Guest Conductor: Stephen Threlfall, Director of Music, Chetham’s School of Music

For the first concert of the Guernsey Symphony Orchestra 2019 Julius Baer Series, the orchestra is delighted to perform an exciting and vibrant programme under the guest baton of Stephen Threlfall, the Director of Music at the prestigious Chetham’s School of Music.

The first half of the programme will see a collaboration of the Guernsey Symphony Orchestra and the Guernsey Music Centre who are celebrating their 40^th Anniversary. Recognising the fact that GSO largely comprises former Music Service students, the orchestra is pleased to welcome members of the present Youth Chamber Orchestra to join with them for the performances of Purcell’s ‘Chaconne’ and Elgar’s ‘Introduction and Allegro’.

To conclude the concert, the GSO will perform Elgar’s wonderful ‘Enigma Variations’, one of his most famous works.  He dedicated the work “to my friends pictured within”, each variation being a musical sketch of one of his circle of close acquaintances.

A concert not to be missed!

Kindly sponsored by Julius Baer

With memories from the SOUND Festival in October still fresh in our minds, we have booked the Big Hall at St James for one Big Night Out

SOUND Guernsey has a suitable massive line-up for you, including no fewer than 8 (!!!) bands.

Starting off at 6pm with a showcase of bands who all recently performed at the Battle of the Bands, we have:
Just Smile, from La Mare
Case on the Base, from Grammar
Sonnic Bomb,from St Sampsons High
and winnners Afterlife from Ladies College

then the evening continues with SOUND regulars
VICE, Isle Stone and track not found

before finally the headliner

THE RECKS will take to the stage.

Do not miss this one! Entry free – Under 18s only

Lord Vapour are back for their first show of the year and it’s a special one!

Known for their take on 70s psychedelic rock, ‘Lord Vapour and The Buds in Bloom’ sees the band explore something different.

Spanning over multiple styles of music from jazz, psych, reggae, Latin and many more ‘The Buds in Bloom’ is a show not to be missed.

Featuring a refined line up of some of Guernseys finest musicians, ‘The Buds in Bloom’ brings with it jazzy back beats, plucky guitars and grooved out basslines all intertwined with smooth keys and mellow flute sections.

Support comes from The Cor Damme Lars and Burg.

After their visit to St James back in November, The Baghdaddies are returning on Saturday, 6th of April. Anyone who was there in November knows what a perfect fit Sark band The Recks and The Cor Damme Lars from Guernsey are to support The Baghdaddies. Get ready for a night of Balkan Rhythms with a good measure of Ska mixed in. Bring your dancing feet.

Door/Bar open at 7pm, music starts at 8pm

This event is part of our BBC Young Musicians of the Year series.

Maxim Calver

British cellist Maxim Calver made his concerto debut in Symphony Hall, Birmingham as part of the Grand Final of BBC Young Musician 2018. His performance of Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Wigglesworth was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and BBC4. Earlier in the competition he won the Strings Category Final performing works by Lutoslawski, Brahms and Stravinsky.

Maxim has performed in major venues throughout the UK and Europe, including Wigmore Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and BOZAR (Brussels). Festival appearances include the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in Switzerland, Southwold Arts Festival and the Wimbledon International Festival, where his performance of Delius’ Cello Sonata was singled out for its ‘depth of tone and passionate intensity’ (Planet Hugill, 2014).

Gorka Plada Giron

Born in Jerez de la Frontera in 2002, at the age of eight he began studying piano at the Joaquín Villatoro Music Conservatory in Jerez de la Frontera. After just a few months he was selected, as the most promising student, to open the 2010/2011 end of course gala, where he premiered his composition “La Barca”.
He also performed at the Cope Radio Guild Awards in the presence of the Duchess de Alba, Antonio Banderas amongst other prominent personalities.
Recently he has also won a number of awards in such competitions as 1º Concurso de Jóvenes Intérpretes del Conservatorio Elemental de Música “Joaquín Turina” in Sanlúcar de Barrameda; The XIII Certamen Nacional de Música “Ángeles Reina”, Viento, Cuerda y Piano (Málaga), and the XVII Premio Infantil de Piano “Santa Cecilia”, organised by the Don Juan de Borbón foundation.

The programme:

STRAVINSKY: Suite Italienne
BEETHOVEN:  Cello Sonata in G minor, Op.5 No.2
Interval
RACHMANINOV: Cello Sonata in G minor, Op.19

April’s Comedy Night brings comedian and actor Terry Alderton, and Adam ‘The Voice’ Bloom to St James, and also sees the return of compere Andre Vincent, who many of you saw on our stage in November.

Terry Alderton is one of the most exciting, and well-travelled, comedians around. Having been nominated for the Perrier Award, Terry went on to win the Best International Act at the New Zealand Comedy Festival.
Terry has appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow and has worked with Joan Rivers and Eddie Izzard.

“This is a mainstream act that dares to be different, that comes from the soul… Effortlessly enjoyable yet excitingly different. He deserves a big future.” – The Times

Adam Bloom, know from TV appearances on ‘Mock the Week’ and Russell Howard’s Good News, delivers a performance that is a refreshing look at mankind with his hypotheses and what if situations, overall an extremely well crafted and particular routine with smart punch lines and strong interaction with the audience. Adam is a force to be reckoned with.

Clameur de Haro, will take over the Whittaker Hall with their Redneck inspired musical mix. Support acts tba

Founded over 50 years ago, Caernarfon Male Voice Choir have a wealth of talent and experience.  They have won the Male Voice Choir competition at the National Eisteddfod of Wales nine times.  Caernarfon have toured extensively in Britain, Ireland, continental Europe and North America, but never to the Channel Islands before and are looking forward to entertaining its Guernsey audience.  This is a rare opportunity to hear Caernarfon MVC and its 50 voice party perform a varied concert alongside it’s popular local host Guernsey Welsh MVC.