestra conducted by Anne Dudley. The Lexicon Of Love was first released in 1982 and went straight to number one. Fusing dance floor finesse with a post-punk attitude, the album spawned timeless tracks such as Poison Arrow, The Look Of Love, Tears Are Not Enough and All Of My Heart.

This concert is one of just five special dates that follow the resounding success and critical praise of ABC’s first performance of the album with an orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in 2009.

‘It might bankrupt them but ABC should always perform with an orchestra.’

Daily Star

lives, hopes and fears, it’s unsurprising that his tender yet powerful songs such as First Time Ever I Saw Your Face remain as poignant today as they ever were. This special concert marks 100 years since his birth. Guiding you through MacColl’s huge songbook, his sons Calum and Neill MacColl, wife Peggy Seeger and guests singers present new arrangements of MacColl’s music, a one-off chance to hear his beautiful music and heartfelt lyrics expanded by a whole host of voices and instruments.

FOLK ROOTS FIVE Book for one of the concerts in Music Room marked ‘Folk Roots Five’ and get £5 off Blood & Roses: The Songs of Ewan MacColl.

Blood and Roses: The Songs of Ewan MacColl

Featuring Peggy Seeger, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Eliza Carthy, Seth Lakeman Tuesday 3 November 7.30pm £19.50, £24.50, £30.50

Musician, songwriter, activist, broadcaster, actor and playwright, Ewan MacColl was a prolific individual but it is his unapologetically political folk songs for which he is best remembered. Passionate about folk music not just as a tradition, but as living music that represented people’s loves,

Performers Neill MacColl guitar Calum MacColl guitar Kate St John piano, accordian, winds Harry Mead drums Ben Nichols bass Chaim Tennenbaum banjo Guest singers Peggy Seeger Martin Carthy Norma Waterson Eliza Carthy Seth Lakeman

9Bach

Thursday 5 November 8pm Music Room £14 – The ‘quietly intriguing Welsh band’ (The Guardian) play the Music Room following the release of their second album, Tincian – described as a collection of atmospheric, evocative and emotional songs, written and sung in Welsh and arranged in the folk tradition.

‘The songs walk across tightropes of dark ambiguity, the flexible push and pull of their tones adding great weight,’ says Drowned in Sound. The album scooped Best Album at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards by public vote and this concert coincides with the release of Tinc an EP featuring remixes of some of the album’s tracks including one by Gruff Rhys. 9Bach was formed by Lisa Jen and Martin Hoyland in 2005. The name is a play on

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numbers and words, as Lisa has said: ‘Nain (pronounced nine) means grandmother in the North of Wales, while Bach means little and is also a term of endearment in Welsh. In one

language 9 is something as mundane as a number, but in Welsh Nain is a cosy, family orientated lovely thing.’

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Music of the Travellers by Klezmer-ish

Celebration of Life

Michael Head, Sense of Sound, House of Suarez, Clare Campbell and Gerry Potter Friday 6 November 7.30pm Music Room £17.50 standing

– Thomas Lang and Jennifer John, both established musicians from Liverpool and both Patrons of Merseyside’s HIV Charity Sahir House bring together this exciting evening of entertainment as a Celebration of Life for World AIDS Day 2015 and Liverpool’s Homotopia Festival.

Hosted by Liverpool born poet, director, actor and author Gerry Potter the show opens with multi-award winning vogue dance ensemble House of Suarez. Clare Campbell artist, poet, wobbly warrior and storyteller leads us on a journey full of magical stories, connections and love.

The climax of the evening is a rare performance by Shack frontman Michael Head with an acoustic set joined by the award winning Sense of Sound singers.

The evening is a fundraising event for Sahir House which has been offering HIV support, information and training across Merseyside since 1985.

It offers a wide range of services to people living with or affected by HIV.

Contemporary Music | 11

Charlie Landsborough

Sunday 8 November 7:30pm £20, £26 – It is understandable that Landsborough has been labelled as a country singer, as he has won just about every award possible in the UK country scene, a list of awards too numerous to mention. He has also been inducted into the British Country Music Hall of Fame. In reality though Landsborough is a performer who is difficult to categorise as he covers many areas of the musical landscape from beautiful ballads, to folk, blues, country, rock ‘n’ roll, pop, gospel and anthem. If you go into a music shop you may find his music in the Country or the Easy Listening section, but this belies the nature of a man that embraces varied musical forms.

His music reveals a depth of compassion which seems almost incongruous to his simplistic yet captivating style.

Luke Daniels Revolve & Rotate

Tuesday 10 November 8pm Music Room £12 – The singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist is one of

Marcel Becker double bass Concettina Del Vecchio accordion Tom Verity clarinet Rob Shepley guitar, violin – Four musicians from Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra come together in their ensemble Klezemer-ish and bring a unique character to a heady mixture of tunes from Klezmer music, folk, tangos and gypsy jazz. Capturing the span of musical influences from across Europe this evening promises to deliver variety and entertainment.

Sunday 8 November 8pm Music Room £15

Leroy Jones, Joe Stilgoe, Ian Shaw and Band

Tuesday 10 November 7.30pm £21, £27 – Leading British talent with one New Orleans legend of swing.

This is a rare opportunity to see New Orleans trumpeter Leroy Jones, described by Harry Connick Jr. as ‘The Greatest’ and known to many music lovers as the ‘keeper of the flame’. Jones’ playing has been described as a blend of Louis Armstrong and bebop virtuoso Clifford Brown. He has been a critical figure in the history of New Orleans music for over forty years. For this special

the UK’s most inventive musicians who has forged a reputation as ‘folk’s finest’ (The Guardian), both on a remarkable series of albums in his own right, and in demand as a virtuoso melodeon player for the likes of Ian Anderson, De Dannan, Riverdance and as a

concert Jones is joined by Ian Shaw (‘Our finest jazz singer’ Time Out) and Joe Stilgoe (star of High Society at the Old Vic, ‘truly remarkable’ Sir Michael Parkinson), for a wonderful night of music.

Expect to hear the swing of New Orleans, all with some fiery soul, bebop and tunes of their own thrown in.

regular in Cara Dillon’s band.

His appeal goes far wider than the folk scene. Glasgow based, he shares producers with the likes of Mogwai and Franz Ferdinand. He was also soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra on the soundtracks for Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. This fascinating artist brings an original Polyphon machine to the Music Room.

Daniels has developed a computer programme enabling the creation of new music for the 19” steel discs of the 19th century mechanical music device. The show, as visually entertaining as it is sonically awe-inspiring, explores the idea that music is the result of circular patterns that enable us to move us forward whilst returning regularly to a source point.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

12 | Contemporary Music

The Lindisfarne Story

Thursday 12 & Friday 13 November 8pm Music Room £18.50 –

Treacherous Orchestra

Wednesday 11 November 8pm Music Room £14 standing – ‘When it comes to bands and performers who know how to deliver the goods in a live situation, there can’t be too many who can step up to the plate and match Treacherous Orchestra. Contenders may try to hold a candle but might find the flame ignominiously blown out in a frenzied whirlwind of Celtic based tunes breathlessly merging into one another’ Bright Young Folk. The

Dick Gaughan

eleven‐piece, pan‐Scottish outfit (with one member from Ireland) formed in the musical melting pot of Glasgow. They are a generation of Scotland’s finest musicians who came together, originally, to play the Celtic Connections Festival Club and the personnel are some of Scotland’s best known folk roots acts including Ross Ainslie, Eamonn Coyne, Ali Hutton and Duncan Lyall. ‘membership reads like a who’s who of the latest generation of Scottish tradition based music … an exciting and invigorating breath of fresh air.’

Folk Radio UK

Go West & Nik Kershaw

Saturday 14 November 8pm Music Room £12 – The only performer to hold the dual honours of, a Lifetime Achievement award by BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and an induction into the Scots Traditional Music Hall of Fame, this Scottish musician, guitarist, singer and songwriter is an ex-member of The Boys Of The Lough and founder member of Five Hand Reel, and the 1990s Scottish super-group Clan Alba. He has a unique solo style and is one of the most potent artists to emerge from the Scottish folk-music revival.

Gaughan tells it like it is. His explosive and dexterous guitarplaying, and tremendous voice, expresses his passionate, often

together in concert

with very special guests T’Pau

Sunday 15 November 7.30pm £26.50, £28.50, £34.50 – Three critically acclaimed stars of the 80s come together for a very special concert. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Go West’s first hit single We Close Our Eyes. Numerous hits ensued including the smash hit King of Wishful Thinking. Nik Kershaw first achieved chart success in 1984 and had hits with classics such as Won’t Let

the Sun Go Down on Me and The Riddle. A prolific writer for other artists, Kershaw notably penned the Number One single The One

and Only for Chesney Hawkes.

T’Pau’s biggest hit China in Your Hand hit the top spot in the UK in 1987, and stayed at number one for five weeks.

After exploding onto the music scene in 1970, Tyneside group Lindisfarne were propelled to the forefront of acoustic rock music. Their vivacious lyricism cut through the prevailing pop music of the era to achieve international success. In this evening of music and chat, former members Billy Mitchell and Ray Laidlaw tell their story from the very beginning. The show features exclusive behind the scenes anecdotes, videos and live performances of all their musical hits including Lady Eleanor, Meet Me on the Corner and Fog on the Tyne. affectionate, and always truthful songs perfectly.

Whether reaffirming his own Scottish working-class identity or contemplating a wider world vision Gaughan has a remarkable gift for drawing his audiences into his personal and poignant commentaries on the world, life and an alternative future.

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel

‘Best Years Of Our Lives’ 40th Anniversary Tour 2015 Monday 16 November 7.30pm £30, £35, £40 – This special 40th Anniversary concert comprises one set compiled from fans’ requests plus a performance of The Best Years Of Our Lives album in its entirety, for the first time ever.

Released in March 1975, this album contained the monster hits Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) and Mr. Raffles (Man It Was Mean) and for many marked the true arrival of Steve Harley as a songwriter of true verve and sophistication.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Emily Portman Trio

Sunday 15 November 8pm Music Room £13 – Portman is a singer, writer and concertina player hailed as ‘one of the new British folk scene’s most beguiling presences’ (Uncut). She is the 2013 holder of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Original Song. Inspired by the darker underbelly of folklore and balladry, Emily weaves harmony-rich narratives alongside Lucy FOLK ROOTS FIVE

Paul Lamb & Chad Strentz Acoustic Duo

Friday 20 November 8pm Music Room £13 – Top Blues musician and entertainer, Lamb has won countless awards and performed the world over with his longstanding musical compatriots the King Snakes.

Inducted into the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame (alongside the likes of Peter Green, John Mayall & Alexis Korner) Lamb continues to bring his infectious

Celtic Woman

Friday 20 November 7.30pm £27.50, £33.50, £38.50 – Many people may be unaware that there is one Irish act that has consistently topped the American Billboard Charts for the past 10 years, and has outsold many of the emerald isle’s more recognised artists, both in albums and ticket sales.

They have become more or less a permanent fixture on US television and now the Celtic Woman phenomena is making

Farrell (viola) and Rachel Newton (harp). Her latest album Coracle was released this summer with The Observer describing it as ‘Entrancing and unsettling. A marvellous, original work’. Folk Radio UK proclaimed it a ‘highlight of the folk music calendar year’.

Coracle is Emily Portman’s first entirely self-penned release.

Her music shrugs off pigeonholing and dances deftly between angular folk and intricately-woven contemporary pop and is receiving airplay across BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 3.

brand of music to fans around the globe…There’s a whole deal of experience behind vocalist and guitarist Chad Strentz. He started out as a rockabilly hound at the age of 15. In 1991 he got together with Paul Lamb and they toured extensively with the King Snakes releasing over 10 CDs to much acclaim. Strentz’s voice, and guitar playing, blends blues, soul and rockabilly music beautifully.

Contemporary Music | 13

The Other Half Mark Billingham and My Darling Clementine

Thea Gilmore

Tuesday 17 November 8pm Music Room £25 – Influenced by the music of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and Fairport Convention, Gilmore’s style reflects these inspirations. Her beautiful crystalline voice combine with truthful lyrics with which people seem to connect.

