Out & About Spring 2019

THIBAUT GARCIA

Thibaut Garcia

Hailed as ‘the new face of classical guitar’ after winning every major international guitar competition within the space of a few months, Thibaut Garcia will be performing at Donnington Priory on May 23. Described as a young Frenchman with an old Spanish soul, his passionate and charismatic playing has resulted in sell-out tours across North and South America. His Newbury Spring Festival programme ranges from Bach to Piazolla and draws inspiration from his extensive travels.

ORCHESTRAL St Nicolas’ Church is the festival’s concert hall and hosts the three orchestral concerts. Opening the festival on May 11 is the BBC National Orchestra of Wales with Alexander Sitkovetsky playing the Brahms Violin Concerto , conducted by Xian Zhang. The Russian Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a popular programme on Saturday, May 18, which includes the Rachmaninov Variations on a Theme by Paganini , played by Mikhail Kazakevich. Closing the Festival on May 25 is an all-English programme which features operatic superstars Sophie Bevan and Roderick Williams performing with the Festival Chorus in Vaughan Williams’s A Sea Symphony with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins. unique ‘theatrical conversation with Noel Coward’. In this entertaining and sophisticated cabaret, with the audience seated at round tables in a jazz club style, Coward’s own inimitable words and music are interwoven with gems from Ivor Novello, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. There’s a bit of everything at this concert. LIFE IS FOR LIVING – Cabaret at Combe On May 12, Combe Manor will host the cabaret where this year Simon Green and David Shrubsole return with their

National Youth Jazz Orchestra

BBC BIG BAND Opening the daily Corn Exchange programme on May 11 is the popular BBC Big Band celebrating the Sound of Cinema, inspired by some of the greatest movie soundtracks. This will include classic themes from films such as James Bond, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Pink Panther through to contemporary classics such as Catch Me If You Can .

FREE TICKETS FOR UNDER-25s

This year the festival has a new scheme to encourage the next generation of festival-goers.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales – May 11 Ballet Central – May 14 Sarod Maestros with Jennifer Pike – May 16 Misha Mullov-Abbado Group – May 17 The Sheepdrove Recital – May 17 National Youth Jazz Orchestra – May 18 Lucky Stiff – May 23 Thibaut Garcia – May 23 Julian Bliss Septet – May 24

Thanks to the generous support of Greenham Trust, tickets are available to certain events free of charge to anyone under 25 years old. In each case there are a limited number of seats available for the performance that can be taken up and anyone under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Events featuring in the scheme are:

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

60