Getting ready for Friday’s concert, the Ulster Orchestra’s Funding Officer Heather Wright takes to the Waterfront stage with Patton Chairman, David Patton, as Declan McGovern (L), the Orchestra’s Chief Executive and Patton Group Marketing Manager Alan Stewart (R) show their support in Strictly style.

4 January 2012

Centenary Celebrations in Strictly Style

With the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing having reached its climax the Saturday before Christmas, lovers of the hit TV show – and the UO – will experience the swirl of taffeta and the sound of the ballroom this Friday and Saturday as two former Strictly stars join the Ulster Orchestra for its annual New Year Viennese Concerts.

The concerts have long been a popular part of the Ulster Orchestra’s New Year programme and this year one of Northern Ireland’s leading construction businesses, Patton, will sponsor Friday evening’s concert, as part of its 2012 Centenary celebrations.

Former Stictly stars Camilla Dallerup and Ian Waite will waltz their way around the Belfast Waterfront stage to music by Johann Strauss II and composers in two special concerts reviving the elegant refinement of Imperial Vienna during the second half of the 19^th Century when Herr Strauss was the leading composer of dance music in Europe.

Looking forward to the concert David Patton, Chairman of the Ballymeana–based company and the Orchestra’s longest corporate sponsor said, “We have been a longstanding supporter of the Ulster Orchestra for many years now and we wanted to start our Centenary celebrations in style and could think of no better way of doing it.

“We are all looking forward forward to a memorable evening of music and dance. The Ulster Orchestra contributes in a huge way to the cultural life of Northern Ireland with which we are proud to be associated. We derive a strong sense of satisfaction in our relationship and are pleased to contribute to the continued success of this superb Orchestra. Both organisations, the Orchestra and Patton, are synonomous with quality,” he said.

The popular award–winning conductor Christopher Bell brings his sense of fun to the occasion as he conducts the UO and introduces favourite waltzes and polkas, whilst soprano Rachael Lloyd adds an extra sparkle to this New Year spectacular.

The Ulster Orchestra’s Chief Executive Declan McGovern said. “There is a richness of opportunity that comes with working with the Orchestra, especially given the diversity of our music and variety of our concerts.

The New Year Viennese concerts have a poignant history beginning as a subtle cultural and political statement by the Vienna Philharmonic, under the baton of Clemens Krauss in 1939.

On New Year’s Eve that year, the Orchestra performed an all–Strauss (and therefore and all–Austrian) programme in a ‘Special Concert’ a year after the central European nation disappeared from the continent follwoing its annexation by Nazi Germany.

Given the foot–tapping music played, since then, they have become popular around the world and a traditional and much loved part of the Ulster Orchestra’s Season.

Anne McGregor, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and the UO’s incoming Chairman, Professor Sir George Bain at the Belfast Waterfront to launch the new partnership.

23 November 2011

Chamber Music

The Ulster Orchestra announced today that the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce (NICC) will become its Business Patron supporting the work of the Chamber across the region in a unique collaboration that will see the UO become the Chamber’s exclusive Cultural Partner.

Details of the collaboration between the UO and Northern Ireland’s premier business representative organisation was announced by NICC Chief Executive Ann McGregor and the incoming Chairman of the Ulster Orchestra, Professor Sir George Bain.

Speaking at the launch Sir George Bain said, “The Orchestra works closely with many of Northern Ireland’s leading businesses who see a richness of opportunity in the orchestral repertoire that assists them in fulfilling their strategic business and community objectives.

“I welcome the partnership with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce as it is an opportunity for the Orchestra to put our relationship on a formal footing and to support the work of the Chamber, as we continue to bring music to a diverse range of audiences across Northern Ireland.

Also speaking at the launch, Ann McGregor said that the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce represented over one thousand businesses across the region and is committed to the advancement of business and enterprise in Northern Ireland.

“We have worked with and supported the Ulster Orchestra in a number of events in recent years and I am delighted to announce this relationship is now on a more formal footing with today’s collaboration,” Anne said.

“Building and sustaining a strong and vibrant cultural offer is crucial for Northern Ireland. Cultural organisations like the Ulster Orchestra set the region apart from others and make this an attractive place to work, to live and to visit. Our two organisations have a proud history and I am confident this new collaboration will set us on a journey to greater success,” she added.

