© Dan Brady
Welcome from our General Director
There can only be one way to start this foreword – inviting you to join us in celebrating our outstanding orchestra being awarded the title Royal Northern Sinfonia . If you ’ ve never heard any of their virtuosic performances live , make this the season you treat yourself to that spellbinding experience .
Sometimes themes weave themselves into our planning , but this autumn we offer you simply a ravishing feast of outstanding artists in all kinds of music - in the sonic magnificence of Hall One ( called one of the world ’ s five best concert halls by conducting superstar Lorin Maazel ); the intimate immediacy of Hall Two , or the friendly informality of Gateshead ’ s glorious Old Town Hall , now with a brand new town centre attached ! Hall One ’ s parade of leading international artists ranges from Alison Moyet to Crosby , Stills and Nash and from the Soweto Gospel Choir to The Guy Barker Orchestra , while Hall Two ’ s menu stretches from The Be Good Tanyas and Devon Sproule to Dr . Feelgood and Ralph McTell !
Meanwhile , Royal Northern Sinfonia ’ s autumn is packed with attractive programmes in both halls ( including a major centenary focus on Benjamin Britten ), in a wide-ranging classical season that also launches our Beethoven sonata cycle from the astonishing Palestinian- Israeli pianist Saleem Abboud Ashkar .
We also welcome back the first of this season ’ s festivals and series – BBC Radio 3 ’ s glorious feast of serendipitous adventure Free Thinking ; the parade of revelatory talent in the North East Guitar Festival ; the acoustic brilliance of Brass in Concert ; JUICE ( NewcastleGateshead ’ s magical festival for children and young people ) and Making Tracks (‘ Adventures in well-travelled music ’) launching a truly exceptional autumn for explorers of world music .
Collectors of special programming moments may want to join us for Arve Henriksen ’ s haunting Norwegian Requiem ( commemorating Norway ’ s Utøya tragedy ), or Joanna McGregor ’ s celebration of the extraordinary world of ‘ Graphic Scores ’, or the premiere of ‘ A Mind Full of Nothing but Continue ’ – a new choral work inspired by the Bupa Great North Run from the fertile pen of Maxïmo Park musician Paul Smith !
And with the arrival of autumn , learning and participation programmes all resume , packed with opportunities to get closer to the music ( this time even playing in the ‘ Rite of Spring ’!) or to explore our many illustrated talks - whether you ’ re already an experienced musician or an eager beginner .
Whatever your tastes I ’ m very confident that somewhere in these pages you ’ ll find an event you ’ ll not want to miss – and hope you may also make some rewarding new discoveries !
Anthony Sargent General Director
www . sagegateshead . com Tickets : 0191 443 4661