
Matt Lincoln
Concert Series: BE Contemporary
Bristol Ensemble (UK)
In early 2025, the Bristol Ensemble, led by founder and violinist Roger Huckle, will present an innovative three-concert series celebrating contemporary classical music. Scheduled for January 18, February 20, and March 20, the series will feature works by seven composers including Sally Beamish, Hannah Kendall, Errollyn Wallen, and Anna Meredith. By pairing well-known contemporary pieces with works by lesser-known composers, the series aims to both engage new audiences and highlight underrepresented—especially female—voices in classical music.
Founded in 1994, the Bristol Ensemble is Bristol’s only professional ensemble, performing over 150 concerts annually. Alongside performances, the Ensemble is committed to community outreach. Their programme Preludes Music, for example, supports musical education for children. This series furthers the Ensemble’s mission to diversify classical programming and attract younger audiences, with sustainability in mind: venues are accessible by public transport, and concert promotion will be entirely digital to reduce paper usage.
This concert series will feature Ensemble members Roger Huckle (violin), Harriet Wiltshire (cello), Carl Hill (viola), Hugh Blogg (violin), Paul Israel (piano), and Dave Paggett (clarinet). Each concert pairs the familiar with the less familiar, beginning with John Tavener’s The Protecting Veil and Beamish’s String Quartet No. 2. The second concert features Hannah Kendall’s Glances / I Don’t Belong Here, Errollyn Wallen’s Romeo Turn, and John Adams’s Shaker Loops. The final concert will include Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time alongside Anna Meredith’s Music for Ravens and Hex.
This concert series is made possible by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. The Ensemble will additionally collaborate with the University of Bristol to offer discounted tickets for students and young people.
Further Information:
Dates
January 18, 2025
Trinity Henleaze URC Church, Bristol
February 20, 2025
Arnolfini Arts, Bristol
March 20, 2025
Bristol 1904 Arts Club, Bristol