Alchemy, Berlioz from memory & a celebration of a remarkale partnership: The Snape Proms 2019

For the month of August, Snape Maltings will be full of music of all kinds as the Snape Proms return from 1 to 31 August 2019, with classical music alongside jazz, blues, folk and pop, as well as a celebration of Snape Maltings' remarkable 20 year partnership with the prisoners of HMP Warren Hill.

The Aurora Orchestra will be continuing its theme of playing major 19th century masterpieces from memory with Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique and they will be joined by violinist Nicola Benedetti for Bruch's Violin Concerto. Other visitors include clarinettist Julian Bliss and the Carducci Quartet in Mozart and Weber, Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason (cello and piano), pianists Benjamin Grosvenor and Christian Blackshaw, trumpeter Alison Balsom and her ensemble in baroque concertos, saxophonist Jess Gilliam, and tenor Ian Bostridge and pianist Julius Drake in Schubert and Mahler.

Young artists featured at the festival include the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain conducted by Robert Hollingworth in an intriguing programme, Alchemy? which celebrates all the components which come together to make sound - science, the voice, vowel spectrum, harmony choices and acoustics with music from Judith Weir, Roxanna Panufnik, Kile Smith, Adrian Williams, Jessica Curry and Benji Morrison, whilst Singers of the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme and Britten-Pears Baroque Orchestra are conducted by Philippe Herreweghe in an all Bach programme including two cantatas and his Missa Brevis. Other young visitors include the National Youth Orchestra of China, the Suffolk Youth Orchestra,

On a lighter side visitors will include the Foden Brass Band, and the BBC Concert Orchestra, conductor Bramwell Tovey, with soprano Leslie Garrett bring the BBC's Friday Night is Music Night, plus a wide range of pop, jazz, folk and family events including Peppa Pig!.

For 20 years Snape Maltings has worked with HMP Warren Hill helping prisoners rehabilitate themselves through the Arts, and this anniversary (the longest continuous partnership with a local prison by an arts organisation in the UK) is celebrated with an exhibition of fine art, craft, writing and music from the region entered into the 2019 Koestler Awards for arts in criminal justice. The music group at HMP Warren Hall worked together with Snape Maltings' team to compose three songs, which lead visitors through the exhibits, whilst a day-long showcase features workshops and performances exploring the use of the arts as a tool for rehabilitation and prevention.

Full details from the Snape Maltings website.