National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain Spring Concerts 2014
NYO showcase their trademark energy and virtuosity in their upcoming spring concerts, with £5 tickets for under-25s at all venues!
Francois-Xavier Roth conductor
Thomas Adès Asyla
Richard Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Thursday 17 April 2014 - http://www.liverpoolphil.com/4079/events-classical-music/national-youth-...
Sage Gateshead, Friday 18 April 2014 - http://www.sagegateshead.com/event/national-youth-orchestra30752/
Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London, on Saturday 19 April - http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/national-youth-orchestra-of-gre...
There are many artists that stand as testament to the unparalleled opportunities and skills that playing with the National Youth Orchestra can give, but even amongst this vibrant community of alumni, Thomas Adès is a towering figure. A percussionist in the orchestra in 1988, he has gone on to establish himself as one a pre-eminent character within contemporary composition. It’s for this reason that we’re exceptionally proud to be performing his work Asyla, completed just a decade after he left the orchestra. The piece is fabulously energetic, with Adès using the idea of ‘asylum’ to explore the history of communities travelling to seek political refuge, before tackling the idea of seeking personal refuge – inside a nightclub. This expression of the fear of isolation and desire connection is representative of some very real emotions for young people. Confirming him as a composer of exuberant and kaleidoscopic talent, the piece takes inspiration from club culture, and features a huge percussion section with tuned cowbells, knives and forks and a water-gong (this genuinely is a gong suspended in a tank of water).
Alongside this piece, the orchestra will perform Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben. Anyone that has heard this egotistical masterwork will be aware of its bombastic portrayal of the composer’s supposed heroism, something that couples well with the orchestra’s youthful bravado. The passion of 165 teenagers fuels the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and each concert is a rare chance to share their irresistible energy as they discover the thrill of the repertoire for the first time. These are two powerful stories about standing out from the crowd and getting lost in it – the perfect match for a totally teenage orchestra hungry for adventure.
Conducted by Francois-Xavier Roth, NYOGB presents this bold programme at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on Thursday 17 April, Sage Gateshead on Friday 18 April and London’s Royal Festival Hall on Saturday 19 April.
£5 tickets for under-25s at all venues!