Glengormley Integrated Primary School’s Robert Hamilton and Erin McMahon help to launch Sound Bytes with (LtoR) the Ulster Orchestra’s Chief Executive Declan McGovern, Beverly Coomber of Arts and Business NI, the UO’s Principal Trumpet Paul Young and Northgate CEO Andy Ross.

10 November 2011

Sound Bytes

Classical music and cutting edge technology have joined forces with the Ulster Orchestra’s special partnership with Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous IT services company, Northgate Managed Services in an innovative education project called ‘Sound Bytes’.

Supported by Arts & Business NI, Sound Bytes will involve a number of Newtownabbey schools who will take part in a series of movie–themed educational workshops, to compose their own digital animation to a piece of music. The workshops will culminate in two concerts for the children, teachers and family members at the Theatre at the Mill in March 2012. 

Speaking at the launch of the project, which took place at Glengormley Integrated Primary School, the UO’s Chief Executive, Declan McGovern commented, “The Ulster Orchestra makes a significant contribution to Northern Ireland’s cultural, business and economic life with over 100,000 people coming to see us perform live every year. In addition, 30,000 adults and young people benefit from our education and outreach programmes.

“The orchestral repertoire provides a richness of opportunity that leading businesses and organisations, like Northgate, can tap into. Working together we can create greater awareness of issues that are close to our partners hearts or develop programmes that enhance education and learning opportunities for children and young people, which is what we have done with Northgate, who continue to invest significantly in their local community each year,” he said.

Speaking at the official launch of the partnership, Northgate’s Chief Executive, Andy Ross said, “Our partnership with the Ulster Orchestra is a good strategic fit for us, given our business and involvement in the local community. Today, children and young people are more at home with new technology than their parents and in time they will have increasing opportunities to develop careers in industries at the forefront of change and the ongoing information technology revolution.

“Engaging children at this level and bringing them something different that stimulates their interest in technology and digital media through music will reap rewards for them and the economy of the future,” he said.

“Working with the Orchestra it has become very apparent that it is far more than its concerts and through our partnership we want to enhance children’s learning opportunities and development. There is also a great opportunity for team building within the organisation as a result of our partnership,” Andy Ross explained.

The partnership is the first of Arts & Business NI’s new partnerships this year between commerce and culture where the investment made by the business received 100% match funding.

“Arts & Business NI is delighted to support the new partnership between Northgate Managed Services and the Ulster Orchestra through our Investment Programme,” said Beverly Coomber, Business Development Manager, Arts & Business NI.

“Our investment will allow the partners to enhance their exciting music and technology based outreach programme in local primary schools and host concerts for families next year,” she said.

The Music Workshops will take place in the New Year and details of how local primary schools can get involved will be announced before Christmas.

4 November 2011

 Bravo the UO!

At last night’s Chartered Institute of Marketing’s 2011 Ireland Marketing Excellence Awards at Belfast City Hall, the Ulster Orchestra won the Best Marketing and Sales Award in The Arts, Heritage and Creative Industries category.

Speaking at the Awards, which celebrated marketing at its best in Ireland, Lydia Gamble, the Ulster Orchestra’s Head of Marketing and Development said, “This is a huge tribute to the hard work and creatively of the UO’s marketing communications team and our designers, Design Ethos.

“Each year the UO plays live to over 100,000 people across Northern Ireland and our talented musicians are supported by an equally talented team behind the scenes who provide the branding, marketing collateral, PR, direct and digital marketing material to promote this quality cultural product,” Lydia said.

Explaining that the approach included a refreshing of the Ulster Orchestra’s brand and the development of a number of audience segmented marketing brochures, she said the new approach increased the Orchestra’s return on investment.

“The overall marketing mix produced significant results on return on investment for marketing spend. On the main season brochure, for example for every £1 invested, £30 was generated in sales,” Lydia explained.

“As Northern Ireland’s only professional symphony orchestra, like the Lyric Theatre and the Grand Opera House, the UO is one of Northern Ireland’s cultural cornerstones.

“As such, and given that we receive public funds, there is an increasing responsibility to generate a greater return on investment and a greater emphasis to reach out to more people. This Award recognises that we are working hard to achieve this,” she said.

This is the third award the Orchestra has received this year. In April at the Belfast Business Awards the UO picked up the Best Marketing Initiative Award. In January the Orchestra’s relationship with JTI UK was recognised at the Allianz Arts and Business Awards for a creative partnership and commitment that broughtclassical music to communities across Northern Ireland.

