Celebrating Grainger

20th February 2011 will be the 50th anniversary of Percy Grainger's death and there are going to be a number of celebrations. There is a seminar on 20th February at the British Library, with the launch of a new Grainger Companion edited by Penelope Thwaites.

Plus a concert series at Kings Place, running from 17th February 2011 to 19th February. The concerts explore the full range of Grainger's work, ranging from folk song arrangements and pioneering editions of renaissance choral music, to The Warriors, an amazing piece which is described as music for an imaginary ballet. This will be performed at the concert on Saturday 19th February, in a fascinating programme which includes Grainger's arrangements of Javanese and Indian music, along with his versions of Mexican folk-songs collected by Natalie Curtis-Burlin

THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY
6.00pm BAND BLAST-OFF Wind and Brass Ensembles, Guildhall saxophones & recorders
7.30pm THE HARMONIOUS SONGSMITH Addison Singers, cond. David Wordsworth, Stephen Varcoe, Penelope Thwaites, & Special Guest, Yvonne Kenny

FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY
6.00pm PERCY GRAINGER AND THE PIANOLA Michael Broadway incl. Grainger himself playing
7.30pm WIND BAND SPECTACULAR The Royal Artillery Band, conductor, Maj. Neil Morgan

SATURDAY 19 FEBRUARY
1.30pm ROOM-MUSIC GEMS The Fitzwilliam String Quartet & friends
2.30pm SING GRAINGER Choral workshop for audience and choirs
4.45pm Experimenting with Grainger The “Electric Eye Tone Tool” & the Theremin
7.30pm EAST MEETS WEST Grainger Elastic Band, cond Roger Montgomery, Fitzwilliam Quartet, multi-pianos, Penelope Thwaites, John Lavender, Grainger Singers.