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CONCERT: COPENHAGEN 23.02.2020
Koncertkirken / Blågårds Plads
Copenhagen, Denmark.
Theatre of Voices
Zagajewski in Music – Where the Breath is
Internationally regarded Theatre of Voices working with long term creative partner Argentine composer Pablo Ortiz, and acclaimed Polish author Adam Zagajewski come together to create music for a number of his poems for a spectacular World Premiere performance in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Adam Zagajewski is an internationally acclaimed author. A Polish born French émigré now teaching in the USA, he is considered one of Poland’s most prominent poets. Composer Pablo Ortiz grew up with tango as part of his DNA, is a professor of composition at the University of California – Davis, describing Argentine music as a deep source of personal inspiration.
In this concert, lyrics and music are presented together in a new work ‘Where the Breath is’. Written for soprano and string quartet; performed by soprano Else Torp and The Smith Quartet. Adam Zagajewski will join this World Premiere concert by kind invitation of the Polish Embassy in Denmark.
14:00 – 14:40 Artist talk moderated by Ivan Rod
15:00 – 16:30 Concert
Tickets: billetto.dk
More information:
KoncertKirken.dk
TheatreOfVoices.com
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CONCERT: PISA 04.02.2020
Teatro di Pisa / Scuola Normale Superiore
Via Palestro, 40, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
Performing in the spectacular venue of the Teatro Verdi in Pisa, the Quartet is excited to be giving the premier of a new quartet by Gavin Bryars. Unlike his other quartets, it will simply be titled ‘Quartet 4’.
Anton Webern – 5 Sätze op.5
Gavin Bryars – Quartet 4 World Premiere
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet no.8 op.110
More information:
TeatroDiPisa.pi.it
GavinBryars.com
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Recent highlights
DECADES OF FREEDOM 11.11.2018
100 works by Polish composers
marking 100 years of Polish Independence
A unique PWM Edition celebration
2018 marks the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence as a Republic. Celebrated globally in 2018, there was a worldwide music project ‘100 for 100’ where the Decades of Freedom celebration presented more than one hundred works by Polish composers from the last one hundred years.
As part of this project The Smith Quartet performed with award-winning vocal group Theatre of Voices at the Queens Hall in The Black Diamond at The Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen, Denmark, on November 11th 2018 at 16.00 as part of a series of connected worldwide performances.
The programme included works by Krystyna Moszumańska-Nazar, Witold Lutoslawski, Rafał Augustin, Agata Zubel, Grażyna Bacewicz and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki. A detailed programme is available here.
Smith Quartet
Theatre of Voices
Signe Asmussen Jakob Bloch Jespersen Else Torp
Isabella Hübner flute
Tanja Zapolski piano
More information about the performance: www.kb.dk
For information about the Niepodlegla: 100 years of Polish Independence project: niepodlegla.gov.pl and at CulturePolonaise.eu
MATERIAL MEN redux
More information:
ShobanaJeyasingh.co.uk
“The evening was a jaw-dropping delight…”
Stagetalk Magazine (5 stars)
“…marvellously intense… the double edges of clarity and complexity, contrast and connection, are pure Jeyasingh…”
The Guardian (5 stars)
The Ravenna Festival
The quartet performed at the Ravenna Festival, Italy, at the historic
Chiostro della Biblioteca Classense, performing the Italian premiere of Michael Nyman’s 5th quartet as well as works by Gavin Bryars and Steve Martland.
More information: RavennaFestival.org
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IAN HUMPHRIES – VIOLIN
RICK KOSTER – VIOLIN
NIC PENDLEBURY – VIOLA
DEIRDRE COOPER – CELLO
“…the superb Smith Quartet…”
The Times
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The Smith Quartet are the Carne Trust Ensemble in Residence at Trinity Laban London
Commencing their residency in January 2018 with performances of Glass and Volans, lectures and student coaching sessions – the quartet continue to have a strong input into many areas within the Conservatoire during 2021.
More information: TrinityLaban.ac.uk
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“…the familiar driving rhythms, the merciless ostinatos and the pop-like syncopations are all still there, but there’s also a more considered restraint behind the propulsive energy. Lines are etched with brilliant clarity in the Smith musicians’ playful account of the Fifth Quartet…”
The Strad magazine, October 2018
“…The Smith Quartet opt for a tighter, more focused sound, resulting in a direct and very dynamic performance overall.”
Gramaphone, October 2018
“…the music is meaningful, beautiful — and, in the hands of the Smith Quartet, moving, too.”
BBC Music Magazine, July 2018
Recent news
Released on Matchless Recordings, Music for Piano and Strings Vol.3 is the final volume of all the works written for Piano and Strings by Feldman, which was recorded live at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in 2006.
Featured works include Spring of Chosroes (violin and piano), The Viola in My Life (viola and piano) and Trio, the mesmerising work for violin, cello and piano. Recorded and produced by Sebastian Lexer, this volume celebrates 10 years of extraordinary collaboration. Included here are the beautiful notes that John Tilbury has written for the booklet.
“…If any single piece epitomises the beauty and hypnotic power of Feldman’s final works, it is Piano and String Quartet.”
The Guardian
Reviews for St. Johns Smith Square
concert with John Tilbury
“Feldman’s feeling for proportion and weight was exquisitely displayed in the piece, but only because the performance was so beautifully judged… In their wonderful performance Feldman’s masterpiece took on a lovely vernal glow.”
Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph (5 stars)
“…The Smiths and Tilbury are seasoned exponents of this style and made the performance magical…”
Paul Driver, The Sunday Times
“Pianist John Tilbury and the Smith Quartet interpreted 85 minutes of Morton Feldman’s ‘slow music’ with silken beauty…”
Geoff Brown, The Times (4 stars)
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