Hebrides Ensemble

Basics

Artistic director:William Conway
Conductor:Normally unconducted / William Conway when conducted
Size:Flexible, 3 - 15 players
Instruments:

As required, but generally chamber forces (i.e.) single strings (Vn, Vn, Va, Vc, Db), single wind (Fl, Ob, Cl, Bn), brass (Tpt, Hn, Trb), percussion, harp, piano, singers as required.

Specific equipment:

Occasional amplification / live electronics / tape

CountryUnited Kingdom
PartnerPRS Foundation

Statistics

20082007200620052004
Performances171617
Pieces464330
National Pieces15169
International Pieces1169
First performances14139
Commisions14139
Audience265036002450

Repertoire

Main national repertoire

Nigel Osborne 'Balkan Dances and Laments' oboe,string trio,pno

Marina Adamia 'Penumbra' Clarinet, viola, cello, piano

Sally Beamish 'Commedia' Flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano

John Bevan Baker 'Eclogue' Oboe, bassoon, violin, cello, piano

Lyell Cresswell 'Good Angel Bad Angel' chamber opera Mezzo sop, baritone, bass, cl/b.cl, vn, va, vc
Fully staged. Ron Butlin, libretto.

Haflidi Hallgrimsson 'Mini Stories'
Clarinet, trumpet, violin, bass, piano/harmonium, percussion, soprano, conductor, narrator

Edward Harper 'Trio' Clarinet, cello, piano

James MacMillan Tuireadh Clarinet, string 4tet

Bill Sweeney 'Night Songs' Bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano

Weir, Judith The Bagpipers Trio
Violin, viola, cello

International repertoire

Adams Road Movies vln, pno

Ades Catch
Clarinet, violin, cello, piano

Benjamin, George Three Miniatures for solo violin

Carter, Elliot Oboe Quartet

Piano Quintet

Knussen, Oliver Cantata for oboe and string trio

Kurtag
Signs, Games and Messages
Violin, viola, cello

Kurtag Pas `a pas….nulle part
Vn,va,vcl,perc(lots),baritone

Berio Folksongs Fl,cl,va,vcl,hp,perc,mezzo-sop

Ligeti Trio
Violin, Horn, piano

Montague, Stephen Wild Nights
Soprano, clarinet, viola, piano

Potential use of the Re:new repertoire

Mixed programming depends on variety and quality which this list will provide for. A lot of the artistic director's time is spent listening to new music and discussing it with colleagues - this will be an excellent forum for discovering new tried and tested work.

Submitted pieces

Nigel Osborne 'Balkan Dances and Laments' oboe,string trio,pno

Lyell Cresswell 'Good Angel Bad Angel' chamber opera Mezzo sop, baritone, bass, cl/b.cl, vn, va, vc
Fully staged. Ron Butlin, libretto.

Weir, Judith The Bagpipers Trio
Violin, viola, cello

Knussen, Oliver Cantata for oboe and string trio

Montague, Stephen Wild Nights
Soprano, clarinet, viola, piano

Davies, Sir Peter Maxwell "String Trio"

Sweeney, William "Nightsongs"

Beamish, Sally "Piobaireachd Trio"

Address book

Adress

General manager: Caroline Winn 

Box 141, 44 – 46 
St. Georges West Church
58 Shandwick Place
Edinburgh, EH2 4RT
T: +44 (0) 7843 561 998
 

manager@hebridesensemble.org.uk

website

http://www.hebridesensemble.org.uk

 


Information

Hebrides Ensemble has built a reputation as Scotland's foremost chamber group, touring frequently throughout Scotland, appearing at international music festivals and broadcasting regularly on BBC Radio 3. Its concerts are acclaimed for their imaginative and innovative programming and for the outstanding quality of performance. For its work in 2005 Hebrides Ensemble was nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society award and has been shortlisted for its work in 2008. The Ensemble has commissioned and premiered new works by more than forty composers including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, James MacMillan, Gordon McPherson, Stuart MacRae, Haflidi Hallgrimsson and Sally Beamish and performs a celebrated series of concerts each year at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Recent projects include 4 prestigious Scottish Arts Council Tune Up tours, collaborations with Scottish Dance Theatre and Opera Circus, performances at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2005, 2006, 2007 and a forthcoming one in 2009, a series of rush hour concerts in Edinburgh in Spring 2007, appearances at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Wigmore Hall and St Magnus Festival, Orkney with a revival of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies chamber opera The Martyrdom of St Magnus to great acclaim. 2009 will bring performances at the City of London Festival, Perth Concert Hall, Paxton House Festival and an autumn tour.

Activity

Participation

Festival appearances include a residency at the St. Magnus Festival, Orkney, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and performances at many Edinburgh International Festivals.

Participation abroad

None to date.

Discography

Hebrides Ensemble's CD of music by Lyell Cresswell for NMC has received the highest critical acclaim across the globe. A further CD featuring music by John Bevan Baker was released by Linn Records in September 2006.
A disc of music by Messiaen was released by Linn Records in 2008 to exeptional reviews.

Concert relations

Regular performances at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, Scotland throughout our season including our regular  performances as part of Edinburgh International Festival.
Regular appearances in Glasgow at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music where we are ensemble in residence.

Media relations

None to date