Past events

Holst’s The Planets was first performed 100 years ago. But what would it sound like if created today?

Inspired by modern astronomy and music, the Ligeti Quartet perform 8 new planetary works, spanning contemporary classical, electronica to jazz, created especially for planetariums. Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Deborah Pritchard, Laurence Crane, Mira Calix, Richard Bullen, Shiva Feshareki, Samuel Bordoli and Yazz Ahmed explore the domes’ design with live visuals, in an astronomical journey into new music.

Second performance now available!

Holst’s The Planets was first performed 100 years ago. But what would it sound like if created today?

Inspired by modern astronomy and music, the Ligeti Quartet perform 8 new planetary works, spanning contemporary classical, electronica to jazz, created especially for planetariums. Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Deborah Pritchard, Laurence Crane, Mira Calix, Richard Bullen, Shiva Feshareki, Samuel Bordoli and Yazz Ahmed explore the domes’ design with live visuals, in an astronomical journey into new music.

The Ligeti Quartet will be performing at Wilderness Festival on Sunday 5 August!

• Forest Trail and Currents, by John Kaizan Neptune (shakuhachi)

This concert, the Gala Opening Concert of the World Shakuhachi Festival 2018 in London, brings together many of the world’s best performers of the shakuhachi, the Japanese bamboo flute, from all continents. It presents, at highest level, a broad cross-section of traditional and contemporary solo and ensemble music for shakuhachi. 

A performance including four world premieres, with works by Cheltenham Composer Academy Director Michael Zev Gordon, 2017 Academy alumni Sarah Rimkus and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson (commissioned by Cheltenham Music Festival), and one by 2017 RPS Composition Prize winner Bethan Morgan Williams (supported by the Susan Bradshaw Composers’ Fund). The programme is completed by a new work by young composer Christian Mason, commissioned by the Ligeti Quartet (supported by the Britten Pears Foundation and the City Music Foundation).

Supported by The Steel Charitable Trust

The Ligeti Quartet performs as part of the Cheltenham Festival's Classical Mixtape evening.

Back by popular demand, Classical Mixtape presents short pieces of live music from different stages surrounding the audience in uninterrupted bliss. Stand, sit or lie where you like and let the spine-tingling sounds and amazing architecture of Tewkesbury Abbey transport you to another world.

Pay what you can from just £1. There is no booking fee for this concert.

Violinist Jyotsna Srikanth explores time in South Indian music. The first half of this concert, with mridangam and ghatam percussion, comprises a whirlwind historical sketch of great composers from the 15th to the 20th century in several different rhythmic cycles. In the second half Srikanth presents the UK premiere of her own Raga Seasons violin concerto with the Ligeti Quartet: six movements depicting the six seasons of the Hindu calendar.

Featuring:

Christian Mason: Excerpts from Sardinian Songbook
Richard Bolley: Three movements from Travels with Alex
And music by Cage, Saariaho, Murail and others, Tibetan ritual music and cham dances

Tibetan monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
Ben Williamson, counter tenor
Kate Ryder, pianos
Rosie Bergonzi, percussion

Violinist Jyotsna Srikanth explores time in South Indian music. The first half of this concert, with mridangam and ghatam percussion, comprises a whirlwind historical sketch of great composers from the 15th to the 20th century in several different rhythmic cycles. In the second half Srikanth presents the UK premiere of her own Raga Seasons violin concerto with the Ligeti Quartet: six movements depicting the six seasons of the Hindu calendar.

The Ligeti Quartet performs with drummer Sean Noonan in his Zappanation - an ionisation of Edgard Varèse and Frank Zappa - with bass, keyboard, saxophone, guitar and choir.

The Ligeti Quartet performs with drummer Sean Noonan in his Zappanation - an ionisation of Edgard Varèse and Frank Zappa - with bass, keyboard, saxophone, guitar and choir.

‘Rumi’ – a miniature festival of the Persian master’s poetry, and new composition inspired by it.

Pre-Concert Events
5.00pm - Foyer opens for viewing of artwork by Sama Soltani, refreshments served
5.30pm - Auditorium: Talk on the poetry, by Parwana Fayyaz

With Oliver Rudland, Keziah Thomas, and composers & singers from the Fitzwilliam College.

Eight ‘up-and-coming’ composers (Robin Haigh, Sarah Lewis, Ben Lunn, Alex Mills, Helen Papaioannou, Lisa Robertson, Laura Shipsey, Peter Wilson) have been selected  to work with the Ligeti Quartet towards a new 6-minute piece for string quartet over two workshops (second workshop Autumn 2018 date tbc, held at The University of Sheffield).  The workshop, generously funded by Arts Council England, is also open to observers, including A-Level students and their teachers.

A performance arranged at the last minute (as a stand-in) as part of the Bristol New Music weekend

Take a peek behind the bookcase at The Victoria, Dalston and enjoy a night of contemporary music performed by the Ligeti Quartet and pianist/composer John Kameel Farah, featuring the European premiere of Tuggemo by Anna Meredith.

Nonclassical DJs will open and close the night. 

This workshop is generously funded by the University of Sheffield Concerts (UOSC), a Sheffield home for musical discovery, learning, and participation.   With scores of international and award-winning performers, a kaleidoscope of choirs, collectives, composers, conductors, and ensembles of all shapes and sizes, UOSC is committed to providing opportunities for music lovers of all tastes and ages. 

This workshop is generously funded by the University of Sheffield Concerts (UOSC), a Sheffield home for musical discovery, learning, and participation.   With scores of international and award-winning performers, a kaleidoscope of choirs, collectives, composers, conductors, and ensembles of all shapes and sizes, UOSC is committed to providing opportunities for music lovers of all tastes and ages.