The University of Aberdeen’s winter concert series launches next week with a repertoire ranging from early music to contemporary performances.
The University will welcome the Edinburgh Quartet as Quartet in Residence and will be working with Aberdeen City Council and the Aberdeen Art Gallery to bring all of Beethoven’s string quartets to Aberdeen in performances throughout 2011 and 2012.
Highlights of the winter concert series include the latest Indian/Western group, Svara-Kanti, from guitar virtuoso Simon Thacker, featuring the voice of Japjit Kaur, Hindustani tablamaster Sarvar Sabri and Indian violinist Jyotsna Srikanth. The concert on Thursday October 13 presents Indian classical music, the best Bollywood songs (including works by Slumdog Millionaire composer A.R Rahman) and folk music, all reinterpreted by India’s, Shirish Korde.
The University’s chamber choir will team up with Edinburgh University’s chamber choir and the University of St Andrews chapel choir on Saturday October 22, in a performance showcasing contemporary chapel music including Paul Mealor’s Ubi Caritas, as premiered at the Royal Wedding.
The Curious Chamber Players from Sweden will perform brand new works by Scandinavian composers written in close collaboration with the ensemble, which comprises a flute, clarinet, violin, guitar as well as some newly invented sound objects on Thursday October 27.
The University welcomes Dame Emma Kirkby on Wednesday November 2 as the latest Visiting Fellow in Performance and this term collaborates with the lutenist Jamie Akers.
The Auriga Quintet of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra will give the première performance, on Tuesday November 8, of Auriga, a piece written for the Quintet by University of Aberdeen lecturer in composition, Geoff Palmer.
Added to all of this are regular contributions from ensembles such as Choral Society and Concert Band, and the year will end with the Chapel Choir singing at the traditional University carol service in St Machar’s Cathedral.