Birmingham Post - Birmingham Culture - Music

Jazz Diary

Birmingham Post — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

One of the liveliest and most characterful sidemen in the Midlands gets to be bandleader tonight as double bassist Tom Hill brings his quartet into The Yardbird.

Kevin Rowland announces new Dexys Midnight Runners album release

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:55:00 GMT

Legendary Birmingham band Dexys Midnight Runners are to release a new album in the summer - although the name of the band has been shortened to just Dexys.

Conductor Edward Gardner delights in the energy of the CBSO

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Review: Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:21:00 GMT

Programme notes verging on the pretentious led to confusion with constant references to death in ‘variable dustings of sound’. Fine playing throughout however, from some of Birmingham’s top musicians.

Review: Conquering The Antarctic, City of London Sinfonia, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:19:00 GMT

Forming the bulk of this concert was a musical commemoration of Scott’s journey to the South Pole (he perished in March 1912 on the return leg).

Review: Mark Padmore, Richard Watkins, Julius Drake, at Malvern Theatres

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:18:00 GMT

The programming of Malvern Concert Club’s latest concert looked eccentric, with Beethoven and Schubert sandwiching two of Britten’s lesser-known offerings - but it worked brilliantly.

Review: CBSO matinee performance, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:14:00 GMT

We were treated to sumptuous Stradivarius sonorities from Akiko Suwanai, a very fine soloist playing Heifetz’s superb 1714 instrument

Review: Andreas Scholl, at Birmingham Town Hall

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:08:00 GMT

It would be perverse not to be charmed by Andreas Scholl’s voice which was smooth, mellifluous and honeyed in this Bach concert. He sang with an almost unearthly beauty.

Review: Biohazard, at HMV Institute, Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:00:00 GMT

“IT’S been a while,” admitted frontman Billy Graziadei, in reference to Biohazard’s long-overdue return to Birmingham, as he surveyed the sweaty crowd.

Birmingham Opera Company founder to receive honorary degree from BCU

Birmingham Post — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:02:00 GMT

THE founder and artistic director of the Birmingham Opera Company is to receive an honorary doctoral degree from Birmingham City University.

Black Sabbath reunion in doubt after drummer Bill Ward calls for 'signable contract'

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:50:00 GMT

Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has revealed he could pull out of the Birmingham band’s reunion tour because of a contract wrangle.

Madness front man Suggs finds time to reflect on his life

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT

When you hit your half century, it's time to take stock. Alison Jones chats to Madness front man Suggs.

Birmingham Conservatoire celebrates composer Claude Debussy

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:25:00 GMT

A celebration of the French composer kicks-off a run of major festivals. Christopher Morley finds out what's in store.

Jennie Bond to host Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:22:00 GMT

As the Queen prepares to mark her 60th year on the throne, Roz Laws discovers some of the highlights for former Royal correspondent Jennie Bond.

Review: Eroica Camerata, at St Nicolas Church, Kings Norton

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:01:00 GMT

The bright-eyed, bushy-tailed hopefulness with which amateur orchestras spring up is touching, but not all of them survive beyond the fledgling stage.

Review: Tchaikovsky's First Symphony - CBSO, at Symphony Hall

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

The CBSO must be the most-recorded orchestra in the country at the moment, with the microphones out in force again for the Orfeo label to set down the latest instalment in a complete cycle of Tchaikovsky symphonies.

Review: City of Birmingham String Quartet, at CBSO Centre

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

It is good to be present at history-in-the-making as we were for the first performance of the String Quartet No.3 by the acclaimed Birmingham–based composer Ivor McGregor,

Review: Lahti Symphony Orchestra, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Okko Kamu, well known to Birmingham audiences for his performances with the CBSO, brought his new orchestra, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, from Finland for this all-Sibelius concert.

Jazz Diary: Trad legends Chris Barber and Acker Bilk head to Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:26:00 GMT

Trad jazz legends Acker Bilk and Chris Barber appear in a double bill at Birmingham Town Hall.

Birmingham band The Musgraves have musical instruments stolen

Birmingham Post — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:08:00 GMT

Unsigned Birmingham band The Musgraves had all their instruments stolen hours before their big TV break on Graham Norton's chat show.