The gifted and fiercely independent singer / songwriter released her album Ghosts And Graffiti in the summer – and it proved that the rulebook doesn’t apply to Gilmore; the record is part new album, part retrospective on which she revisits old material but does so in stellar company - the album features collaborations with Joan Baez, Billy Bragg, The Waterboys, Joan As Policewoman, John Cooper Clarke, King Creosote and I Am Kloot. Their contributions join forces with six all-new songs, and just for good measure Gilmore’s recent run of radio hits are included, alongside selected jewels from her back catalogue.

Wednesday 18 November 8pm Music Room £14 – Award-winning crime-writer Mark Billingham and leading country duo My Darling Clementine come together to present a dark and glorious mix of song and story. A rundown Memphis bar. Lust, murder and domestic horror. That long and difficult search for...The Other Half. This unique and brilliant show comes to the Music Room direct from spots at the Edinburgh and Latitude festival this summer. Billingham’s series of crime novels featuring the detective Tom Thorne led to an acclaimed TV show starring David Morrissey. Now the author has teamed up with My Darling Clementine whose Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish are a modern day classic country duo in the mould of George Jones and Tammy Wynette or Dolly Parton and Porter Waggoner. Pain, loss and violence are the lifeblood of crime fiction, but also the dark seam that runs through the very best country music.

its way across the Atlantic with their TV specials becoming a regular feature on the Sky Arts schedule. This show features elaborate and fresh set designs, brand new costumes, breathtaking choreography and a musical selection encompassing Irish classics, contemporary standards and classical favourites alongside memorable original compositions, bridging the past and present with the distinctive grace and style for which Celtic Woman has become known.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

14 | Contemporary Music

Somali Stars:

Maxamed BK, Sahra Ilays and Da’ud Ali Mashaf

Saturday 21 November 4pm & 8pm Music Room £15 standing

Liverpool Acoustic Festival

Rob Vincent & Gary Edward Jones

Sunday 22 November 8pm Music Room £12 – Featuring two of Liverpool’s finest acoustic artists, the evening, set in cabaret-style , features a short Q&A/In Conversation With… session after each performance, allowing you to sit back, relax and let the evening unfold in front of you. Robert Vincent has had a meteoric rise over the past two years or so. He has supported Paul Carrack and

Perhaps the most popular Somali singer, Maxamed BK, makes his UK debut. He became a national icon when he formed the hit band Xidigaha Geeska.

Now a massively popular solo artist, he is a permanent fixture on radio and TV in his homeland. He and his full Somali band mix modern with traditional sounds. Sahra Ilays is a highly talented vocalist, and folklore dancer who began her musical career as a vocalist in the iconic band Waaberi. She regularly duets with Maxamed BK. Completing the Somali Stars line-up is Da’ud Ali MasHaf. He is perhaps second only to Hudaydi, the king of Somali lute.

A multi-instrumentalist he is also a great violist and a wellknown composer.

James Blunt, and sold out a whole host of his own headline shows across UK. MOJO Magazine describes him as ‘A young man filled with dreams, regret and shocking talent’. In this gig Vincent showcases brand new material from his forthcoming second album.

Not Just a Trumpet!

Brendan Ball - music for trumpet and electronics Monday 23 November 8pm Music Room £15 – Nigel Clarke Magritte Fantasy World Premiere

Anthony G. Morris Weldstadt 2 World Premiere

Ailis Ni Riain Treasured: Concert Suite World Premiere for solo trumpet and flugelhorn

Timothy Jackson Mari’s Tango

World Premiere for solo flugelhorn and electroacoustics

Tim Souster The Transistor Radio of Saint Narcissus for Solo Flugelhorn,’tape’ and live electroacoustics Fusing folk and country with pop sensibility, Gary Edward Jones crafts a sound that is both irresistible and unique. He performed to a sell-out St.George’s Hall Concert Room for his debut album launch and has recently landed tour support with Tom Baxter.

D

L SO T OU

Caro Emerald

Tuesday 24 November 7.30pm £22.50, £32.50, £45, £55 – Caro blends retro jazz with sampling and modern pop to create a now signature sound.

The Amsterdam Conservatory jazz-trained vocalist is an original pop star with the look of a Hollywood icon of yesteryear and a voice that oozes warmth and vitality.

The Daily Telegraph noted recently ‘Caro Emerald had everyone in the palm of her hand’ and her ‘infectious sense of fun and vintage charm can be relied on to lift the spirits’.

– A kaleidoscope of new music from Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra trumpet player Brendan Ball where his trumpet is just starting the point. World premieres abound in an evening with Electroacoustics and a new brass instrument the Morrishorn!

Boo Hewerdine

Wednesday 25 November 8pm Music Room £12.50 – Hewerdine is a widely respected song writer and former frontman of the cult 90s band The Bible. For the last 20 years he has played with, written for and produced Eddi Reader (including her seminal Burns album). Other artists who have performed his songs include Kris Drever, Heidi Talbot, k.d. lang, Chris Difford, Jerry Douglas, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Duke Special and many others. For his latest album, Harmonograph, Hewerdine has recorded his own versions of songs he has written for, and often with, other people; twelve songs some well-known, like the Eddi Reader hit single Patience Of Angels, some not, and some never recorded previously.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Gary Lucas

Jeff Buckley Symposium Thursday 26 November 8pm £14

Frankenstein with Live accompaniment Friday 27 November 8pm £14

Masterclass Saturday 28 November 2pm £25

Gary Lucas In Concert with special guests Saturday 28 November 8pm £14 Masterclass Sunday 29 November 2pm £25

Captain Beefheart Symposium Sunday 29 November 8pm £14

The former Captain Beefheart and Jeff Buckley guitarist and songwriter Gary Lucas has been dubbed ‘The Thinking Man’s Guitar Hero’ by The New Yorker, ‘The world’s most popular avant-rock guitarist’

by The Independent, ‘One of the 100 Greatest Living Guitarists’ Classic Rock, ‘Legendary Leftfield guitarist’ by The Guardian, ‘Guitarist of 1000 Ideas’ by The New York Times, ‘a true axe God’ by Melody Maker. Lucas has spoken widely on his life and career and has a highly entertaining presentation-style in which he discusses his collaborations, mentors and playing techniques using film footage, anecdotes, unreleased music and performance.

Contemporary Music | 15

The Stylistics plus support

Friday 27 November 7.30pm £26, £32 – The Stylistics with their charisma, style and harmony, evolved into one of the bestselling soul groups ever. The Philadelphia group recorded a remarkable 10 straight-Top Ten hits during the early 1970s including the Grammy nominated hit You Make Me

Saturday 28 November 7.30pm £28, £32.50, £37.50 – The first new Ronettes recording in 49 years is released this November, and with it, this concert. Spector’s first ever show created specifically to pay tribute to the music of the ultimate girl group which she co–founded as a teenager from New York’s Spanish Harlem. She performs all the Ronettes hits with a full band; Be My Baby, Baby I Love You, Do I Love You, Walking in the Rain, as well as songs that

became successful for other artists, such as I Can Hear Music (Beach Boys) and Chapel of Love (Dixie Cups). Ronnie Spector Sings the Fabulous Ronettes follows her one– woman show Beyond the Beehive which played London’s Southbank Centre to critical acclaim including five-star reviews from The Guardian and The Independent.

‘Kicking off with the sublime ‘Walking In The Rain’, the focal point of The Ronettes oozes charisma and sex appeal, her jet black hair as big as the voice that thrills with every trademark oh-oh, oh oh oh oh.’ ***** The Independent

I Am Kloot’s John Bramwell with guest Dave Fidler

For more details about these events please visit liverpoolphil.com/garylucas

Ronnie Spector Sings the Fabulous Ronettes

Feel Brand New, plus Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love), You Are Everything, Betcha By Golly Wow, I’m Stone In Love With You, Break Up To Make Up, Sing Baby Sing and many more.

Tom Robinson

Friday 4 December 8pm Music Room £19.50 – Arguably one of UK music’s most important figures brings his trio to the Music Room with the release of his first new album in twenty years.

Robinson became known as a musician in the 1970s with the Tom Robinson Band. TRB’s best known hits are 2-4-6-8 Motorway, Don’t Take No For An Answer, Glad To Be Gay and Up Against The Wall. The band was also early supporters of Rock Against Racism, LGBT rights and Amnesty International. Tom has released 19 albums with various bands, and co-written songs with Elton John, Peter Gabriel and Dan Hartman. Now a full-time broadcaster with BBC Radio 6 Music, he champions undiscovered music and unsigned artists through his new music blog FreshOnTheNet.co.uk and his work with BBC Introducing.

Saturday 5 December 8pm Music Room £16 standing – John Bramwell, songwriter and singer with I Am Kloot, performs songs from all of the Kloot albums, throwing in a few bizarre anecdotes along the way. Bramwell takes to Music Room stage armed with his first set of brand new songs since I Am Kloot’s 2014 Top Ten album Let It All In. During 2014 the Mercury prize nominated songwriter returned to his home in Crewe and set about recording new songs for his debut solo single Times Arrow. With these recordings ready for release to coincide with this gig and a bag of classic songs and great stories Bramwell brings poetry, great guitar playing, a beautiful, unique voice (and a little chaos) to Liverpool Philharmonic.

‘Great songs, great voice.

The real thing.’ Time Out ‘Utterly compelling, quite beautiful and frequently hilarious.’ The Guardian

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

16 | Contemporary Music

Cast - All Change

Celebrating 20 years of Cast with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Saturday 5 December 7.30pm £25, £31 – To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the classic album All Change, Liverpool band Cast unites with musicians of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for a unique live performance.

Originally released in 1995 following John Power’s songwriting experiments with The La’s, the multi-platinum debut album launched anthem’s like Finetime and Alright which were cemented by a formidable live reputation. Twenty years

later, with five albums under their belt, today the band sound tighter than ever.

Following 23 weeks in the charts the fourth single to be released from All Change, Walkaway, was Cast’s first to feature string arrangements.

It was followed up by hits like Flying, Guiding Star and the David Arnold scored Magic Hour. This 20th anniversary concert is a unique chance to hear the now classic songs alongside original and new orchestral arrangements next to guitars. Cast alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra might well be worth waiting 20 years for!

Any Trouble

The Bootleg Beatles

Sunday 6 December 7.30pm £27.50, £29.50, £35 – Re-live the sights and sounds of sixties with the world’s premier Beatle band and their spectacular two hour multimedia stage production featuring all the classic Beatle

The Bass Line

Wednesday 9 December 1pm Music Room £8 – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Double bass players come together to perform a medley of light-hearted and fun music including excerpts from Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary Poppins and music from Disney’s Jungle Book.

hits. Using film footage of the period and ‘with a little help from’ their regular brass and string ensemble, the show traces the history of the Fab Four from Liverpool’s Cavern Club through Sgt Pepper to The Apple Rooftop, in what has now become one of the annual traditions of Christmas at Liverpool Philharmonic.

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Wednesday 9 December 7.30pm £23, £29 – ‘The Ukes’ bring you a genrecrashing ride through popular music; a funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, footstomping obituary of rock and roll, and melodious light entertainment in a collision of post-punk performance and toetapping oldies. It is a rhythmic, joyous, thought-provoking journey through songs that

Sunday 6 December 8pm Music Room £13 – Any Trouble were the great white hope for Stiff Records in the 1980s and scored much coverage in the music press (including the front cover of Melody Maker) with their postmodern sound. Frontman Clive Gregson’s appearance, hardened love songs, and vocal style led to comparisons to Elvis Costello and Ian Drury. They released the bulk of their material between 1979 and 1984 when they split. Gregson went onto a distinguished career as a solo artist. He also spent ten years playing in Richard Thompson’s band, collaborated with Christine you’ve heard, songs you’ve forgotten, songs you’ve never heard, and songs you perhaps wish you hadn’t encountered, all transformed into a lively, headlong stream of transcendent sounds, musical delight and warm personality

Collister and worked in a trio with Eddi Reader and Boo Hewerdine. In 2007 the band reformed and a new album, Present Tense is due out this autumn. In addition the recently released The Complete Stiff Recordings 1980-1981 sheds a new light on this criminally overlooked new wave group. The sparse, tight guitar jangle and razor sharp hooks still sound fresh and fiery three decades on.

featuring only the ‘bonsai guitar’™ and a menagerie of voices.