Eimear McGeown, the flautist at Wednesday’s JTI Lunchtime Concert.

Saturday’s pianist, Nikolai Demidenko.

Making his UO, British and Irish conducting débuts this week is conductor Christopher Wilkins.

31 October 2011

 Making Music in Music Week!

This week is the second annual Belfast Music Week, a week–long programme of more than 170 gigs and events held across the City and this year includes two Ulster Orchestra concerts.

Eimear McGeown, the Craigavon–born flautist is the soloist on Wednesday 2 November at the Assembly Buildings (formerly known as the Spires Centre) at November’s JTI Lunchtime Concert Après–Midi and Nikolai Demidenko, the Russian–born pianist plays the Whitla Hall on Saturday 5 November.

“Each year we play live to over 100,000 people,” said Lydia Gamble, the UO’s Head of Marketing and Development. “As one of Northern Ireland’s cultural icons our home is Belfast so we are delighted to be included in Belfast Music Week this year and will be playing our part in making the Week as culturally as rich, entertaining and diverse as Belfast Music Week always is.”

In an all French programme on Wednesday, which includes Roussel’s Petite Suite and Milhaud’s Suite Française, Eimear will play Ibert’s Flute Concerto. Saturday’s concert will see one of the most accomplished pianists on the concert circuit today perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 in a programme that also includes suites by Prokofiev and Stravinsky.

Reviewing one of Nikolai’s performances The Independent described it as “flawlessly beautiful.” When he last played with us, the Belfast Telegraph said “…he adapts the modern instrument to reveal an internal world of subtle introspection and dazzling virtuosity with captivating precision.” It is no wonder then, that whenever he plays Nikolai always draws a crowd.

The Bostonian Christopher Wilkins conducts both concerts and makes not only his Ulster Orchestra début, but also his UK and Irish conducting débuts. So whatever your taste in music, it is going to be a good week!

The Ulster Orchestra, part of Belfast Music Week 2011.

County Armagh–born flautist Eimear McGeown

Conductor Christopher Wilkins

21 October 2011

Lunchtime with Eimear

Following the success of our opening JTI Lunchtime Concert in October, our second in the Season, Après–Midi will take place on Wednesday 2 November at the Spires Centre in Belfast at 1.05pm.

In an all French programme, which includes Roussel’s Petite Suite and Milhaud’s Suite Française, will also feature Eimear McGeown, the Craigavon born flautist who will play Ibert’s Flute Concerto.

“I love the energy that the piece has,” Eimear said. “The first movement has such a great start; it captures everyone’s attention straight away and is so rhythmically exciting.

“Then the second movement is so beautiful and also quite sad in contrast to the first movement. Apparently it was written on the death of Ibert’s father. Then the last movement is a great big ball of excitement filled with lots of very fast triplets and ending with a cadenza which includes some flutter tonguing and goes right up to top D flat, leading the orchestra in with trills to an explosive end!”

The conductor for the early afternoon concert is Christopher Wilkins from Boston, who makes his Irish, British and Ulster Orchestra debut’s all in the one day. “The Concert features wonderfully vibrant French music that lies just outside of the standard repertoire,” he said.

“The challenge for me will be to find what is unique about each piece, how it sets an individual mood or is suggestive of the place it describes. But I have always felt, the Ibert Flute Concerto to be one of the most entertaining of all 20^th Century wind concertos.”

This Concert is supported by:	This Concert is part of:

Important Information

Please note that this concert will take place in the Spires Centre, Belfast at 1.05pm and not the Ulster Hall as originally billed.

Tickets will be on sale at the Spires Centre, but as it is a smaller venue, to avoid disappointment please reserve your seat by pre–booking online or calling our Box Office team on 028 9023 9955 in advance.

On the day of the concert our Box Office team will only be taking cash sales. We regret that concertgoers will not be able to purchase tickets using either credit or debit cards. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause on the day.

All our remaining 2011/2012 Lunchtime Concerts will take place in the Ulster Hall at 1.05pm.

Tasmin Little

Jac van Steen, who will conduct the concert.

20 October 2011

A Little Concert

In May Tasmin Little received the much coveted Critics’ Award at the 2011 Classic BRITs for her interpretation of the piece that she will play this Friday in the Ulster Hall – Elgar’s Violin Concerto.

