classical concerts

Colston Hall takes its new classical season on the road

ANEW series of classical concerts by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) have been announced for the Victoria Rooms, St George’s Bristol and The Forum in Bath. The main auditorium in Colston Hall may be undergoing its £48.8million redevelopment, but the venue’s visiting world-class orchestra of nearly 70 years is not letting that stop the music. The BSO will continue to perform and share classical music with the people of Bristol – and beyond. Between October and May the BSO the South West’s leading symphony orchestra - will not only bring some famous classics mixed with rarely performed works to other Bristol venues but will also make two visits to The Forum in Bath, the biggest venue in Bristol’s neighbouring city. The concerts will continue the orchestra’s rich heritage in the Bristol area, where it has been presenting world-class classical music for almost 70 years. This new programme reinforces the orchestra’s commitment to bringing superb concerts to classical music lovers. Now in its 125th year, the BSO is on an artistic high with chief conductor Kirill Karabits, and has been celebrated for its long-standing commitment to the 10,000 square mile region of the South West. The BSO continues to ensure that communities have access to high-quality concert performances and its awardwinning BSO Participate programme beyond the concert hall. They have also recently become the first symphony orchestra in the world to have a professional ensemble led by disabled musicians as a core part of its activities. Dougie Scarfe, chief executive of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, said: “Everyone at Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is thrilled that Colston Hall’s transformation project is to take place over the next two years, providing world-class facilities for Bristol. Colston Hall has been our home in Bristol for more than 60 years and during the closure period, led by our chief conductor Kirill Karabits, we are all excited to have the opportunity to take our concerts to other venues in Bristol and Bath.” Louise Mitchell, chief executive of the Bristol Music Trust which runs the Colston Hall, said: “It’s great to share Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s new season with other Bristol venues and The Forum in Bath. We’ve been privileged to have the orchestra visit us so regularly for many years now, and it’s exciting that their performances will carry on while our main hall is made fit for the 21st century.”

Q&A with Kirill Karabits, bso Chief Conductor What’s the best thing about being a conductor?

I think it’s the possibility of communication with so many people involved in the process. On one side you have the orchestra and the other side you have the audience – every country, every venue has different audiences. Finding the balance between these is the most challenging and interesting thing. If you can create an excitement from the orchestra’s side and audiences enjoy it, then you are in the middle of this excitement. You get a lot of positive energy from both sides and it’s a fascinating feeling.

What does Colston Hall mean to you and what do you look forward to most about its transformation?

For me Colston Hall symbolises a flagship cultural venue. It plays such an import role in Bristol and is key to the BSO’S remit of performing across the South West. It enables us to bring worldclass music-making and international solo artists and conductors to the city for audiences to enjoy. We are also very proud of the BSO’S history of performing in Bristol stretching back to the 1950s. The orchestra has always had a strong connection to the city. It is an honour that we are the principal orchestra at Colston Hall, our partnership has enabled the BSO to deliver many ambitious programmes, both on and off the concert platform. I look forward to the hall’s transforma- tion breathing new life into the venue and I think that it will enhance the experience of live classical music for our audiences. I believe the refurbishment will significantly improve the working environment for the orchestra, its guest soloists and conductors. Ultimately it will be a world-class centre of artistic excellence for future generations to enjoy.

Where will the BSO perform in Bristol when Colston Hall undergoes its transformation?

We will continue to perform in Bristol during the closure period. Working together with Colston Hall and St George’s Bristol, we have just announced a series of concerts at the Victoria Rooms and St George’s, and are also planning appearances at Clifton Cathedral and Bath Forum. This will take us through 2018/19 and into 2020 when Colston Hall will reopen.

You are now approaching your 10th season with the BSO. During your time with the Orchestra, what do you feel has been the BSO’S greatest achievement?

From my perspective, the greatest achievement and most valuable for me is our relationship. I think and hope very much we respect each other still after nine years of collaboration. I should mention another achievement is our relationship with our audiences, which we have created together. Now we can perform almost anything and our audiences have trust. Eight years ago, Bruckner and Haydn were a no-go with audiences; but now we can perform Bruckner’s Symphony No.4 to a captivated audience. I think that’s a fantastic achievement. Another great achievement and also a personal one, because I have done a lot to make this happen, is our approach to classical and early music. It is now performed on a totally different level and the musicians have a different understanding of that style.

BSO Participate is the Orchestra’s community and education programme that spans across its region of the South West. You also work with young musicians internationally, how do you inspire them?

BSO Participate, along with the full orchestral concert season programme, covers a vast region of over 10,000 square miles across the South West. I think it plays such a vital role in cultural engagement to inspire communities of all ages living in villages, towns and cities. In my international role I am the artistic director of I, CULTURE Orchestra which functions similarly to the Mahler Jugendorchester, but involves youngsters from seven countries of Eastern Europe – Poland, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Ukraine. With young musicians it’s about an exchange of experience. I was a student myself in Kiev, and then Vienna, so there is a lot which I can share with them. It makes me feel connected to the younger generation and they see somebody who they might become in the future. Previously I’ve also conducted the BBC Young Musician of the Year, and worked with the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, youngsters at the Aspen Music Festival, and the youth orchestra in Aldeburgh among others.