‘The best musical entertainment in the country... worth travelling a thousand miles to hear.’

The Independent

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Gareth Malone and his Choir, Voices

Thursday 10 December 7.30pm £25, £37.50, £43.50, £45 – Gareth Malone was obsessed with music from a young age, having grown up playing piano and singing. Later he auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music, and passed his postgraduate course with distinction in 2005. Malone is best known for BBC 2′s BAFTAwinning television series, The Choir, which over the course of several runs has followed him as he coached vocal novices, from students at an all-boys school to workers at a Royal Mail depot. His series with the Military Wives Choir was a particularly huge success, and resulted in him topping the album and single charts with the group. In 2012 he was awarded an OBE in recognition of his services to music.

Shine

Fire and Frost Christmas Concert

Friday 11 December 8pm Music Room £12 – Three voices, two Camac electro‐harps, one delicious Christmas concert! Shine’s Mary Macmaster, Corrina Hewat and Alyth McCormack

Friday 18 December 8pm Music Room £15 – Featured soloist in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Spirit of Christmas concerts Kathryn Tickell takes her pipes, violin, voice and her dad, Mike, into the Music Room for a more intimate look at the folk music and musicians that have influenced her career.

Saturday 12 December 8pm Music Room £12 – ‘That woman makes my heart sing’ said BB King. British Blues bastion and local lass brings her dynamic band to Liverpool. Her powerhouse

Tuesday 15 December 7.30pm £24, £30 (£15 for under 16s) – Warm and inviting, spicy and sparkly Kate Rusby and her marvellous band – joined as ever by a sublime brass quintet – embody the sounds and joyous spirit of the best Christmas ever! The key word here is, of course, ‘joy’. For, with her Christmas concert, Kate embraces and shares a

provide that festive feeling. The girls, whose accolades include The Chieftans, The Poozies and the Unusual Suspects perform their Christmas album Fire and Frost. The show is packed with warming classic seasonal songs which sit alongside their own spectral song writing: Harps and harmonies, lush vocals and Christmas sparkle make for a great celebration of the festive season.

At Home...

Kathryn Tickell & Mike Tickell

Connie Lush

Kate Rusby at Christmas

Contemporary Music | 17

performances and soaring blues vocals have had her tagged as the UK’s answer to Janice Joplin. One of the finest Blues singers in Britain today, Lush has been nominated five times for best female vocalist, in addition to twice being voted European Blues Vocalist Of The Year.

local South Yorkshire tradition of which she’s been a part ever since she was a child. For over two hundred years from late November to New Year’s Day on Sunday lunchtimes locals have flocked to public houses to sing their own, unique variations of familiar carols.

This concert celebrates what makes Christmas so special and so much fun as Rusby and her fellow musicians perform fabulous songs brimful of goodwill, putting smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

18 | Family & Variety

League of Welldoers

September Serenade Benefit Show

FAMILY & VARIETY

Monday 21 September 2pm £10.45, £11.45 – The League of Welldoers presents a variety benefit concert hosted by Tony Ravel featuring some of Merseyside’s finest entertainers. Help support The League of Welldoers one of Liverpool’s oldest independent charities.

Image Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Family Concert

Victory in Europe

A Gala Concert Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War

Sunday 27 September 7.15pm £12, £18, £24, £26, £28 – 50 voices of the renowned Liverpool Welsh Choral and the West Kirby Light Opera Society, Sir Winston Churchill look-alike actor Brian Herbert, the White Cliffs of Dover Dancers and the magnificent Northop Silver Band bring you the very best of wartime music and more in a spectacular evening presented by BBC Radio Merseyside’s Roger Phillips and featuring special guest star George Gallagher, winner of TV’s Frank Sinatra’s Our Way programme. A spectacular finale, with members of all our armed forces with sound and lighting effects, takes you back to the joy that filled the Nation on VE Day.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Family Concert: Superheroes

Sunday 1 November 2.30pm £11, £15, £18 (adults) £7, £9, £11 (children) – Natalie Murray Beale conductor Alasdair Malloy presenter Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Put on your Superhero suits, capes and masks and fill the fabulous Liverpool

Philharmonic Hall for a fantastically Super-Powerful afternoon of sensational sounds for caped crusaders, masked, mysterious men and wonder women. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will be using their superability to play superheroic themes from Batman, Spiderman, The Incredibles, Superman and many more. There’ll even be some music from your favourite video games.

The concert will last about an hour and the whole family is invited to attend.

Come dressed as your favourite superhero.

John Wilson & the John Wilson Orchestra: Gershwin in Hollywood

Monday 2 November 7.30pm £28, £36, £41, £46, £54 – John Wilson and The John Wilson Orchestra plus special guests return with a sensational new show celebrating the genius of George Gershwin featuring some of his greatest hits such as I Got Rhythm, The Man I Love, Somebody Loves Me, Fascinatin’ Rhythm and Strike Up The Band - all in their sumptuous original film orchestrations.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Family & Variety | 19 Raymond Gubbay presents

The Sound of Musicals

Liverpool Welsh Choral

Sunday 13 December 2.30pm £12, £17, £22, £24, £27 – Sprinkle some holiday spirit and join the Liverpool Welsh Choral as they sing a mix of traditional Christmas Carols and festive songs. Enjoy the award winning Northrop Silver Band as they dazzle you with their virtuosity. All this compered by television and radio celebrity Alex Jones.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Family Concert: Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street

Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 December 11.30am & 2.30pm Tuesday 22 December 2.30pm £13, £17, £25 (adults) £8, £10, £13 (children) – Michael Seal conductor Alasdair Malloy presenter Melody Makers Liverpool Philharmonic Training Choir – What’s that sound - do you hear sleigh bells? Could it be..? Well, it IS that time of year!

PRIORITY BOOKING BEAT THE CROWDS! ‘Since getting Priority Booking I get to see more great shows & have the best seats in the house... why wouldn’t you join?’

Mike, Priority Booking Member

And here at Liverpool Philharmonic we’re most definitely in the Christmas mood. Everyone’s here: the Orchestra, our wonderful Melody Makers and Liverpool Philharmonic Training Choir, our presenter Alasdair Malloy and conductor Michael Seal. All we need now is you, as we set off on a magical musical sleigh-ride towards Christmas, for all the family. Have your photo taken with real live reindeer guests (before they head off to the North Pole to pull Santa’s sleigh) and you never know, a special someone with a white beard and a red coat might just drop by.

Bring your best singing voice – and be ready to find out!

Sunday 27 December 2.30pm £22.50, £32.50 £39.50 – A sensational new show for 2015. Enjoy a superb programme of show-stopping music and songs from the greatest Broadway and West End musicals including Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, My Fair Lady, Miss Saigon, South Pacific, Hairspray, Guys and Dolls, Les Miserables, Grease, Cats, Follies and The Phantom of the Opera.

With an all-star line up from London’s glittering West End: Kerry Ellis Summer Strallen Tim Howar Graham Bickley Richard Balcombe conductor Manchester Concert Orchestra

The concert will last about an hour.

Did you miss out on tickets to see Ludovico Einaudi, Elvis Costello, Jools Holland, Gary Barlow or Richard Hawley? Then join the Liverpool Philharmonic Priority Booking Scheme!

For just £30 a year members receive advanced email notification of every new show before it goes on sale and are able to book tickets up to 48 hours before everyone else!* –

To sign up call 0151 210 2921, email fundraising@liverpoolphil.com or buy online at liverpoolphil.com/priority *Terms and conditions apply

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

20 | Learning

LEARNING Lunchtime Learning

Image Vasily Petrenko and Tim Lihoreau

Discover the Classics

£15, £10 students/claimants – Discover the musical, social and historical stories behind some of the superb music, composers and artists in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2015-16 season.

Hosted by Classic FM Creative Director and Breakfast Show host, Tim Lihoreau and Jane Jones, presenter of Classic FM’s The Full Works Concert and Weekend Breakfast Show, Discover the Classics sessions feature commentary by Lihoreau, with added insight from Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra musicians, conductors and guest artists, plus opportunities for questions, discussion and fun, lively debate.

Why not enjoy lunch or afternoon tea in our Grand Foyer after the sessions? You can book a table by ringing our box office on 0151 709 3789.

Tim Lihoreau with Vasily Petrenko, Chief Conductor

Saturday 26 September 11am Linked to concerts 1 & 4 October, see page 22.

– Jane Jones with Julian Rachlin, violinist and conductor Saturday 21 November 11am Linked to the concert on 26 November, see page 27.

£15, £10 students/claimants – Whether you are new to classical music or a regular concert-goer, join composer and lecturer Ian Stephens for a daytime series of inspiring music and relaxed learning.

Sessions last 2 - 2½ hours. Please note that Orchestral rehearsals may not cover all the listed repertoire. This season, in addition to the regular format of a workshop followed by the opportunity to listen to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the rehearsal, we will be joined by the Ensemble of St Luke’s in which we will explore the varied repertoire for string quartet.

The Planets Rehearsal Visit Wednesday 7 October 12.45pm

Music of Vaughan Williams, Robin Holloway and Holst Andrew Manze conductor Robin Haggart tuba – Petrenko’s Mahler Rehearsal Visit Tuesday 10 November 12.45 pm

Music of Mahler and Schumann Vasily Petrenko conductor Isabelle Faust violin

Sessions take place on Saturdays from 11am to 1pm in the Music Room at Liverpool Philharmonic.

Sponsored by

Ensemble of St Luke’s Monday 7 December 12.45pm

Classic Intros

– These free pre-concert talks and interviews with visiting artists and scholars are a great way to get more from the performance.

The talks are free to all ticket-holders.

The Planets Thursday 8 October 6.15pm Composer Robin Holloway in conversation with BBC Radio Merseyside’s Angela Heslop

Petrenko’s Mahler Thursday 12 November 6.15pm Norman Lebrecht, one of the most widely read commentators on music, culture and politics, regular presenter on BBC Radio 3 and author of Why Mahler? returns to Liverpool to speak about Mahler’s Sixth Symphony.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Post-concert Discussions

– Our popular post-concert discussions are your chance to ask questions of worldfamous artists and hear their perspectives on music. The events are free to all ticketholders and sessions begin 15 minutes after the concert ends in the Grand Foyer.

Catfish Keith Blues Guitar Workshop

Saturday 17 October 11am Music Room £30 – Acoustic blues and roots guitarist Catfish Keith leads a hands-on, intensive guitar workshop. In this two hour session, Catfish will teach his fingerpicking and slide styles

Workshops for Children

Music Room – Our Children’s Workshops help to develop children’s musical skills, with singing, movement, instrumental work, as well as increase confidence and creativity. Each session is led by Liverpool Philharmonic musicians – places are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Age ranges are for guidance only. Older or younger siblings are welcome to sit at the back during sessions, but if you would like them to participate you will need to purchase a ticket. Due to space limitations the number of additional adults is limited to each workshop.

Doors open 15 minutes before the workshop starts.

Learning | 21 The Planets Thursday 8 October Conductor Andrew Manze, composer Robin Holloway and tuba player Robin Haggart answer your questions about the performance.

– Exotic Tales Thursday 15 October Conductor Gustavo Gimeno and cellist Harriet Krijgh answer your questions.

– Mozart and Mendelssohn Thursday 26 November Conductor/Violinist Julian Rachlin answers your questions about tonight’s performance.

of country blues guitar and more. Two to three entire songs will be taught. As well as bringing your guitar, you should be familiar with basic guitar chords and have a strong desire (and some ability) to fingerpick.

You’ll learn alternating bass, open tunings, slide guitar, deep string bending, ‘harp’ harmonics and much more.

