Music spanning four centuries will be heard in the city as the line-up for the Chester Music Festival 2016 is revealed.
The 11 day line-up from June 8-18 includes an evening of minimalist Steve Reich’s music, the Gran Caffe Venezia Concert and a chamber rendition of one of Gustav Mahler’s great orchestral pieces - Mahler’s famous song symphony Das Lied von der Erde, with mezzo Jane Irwin and tenor Joshua Ellicott.
Ensemble Deva is the in-house chamber ensemble for producers Storyhouse - the company responsible for the future operation of Chester’s £37m new theatre/library and cinema currently under construction, to be named Storyhouse.
The ensemble will be led in turn by violinists Giovanni Guzzo and Thomas Gould, both of whom return to the festival after popular appearances in previous years.
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Gould was the 2016 judge of the BBC Young Musician of the Year strings final, alongside Julian Lloyd Webber, and he leads Ensemble Deva in two concerts: firstly a rare chance to hear two of Schubert’s late great quartets (June 15 at Chester Town Hall) and then a Baroque treat as Ensemble Deva are joined by soprano Mary Bevan as she sings a programme of Bach, Handel and Vivaldi (June 17 at St Thomas’ Church).
Other highlights include lunchtime concerts from internationally renowned pianist Martin Roscoe and young exciting cello and percussion duo Abel Selaocoe and Delia Stevens, as well as a chance to hear Camille Saint-Saëns’ most famous work The Carnival of the Animals.
Orchestral tastes are catered for by two appearances from Manchester Camerata as they perform Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony (June 8) and Haydn Symphonies 69 and 75 alongside Mozart’s Piano Concerto 25 (June 10).
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With a chance to hear Hannah Roberts play Rachmaninov’s Cello Concerto (June 12) and an evening of Baroque sonatas for violin, cello and oboe (June 16), the festival once again promises to deliver music of the highest quality.
Storyhouse artistic director Alex Clifton said: “Another year, another array of wonderful concerts, brought to life by a host of musicians we love working with. Whether it be Mozart, Steve Reich, Schubert, Mahler, Saint-Saens, Bach or Handel, the music is always pushed to the fore.
“Every year in Chester with Ensemble Deva, you can be sure that there are absolutely no barriers between musicians and the audience. What you get is music in its purest form.”
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For more information and to book visit www.storyhouse.com or visit Chester Visitor Information Centre.
The full list of Chester Music Festival events is as follows:
Wednesday, June 8: 1pm, Chester Town Hall, Delia Stevens and Abel Selaocoe lunchtime recital, £10.
Wednesday, June 8: 8pm, St Thomas Church, Manchester Camerata perform Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony, £19.50.
Thursday, June 9: 8pm, Chester Town Hall, Ensemble Deva present Gran Caffè Jazz!, £15.50-£27.50.
Friday, June 10: 8pm, St Thomas, Manchester Camerata present Rococo Classics, £19.50.
Saturday, June 11: 8pm, Chester Town Hall, Ensemble Deva present Caffè Venezia Concert, £23.
Sunday, June 12: 8pm, Chester Town Hall, Ensemble Deva present Schubert and Rachmaninov, £23.
Monday, June 13: 1pm, Chester Town Hall, Martin Roscoe lunchtime recital, £10.
Monday, June 13: 8pm, Chester Town Hall, Ensemble Deva present Steve Reich, WTC 9/11, £15.50-£27.50.
Tuesday, June 14: 8pm, Chester Town Hall, Ensemble Deva present Carnival of the Animals, £19.50.
Wednesday, June 15: 1pm, Chester Town Hall, Kathryn Williams lunchtime recital, £10.
Wednesday, June 15: 8pm, Chester Town Hall, Ensemble Deva play Schubert Quartets, £19.50.
Thursday, June 16: 8pm, Chester Town Hall, Ensemble Deva present Baroque Classic Sonatas, £19.50.
Friday, June 17: 8pm, St Thomas, Ensemble Deva and Mary Bevan present Vivaldi and Bach, £15.50-£27.50.
Saturday, June 18: 8pm, St Thomas, Ensemble Deva Finale present Das Lied von der Erde, £19.50.
