St Martin-in-the-Fields Launches New Concert Series
- London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields launches a new concert series entitled Fresh Horizons, putting the venue at the heart of music-making in the capital
- The series features internationally acclaimed artists including Chineke!, Stile Antico, Peter Donohoe, The Gesualdo Six and Academy of Martin-in-the-Fields
- Each concert will be recorded behind closed doors and streamed to ticketholders through the St Martins Digital platform, and available for 30 days
- The series will move to live performances when possible
- The concert series is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
On Thursday 28 January 2021, London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields will be launching a new weekly concert series – Fresh Horizons – supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Running from 28 January to April 2021, the series offers fourteen streamed concerts recorded in the beautiful surroundings of St Martin-in-the-Fields church.
The launch concert will feature the London Mozart Players performing Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires and Roxanna Panufnik’s Four World Seasons. The concert will also be introduced by Panufnik.
Composer Roxanna Panufnik said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to be included in this spring series of concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields, and for Four World Seasons to herald this more-than-ever needed season of light and hope. Having been closely involved with both London Mozart Players and the music of St Martin’s over a number of years, it is an honour to play a part in the next exciting chapter of all our musical lives.’
Some of the many highlights of the series include: three concerts from Grammy-Award winning vocal ensemble Stile Antico performing music from their new album featuring works by Josquin des Prez together with works by Claudio Monteverdi and Nico Muhly; the London Mozart Players giving three concerts including Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with soloist Jonian Ilias Kadesha and a performance of a new arrangement for chamber ensemble of Stainer’s Crucifixion by composer and pianist Iain Farrington; the Piatti Quartet celebrating 10 years of the St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition with a programme of Purcell, Beethoven and Dvořák; The Gesualdo Six performing a programme of works by Orlando Gibbons, William Byrd and Thomas Tallis; pianist Peter Donohoe giving a concert featuring works by Schubert, Brahms and Messiaen among others; Handel’s Messiah performed by St Martin’s Voices and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields with images projected on to the East Window curated by Nina Dunn Studio; Academy of St Martin in the Fields performing contemporary works by composers including James MacMillan alongside great Baroque masterpieces; and Chineke! Chamber Ensemble performing folk-song arrangements by Florence B Price and Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A, D667 (Trout).
The details of the Fresh Horizons concert series come after the venue announced a new vision for music at St Martin’s to broaden its musical output and provide greater opportunities for musicians and audiences. This new phase of its music programme has the aim of shaping a series of carefully curated, sector-leading and inspiring performances.
This season, the concert programme looks to recontextualise the Baroque, Classical and chamber repertoire for which St Martin’s is well known with fresh takes on core repertoire such as Handel’s Messiah, Stainer’s Crucifixion and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
Andrew Earis, Director of Music at St Martin-in-the-Fields said: ‘Keeping our music programme running throughout the pandemic has been hugely important to us at St Martin-in-the-Fields, and we have been thrilled by the enthusiasm of both our performers and audiences since March. Through the Fresh Horizons series, our aim is to create a programme that welcomes a broad range of world-leading musicians and artists, both up-and-coming and established. We are thrilled to be involving our professional vocal ensemble St Martin’s Voices, partnering with leading instrumental ensembles Academy of St Martin in the Fields and London Mozart Players as well as building on existing relationships with musicians such as the Piatti Quartet who were winners of our first Chamber Competition ten years ago. I am delighted to see our music programme continue to grow, and look forward immensely to welcoming these artists and ensembles to our beautiful building.’
Tickets for the entire series are now on sale and available if you click here and there you will also find full details of the concert series. Tickets are priced at £10 with group discounts and series passes also available.