For details of Catfish Keith in concert, please see page 6.

Baby Voices Suggested age 0-18 months

Monday 26 October 10am-10.45am Thursday 29 October 11.45am-12.30pm Tuesday 31 May 11.45am-12.30pm £7 per child with one accompanying adult free, additional adults £7.

– The perfect introduction to making music with your baby, these 45 minute workshops will involve songs, movement, and active listening. Word sheets and suggestions on how to make music at home with your baby will be provided.

Little Notes Suggested age 3-5 years

Thursday 29 October 10am-10.45am Thursday 2 June 10am-10.45am £7 per child with one accompanying adult free, additional adults £7.

– Your child will explore pitch and rhythm through songs and activities, develop their creativity through exploration and performance with percussion instruments, and learn more about instruments of the orchestra.

Toddler Tunes Suggested age 18-36 months

Monday 26 October 11.45am-12.30pm Tuesday 31 May 10am-10.45am Thursday 2 June 11.45am-12.30pm £7 per child with one accompanying adult free, additional adults £7.

– Songs and games to help your young child develop his/her musicianship and creativity, including ways to ‘tune in’ to your child using child-led music making.

Word sheets and suggestions on how to make music at home with your young child will be provided.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

22 | Classical Music

Songs from Distant Lands

CLASSICAL MUSIC Image Ji Liu Chamber Music

Denis Kozhukhin piano

Wednesday 16 September 7.30pm St George’s Hall Concert Room £25

Classic FM Hall of Fame

Thursday 24 & Friday 25 September 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Glinka Overture, Ruslan and Ludmila Vaughan Williams English Folk Song Suite Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 Nigel Hess A Celebration Overture

World Premiere, supported by The Rushworth Foundation

Beethoven Piano Sonata No.17, Op.31 No.2 ‘Tempest’ Beethoven Piano Sonata No.14, Op.27 No.2 ‘Moonlight’ Debussy Three Preludes from Book I Berio Encores: ‘Luftklavier, Feuerklavier, Wasserklavier’ Bartók Out of Doors – In recent seasons, Denis Kozhukhin has emerged as the Russian virtuoso of his generation – and few who were present will forget his performance of Prokofiev’s Third Concerto with the Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko in 2013. In this solo recital Beethoven’s ‘Tempest’ and ‘Moonlight’ sonatas balance a beautifully chosen selection of Debussy preludes to show a deeper more thoughtful side to Kazhukhin’s artistry.

Sponsored by

Verdi ‘Triumphal March’ from Act II of Aida Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture – Vasily Petrenko conductor Ji Liu piano Besses O’th Barn Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Liverpool Philharmonic is 175 this year – and that calls for a celebration! The new orchestra season launches with a brand new Celebration Overture by Nigel Hess – the man who penned the music for Ladies in Lavender – along with the ultimate roofraiser: Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. There’s a first taste of Between Worlds, our seasonlong exploration of all things folk, in Vaughan Williams’s English Folk Song Suite, and then Vasily Petrenko welcomes the phenomenal young Chinese pianist Ji Liu, making his Liverpool Philharmonic Hall debut in the world’s favourite piano concerto.

Thursday 1 October 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Tchaikovsky The Seasons: September, October, November, December (orchestrated by Sergei Abir) Berio Folk Songs Richard Strauss An Alpine Symphony (premiered October 1915) – Vasily Petrenko conductor Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Richard Strauss claimed that he could depict even a knife and fork in music. So when he set out to depict the full majesty of the Bavarian Alps, the results were…well, hear for yourself as, 100 years after its premiere, Vasily Petrenko and a super-sized Orchestra scale the peak of Strauss’s mighty Alpine Symphony. Waterfalls, glaciers, an ear-splitting storm – spectacular isn’t the word! First, though, take an autumn stroll in the Russian countryside with four lovely miniatures by Tchaikovsky, and join Liverpool’s own star mezzo Jennifer Johnston in Berio’s wonderful romp through the world’s folk songs – as you’ve never heard them before.

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

Alpine Symphony

Sunday 4 October 2.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Tchaikovsky The Seasons: September, October, November, December (orchestrated by Sergei Abir) Canteloube Songs of the Auvergne Richard Strauss An Alpine Symphony (premiered October 1915) – Vasily Petrenko conductor Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Out of the lowest depths of the orchestra, murmurs arise, daylight gathers in the brasses, and then, wham! The sun appears in full orchestral blaze. Dawn arrives and so begins music’s most vividly depicted mountainous ascent. One hundred years after its premiere, Vasily Petrenko and a super-sized Orchestra scale the peak of Strauss’s mighty Alpine Symphony. First, though, take an autumn stroll in the Russian countryside with four lovely miniatures by Tchaikovsky, and join Liverpool’s own star mezzo Jennifer Johnston in Canteloube’s ravishing salute to the folk music of his native Auvergne.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Classical Music | 23

The Planets

Personal Message Duos for violin and cello

Thursday 8 October 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40

The Carl Davis Collection: Beatles, Bond, ABBA and more…

Vaughan Williams Symphony No.8 Robin Holloway ‘Europa and the Bull’ for Tuba and Orchestra

World Premiere. Commissioned by Liverpool Philharmonic with San Francisco Symphony with generous support from the Britten-Pears Foundation

Holst Suite, The Planets – Andrew Manze conductor Robin Haggart tuba Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir (Ladies Voices) Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – To infinity and beyond. Everyone loves the warlike thrills of Mars, and the famous tunes of Jupiter – but Holst’s The Planets travels even further, on one of the most beautiful and mysterious voyages an orchestra and chorus can ever take together.

For conductor Andrew Manze, it’s the climax of a musical journey that begins with a personal passion - the gloriously quirky eighth Symphony by the 83- years-young Vaughan Williams - and takes in the world’s first performance of a brand new showpiece for the Orchestra’s tuba player Robin Haggart: a tale of cows, princesses and Greek gods, retold by one of Britain’s most enjoyable living composers.

Sponsored by

Classic Intro 6.15pm Composer Robin Holloway in conversation with BBC Radio Merseyside’s Angela Heslop.

Saturday 10 October 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Programme to include: Kander & Ebb New York, New York Carl Davis CBE Scores from the films The French Lieutenant’s Woman, World at War, Champions John Barry Selection from James Bond movies Beatles for Orchestra Yesterday and other best loved songs ABBA (Orch. Carl Davis CBE) Mamma Mia Symphonic Suite

– Carl Davis CBE conductor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – A programme of music reflecting the life of much-loved conductor Carl Davis. Born in New York, Carl found his musical feet through the lively musicals of the 1940s and 1950s, and then grew his film music career in the UK from the 1960s. Tonight his classic television and film scores open the concert and then, to crank up the pace, a musical ride through the 1960s and 1970s which will include Yesterday, a Beatles hit celebrating its 50th birthday this year, and the world premiere of Carl’s own Mamma Mia Suite – a symphonic ABBA tribute – a brilliant way to say ‘thank you for the music’!

World Premiere

Chamber Music

Ksenija Sidorova accordion Thomas Gould violin Tuesday 13 October 7.30pm St George’s Hall Concert Room £25

Monday 12 October 8pm Music Room £15 – Glière Eight Pieces for Violin and Cello Op.39 Kodaly Duo for Violin and Cello Op.7 Bartok Duos – James Clark violin Jonathan Aasgaard cello – Two of the stars of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic perform intimate chamber music that had personal meaning for each composer. Kodály’s Duo was written in the uncertainties of 1914 and not premiered in Europe till several years later. Its rhapsodic Hungarian contours are contrasted with fiercer textures and dramatically expressive themes before ending in a final march.

Bartók’s duos, ostensibly written as studies for students, are much more than that.

Bartók was passionate about the traditional music of the countryside and they are an integration of Hungarian and other regional Folk music into his own personal idiom.

Glière aimed to show his fellow Russian musicians his new found mastery of small musical forms combining melodic richness and skilled writing for the instruments following some years in Berlin after the 1905 revolution.

Programme to include: Bach Violin Sonata No.6 in G major Piazzolla Café 1930, Oblivion Schnittke Suite in the Old Style Vittorio Monti Czárdá – The young British violin virtuoso Thomas Gould is already a familiar name: Ksenija Sidorova, perhaps less so. But together, these two artists are on the current scene – prepare for a lively, insightful and completely original take on music by Bach, Schnittke and Piazzolla.

Sponsored by

Post-concert Discussion (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor Andrew Manze, composer Robin Holloway and tuba player Robin Haggart answer your questions about tonight’s performance.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

24 | Classical Music

FitkinWall Lost

Wednesday 14 October 8pm Music Room £15

Exotic Tales

Thursday 15 & Friday 16 October 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Ligeti Concert Românesc Fauré Pavane Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No.1 Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade – Gustavo Gimeno conductor Harriet Krijgh cello Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

FitkinWall Lost Steve Reich Harp Phase – Ruth Wall harp Graham Fitkin electronics

In Lost, FitkinWall weave a magical musical journey from a tentative minimalist opening, through delicate melody to a rhythmic pulsing climax. Reich’s Harp Phase is a version of his famous Piano Phase which the composer has authorised exclusively for Ruth Wall. Using two harps, moog voyager and autoharp, this concert goes beyond a straight classical music concert, bridging many musical worlds, and with a mood that is carefully designed to create a show with a mesmeric feel including visuals.

High in the mountains of Transylvania, a shepherd blows his horn – and gypsy fiddles flash around the campfire. In ancient Persia, a nervous bride tells a story without end, conjuring genies, shipwrecks and mythical beasts. And in ‘belle-époque’ Paris, a poet in grey velvet dreams of a golden age. All that…in music? Hearing is believing, as the up and- coming Spanish conductor Gustavo Gimeno makes his Liverpool debut with three fabulous musical tales from Ligeti, Fauré and Rimsky- Korsakov, and introduces a first Liverpool appearance for Dutch cellist Harriet Krijgh in Saint-Saëns’ romantic concerto. ‘A new star in cellist heaven’ is how one German critic described her.

Post-concert Discussion Thursday 15 October (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor Gustavo Gimeno and cellist Harriet Krijgh answer your questions.

Lunchtime Concert

The Ensemble of St Luke’s

Friday 16 October 1pm Music Room £8 – Programme to include: Elgar String Quartet in E Minor Op.83 Haydn String Quartet in C Major, Op. 20 No.2 – Alex Marks violin Sophie Coles violin Rob Shepley viola Gethyn Jones cello

Slavic Sounds

Thursday 22 October 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Dvor˘ ák Slavonic Dances, Op.46 No’s 1, 2, 6, 8 Chopin Piano Concerto No.2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No.3 ‘Polish’ – Vasily Petrenko conductor Ingrid Jacoby piano Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Who needs to borrow folk tunes when you can simply invent your own? Antonín Dvořák distilled the spirit of his native Bohemia into his Slavonic Dances: music as colourful as an embroidered head-dress and as intoxicating as a shot of slivovitz.

Tchaikovsky took a Polish dance rhythm and made the happiest possible finale for his happiest possible symphony: Vasily Petrenko continues the orchestra’s celebration of Tchaikovsky, born 175 years ago, with Tchaikovsky’s Third. And Chopin was deeply, devotedly Polish: his Second Piano Concerto is essentially a love song to his teenage sweetheart. Ingrid Jacoby brings out all its poetry.

Sponsored by

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Classical Music | 25

Elijah

Sunday 25 October 2.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Mendelssohn Elijah – Vasily Petrenko conductor Susan Gritton soprano Patricia Bardon mezzo-soprano Jeremy Ovenden tenor Thomas Oliemans baritone Huddersfield Choral Society Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – ‘Is not His word like a fire?’ Felix Mendelssohn may have been a friend of Queen Victoria, but there’s absolutely nothing stuffy about his Elijah. This is religious music with an irresistible difference: a rip-roaring Old Testament epic full of blood, thunder and fabulously hummable tunes. We welcome expect the Huddersfield Choral Society to give it their all as Vasily Petrenko conducts the massed voices, full orchestra, and a starry team of soloists including soprano Susan Gritton, plus the charismatic Dutch baritone Thomas Oliemans as the angry prophet himself.

