Colin Currie, the pioneering percussion soloist, makes a return trip to Belfast this Friday (3 February) when he performs James MacMillan’s spectacular percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel in a special 20th anniversary Ulster Orchestra performance at the Ulster Hall.
The concert, Nordic Connections, which is conducted by the Ulster Orchestra’s Principal Conductor, JoAnn Falletta features music from more northerly nations and opens with the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg’s elegant Holberg Suite and includes the Finnish maestro Sibelius’ powerful and evocative Symphony No.5 and the pre-eminent Scottish composer of his generation, James MacMillan’s spectacular percussion concerto.
Speaking in advance of the concert, Colin Currie said, “The MacMillan concerto is a very powerful and dramatic work that becomes very thrilling indeed when performed live. It’s music that is abundantly lyrical and extremely engaging.”
The concerto was first performed at the BBC Proms in August 1992, five years later Colin Currie was in Belfast to record it with the UO, “so it feels great to return to perform the piece in Belfast once again,” he said.
Colin will be playing an array of percussion instruments, 17 in total comprising 45 different elelments, in a piece that requires a careful balance and integration between the soloist and orchestra. “We will be working in tandem rather than one dominating the other, so I need to be quick-witted and sharp-eared during the concert to react to the various tempo changes and make sure things are truly locked in. It’s a blast!”
Looking forward to the concert, JoAnn Falletta said, “I adore these three pieces, and they are all completely different. The MacMillan Veni, Veni Emmanuel is a stunning modern work based on an ancient Advent melody, and the piece could not have a better advocate than our soloist Colin Currie.
“Grieg’s Holberg Suite is one of his masterpieces, and will give our Ulster Orchestra strings a chance to shine in extraordinary music, while Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony is an unforgettable portrait of the uniquely beautiful Finnish landscape, complete with the haunting song of the swans that so fascinated the composer.
Colin Currie will also be giving a Masterclass in the Ulster Hall on Thursday evening (2 February) at 7.30pm, part of the Ulster Orchestra’s ongoing education and outreach work. Four young percussionists will be taken through their paces by Colin. Tickets for the Masterclass and the concert are available from the Ulster Orchestra on 028 9023 9955 or at www.ulsterorchestra.com.