Monday 13 April 2020

Beyond Beethoven Nine: Marin Alsop and the National Youth Orchestra's Beethoven celebration goes on-line

National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
From 16-18 April 2020, the Southbank Centre was supposed to be hosting Beyond Beethoven Nine, a mass-participation project hosted by conductor Marin Alsop and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYO). So instead, the weekend will be marked by a series of on-line events as well as a socially distanced orchestra, and throughout the weekend the Southbank Centre website will be amplifying the content.

On 16 April at 7.30pm, BBC Radio 3 will broadcast an archive performance of NYO performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 at the 2013 BBC Proms, then on 17 April at 5pm, every musician in the UK is invited to join in a truly national live performance from their doorsteps, on their balconies, or out their windows, playing as a socially distanced orchestra. Led by the 164 NYO musicians, they invite everyone to share a heartfelt performance of the 'Ode to Joy', dedicated to people who need it the most: our frontline NHS staff, key workers, isolated family members, or friends struggling with loneliness.

On 18 April, in partnership with the Southbank Centre, NYO musicians will be sharing video performances of the music that brings them the most joy, and connects with the most people, in response to a call out from conductor Marin Alsop, as part of the Beyond Beethoven Nine digital activity. These will be shared online by NYO and by the Southbank Centre. TS Eliot prize-nominated British-born Cypriot poet, Anthony Anaxagorou will be offering a digital reading of his poem O Human, which was originally commissioned as the new libretto for Beyond Beethoven Nine in place of Schiller’s famous An die Freude 'Ode to Joy' poem.

Further details from the NYO website,  and the Southbank Centre website.

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