The Priests In Concert For Jospice

Thursday 29 October 7.30pm £15, £22, £30, £36 – Fathers Martin O’Hagan, Eugene O’Hagan and David Delargy’s debut album sold three million copies which secured them a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest-selling classical debut ever. They have graced the pages of Time and have sung around the world to audiences that

have included the Irish President and the UK Royal Family. They have been nominated for a Classical Brit Award for three consecutive years, and shared a stage with Pope Benedict XIV in London’s Hyde Park, 80,000 watched in the park and millions watched on TV at home. The Priests are planning a new album for Spring 2016.

This event is raising money for Jospice, one of the oldest hospices in the country, providing care and support to terminally ill people and their families from within the Liverpool and Sefton.

Ensemble 10/10

Wednesday 4 November 7.30pm St. George’s Hall Concert Room £10 – Nigel Osborne Bosnian Voices

Argo Pärt Fratres Hans Werner Henze In Memoriam; Die Weisse Rose Benjamin Britten Sinfonietta Op.1 Mihkel Kerem Sinfonietta – Clark Rundell conductor Hanna Liisa Kirchen mezzo soprano Ensemble 10/10 – Beginnings, ends, messages and commemorations abound in this programme. All these are wrapped up in Nigel Osborne’s collection of songs composed by people of all faiths and backgrounds from the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia. He arranges songs by ‘rock ‘n rollers’ sent unwillingly to war, by women who were raped and abused, by families of victims, by people missing the solidarity of former Yugoslavia, by Roma passing by, and by children looking for beauty and hope. Pärt’s famously evocative piece marks the struggle between ‘instant and eternity’ whilst Henze writes an austere lament. In contrast Britten’s and Kerem’s pieces are career beginning flourishes the one fresh and tuneful the other mesmeric. world premiere performances

Lunchtime Concert

Liverpool String Quartet

Psycho 15 Film with Live Orchestra

Sunday 25 October 2.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Anthony Gabriele conductor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Don’t miss the chance to see director Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho with a live orchestra. Fifty years on from its release, this cinematic masterpiece comes alive in a big-screen presentation accompanied by a live performance of Bernard Herrmann’s most famous spine-tingling score.

See page 35 for more details.

Monday 2 November 1pm Music Room £8 – Programme to include: Ian Stephens Heart Variations for String Quartet Ravel String Quartet in F major – Rakhi Singh violin Sarah Hill violin Daniel Sanxis viola Nick Byrne cello – Founded in 2010 the LSQ have already toured internationally nine times.

Highlights include concerts at Pamplona’s Cathedral, Valldemossa (Mallorca) and at the opening concert of Mahon’s International Music Festival (Menorca).In Liverpool, the LSQ has been Quartet in Residence at the Bluecoat since 2012, and at Mayer Hall, Bebington since 2014.

Notable Merseyside concerts have been at St George’s Hall, Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, and the Atkinson(Southport).

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

26 | Classical Music

Baroque Masters

Saturday 7 November 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Handel Suite from Music for the Royal Fireworks Bach Orchestral Suite No.3 Haydn Heiligmesse – Ton Koopman conductor Yetzabel Arias Fernández soprano Bogna Bartosz alto Ariel Hernández Roque tenor Jasper Schweppe baritone Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – ‘When I think of God, I can’t help writing cheerful music’ said Joseph Haydn. Maybe that’s why his Heiligmesse is as lively, as optimistic and as gloriously tuneful as any of his symphonies. Mass settings aren’t meant to be this much fun, and under Ton Koopman – one of the foremost living champions of 18th-century music – it’s hard to imagine a more enjoyable way to hear the superb Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir in full voice. Two 24-carat baroque favourites set the scene – the Suite that gave the world Bach’s Air on the G String, and Handel’s exuberant Fireworks Music: knocking British audiences backwards for 266 years and counting!

Sponsored by

Chamber Music

Emerson Quartet

Saturday 14 November 7.30pm St George’s Hall Concert Room £25 – Haydn String Quartet in G major, Op.76 No.1 Beethoven String Quartet in F major, Op.135 Schubert String Quartet in G major, D887 Sponsored by

Petrenko’s Mahler

Thursday 12 November 7.30pm Friday 13 November 2.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Schumann Violin Concerto Mahler Symphony No.6 – Vasily Petrenko conductor Isabelle Faust violin Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Art imitates life – it isn’t meant to happen the other way round. Mahler’s mighty Sixth Symphony imagines a hero destroyed by three devastating blows of fate. But after he’d filled every bar of this immense symphony with his most heartfelt feelings, that’s exactly what happened to Mahler himself. It’s a musical experience that leaves no listener unmoved – and when Vasily Petrenko conducted the Sixth with the Orchestra in 2011, one critic declared it ‘an emotional roller-coaster’. Back by popular demand, violinist Isabelle Faust sets the mood with the dark poetry of Schumann’s passionate Violin Concerto.

12 November sponsored by

Classic Intro 6.15pm Thursday 12 November Norman Lebrecht, one of the most widely read commentators on music, culture and politics, regular presenter on BBC Radio 3 and author of Why Mahler? returns to Liverpool to speak about Mahler’s Sixth Symphony.

Raymond Gubbay presents

The Four Seasons

by Candlelight

Saturday 14 November 7.30pm £16.50, £21.50, £24.50, £28.50, £31.50, £34.50 – Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik Clarke Trumpet Suite Pachelbel Canon Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.3 Handel Let the Bright Seraphim Eternal Source of Light Divine Lascia ch’io pianga from Rinaldo Vivaldi The Four Seasons – Mozart Festival Orchestra in full 18th Century costume David Juritz conductor /violinist Caroline MacPhie soprano Crispian Steele-Perkins trumpet With nearly four decades’ of experience behind them, the Emerson Quartet is quite simply one of the world’s most distinguished chamber ensembles. But with the recent addition of the British cellist Paul Watkins, that lifetime of experience is now matched by a new freshness. Tonight’s programme delves into the very heard of the Emersons’ musical world: Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert’s sublime late G major Quartet. You’ll never hear more authoritative performances of these three cornerstones of the quartet repertoire.

The Four Seasons has become one of the most celebrated pieces of classical music ever written and remains as popular today as when it was first performed. The verve and virtuosity of the 18th century is brought to life in this enchanting concert staged in an elegant candle-lit setting with an evocative programme crowned by Vivaldi’s sublime masterpiece.

‘The Emersons put across a vital and impassioned performance of this thricefamiliar music that made it seem newly minted’.

Chicago Classical Review

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto

Sunday 22 November 2.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Li Huanzhi Spring Festival Overture Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Prokofiev excerpts from Romeo and Juliet – Long Yu conductor Julian Rachlin violin Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Don’t mention The Apprentice. When, in Stalin’s Russia, Sergei Prokofiev reinvented the story of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, he created one of the best-loved

Classical Music | 27 ballet-scores of all time. Tough as steel and as tender as a kiss, it still melts hearts and sets pulses racing today: the perfect showcase for guest conductor Long Yu, and an ideal complement for Julian Rachlin’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s sweet, songful Violin Concerto. And as part of our year-long exploration of the music of China, have a listen to Li Huanzhi’s Spring Festival Overture. Fresh, lively and hardly known in the West, we think it’s a popular classic just waiting to be discovered!

ARTISTS in RESIDENCE

Russian Classics

Thursday 19 November 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1 Prokofiev Excerpts from Romeo and Juliet – Long Yu conductor Julian Rachlin violin Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – When they say that China is set to be a powerhouse of classical music in the 21st century, artists like Long Yu are the reason why. One of China’s most distinguished living conductors, we’re proud to welcome him to Liverpool in a powerful Russian programme. Violinist Julian Rachlin begins his residency with Shostakovich’s gripping First Violin Concerto: a tense, political thriller of a concerto from a composer on the edge. Then Yu lets fly in the thrills, spills and star-crossed passion of Prokofiev’s hugely popular Romeo and Juliet. Tough as steel and as tender as a kiss, it still melts hearts and sets pulses racing today.

Sponsored by

ARTISTS in RESIDENCE

Mozart and Mendelssohn

Thursday 26 November 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Mozart Overture, The Marriage of Figaro Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Mozart Symphony No.35 ‘Haffner’ Mendelssohn Symphony No.4 ‘Italian’ – Julian Rachlin violin/director Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – You can boil an egg in the time it takes to play Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro overture – but that’s all the time it takes to bring up the curtain on the happiest comedy in all music, and for Artist in Residence Julian Rachlin to launch an evening of music that positively dances with joy. Mozart wrote his haffner symphony for a family celebration,

and you can practically hear Mendelssohn’s heart leap in his sun-drenched Italian symphony. Julian Rachlin, meanwhile, picks up his violin and stars as both conductor and soloist in Mendelssohn’s hugely-popular Violin Concerto – bittersweet romance and sparkling fun, all rolled up into one irresistibly tuneful masterpiece.

Sponsored by

ARTISTS in RESIDENCE

Post-concert Discussion (Starts 15 minutes after the concert) Conductor/Violinist Julian Rachlin answers your questions about tonight’s performance.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

28 | Classical Music Chamber Music

Julian Rachlin, violin with members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Saturday 28 November 7.30pm St George’s Hall Concert Room £25 Sponsored by

ARTISTS in RESIDENCE

Brahms String Quintet No.2, Op.111 Brahms String Sextet No.2, Op.36 – First among equals: Liverpool Philharmonic Artist in Resident Julian Rachlin has never made any secret of his passion for chamber music, and tonight he teams up – first on viola, then on violin – with five Orchestra string players to play two of Brahms’ most big-hearted chamber works. This is the kind of music that string players simply love to play: come and listen in on a very special evening of music-making amongst friends.

Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra

Sunday 29 November 2.30pm £9 adults / £6 under 25s £2 Liverpool Young Musician Pass – Walton Spitfire Prelude and Fugue Beethoven Piano Concerto No.1 Franck Symphony in D minor – Simon Emery conductor Ian Buckle piano Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra – Sir Simon Rattle Patron – Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra provides a platform bringing together the region’s best young musicians to make music, inspire one another and produce exhilarating performances at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. In the opening concert of their 2015/16 season, Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra tackle Cesar Franck’s vibrant Symphony in D minor, one of the composer’s final works. In the first half, Ian Buckle joins the orchestra to perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.1.

Walton’s Spitfire Prelude and Fugue, his patriotic score for the 1942 film The First of the Few, will kick off the whole season. This piece returns to the same stage on which it was premiered in 1943 by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Chamber Music

Katona Twins, guitars Tuesday 15 December 7.30pm St George’s Hall Concert Room £25

Sponsored by

Raymond Gubbay presents

Carols By Candlelight

Monday 21 December 7.30pm £17, £21.50, £24.50, £28.50, £33, £38 – Celebrate in the most elegant style with this exquisite concert of carols and seasonal classics staged in full 18th Century costume in an evocative candle-lit style setting.

A Taste of Spain Falla (arr. Katona) Miller’s Dance, Neighbours’ Dance Rodrigo Invocación y danza Albéniz (arr. Katona) El Puerto, Evocación, Asturias Tarrega Recuerdos de la Alhambra Rodrigo Tonadilla Granados (arr. Katona) Orientale (Spanish Dance No.2) Falla (arr. Katona) El amor brujo (excerpts) – Twin brothers Peter and Zoltán Katona were born in hungary and trained in Germany, but Liverpool is their home. And they’re a phenomenon: from orchestral favourites in inventive arrangements to contemporary classics, there’s no limit to what the Katonas can do with their guitars.

Join them for this Spanish-themed evening of Rodrigo, Falla, Granados and Albéniz.

