In the dark and lonely depths of the Pacific Ocean, the whales are singing. Listen closely. Can you hear them?
In Manchester Collective’s first major touring project of the year, we bring together a strange and unsettling set of otherworldly music.
Molly Joyce’s ecstatic ‘High and Low’ opens the programme – solo piano presented as a celestial, supercharged, percussive force of nature. ‘Curved Form (St Endellion)’ by Alex Groves, performed live for the first time, conjures up a meditative seascape for live electronics and strings. Listeners are submerged in cascading tides and layered textures, contrasting sharply with Andrew Hamilton’s frenetic ‘In Beautiful May’.
In the end though, it’s back to the sea. Down, down, down. The night finishes with George Crumb’s enigmatic ‘Vox Balaenae’, performed on instruments that are amplified and modified. Music from another world.
Tour Dates
23 September – Lancaster – Lancaster Arts
24 September – Bristol – St George’s Bristol
25 September – Manchester – Hallé St Peter’s
26 September – Stockport – Where The Light Gets In
30 September – Farsley – The Old Woollen, Sunny Bank Mills
1 October – Birkenhead – Future Yard
2 October – London – Southbank Centre
Check times and book tickets via the venue links
Setlist
Molly Joyce High and Low (10")
Alex Groves Curved Form (St Endellion) – World Premiere (10")
Andrew Hamilton In Beautiful May (10")
George Crumb Vox Balaenae (20")
Line-up
Alex Jakeman Flute
Siwan Rhys Piano
Donald Grant Violin
Nathaniel Boyd Cello
Joe Reiser Live sound / live electronics
What to expect…
No two Manchester Collective shows are the same. If you love discovering new music (any music), then you’re in for a treat. You can find us playing at underground music venues, concert halls, now even a restaurant in an old warehouse… The one thing that’s a constant is the quality of the experience, moving and intimate, built around music that we love and want to share with you. You don’t need any pre-existing knowledge of the programme, composers or performers to enjoy yourself. Our shows are renowned for their informal spirit, with accessible spoken introductions to the music we play. Come and find out for yourself.