What's On — TownHall events

• The Scottish Fiddle Orchestra  

  Sat 27 Dec Town Hall

  The Scottish Fiddle Orchestra returns to Town Hall, following last year’s sold-out concert, with a lively concert for the festive season. The unique arrangements of traditional items, mixed with John Mmason’s original compositions, are performed by an orchestra of fiddles, flutes, cellos, basses, accordions, piano and pipes, and augmented by the incomparable organ of Town Hall. Jigs, reels, marches, songs and other dance music will keep your feet tapping and have you joining in with the performers. Programme will also feature some poignant slow airs and the orchestra’s unique and stirring rendition of Highland Cathedral. This will be a night to remember for all the family, and especially for anyone with Scots connections. £10, £14, £18, £22.50, Choir benches £7.5
  *John Mason MBE* conductor/musical director *Colette Ruddy* soprano *Dennis Haggerty* tenor *Jim McColl* compere
  
  

• New Year's Eve Concert  

  Wed 31 Dec Town Hall

  A musical feast in the heart of Birmingham. Start your New Year’s celebrations early with this rousing concert of Proms favourites in the distinctive setting of Birmingham’s Town Hall. *CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR!*
  _And all your Proms favourites_ *Fantasia on Greensleeves* *Rule, Britannia!* *Nessun dorma* *Land of Hope and Glory* John Hudson _tenor_ Richard Morrison _baritone_ Anthony Inglis _conductor_ London Concert Orchestra
  *Rossini* Galop from William Tell *Sousa* Liberty Bell March *Mussorgsky* Great Gate of Kiev *Waldteufel* The Skaters’ Waltz *Mendelssohn* The Hebrides Overture *Bizet* The Pearl Fishers Duet *Walton* Crown Imperial *Di Capua* O sole Mio *Suppé* Light Cavalry Overture *Rossini* Largo al factotum *Strauss* Radetzky March
  

• Bombay Baja Children's Event  

  Sat 3 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  
  
  
  

• BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert  

  Change of Date

  Tue 13 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  Two of the finest of Radio 3's recent crop of new Generation Artists perform delightful works by Beethoven.
  
  *Alina Ibragimova* Violin *Cedric Tiberghien* Piano *Beethoven* Rondo for Violin & Piano in G major, WoO.41 *Beethoven* Sonata No.4 for Violin & Piano in A minor, Op.23
  

• Handel’s Jephtha  

  Thu 15 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  250 years since Handel’s death, we return to the hall where so many of his works have been heard, not least as the cornerstone of the Birmingham Triennial Festivals. Jephtha, his last oratorio, is one of his very finest works in English, and tells the story of the great military captain who finds himself in conflict with God’s law as a result of a rash promise. Featuring a host of glorious arias and dramatic choruses, and with a leading cast conducted by Handel specialist Nicholas McGegan, this is a must for Handel fans. There will be one interval after Act One. 6.15pm Pre-concert talk - Handel’s Jephtha Conductor Nicholas McGegan • in conversation with CBSO Events Officer Richard Bratby.
  Nicholas McGegan - conductor Paul Nilon - Jephtha Dominique Labelle - Isis Dianna Moore - Storge Daniel Taylor - Hamor City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Andrew Foster-Williams - Zebul City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus
  Handel: Jephtha 150’
  

• New English Orchestra and Singers Introduce RECREATIO!  

  Sat 17 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  A kaleidoscope of music to refresh and inspire from an ensemble which specializes in spiritual music This multi-faceted presentation includes music and dance from Africa, Latin America, Israel and Russia plus Scottish Fiddle Music, whilst also featuring the following classics: Monteverdi ‘Laetatus Sum’ Vivaldi Concerto for Two Trumpets Vivaldi Concerto for Bassoon and Strings Bach Wachet Auf African: spiritual music from Uganda including In Tongues of Living Flame and Alleluia! Jesus is alive today! Cuban: Boliviana by Chucho Valdes Israeli: Great and Wonderful by Stuart Dauerman Russian: O Praise the name of the Lord from Vespers by Rachmaninoff Ticket prices: £10, £15, £20 and £25
  
  
  

• Sunday Morning Coffee Concert - Quintet Aquilon ECHO Rising Stars series 

  Sun 18 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  Here is some musical Parisian chic for a Sunday morning, courtesy of these Stars nominated by Paris's Cité de la Musique. A varied programme of attractive music for wind quintet embraces France's Jean Françaix and England's Gustav Holst, with extra novelties by Ligeti and Zemlinsky thrown in. £7.50, under 16s £3.50
  
  *Françaix* Quintette Op 5 No 1 *Holst* Quintet 14
  

• Evening Organ Concert - David Sanger  

  Wed 21 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  David Sanger is one of the world's most accomplished and well-respected organists, renowed for the sheer musicality of his playing. His programme features great works by composers who were themselves masters of the instrument - not least Mandelssohn's Andante in D, aptly chosen to coincide with 2009's bicentenary clebrations. Also included are Schumann's delightful Four Sketches (0p 58), originally written for pedal-piano. *6.15pm Pre-concert talk with Greame Kay*
  