‘Check out the brotherly duo who dazzled in front of a capacity crowd...To witness their virtuoso tandem talent is breathtaking and scarcely believable; surely the sound of one man with four hands, or two men who can read each other’s minds.’ Liverpool Echo Handel Zadok the Priest, Christmas sequence from Messiah Corelli Allegro and Pastorale from Christmas Concerto Cullen Joy to the World Mozart Alleluia from Exsultate Jubilate Pearsall Gabriel’s Message Darke In the bleak midwinter and Carols for all including Good King Wenceslas, O little town of Bethlehem, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, The First Nowell, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, Once in royal David’s city, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks – Jennifer France soprano Michael Bawtree conductor Canzonetta choir Mozart Festival Orchestra

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Christmas | 29

CHRISTMAS WITH LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC

Fairy Tales

Thursday 3 December 7.30pm Friday 4 December 2.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel: three excerpts (Sandman’s Song, Evening Prayer, Dream Pantomime) Prokofiev Excerpts from Cinderella Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty (Final Act) – Vasily Petrenko conductor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Are you sitting comfortably? Because Vasily Petrenko wants to tell you a story. Deep in a fairy tale forest, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel share the sweetest of dreams.

Prokofiev’s Cinderella dances the night away – until the clock strikes twelve. And in the enchanted kingdom of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, everyone lives happily – and tunefully – ever after. No-one does Russian music quite like Petrenko, and this chance to hear him conduct the whole of Act 3 of Tchaikovsky’s greatest ballet should deliver some real magic. Three timeless fairy tales, drenched in glorious music…it’s the perfect pre-Christmas treat.

Sponsored by

A Hollywood Christmas

Chamber Music

Joglaresa: Sing We Yule

Monday 7 December 7.30pm St George’s Hall Concert Room £25 – We could hardly celebrate Christmas without a visit from Joglaresa: the medieval dance-band that takes retro to a whole new level, ditching the trappings of the modern festive, and grabbing fidels, harp, bells and bagpipes to the party like its 1399. Blow away the December chill with an evening of duelling percussion, soaring voices, riotous dance tunes and traditional carols from across the British Isles – plus lots and lots of spirited improvisation. Never mind Christmas: come and welcome Yule!

Saturday 12 December 7.30pm £18, £24, £31, £36, £43 – Programme includes: Winter Wonderland, Let it Snow, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, The Lady is a Tramp and more!

– Timothy Henty conductor Claire Martin OBE singer Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – There’s a special kind of magic in the air at Christmas – and a special kind of music that captures it. Call it nostalgia, call it festive cheer, but you know it when you feel it, and tonight the Orchestra transforms itself into a seasonal time machine, with star vocalist Claire Martin singing the songs of Christmases gone by – the classics, old and new, which still touch the heart at this most wonderful time of the year. The decorations are up and there’s always a warm welcome at Liverpool Philharmonic hall: so come in, make yourself comfortable, and let us ease you into the holiday spirit.

‘Joglaresa sing and play straight from the breast-bone.’

The Independent Sponsored by

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

30 | Christmas

Family Concert:

Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street

Spirit of Christmas

Thursday 17 December 7.30pm Saturday 19 - Sunday 20 December 7.30pm Tuesday 22 - Wednesday 23 December 7.30pm £18, £24, £31, £36, £43 – John Suchet presenter Ian Tracey conductor Kathryn Tickell Northumbrian pipes Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Simon Emery Artistic Director, Youth Ensembles – Christmas begins at home, and as we gather our whole wonderful family of musicians for our traditional Christmas concerts we’d like to invite you into our home, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, for an evening of festive music old and new. There’ll be classic carols and seasonal readings from our host – Classic FM’s John Suchet, back by popular demand. Folk star Kathryn Tickell brings the timeless magic of the Northumbrian pipes to the sound of our choruses and full orchestra, and conductor Ian Tracey adds a stocking-full of good cheer. And of course, be ready to join in – because this is a Christmas treat for everyone to enjoy.

Sponsored by

GIFT CARDS

Everyone loves Liverpool Philharmonic Gift Cards … an ideal gift for those special people on your list.

Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 December 11.30am & 2.30pm Tuesday 22 December 2.30pm £13, £17, £25 (adults) £8, £10, £13 (children) – Michael Seal conductor Alasdair Malloy presenter Melody Makers Liverpool Philharmonic Training Choir Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – What’s that sound - do you hear sleigh bells? Could it be..? Well, it IS that time of year! See page 19 for more details.

Happy Birthday Mr Sinatra

Thursday 31 December 7.30pm £18, £24, £31, £36, £43 – Roderick Dunk conductor Gary Williams singer Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Well ring-a-ding-ding – ol’ blue eyes is back! And as we see in the New Year, let Roderick Dunk and the full Orchestra whisk you to the Sands Hotel in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada for a 100th birthday toast to the Chairman of the Board. Vocalist Gary Williams has been hailed as the closest thing today to hearing Sinatra himself - and

Home Alone PG Film with Live Orchestra

Saturday 2 January 2016 7.30pm Sunday 3 January 2016 2.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 (Children £8) – Dirk Brossé conductor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – It isn’t Christmas unless you’ve watched a classic holiday film. But switch off your telly, and put away that DVD. You might have seen Home Alone before, but you’ve never heard it like this, with John Williams’ magical score performed live by the full Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. in this spectacular tribute using Sinatra’s original orchestral arrangements, he’ll sound like a million bucks. You Make Me Feel So Young, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, New York, New York, Night and Day, My Way. . . it’s just classic after swinging classic. Come fly with us!

Choose from three different designs and share the magic of Liverpool Philharmonic with your friends and family! Each card comes in a deluxe gift card holder with a space to write your message.

Order online at www.liverpoolphil.com/giftcards or call 0151 709 3789.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY Christmas Celebrations at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Festive Lunches in the Grand Foyer for your company, group or family gathering

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DEDICATE A SEAT

Dedicating a seat in the newly refurbished Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is a perfect way to celebrate your love of music.

Dedicate a seat today for £150 a year and begin what becomes for many, a lifelong journey in supporting our work.

Sign up for Direct Debit and pay just £144 over 12 monthly payments of just £12.

– To learn more, please call the Development team on 0151 210 2921 or email fundraising@liverpoolphil.com or visit www.liverpoolphil.com/seat

The Grand Foyer at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is now available to reserve for Christmas Lunches. Tis the season for Yuletide fun, and with great quality food in the stunning Art Deco setting of the newly-refurbished Grade II-listed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, the Grand Foyer is a majestic backdrop for your gathering.

Whether you’re looking for a lunch with colleagues or to relax with family and friends, there is no better place to celebrate Christmas!

Private Dining

If you have a group of 25 – 40, we can offer private dining in our stunning 1840 Room, located at the top of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, with stunning views across Hope St and beyond.

If you have a larger group (80 – 100), we can offer exclusive hire of the Grand Foyer for a seated lunch.

– To reserve or find out more, please call 0151 210 2895, visit www.liverpoolphil.com/ christmas or email Christmas@liverpoolphil.com

32 | Comedy & Spoken Word

Alan Carr Yap, Yap, Yap!

A E TR DD EX T A H IG N

Thursday 17 September 8pm

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COMEDY & SPOKEN WORD

Friday 18 & Saturday 19 September 8pm (limited availability) £30, £36 – No stranger to yap Alan Carr is yapping his way around the UK & Ireland with his brand new stand up show Yap, Yap, Yap! The BAFTA and British Comedy Award winning comedian, author and chat show supremo returns to his stand up roots with his hilarious take on life. Yap it up!

‘An absolute natural on stage. . . a born storyteller, sheer entertainment.’

London Evening Standard This show will feature adult language and content and parental guidance is advised for under 16s

Image Bill Bailey

Boycott & Aggers: The Second Innings!

Tuesday 15 September 7.30pm £22, £28 – The extraordinary odd couple return again by popular demand to enthral, dazzle and entertain in a new show…With the Ashes this summer Aggers challenges GB to justify his forthright views on cricket and life in general and our Geoffrey will say exactly what he thinks (what else?) about the ECB, England’s management and coaching staff, team selection, the captaincy, Kevin Pietersen and many other subjects he has

Mnozil Brass YES! YES! YES!

Saturday 26 September 7.30pm £25, £31 (£16 for Under 16s) – A Liverpool Philharmonic debut, for one of the world’s leading brass ensembles. The septet from Vienna is probably the strangest brass ensemble ever. With their musical virtuosity and their unique kind of comedy perhaps the best way to describe them is as cross between ‘Mr Bean’ and the ‘Monty Python of the music world’. Their hilarious but astonishingly skilful live performances really have to be seen to be believed, which is why they are currently going viral and concerts are selling out.

hit out on. The show is peppered with hilarious anecdotes, the audience can tweet Aggers live with their own questions and the evening will be full of surprises.

‘The Lennon & McCartney of cricket broadcasting.’

Wisden ‘It’s lucky he wasn’t a politician otherwise he might have blown up the world!’

Malcolm Tate, childhood friend of Geoffrey Boycott The event is being run in association with the Professional Cricketers Association, raising money for the organisation’s Benevolent Fund.

Dave Spikey Punchlines

Friday 2 October 8pm £19.50, £25.50 – Brace yourself for a hearty comic brawling at the hands of one of the UK’s finest comedy talents. Floating like a jovial butterfly and stinging like a bee with killer one-liners, Dave Spikey dissects the classics,

from nuns in baths to Prince Charles’s fur hat to a Lion walking into a pub; all delivered with the quick one-two of a comedy champion.

Add to this his irresistible mix of observational humour and heart-warming stories, and your ribs will not just be tickled but thoroughly pummelled by the multi award-winning Spikey.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Bill Bailey Limboland

Monday 26 & Tuesday 27 October 8pm £25, £31 – Limboland is the gap between how we imagine our lives to be and how they really are. With his trademark intelligence and sharp wit, he tells tales of finding himself in this halfway place. From his countless global travels, he recounts the hilarious saga of a disastrous family trip to Norway to see the Northern Lights. He rails against a world that doesn’t match up to our expectations and contemplates the true nature of happiness. And no Bill Bailey show would be complete without music, so we have his unique version of the protest song, a heart-rending country and western ballad played on a Bible, and a fabulously downbeat version of Happy Birthday.

‘Blissfully fun.’

The Times ‘Always hilarious, Bailey is approaching the status of a national treasure.’

The Guardian ‘Bill is an unalloyed pleasure, a treat for the funny bone, the brain and the ear.’

The New York Times

The Ken Dodd Happiness Show Monday 28 & Tuesday 29 December 7pm £16, £18, £20, £25

Comedy & Spoken Word | 33

Stewart Francis Pun Gent

Wednesday 11 November 8pm £17.50, £23.50 – The star of Mock The Week, Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow and Live At The Apollo embarks on a brand new stand up tour with a fantastic and hilarious new show!

‘A brilliant comic brain... this stand-up cracks some of the best one liners I’ve ever heard.’

The Guardian ‘Perfectly crafted gags.’

The Sunday Times

Ken Dodd’s incredible career as a professional entertainer now spans over sixty fun-filled years. He is a comedian of unrivalled status; an icon and a national treasure who has been entertaining audiences for a lifetime of happiness and laughter. When experiencing his now legendary ‘Happiness Show’ you’ll be absolutely discumknockerated (that’s Knotty Ash for ‘over the moon’) by a truly tattifelarius (funfilled) evening of laughter and songs. Dodd is a multi-award winning entertainer who has lived his entire life here in Liverpool and his fun-filled Happiness Show is for all the family – if they don’t mind staying up late - with a supporting company, non-stop gags and a selection of songs presented in Ken’s uniquely versatile style; everything from ballads to grand opera.

Wednesday 9 December 7.30pm £23, £29 – ‘The Ukes’ bring you a genrecrashing ride through popular music; a funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, footstomping obituary of rock and roll, and melodious light entertainment in a collision of post-punk performance and toe-tapping oldies. It is a rhythmic, joyous, thoughtprovoking journey through

Laughterhouse Live

Sunday 13 December 8pm £20, £25, £31 – This chapter of Laughterhouse Live at Liverpool Philharmonic is headlined by Irish comedy sensation Tommy Tiernan (Live At The Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow), who is second only to U2 when it comes to live ticket sales in Ireland. The line-

songs that you’ve heard, songs you’ve forgotten, songs you’ve never heard, and songs you perhaps wish you hadn’t encountered, all transformed into a lively, headlong stream of transcendent sounds, musical delight and warm personality featuring only the ‘bonsai guitar’™ and a menagerie of voices.

