John Ruddick spends nearly all his time these days rehearsing and leading the Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra, so rare is the occasion when we can hear him indulging his initial passion: just playing the trumpet.Read
It was a brilliantly simple idea that Ex Cathedra should seal its fortieth anniversary celebrations (“XLent” – geddit?) with works written for giganticRead
We mustn’t quibble. Daniel Barenboim’s innovative series juxtaposing Beethoven’s five piano concertos with Schoenberg may have been destined for London (Paris later this week), but Saturday’s single Birmingham concert was better than nothing.Read
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group continues to serve up programme-pies to pull out plums and Monday’s concert, under the quiet, authoritative conducting of Oliver Knussen, was no exception.Read
It all looked so mouthwatering on paper: master-tenor Ian Bostridge and master-accompanist Antonio Pappano performing a late, great masterpiece by Schubert. But for at least one listener it didn’t work.Read
Rock legends AC/DC have been confirmed as one of the headliners at this year’s Download Festival, taking place at Donington Park between June 11 and 13. Read
It seemed I was fated never to hear Laurence Jackson, CBSO concertmaster, perform the Brahms Concerto for Violin and Cello with either of his co-principal cello colleagues.Read
In almost every respect, Birmingham Chamber Music Society’s brave experiment of giving a Sunday afternoon concert instead of its habitual Saturday night ones drawing a dwindling audience proved a huge success.Read
Stratford Jazz is the little jazz club that just keeps going all year round. It might have had to cancel last week’s gig due to the weather but a jazz-free Sunday evening in Stratford-upon-Avon is a rare thing indeed.Read
The day itself may have been long past but the CBSO’s New Year concerts last Saturday drew large audiences eager to wallow in the music of Vienna and Johann Strauss II in particular.Read
