Highlights of new season at the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama ...
24 Jan 2007
... plus links to complete listings for music, theatre/film and literature events
Quatuor Danel embark on new season
Following on from their fantastic Shostakovich concert series late last year, the University of Manchester's internationally renowned resident string quartet, Quatuor Danel, continue their groundbreaking season that includes four free lunchtime concerts, three free seminars, five evening concerts, six UK Premieres and includes guest appearances from Peter Dixon, dynamic principal cellist of the BBC Philharmonic and Lindsays' pianist Professor David Fanning.
Creative Writing Reading Series
Our successful Creative Writing Reading Series enters its third season. At each of these unique events, a well-known author is invited to speak about their work and give selected readings. This year we boast visits from Man Booker Prize winner John Banville, along with Maurice Riordan, Martyn Bedford, Lesley Glaister, Philip Robinson and Suzannah Dunn. Tickets for these events can now be purchased:
- Online or by calling 0871 424 4444
New BBC Philharmonic Concert Series
The BBC Philharmonic's Chief Conductor, Gianandrea Noseda, brings a new series of concerts to The Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall. Gianandrea will introduce chamber works, performed by members of the BBC Philharmonic and pianist David Fanning. The first concert in the series on Wednesday 14 March 2007 features Mozart's Piano Quartet in G, K478 performed by the Orchestra's principal players including leader Yuri Torchinsky, Principal Cellist Peter Dixon and Principal Viola Steven Burnard with David Fanning, piano. For the second concert in the series on Wednesday 9th May players will perform Mozart Piano with Jenny Galloway oboe, John Chatwin bassoon, Jonathan Goodall, horn and David Fanning, piano.
Cutting Edge Theatre and Film-making
The John Thaw Studio Theatre is set to showcase the best new independent productions from our talented Drama students. This year's programme features a series of short pieces directed by students (in conjunction with John Thaw Fellow in Drama and Director of Feelgood Theatre Company, Caroline Clegg), the world's first ever stage adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 cult classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a Video Installation created by students of Drama under the direction of Rachel Davies (2005 winner of the Grand Prix IMZ International Dance Screen Award and John Thaw Fellow in Drama), a new production of Alistair McDowall's Dogs, a gothic adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, and a unique interactive digital exhibition from our In Place of War Project.
Free Lunchtime Concerts
What better way to get away from the pressures of work than to spend your lunch hour with us in the Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall? Our free Walter Carroll Lunchtime Concert Series continues with visits from leading contemporary music ensemble Psappha, singing group The Coupland Consort, leading UK soprano Eleanor Meynell, and imaginative pianist Danny Driver.
Phappha Composers Weekend and Film Event
A two day extravaganza on Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 March for composers from age 15+ presented by Psappha in collaboration with The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama. Day One will concentrate on composing in school with workshops for GCSE and A Level students with Psappha's musicians and workshop leaders from the university. Day Two will focus on music working with another media (film, video art, music theatre) with guest speakers including an opera director, video artist and conductor. The ensemble return on 20 April for a presentation of four silent film extracts with newly composed music by PhD students.
Jazz, Chorus, Symphony, Strings, Baroque, Electroacoustic and more
Two of the most exciting and innovative soloists in jazz today, Tom Arthurs and Ingrid Laubrock of London's F-ire Collective, join our Big Band for a celebration of composers, Thelonious Monk and Charles Mingus; Richard Casey returns with another dazzling display of pianistic virtuosity; University of Manchester Symphony Orchestra Conductor Mark Heron presents a programme with a heavy French emphasis; The charismatic Marcus Farnsworth returns for his second season as conductor of The University of Manchester Chorus; KAIROS, the University's electroacoustic ensemble, continue their exciting series of original performances with a live sound installation exploring the spaces of the Whitworth Art Gallery; Ad Solem perform an inspiring programme of 20th-century choral works from England, Scotland and France; Our Big Band, Wind Orchestra, Sinfonietta, String Orchestra, Chamber Choir and Brass Ensemble combine for our exciting Estival 2007 Festival.
Ethnographic Film, War and Our World and MANTIS South-North 2007
We are proud to be involved in the 10th RAI International Festival of Ethnographic Film; 30 hours of new films over six days in July, including a special programme of Chinese films, numerous guest speakers, and the 2007 Forman Lecture sponsored by ITV Granada. For more details, see
We also present the three-day major international conference, War and Our World, in July on the theme of war/conflict. The conference will be devoted to the conceptualisation, conduct and aftermaths of war in the modern world. For more details, see:
The Manchester Theatre in Sound (MANTIS) host SOUTH-NORTH 2007 in March presenting a wide range of electroacoustic music performances and workshops exploring the idea of South and North. For more information, see:
Complete listings for the season
More information
You can obtain more information on events at the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama from:
- Martin Harris Centre website
- Box office on 0161 275 8951