Guildford International Music Festival - 5 – 26 March 2011

Wednesday 2 March 2011

The Festival also embraces the new with the familiar and new music is a big feature, responding to audiences’ requests for ‘something different’. Other artforms are also included, and film is an integral part of the Festival, with iconic rock films, including Prince’s Purple Rain and the celebrated Standing in the Shadows of Motown, and special screenings of The Wizard of Oz. There’s also thrilling new contemporary dance from musical choreographer Henri Oguike and his company. Following its success in the last Festival, Suburban Sprawl makes a return – it is an exciting collaboration between the Festival, The Boileroom and the Academy of Contemporary Music with many events specially for the under 18s. It’s a great chance to enjoy music at close quarters, away from conventional music venues and in the streets, pubs and restaurants!

The Festival offers some great surprises – look out for Red Priest, an unorthodox quartet of virtuoso musicians set to make classical music a visual, as well as an aural experience, the Bollywood Brass Band who’ll be bringing the flavours and rhythms of India to the Festival, the phenomenal Warsaw Village Band, Pluck, a musical comedy trio and The Bloomsbury Boys who offer a unique evening of musical flower arranging!  

With over 60 events making up the programme and featuring a whole host of musical ensembles, local and international, there really is something for everyone.

Box Offices: 01483 444334 / 01483 444789 or 01483 686876 (University events only). Visit www.guildfordinternationalmusicfestival.co.uk for more information.

Brochures are available from the Tourist Information Centre, The Electric Theatre, Festival venues, most public places in and around Guildford and online from the Festival website.

*Tickets for Sir Willard White are only available from the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. Call 01483 440000 or book online at www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Listings information for some of the events at Guildford International Music Festival 2011

John Williams – Guitar Recital
Holy Trinity Church on Saturday 5 March
A chance to hear this superstar of the classical guitar in the intimate setting of Holy Trinity Church, playing works by Villa-Lobos, Brouwer and Mangore plus some of his own compositions.

Sir Willard White – Robeson Revisited
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on Sunday 6 March
A truly great opera singer in an unmissable tribute to singer and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, including Negro spirituals, British folk songs and classic early jazz songs.

Red Priest – Carnival of the Seasons
The Electric Theatre on Wednesday 9 March
Baroque iconoclasts Red Priest reinvent one of the greatest works of the Baroque repertoire, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. “Completely wild and deeply imaginative” music-making – miss it at your peril!

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett with Claire Martin – We’re a Couple of Swells
The Electric Theatre on Saturday 12 March
In celebration of Sir Richard’s 75th birthday, the Festival is delighted to present him together with good friend and renowned jazz singer Claire Martin for an evening of Irving Berlin classics. And don’t miss the exhibition of Sir Richard’s collages at the University’s Lewis Elton Gallery, running through the Festival.

Bollywood Brass Band with Rafaqat Ali Khan – An Evening of Bollywood Music
University of Surrey Hall on Saturday 12 March
Bollywood glamour, exhilarating dancing, irresistible drum beats and spellbinding vocals – an extraordinary mix of music, dance and film which will have you dancing in the aisles!
 
Henri Oguike Dance Company – Butterfly Dreaming Tour
The Electric Theatre on Tuesday 15 March
A stunning new triple bill from one of the UK’s most inventive choreographers, featuring music by Bach and Tan Dun. Expect variety, wit and drama, sensuality, beauty and sublime movement.

Signifyin(g) The Times – A series of iconic rock films
Purple Rain on Thursday 10 March at The Electric Theatre                    
Jimi Plays Monterey / Jimi Hendrix Live at Woodstock on Thursday 17 March at The Electric Theatre
Standing in the Shadows of Motown on Tuesday 22 March at University of Surrey

The Bloomsbury Boys – Two Florists, a Soprano and a Piano!
The Electric Theatre on Sunday 13 March
The premiere of the new show by Chelsea Flower Show favourites and ex-Royal Ballet dancers, The Bloomsbury Boys. Expect a gloriously colourful evening of dazzling flower design and floral song!

Pluck – Musical Arson!
The Electric Theatre on Friday 18 March
Comedy and musicianship combined as this irresistibly funny trio compete, ridicule, argue and seduce their way through music from Bach to The Beatles. A huge success on the Edinburgh Fringe, you can now catch them right here in Guildford!

Warsaw Village Band
University of Surrey Hall on Sunday 20 March
“The sound of globalisation” from the wonderful, beautiful and eclectic Warsaw Village Band, making one of only two UK appearances this year right here in Guildford. Roots, folk, world, dub and ethno all collide, producing a mesmerising sound that leaves traditionalists and rock audiences alike shouting for more.

The Benedetti Trio
Holy Trinity Church on Friday 25 March
Sensational young violinist Nicola Benedetti, one of the sell-out highlights of the 2009 Festival, returns to Guildford with her trio to perform irresistible chamber works by Schumann and Rachmaninov.

Paco Peña – Guitar Recital
University of Surrey Hall on Saturday 26 March
A rare chance to see this flamenco legend in a solo performance. Responsible for transforming perceptions of Spanish guitar music, his virtuosic and mesmerising music-making is not to be missed.

Box Offices: 01483 444334 / 01483 444789 or 01483 686876 (University events only). Visit www.guildfordinternationalmusicfestival.co.uk for more information.

*Tickets for Sir Willard White are only available from the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. Call 01483 440000 or book online at www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Editors' Notes

Notes to Editors:

The Guildford International Music Festival was established in 1991 with the aim of bringing international artists, young artists and new music across all genres into the region and to provide a high profile platform for local musical organisations. It takes place every other year and its successes across the years have included the first recital (as opposed to concerto performance) of Vanessa Mae. Although many events are free and in small venues the Festival attracts an overall audience of at least 12,000.

Tickets prices are kept as low as possible to encourage people to sample new music and the range of free events attract enthusiastic audiences.
The Festival is programmed and managed by The University of Surrey’s renowned Department of Music and Sound Recording and is funded by The University of Surrey, Guildford Borough Council and other local sponsors.

Media Enquiries

Peter La, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 689191, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk