Autumn at the RNCM

Autumn at the RNCM

Following a fantastic 40th anniversary year, the Royal Northern College of Music(RNCM) is excited to launch its Autumn season, jam-packed with a feast of classical, jazz, folk and world music.

For the classical strand, there’s everything from chamber music by the Talich Quartet (8 October),to solo recitals by pianists AlexandreTharaud (24 October) and András Schiff (19 November), and an evening with baritone Wolfgang Holzmair who, for his final tour, is joined by pianist Imogen Cooper (13 November). The season also features a vibrant concert by El Sistema stars the Simón Bolívar String Quartet (6 December) and Joglaresa,who celebrate the festive season with carols, lullabies and dance tunes (3 December). For something a little different, international pianist Joanna MacGregor features in Graphic Scores (4 October), an innovative and inspiring vision of music from the 50s to the present day.

Jazz at the RNCM is impressive this season, with performances by transatlantic ‘supergroup’ The Impossible Gentlemen featuring guitarist Mike Walker and pianist GwilymSimcock alongside US rhythm section Adam Nussabaum and Steve Rodby (15 October); improvisers Empirical, who perform with RNCM alumnae the Benyounes Quartet with support from Mercury (31 October); and the RNCM Big Band, which can be seen twice this year, once with saxophonist Julian Argüelles (16 November) and a Christmas show with clarinettist Pete Long that salutes Benny Goodman’s legendary 1938 Carnegie Hall concert (11 December). Likewise, world music has a lot to offer during Autumn. Malian singer/songwriter RokiaTraoré performs songs from her new album,Beautiful Africa (11 November); Hugh Masekela returns, this time with his long-time friend and collaborator Larry Willis (13 November); and Soul Caribbean (25 October) brings the music of artists such as Bob Marley and Rihanna to the stage, featuring the Manchester World Voices Choir and RNCM Gospel Singers.

For one week, 26 October to 2 November, the RNCM joins forces once again with The University of Manchester for New Music North West, the largest festival of contemporary music to take place in the UK. And if folk is your thing, a quartet of fantastic concerts are on offer over the coming months, with music from Martin Taylor and Mark Simpson(8 October), Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick(26 October), Heidi Talbot(21 November), and Kathryn Tickell and The Side(2 December).

Looking to cinema for inspiration, we go back to 1936 and Charlie Chaplin’s celluloid classic Modern Times(26 October), screened as part of Manchester Science Festival and accompanied by the RNCM Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Timothy Brock’s score (restored from Chaplin’s original). And moving forward through cinematic history, Michael Nyman presents an evening of solo piano music and film (29 October) featuring music from films that the composer has collaborated on, as well as music from a selection of the 70 films he has himself made.

There are two operatic treats to look forward to this Autumn. Music Theatre Wales presents Mark-Anthony Turnage’s critically-acclaimed Greek(12 November), anda little later, RNCM Opera performs Donizetti’s first great comedy, L’elisird’amore (The Elixir of Love)(8 to 14 December).

Public masterclasses also form a prominent part of our season, and this year the RNCM is delighted to welcome sensational violinist Midori (11 October), one of the world’s best trumpeters, Alison Balsom (16 October), and the ever-popular and inspiring pianist Lang Lang (8 November).

For more information or to request interviews and images, please contact Liz Rowley, PR and Medial Relations Officer, at or 0161 907 5369.

ENDS