  
  

• Britten Sinfonia at Lunch - Jan 2009  

  Thu 22 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  
  
  
  

• Faith in the City Expressions of belief 

  Sat 24 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  For around 750 years in Iberia, Catholics, Jews and Muslims enjoyed religious freedom, spoke each others’ languages and shared philosophies, science and cultures. It is a period known as _la convivencia_ - the co-existence. We begin to explore this concept with Bernstein’s overtly Jewish Chichester Psalms which are sung in Hebrew, the devout setting of the Mass by MacMillan and Islamic repertoire performed by Abdul Salam Kheir. _“All the lands, in their diversity, are one, and men are all neighbours and brothers”_ (Al-Zubaidi, tutor of the Andalusian Caliph, Al-Hakam II, 10th century) £30 (£27.50), £23.50 (£21), £15 (£13), £8.50 (£7) Visit Ex Cathedra's website by clicking "here":http://www.ex-cathedra.org/
  Ex Cathedra Choir *Conductor* Jeffrey Skidmore *Oud & Vocals* Abdul Salam Kheir *Chichester Psalms* Bernstein *Mass* MacMillan
  
  

• Richard Thompson: 1000 Years of Popular Music  

  Thu 29 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  Displaying his trademark humour and uncanny genius, Richard Thompson takes you on a personal journey through his list of the greatest songs of the Millennium. From the ballads of the early middle ages, to more modern songs originally made known by such artists as Nat King Cole, Nelly Furtado, Gilbert & Sullivan and The Who, "_this as much a journey through Thompson's virtuosity as through a millennium of song._" The Guardian £20, £25
  with *Judith Owen* (vocals, piano) and *Debra Dobkin* (percussion, vocals)
  
  

• Shared - Presented by The Wonder Stuff's Miles Hunt  

  Fri 30 Jan 2009 Town Hall

  The Wonder Stuff’s Miles Hunt presents ‘Shared’, an evening of acoustic performances by some of the UK’s finest artists. Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls of The Wonder Stuff, Wayne Hussey of The Mission/Sisters Of Mercy, Roddy Frame of Aztec Cameron, Katell Keineg plus more… “Stripping back a great song can easily pull punches on a grander production. Every artist performing at ‘Shared’ has had a great affect on me, not only as a writer/performer myself, but also as a fan and I take it as an honour that they have accepted my invite.” Miles Hunt £19.50
  
  
  

• Juan Martin Flamenco Ensemble  

  Thu 5 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  Voted into the top guitarists in the world by US Guitar Player magazine, Juan Martin brings his line up of the finest dancers and musicians. Martins ensemble is at the vanguard of modern flamenco with a unique style of music that succeeds in embracing classical, jazz and modern harmonies. An evening of exhilarating music and dance not to be missed. £10, £15, £20
  
  
  

• Sunday Morning Coffee Concert - Minetti Quartett  

  Sun 8 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  
  
  
  

• Nash Ensemble  

  Tue 10 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  Rarely has a composer produced a work of such effortless genius as the sixteen-year-old Mendelssohn’s _Octet_ - a miraculous stream of wonderful melody. The Nash Ensemble marks the 200th anniversary of Mendelssohn’s birth (February 1809) with a performance of this masterpiece in the hall in which the composer once played and conducted. It is heard next to the delicious Sextet from Strauss’s _Capriccio_ and the dark tragedy of Mozart’s great G minor String Quintet. 6.15pm pre-concert talk Tickets £5-£20
  
  *Strauss* Sextet (_Capriccio_) 6’ *Mozart* Quintet in G Minor, K516 33’ *Mendelssohn* Octet 38’
  

• An Evening with Barbara Dickson  

  Sat 14 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  
  
  
  

• Orchestra of the Swan: Bach's Brandenburg  

  Wed 18 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  *Handel* Concerto Grosso op6 no9 *JS Bach* Suite in b minor *JS Bach* Brandenburg concerto no4 *JS Bach* Brandenburg concerto no5 *Christine Whiffen* harpsichord *David Le Page* violin *Diane Clark* flute
  
  
  

• Britten Sinfonia at Lunch - Feb 2009  

  Thu 19 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  
  
  
  

• Candi Staton plus guests 

  Sat 21 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  
  
  
  

• Tom Paxton  

  Tue 24 Feb 2009 Town Hall

  Tom Paxton's songs are known and loved around the world: _The Last Thing On My Mind_, _Ramblin Boy_, and _Bottle Of Wine_, just a few of his truly timeless works. His generosity to both audiences and fellow musicians is renowned, and his passion for justice and the ties that bind people together is unwavering: for all this and more, Tom Paxton ranks as one of the most revered musicians of his generation. "_I think we are all born singing Tom Paxton songs_" *Nanci Griffith* "_Tom's songs are fine songs in anyone's book_" *Uncut*
  
  
  

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