In one of the ‘must see concerts’ of the Season, Tasmin is the second Classic BRIT Award winner to play with the UO this year (the first was Jac Liebeck) and she is really looking forward to it. “I love playing the Elgar because the piece is such a journey!” Tasmin said.

 “More than any other violin concerto, there is such a feeling of momentousness from the outset – it’s on a massive canvas, almost like a symphony! There is a huge emphasis on the relationship between the orchestra and soloist and I’m looking forward to playing it again with the Ulster Orchestra.”

The last time Tasmin played this wistful, serene and noble concerto was with Vernon Handley, a former Principal Conductor with the Orchestra. Sadly, he died in 2008, “so there will be an added poignancy to playing the piece in Belfast on this occasion,” she said.

While looking forward to the concert, it is a challenging concerto to play. “The sheer scale of it, nearly 50 minutes, is a challenge, but also the violinist rarely gets a moment’s break,” Tasmin remarked. “There are a couple of major tuttis in the first movement, but after that’s it’s pretty non–stop. Also, it is very virtuosic so I have to be in good shape to play the piece!”

Tasmin also said that it is quite a feat to shape it properly so that it does not feel over–long. “It is also a mammoth piece to memorise. All in all, a very major workout for the soloist!”

The Times said of a previous performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto that her interpretation ‘seems to grow ever more refined.’ With Jac van Steen conducting and Weber’s Overture Oberon alongside Brahms’ Symphony No.3 on the menu, it should be a great night.

Find out on this Friday!

Tickets are still available for the concert that starts at 7.45pm in the Ulster Hall, the home of the Ulster Orchestra.

This Concert is a part of the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s

Caption.

14 October 2011

Revisit Summer

This year the Ulster Orchestra celebrates a unique 30–year relationship with BBC which continues to place the UO at the core of its classical music output. One of the jewels in the crown is the annual BBC Summer Invitation Concert series which takes places in August each year.

Monday–Wednesday (17–19 October) on BBC Radio 3’s Afternoon on 3 programme, you will be able to hear a musical collage of pieces performed by Northern Ireland’s only professional symphony orchestra during the Postcards From Russian Summer Invitation Series.

Tune in and enjoy some great Russian classics which include Mussorgsky’s Night on Bare Mountain, Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No.2 in G, his Piano Concerto No.2 and Symphony No.9; Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony Tchaikovsky’s Symphony Nos. 2 and 3 and much more from 2.00pm

Postcards From the Past soloist, Catherine Wyn–Rogers, will perform at the Belfast Waterfront, Friday 7 October at 7.45pm

6 October 2011

Modern Masters 

With the Season well underway, this Friday marks the welcome return of our Principal Guest Conductor Paul Watkins and Mezzo soprano Catherine Wyn–Rogers in a concert that celebrates the work of three great modern masters.

Postcards from the Past brings together the work of Benjamin Britten, Gustav Mahler and Dmitri Shostakovich. Paul Watkins conjures up a storm in Britten’s evocative Sea Pictures from his opera Peter Grimes, then explores Mahler’s setting of German folk songs, sung by the Mezzo soprano Catherine Wyn–Rogers.

“There’s a great variety and colour in the song,” Catherine said. “Mahler is always beautiful to sing, the orchestral colours are really interesting as these songs are derived from folktales and Mahler always seems to respond intensely to the stories of his homeland and capture their atmosphere.

“Many of the songs are set as duets, in fact they are often sung as duets by two different voices, one male, one female. This is a challenge in itself to convey two different characters in one song, but a very enjoyable one. Mahler is always demanding however, but such a pleasure to be able to sing these songs as he writes so well for the mezzo voice.”

Looking forward to the concert, that also includes Shostakovich’s First Symphony and Britten’s tribute to Mahler’s Third, also has its challenges, as Paul Watkins explained, “All tonight’s composers’ make virtuoso demands of the players. The orchestration is also fantastically detailed, so my challenge is to give the players as much freedom and security as I can so they can ‘fly’ on their instruments.”

The concert starts at 7.45pm at the Belfast Waterfront. Tickets are still available from the Ulster Orchestra Box Office on 028 9023 9955 online at www.ulsterorchestra.com or at the Belfast Waterfront on the night.

Paul Watkins gives a free Pre–Concert Talk at 7pm.