‘The best musical entertainment in the country... worth travelling a thousand miles to hear.’

The Independent

up also features Canadian comic Katherine Ryan (Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats), Paul Sinha (star of ITV1s The Chase), Gary Delaney (Mock The Week, Dave’s One Night Stand), Jason Cook (BBC2’s Hebburn, Russell Howard’s Good News), Jarred Christmas (8 Out Of 10 Cats, Dave’s One Night Stand) and Laughterhouse favourite Neil Fitzmaurice (Phoenix Nights, Peep Show, Mount Pleasant).

This show may feature adult themes and language and is for 16+ years only.

The line-up maybe subject to change.

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

34 | Film

FILM Watching a film at Liverpool Philharmonic is the antidote to the multiplex experience.

Rising out of the stage, accompanied by resident organist Dave Nicholas, the only working Walturdaw Cinema screen in the world!

Image Macbeth

Premiere Film Night for The Casa

Friday 4 September 7.30pm £8, £10 – Twenty years ago Liverpool Dockers took part in one of the longest strikes in British history to defend the principle of never crossing a picket line. The proceeds of a film about that strike allowed them to turn a disused building in Hope Street into The Casa - a radical meeting place where more than £10 million of free welfare advice has been handed to the neediest people on Merseyside.

Due to loss of funding The Casa’s future is under threat. Join us for the premiere screening of two documentary films, all profits from the night go to The Casa.

Amy

Evening film dining offer!

Meat or Veggie Platter with a glass of house wine or soft drink plus a film ticket - all for £17.

Viva La Casa

TBC

The story of The Casa on Hope Street and how it emerged from the 1995-98 Dockers dispute. The film includes footage from the 17 April benefit concert at Liverpool Philharmonic presented by Brian Reade

Conversation in Cuba TBC

Jimmy McGovern meets award winning author, Leonardo Padura in Havana – two writers from port cities, both critical of their own societies and both using writing to explore social justice.

NEW!

The Third Man

PG

Thursday 17 September 11am £16 inc. Brunch or 2 course Lunch. £7, £8 film only.

– Director Carol Reed, UK 1949 Starring Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Alida Valli 1h 44m – The (now newly restored) screen version of Graham Greene’s classic has become one of the most highly rated and best loved British films ever made. To damaged, divided, deeply cynical post-war Vienna comes American author Holly Martins (Cotten), promised work by his friend Harry Lime. But now they say Harry’s dead. How can that be?

Tilted angles, noir shadows and striking locations creates a palpable air of murky unease, corruption and betrayal with Orson Welles effortlessly stealing the show in his brief but unforgettable scenes as the mysterious Mr Lime.

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Wednesday 9 September 7.30pm £7, £8 – Director Asif Kapadi UK 2015 Starring Amy Winehouse 2hr 12min – The multiple-award-winning team behind Senna have created a full-access film about Amy Winehouse, the extraordinary musician who died in 2011 at the age of 27. The documentary features interviews with some of her closest friends, family, former bandmates, management, producers and collaborators. As with Senna, however, Kapadia eschews talking-head interviews, sticking to his preferred format of using 100% archival footage, even when presenting newly recorded audio material from the participants.

Mr Holmes

PG

Tuesday 22 September 7.30pm £7, £8 – Director Bill Condon UK 2015 Starring Sir Ian McKellen, Laura Linney 1h 45m – Set in 1947, a long-retired Sherlock Holmes (McKellen), lives in a sleepy village outside of London with his housekeeper (Linney) and her amateursleuthing son. With his legendary mental powers on the wane and minus his sidekick Watson, Holmes becomes haunted by an unsolved case from fifty years ago where he remembers only fragments: a confrontation with an angry husband and a secret bond with his beautiful but unstable wife.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Love and Mercy

Film | 35

12a

Wednesday 7 October 7.30pm £7, £8 – Director Bill Pohlad 2015 Starring Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti John Cussack 1 hr 59 min – Based on the life of musician and troubled-genius Brian Wilson, the film focuses on two key periods in his life, during the 1960s and 1980s. His

The Choir

PG

Thursday 15 October 11am £16 inc. Brunch or 2 course Lunch. £7, £8 film only.

– Director François Girard 2014 Starring Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Debra Winger 1hr 43 min – From acclaimed director Girard comes the inspirational story of a rebellious young boy with a remarkable singing voice. After being sent to a prestigious music school, he is challenged by a demanding teacher. A stellar ensemble cast star as the teachers and young singers to take their choir to new competitive heights. Featuring a stunning soundtrack of choral music by Handel, Britten, Tallis and Mendelssohn, The Choir is an uplifting story of talent, adolescence and mentorship that proves what can be achieved when you dare to dream.

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Asian Dub Foundation Live score of George Lucas’s film THX1138

importance to the development of pop music is celebrated as we see the reclusive Beach Boys songwriter from his successes with highly-influential orchestral pop albums to his nervous breakdown and subsequent encounter with controversial therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.

Tuesday 20 October 8pm £18.50, £24.50 – See page 7 for details.

‘…Those superb, tear-jerking studio scenes will linger in my head for years.’

The Guardian

Legend

TBC

Wednesday 21 October 7.30pm £7, £8 – Director Brian Helgeland 2015 Starring Tom Hardy, Emily Browning Running time tbc – From Academy Award winner Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River) comes the true story of the rise and fall of London’s most notorious gangsters, Reggie and Ron Kray, both portrayed by Tom Hardy in an amazing double performance. Legend is a classic crime thriller taking us into the secret history of the 1960s and the extraordinary events that secured the infamy of the Kray twins.

Psycho 15 Film with Live Orchestra

performance of Bernard Herrmann’s most famous spine-tingling score. The score, and in particular the chilling slasher motif, is critical to the film’s power. Hitchcock himself remarked that ‘33% of the effect of Psycho was due to the music’. One of the greatest thrillers of all time as you’ve never seen and heard it before, on the eve of Halloween.

Friday 30 October 7.30pm £14, £20, £26, £31, £40 – Anthony Gabriele conductor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – Don’t miss the chance to see director Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho with a live orchestra. Fifty years on from its release, this cinematic masterpiece comes alive in a big-screen presentation accompanied by a live

Piccadilly

PG

Thursday 12 November 11am £16 inc. Brunch or 2 course Lunch. £7, £8 film only.

– Director E.A. Dupont 1929 Starring Anna May Wong, Jameson Thomas, Gilda Gray 1hr 49 min

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‘The music throughout the evening was one of doom, buildup, and terror to come, and it never diminished in power or intensity.’

Examiner

The Piccadilly nightclub is in danger of decline when manager Valentine sacks his star attraction. But his discovery of talented Chinese dancer Shosho begins a chain of events leading to tragedy.

A film noir before the term was in use, Piccadilly is one of the true greats of British silent films, on a par with the best

work of Anthony Asquith or Alfred Hitchcock in the period. ‘…dismissed as vacuous by generations of critics who never had the privilege of seeing it. Now it is recognised as a masterpiece whose power is derived, in part, from Wong’s skilful manipulation of familiar oriental cliches.’

The Guardian

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

36 | Film

Macbeth

Everest

PG

Wednesday 18 November 7.30pm £7, £8 – Director Justin Kurzel 2015 Starring Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine 1hr 52 min – The story of a fearless warrior and inspiring leader (Michael Fassbender) brought low by ambition and desire. A thrilling interpretation of the dramatic realities of the times and a reimagining of what wartime must have been like for one of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling characters, a story of all-consuming passion and ambition, set in war torn Scottish landscape.

Wednesday 2 December 7.30pm £7, £8 – Director Baltasar Kormákur Starring Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley 1hr 30min – Inspired by the incredible events surrounding an attempt to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest documents the aweinspiring journey of two different expeditions challenged beyond their limits by one of the fiercest snowstorms ever encountered

Brief Encounter

Thursday 3 December 11am £16 inc. Brunch or 2 course Lunch. £7, £8 film only.

– Director David Lean 1945 Starring Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard 1hr 26 min

PG

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k Take a break from preparing or thinking about food just for a moment this Festive period. Treat you and your loved ones to a classic feelgood film accompanied by a hassle free feel good meal.

Christmas Eve Brunch from 9.30am or Lunch from 12noon including film ticket. £22 per person.

– Christmas Afternoon Tea from 4.30pm including film ticket £21.50 per person.

12a

It’s A Wonderful Life

by mankind. The film opened this year’s Venice film festival – a spot which has recently proved itself a launch pad for Oscar contenders. The real-life drama about the 1996 mountaineering incident charts how the mettle of the expedition’s climbers was tested by the harshest elements found on the planet, who faced nearly impossible obstacles as a lifelong obsession became a breath-taking struggle for survival.

David Lean’s 1945 film traces the affair of a married doctor and suburban housewife who meet on a train platform. It is one of the most popular romantic British films of all time. The soundtrack features Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 throughout: in fact, the film helped to popularise this epic work.

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Thursday 24 December 11am & 2.30pm £7, £8 – Christmas isn’t Christmas without this family favourite feel-good piece of cinematic history! This Christmas Eve watch the restored digital version of the timeless festive classic. Told mostly through flashbacks, James Stewart is George Bailey, a man whose attempted suicide on Christmas Eve gains the attention of a guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, who is sent to help him in his hour of need.

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Irish Festival | 37

15 -25 October Ciaran Lavery & Ryan Vail

Image Róisín O

Bringing Liverpool and Ireland together, Liverpool Irish Festival returns this October, celebrating the finest in contemporary and traditional Irish culture and Liverpool’s unique relationship with Ireland.

The Festival is more diverse than ever this year, extending its annual celebration of Irish

Rusangano Family

Saturday 17 October 7pm Kazimier Garden – Liverpool Irish Festival also hosts the first ever Liverpool performance of the West Ireland-based hip-hop and electronic outfit made up of Togolese MC Murli, Zimbabwean rapper God Knows and Irish producer mynameisjohn. The trio delivers a potent blend of

arts and music to explore contemporary Liverpool Irish culture in even more depth.

From a brand new cutting edge Irish animation and film, including Oscar-nominated pieces in partnership with Indie Cork Film Festival at FACT, to a Liverpool-Ireland Craft beer festival, art exhibitions by cutting edge

philosophical rhymes over rumbling bass, skewed soul and blues samples and sliced-up breaks. Their recent solo and joint efforts have garnered numerous plays on BBC Radio 1 as well as the trio performing shows alongside Run The Jewels, Young Fathers, Snoop Dogg and BadBadNotGood, and headlining dates at festivals across Ireland.

In partnership with Scarecrow Sessions.

artists across the city, a whiskey tasting with a distiller, screening of ‘Good Vibrations’ with Q&A, and food from all corners of Ireland, there’s something for all the family.

More Power to your Elbow

Saturday 17 October 7.30pm St Michael’s Irish Centre – An eight-piece Celtic rock band from counties Tyrone, Armagh and Derry. They combine the inherent wizardry of Irish traditional with the musical muscle of rock. More Power to your Elbow have fans in the USA, France and Norway,

in partnership with Mellowtone Thursday 15 October 8pm LEAF on Bold Street – A special performance by two artists from very different worlds; Ciaran is a young altfolk singer from Aghagallon who has racked up an impressive 11 million plays on Spotify while Ryan is a minimal electronic artist who creates sweeping soundscapes with piano, synthesiser and sampled found sounds. Together they have created a beautiful album featuring Ciaran’s wistful vocals, ambient melodies, spoken word, Donegal fishermen, seagulls, the wind and the sea. The album takes the listener on a windswept journey and this is the only time it will be performed live in Liverpool.

where they have a growing reputation for powerhouse live performances. The band’s recent album Until the Last Note Fades was recorded by legendary producer Mudd Wallace, it is a powerhouse fusion of Irish /Scottish style music with rock, reggae and other forms. The end result is quirky song writing and sophisticated arrangements.

