Home— What's On— New Music Biennial

Tickets: FREE

Coventry Cathedral, Drapers' Hall and HMV Empire

Until Sun 24 Apr 2022

New Music Biennial

Fri 22 Apr 2022 to Sun 24 Apr 2022

Coventry Cathedral, Drapers' Hall and HMV Empire

FREE

New Music Biennial is a three-day festival giving you the chance to hear music across a range of genres, from classical and chamber opera, to jazz, folk and electronic. If you've never tried some of these genres before, now's your chance - and with each venue a short walk from each other, you can enjoy a range of new music in a short space of time.

Of the 20 new pieces of music, ten are brand new works selected from an open call and ten are pre-existing New Music Biennial works from across the last 10 years to mark its launch back in 2012.

Scroll down to see the programme of events.

Presented in partnership with PRS Foundation, Southbank Centre, BBC Radio 3 and NMC Recordings with support from Arts Council of England, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Music

HOW TO EXPERIENCE NEW MUSIC BIENNIAL

Each performance lasts for one hour. Within this hour, you will hear a 15-minute piece, followed by a Q&A with the composer or artist, then you'll hear the 15-minute piece again. By listening to the piece twice and by hearing about the creative process behind the work, you'll gain a greater appreciation of the work and the artistic intention behind it.

FRIDAY 22 APRIL

New Music Biennial: "Breathlines" Armonico Consort, Toby Young

Fri 22 Apr, 5.30pm, Coventry Cathedral

Performed by Armonico Consort’s choir and strings with Solo Saxophonist Amy Dickson, “Breathlines” sits between concerto and meditation, reflecting on the relationships between body, breath and being.

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New Music Biennial: "Urban Birds" by Arlene Sierra

Fri 22 Apr, 6.30pm, Drapers' Hall

Urban Birds is a return to Sierra's electroacoustic roots, and brings together three international soloists who specialise in new music for piano plus electronics.

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New Music Biennial: “Illusions” by Philip Venables and David Hoyle

Fri 22 Apr, 8pm, HMV Empire

Tackling themes of power, greed, emotion and sexuality, Venables’ brash musical style combines with Hoyle’s vibrant, direct and uncompromising performance art to startling effect in this multimedia piece.

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New Music Biennial: Paul Purgas

Fri 22 Apr, 9.30pm, Coventry Cathedral

Artist and electronic musician Paul Purgas presents a new commission exploring the past and future of analogue tape composition.

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SATURDAY 23 APRIL

New Music Biennial: "13 Vices" by Brian Irvine and Jennifer Walshe

Sat 23 Apr, 12pm, Drapers' Hall

For ensemble, improvisers, conductor & voice, 13 Vices melts boundaries between theatre, poetry & contemporary music.

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New Music Biennial: "Split the Air" by Martin Green

Sat 23 Apr, 1.30pm, Coventry Cathedral

Ivor Novello winning composer, Martin Green, has immersed himself into the world of brass bands, discovering more about these machines of raw power and the people that create the incredible music they produce.

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New Music Biennial: “Skip Dash Flow” by Jason Yarde

Sat 23 Apr, 3.30pm, Drapers' Hall

Guaranteed to blow you away, SKIP DASH FLOW is a fantastic blend of world rhythms, stylish melodies, exuberant soloing and one enormous load of fun.

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New Music Biennial: New Work by Rakhi Singh, Vessel & NYX: electronic drone choir

Sat 23 Apr, 5pm, HMV Empire

This trio of creative forces will combine to co-compose and present a new work for vocal ensemble, electronics and violin exploring Danish poet Inger Christensen’s masterpiece ‘It’.

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New Music Biennial: "Towards Renewal” BBC Concert Orchestra, Philip Herbert

Sat 23 Apr, 6pm, Coventry Cathedral

A new piece commissioned by the BBC Concert Orchestra and written by Philp Herbert for New Music Biennial 2022.

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New Music Biennial: “The Moon Has Become” by Yazz Ahmed

Sat 23 Apr, 7.30pm, Drapers' Hall

Created by British-Bahraini composer and trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, this piece is presented as a surround-sound sonic artwork and performed live by an 11-piece ensemble.

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New Music Biennial: "The Power and the Glory" BBC Concert Orchestra by Gazelle Twin

Sat 23 Apr, 9pm, Coventry Cathedral

Composer, producer and musician Gazelle Twin’s collaboration with composer Max de Wardener brings a blend of traditional musical concepts and futuristic pop from her album Pastoral to a full symphony orchestra.

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New Music Biennial: "Bog Body" by Keeley Forsyth

Sat 23 Apr, 10pm, HMV Empire

A powerful, innovative, audio-visual performance piece crafted around the drama of Forsyth’s voice in collaboration with composer Ross Downes.

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New Music Biennial: NYX (DJ Set)

Following the presentation of their new work 'It' in collaboration with Vessel & Rakhi, NYX Creative Director & resident DJ Josh T will play out the evening with a closing set for the New Music Biennial at hmv Empire. Continuing on from a series of conceptual DJ mixes and radio shows for the likes of NTS, Stamp The Wax and Friendly Potential, this will be the debut live DJ set from NYX.

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SUNDAY 24 APRIL

New Music Biennial: "Bethia" by Daniel Elms

Sun 24 Apr, 12pm, HMV Empire

Daniel Elms' "Bethia" features a small ensemble, including the carillon bells of Hull Minster, a male choir, and a kaleidoscopic collage of film created by video artist David Briggs.

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New Music Biennial: "The Crossing" by Roopa Panesar

Sun 24 Apr, 1.30pm, Drapers' Hall

The Crossing is created by eminent sitarist Roopa Panesar with pianist Al MacSween and sound designer Camilo Tirado, and commissioned and produced by Opera North.

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New Music Biennial: "From The Vestry" by Coby Sey

Sun 24 Apr, 3pm, HMV Empire

South East London musical polymath Coby Sey joins forces with the London Contemporary Orchestra to present a radical new work, building on their first collaboration at the Purcell Sessions in December.

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New Music Biennial: "She Who" Jessica Curry and National Youth Chamber Choir

Sun 24 Apr, 5pm, Drapers' Hall

Experience the National Youth Chamber Choir of Great Britain perform their commission of She Who by BAFTA award winner Jessica Curry as part of the critically acclaimed New Music Biennial 2022.

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New Music Biennial: AFRODEUTSCHE

Sun 24 Apr, 6.30pm, HMV Empire

AFRODEUTSCHE, ‘Britain’s most adventurous orchestra’ and Robert Ames join forces for the premiere of a bold new work representing the cutting edge of Manchester’s cultural and musical language.

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New Music Biennial Double Bill: "HandsFree" by Anna Meredith, "Mighty River" by Errollyn Wallen

Sun 24 Apr, 7.30pm, Coventry Cathedral

Bold, brilliant, brave: join the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain as hundreds of musicians animate the music of two iconic British women and change your experience of the concert performance through their passionate commitment.

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New Music Biennial: "365" by Aidan O'Rourke and Kit Downs

Sun 24 Apr, 9pm, Drapers' Hall

This piece is about storytelling: about how to tell stories without saying too much. The performance intertwines tunes with the words that inspired them. A series of fleeting, vivid vignettes.

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New Music Biennial

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HOW TO EXPERIENCE NEW MUSIC BIENNIAL

FRIDAY 22 APRIL

SATURDAY 23 APRIL

SUNDAY 24 APRIL

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