Music / News
World premiere as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra returns to Bristol Beacon
The Bristol Beacon was sold out for the return of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra who performed a world premiere at the newly renovated concert hall.
Beacons – Fanfares for Orchestra had been written especially for the occasion by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage, who bounded onto the stage from the stalls after it had been performed to accept rapturous applause alongside conductor Kirill Karabits and the members of the orchestra.
It was a historic and emotional occasion as classical music returned to the Beacon with Beacons – before the BSO played Festive Overture by Shostakovich, Piano Concerto No. 5 by Beethoven featuring Korean maestro Sunwook Kim on piano and The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky.
is needed now More than ever
“Beacons is really an overture brim full of fanfares, they keep erupting all over the place,” Turnage explained in the programme notes to Tuesday evening’s performance.
“It mainly has a very upbeat flavour but the one central calmer section still can’t help slipping into some veiled brass fanfares from time to time.”
Turnage dedicated the new work to Beacon chief executive Louise Mitchell, who he has known since the 80s, with Ukrainian conductor Karabits also thanking Mitchell and her team from the stage “for making this magic happen” after the applause for Beacons had subsided.
Karabits said: “Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has been performing in Bristol for 60 years now and we look forward to the next 60 years to come as it is very special.”
Main photo: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
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