New Music Unfolds in Macclesfield

June 13, 2011 - PRLog -- This Saturday [18th June] will be a red letter day for Manchester-based young composer Chris Swithinbank. It will see the première in Macclesfield of his latest work June Unfolding, to be recorded by BBC Radio 3 for broadcast later in the year.

The composition, for full orchestra, is the culmination of a project under the ‘Adopt A Composer’ scheme funded by PRS for Music Foundation and administered by Sound and Music. This unique scheme, now in its tenth year, pairs emerging composers with amateur music groups around the country. The finished work deals with ideas of memory, to mark the 750th anniversary of Macclesfield’s royal charter, and leads listeners on a unique musical experience of remembering and forgetting.

Born in the Netherlands, Swithinbank, 22, works with both acoustic instruments and electronic sounds, exploring traditional concert situations and more innovative presentation contexts, and his compositions have been widely performed both in the UK and abroad. He recently graduated with distinction from the MusM Masters in Composition course at the University of Manchester and will be continuing his studies in Paris from September.

Swithinbank says, “It has been a fascinating journey working over many months with the musicians of KEMS orchestra and discovering a world of sound and invention that truly reflect the personality of this group of people. Writing music in such intimacy with musicians is always a real joy and I have tried to really get under the skin of what's possible with this piece. There will be plenty of surprises in store for the audience on Saturday!”

• June Unfolding will be premiered by KEMS Orchestra at a special ‘Barnaby Festival’ concert to mark the 750th anniversary of Macclesfield’s royal charter. The programme will also include Beethoven’s Violin Concerto (soloist: Melissa Court) and works by Berlioz, Carroll and Shostakovich. Venue: St Michael’s Church, Macclesfield. Time: 8.00 pm.

Details and tickets: http://www.barnabyfestival.org.uk/events/kems-concert.


Notes to Editors
1. King Edward Musical Society of Macclesfield, founded in 1957, is one of the North West’s leading amateur music societies, comprising the KEMS Orchestra, the KEMS Choir and the KEMS Concert Band.


Links
Chris Swithinbank: http://www.chrisswithinbank.net
Adopt a Composer: http://www.adoptacomposer.org