Festival Programme, April-May 2001

Thursday 26 April, 2.15 and 6.30pm at Brighouse Civic Hall

Barry Russell's 'The Ice Palace'

When the evil Starjick steals Ivan's brother, Ivan sets off on an adventure to get him back. He is chased by wolves, almost drowns in an icy well but eventually finds himself at The Ice Palace. There, frozen into a huge wall of ice are hundreds of children stolen by Starjick. Ivan uses a spell taught to him by a strange old woman to melt the ice in Starjick's heart. The wall of ice collapses and the children are freed. Ivan leads them back home.

Starjick is played by a 9 foot high puppet operated by 5 children. Puppets are also used alongside live action as the villagers get together to tell the story of brave Ivan.

Based on Robert Swindells' story, this is a new opera for children by Barry Russell, commissioned by the Young Musicians' Festival, and performed by the 190 pupils of St Joseph's RC J & I School, Brighouse, with Ellie Doodey (soprano), Tony Harris (keyboard and electronics), Damien Harron (percussion), directed by Barry Russell.

Tickets: £2 (£1 concessions) Children free

Friday 27 April, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

The Duke Quartet

Tickets: £10 (£7.50 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Saturday 28 April, 12 noon at the Piece Hall Band Stand

Andy Hillier's Syncopated Lunatics

Leeds College of Music

Fun, theatrics - musical and visual - and unflagging energy from this New Orleans septet, guaranteed to set feet tapping!

Admission free - bucket collection

Saturday 28 April, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Castle Players

Welsh College of Music and Drama

Flute, clarinet, cello, piano and soprano

Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Sunday 29 April, 12 noon at Square Chapel, Halifax

The Big Band

directed by Al Wood

Leeds College of Music

The LCM Big Band, directed by Al Wood and featuring vocalists Sandra Pehrsson and Kari Bleivik, is made up of the cream of the College's young musicians who will play a programme guaranteed to entertain big band music devotees. Instrumental titles such titles as Fascinating Rhythm; Who's Sorry Now?; In A Mellow Tone and I Remember Clifford alternate with vocal arrangements of It's Alright With Me; Mean To Me; You Took Advantage Of Me; Sentimental Journey in a programme that also contains other classic and original big band charts.

Tickets: £6 (£4 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Sunday 29 April, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Tavec String Quartet

Royal College of Music

Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Monday 30 April, 6.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Pre-Concert Talk

Leo Chadburn, a member of the Flautadors Recorder Quartet, talks about the ensemble and the music he has written for it.

Admission free.

Monday 30 April, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

The Flautadors

Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Recorder quartet

Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Tuesday 1 May, 6.30pm at Square Chapel Bar, Halifax

Pre-Concert Talk

Composer Dai Fujikura talks about his new works which are premiered in tonight's concert.

Admission free.

Tuesday 1 May, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Lycydas Piano Trio

Trinity College of Music

Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Wednesday 2 May, 10.30 am & 1.30 pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Chinook Clarinet Quartet

Playing clarinets of all shapes and sizes, the Chinook Clarinet Quartet presents two fun-filled concerts for children in which they can learn how a clarinet works, help to create exciting sounds, compose a piece and even conduct the Quartet!

Concert for Special Schools at 10.30 am

Concert for Young People with Hearing and Visual Impairment at 1.30 pm

Contact the Festival Office on 01706 817633 for further information

Wednesday 2 May, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Ni Brass Ensemble

Royal Academy of Music

Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Thursday 3 May, 6.30pm at Square Chapel Bar, Halifax

Pre-Concert Talk

Douglas Jarman talks about Sviridov and Shostakovich.

Admission free.

Thursday 3 May, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Theophilus Piano Trio

Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Friday 4 May, 6.30pm at Square Chapel Bar, Halifax

Pre-Concert Talk

Peter Syrus talks about Brahms's Clarinet Quintet.

Admission free.

Friday 4 May, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Smart Quartet / Simon Underhill

Royal Northern College of Music

Tickets: £7 (£5 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

Saturday 5 May, 7.30pm at Square Chapel, Halifax

Cuarteto Casals

Cologne Hochschule für Musik

Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions) £1 under 18s / full-time students

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