It is a delight to hear and you won’t be able to sit still!

Book now at www.liverpoolphil.com

38 | Irish Festival

Róisín O & Dallahan

Friday 23 October 7.30pm Music Room £12 – Daughter of the great Mary Black, Róisín O joins the Liverpool Irish Festival to play her first ever date in Liverpool.

Róisín O recently released her single If You Got Love. The track was recorded in London with producer Eliot James, who has previously worked with artists such as Two Door Cinema Club, Noah and the Whale and Eliza Doolittle, to name a few.Since they started in late 2013, Dallahan have exploded onto the traditional music scene. Their unique arrangements of original music and traditional Irish tunes and songs have secured their presence at such prestigious

international events as Celtic Connections, Milwaukee Irish Festival in the USA and now Liverpool Irish Festival. They have received an Emerging Excellence Award from Help Musicians UK and were recently nominated for Best Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards.

This event is kindly supported by Tourism Ireland.

‘A quality of tone and voice that is near pitch-perfect, at times evoking the likes of Joni Mitchell, Joanna Newsom and Kate Bush.’

The Sunday Times on Róisín O ‘They play the most exciting Irish music I've heard in a long time...Lunasa for the new generation.’ fRoots on Dallahan

Christy Moore with Declan Sinnott

Saturday 24 October 8pm £30, £33, £39 – See page 8 for more details.

For all the latest information on events and tickets, exclusive early bird ticket offers and the chance to win tickets to events sign up to receive the Liverpool Irish Festival newsletter via www.liverpoolirishfestival.com www.facebook.com/LivIrishFest twitter.com/LivIrishFest

There are also plenty of free events to explore during the Festival.

Here are some of our favourites:

Leo Boyd

Throughout October 92 Degrees Coffee Free – Award winning Belfast-based artist exhibits his latest collection of work ‘Prints of things to Come’ exploring ideas of the future at Liverpool’s first micro roaster and coffee shop.

Leo’s work is inspired by science fiction, comic art, Bmovie posters, advertising, city architecture, propaganda gems and online comment forums.

Mashing up these visual forms of information he creates satirical works that blend images of the past with contemporary urban living.

Museum Family Fun Day

Patterson. With nine novels, radio plays for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4 and his first feature film Good Vibrations cowritten with Colin Carberry released in 2013 all under his belt, Glenn comes to Liverpool to talk about Here’s me Here, a new collection featuring his articles and essays for print and broadcast.

Saturday 17 October 11-4pm Museum of Liverpool Free – Enjoy a museum family fun day including live music and dance performances throughout the day, arts workshops and a talk from leading Irish writer Glenn

Irish Traditional Music Sessions

The Caledonia, Pogue Mahones, The Edinburgh, Kelly’s Dispensary & Peter Kavanagh’s 15- 25 October Free – The spirit of Irish folk is alive and well in Liverpool’s pubs throughout Liverpool Irish Festival. Throughout the Festival traditional and contemporary local and Irish musicians take over the city’s

drinking holes. The Saltcutters continue their regular raucous stomp at The Caledonia while The Edinburgh and Peter Kavanagh’s, two of the Festival’s spiritual homes, will come alive with jumping music and song. Bring an instrument!

Booking fees Online and phone 7.50% per order administrative fee applies, this includes all costs and standard postage is free.

In Person No fees for cash or debit card payments. Credit card payments incur a 2% transaction fee and cheque payments are subject to 70p per order charge.

Diary | 39

DIARY How to Book Online at www.liverpoolphil.com

Post Box Office, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BP

Telephone 0151 709 3789

In person Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BP

Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.30pm Sunday 12noon – 5pm

Monday to Saturday 10am to 5.30pm and 90 minutes prior to each performance

Plan Your Visit For full booking information, directions and terms & conditions please visit www.liverpoolphil.com/ planyourvisit, where you can also see the view from your seat on our seating plan.

All major credit cards accepted (and are subject to a booking fee) Mastercard/Visa. We do not accept AMEX. Please make cheques payable to ‘RLPS’.

Key - Classical Music / Music Room events / * Events at St George’s Hall Concert Room

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The Spooky Men’s Chorale Premiere Film Night for the Casa Electric Trio Tour: Richard Thompson Film: Amy Nathan Carter and his Band Boycott & Aggers: The Second Innings Art Garfunkel Denis Kozhukhin* Film: The Third Man Alan Carr - Yap, Yap, Yap! Alan Carr - Yap, Yap, Yap! Alan Carr - Yap, Yap, Yap! Cor Glanaethwy Film: Mr Holmes RLPO: Classic FM Hall of Fame RLPO: Classic FM Hall of Fame Mnozil Brass YES! YES! YES! Discover the Classics: Vasily Petrenko Victory in Europe

P4 P34 P4 P34 P4 P32 P4 P22 P34 P32 P32 P32 P4 P34 P22 P22 P5 P20 P18

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7.30pm 8pm 7.45pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 12.45pm 7.30pm 6.15pm 7.30pm

RLPO: Songs from Distant Lands Dave Spikey - Punchlines Cliff Richard: The 75th Birthday Tour RLPO: Alpine Symphony Squeeze Lunchtime Learning: The Planets Film: Love and Mercy Classic Intros: The Planets RLPO: The Planets Post-concert Discussion: The Planets Music Room Open House RLPO: The Carl Davis Collection Steve Nieve Plays Elvis Costello The Sensational 60s Experience Personal Message - Duos for Violin ...

Donovan 50th Anniversary Tour Ksenija Sidorova and Thomas Gould* FitkinWall Lost Frigg RLPO: Exotic Tales Post-concert Discussion: Exotic Tales Film: The Choir RLPO: Exotic Tales Catfish Keith The Ensemble of St Luke’s The Christians and Roachford International Guitar Night Marcus Miller

P22 P32 P5 P22 P5 P20 P35 P20 P23 P21 P3 P23 P5 P5 P23 P6 P23 P24 P6 P24 P21 P35 P24 P6 P24 P6 P6 P7

October

7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 8.30pm 7.30pm 11am 7.30pm 8.30pm 1pm 7.30pm 8pm 8pm

Tue Wed Wed Thu Fri Sat Sat Sun Mon Mon Mon Mon Tue Tue Wed Wed Thu Thu Thu Thu Fri Fri Sat Sat

20 21 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 26 26 26 27 27 28 28 29 29 29 29 30 30 31 31

8pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 8pm 2.30pm 8pm 10am 11.45am 8pm 8pm 8pm 7.30pm 8pm 8pm 10am 11.45am 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm

Asian Dub Foundation Pierre Bensusan Film: Legend RLPO: Slavic Sounds Steve Hackett Christy Moore with Declan Sinnott Edward II RLPO: Elijah Seckou Keita: 22 Strings Workshops for Children: Baby Voices Workshops for Children: Toddler Tunes Bill Bailey Limboland Bella Hardy Bill Bailey Limboland The Proclaimers Skip McDonald + King Size Slim Faustus Workshops for Children: Little Notes Workshops for Children: Baby Voices The Priests: In Concert For Jospice Aly Bain, Ale Moller & Bruce Molsky RLPO: Psycho - Film with Live Orchestra Hothouse Flowers Clive Carroll

P7 P7 P35 P24 P7 P8 P8 P25 P8 P21 P21 P33 P8 P33 P9 P9 P9 P21 P21 P25 P9 P35 P9 P10

Sun Mon Mon Tue Wed Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Sun Tue Tue Wed Wed Thu Thu Thu Thu Fri Fri Sat Sat Sat Sun Sun

1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 8 10 10 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 15 15

2.30pm 1pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 12.45pm 7.30pm 8pm 8pm 8pm 6.15pm 7.30pm 11am 8pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 8pm

RLPO Family Concert: Superheroes Liverpool String Quartet John Wilson: Gershwin in Hollywood Blood and Roses: The Songs of Ewan ...

ABC Ensemble 10/10* 9Bach Celebration of Life RLPO: Baroque Masters Charlie Landsborough Music of the Travellers Lunchtime Learning: Petrenko’s Mahler Leroy Jones, Joe Stilgoe, Ian Shaw ...

Treacherous Orchestra Stewart Francis Pun Gent The Lindisfarne Story Classic Intros: Petrenko’s Mahler RLPO: Petrenko’s Mahler Film: Piccadilly The Lindisfarne Story RLPO: Petrenko’s Mahler The Four Seasons by Candlelight Emerson Quartet* Dick Gaughan Go West & Nik Kershaw Emily Portman Trio

P18 P25 P18 P10 P10 P25 P10 P11 P26 P11 P11 P20 P11 P12 P33 P12 P20 P26 P35 P12 P26 P26 P26 P12 P12 P13

November

40 | Diary Mon Tue Wed Wed Thu Fri Fri Sat Sat Sat Sun Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Thu Thu Fri Fri Sat Sat Sat Sat Sun Sun Sun

16 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 26 26 27 27 28 28 28 28 29 29 29

7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 11am 4pm 8pm 8pm 2.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 8pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 8pm 2pm 2.30pm 8pm

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel Thea Gilmore Film: Macbeth The Other Half RLPO: Russian Classics Celtic Woman Paul Lamb & Chad Strenz Discover the Classics: Jane Jones with ...

Somali Stars Somali Stars Rob Vincent & Gary Edward Jones RLPO: Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto Not Just a Trumpet!

Caro Emerald Boo Hewerdine Gary Lucas: Jeff Buckley Simposium RLPO: Mozart and Mendelssohn Post-concert Discussion: Mozart and ...

The Stylistics Gary Lucas: Frankenstein Ronnie Spector Gary Lucas: Masterclass Julian Rachlin, violin* Gary Lucas: In Concert Gary Lucas: Masterclass Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Gary Lucas: Captain Beefheart ...

P12 P13 P36 P13 P27 P13 P13 P20 P14 P14 P14 P27 P14 P14 P14 P15 P27 P21 P15 P15 P15 P15 P28 P15 P15 P28 P15

7.30pm 7.30pm 11am

Film: Everest RLPO: Fairy Tales Film: Brief Encounter

P36 P29 P36

December Wed 2 Thu 3 Thu 3

Fri Fri Sat Sat Sun Sun Mon Mon Wed Wed Thu Fri Sat Sat Sun Sun Thu Fri Sat Sat Sat Sun Sun Sun Mon Tue Tue Wed Thu Thu Sun Mon Tue Thu

4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 9 9 10 11 12 12 13 13 17 18 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 22 22 23 24 24 27 28 29 31

2.30pm 8pm 8pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 8pm 12.45pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 1pm 7.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 8pm 2.30pm 8pm 7.30pm 8pm 11.30am 2.30pm 7.30pm 11.30am 2.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 11am 2.30pm 2.30pm 7pm 7pm 7.30pm

RLPO: Fairy Tales Tom Robinson I Am Kloot’s John Bramwell Cast - All Change The Bootleg Beatles Any Trouble Ensemble of St Luke’s Joglaresa: Sing We Yule* Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain The Bass Line Gareth Malone and his choir Voices Shine RLPO: A Hollywood Christmas Connie Lush Liverpool Welsh Choral Laughterhouse Live RLPO: Spirit of Christmas Kathryn Tickell and Mike Tickell RLPO: Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street RLPO: Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street RLPO: Spirit of Christmas RLPO: Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street RLPO: Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street RLPO: Spirit of Christmas Carols By Candlelight RLPO: Santa’s Sleigh on Hope Street RLPO: Spirit of Christmas RLPO: Spirit of Christmas Film: It’s A Wonderful Life Film: It’s A Wonderful Life The Sound of Musicals The Ken Dodd Happiness Show The Ken Dodd Happiness Show RLPO: Happy Birthday Mr Sinatra

P29 P15 P15 P16 P16 P16 P20 P29 P16 P16 P17 P17 P29 P17 P19 P33 P30 P17 P19 P19 P30 P19 P19 P30 P28 P19 P30 P30 P36 P36 P19 P33 P33 P30

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