13 January 2010 For immediate release

VOICES NOW at the Roundhouse

Celebrating Singing Together

THURSDAY 24 - SUNDAY 27 MARCH 2011

BBC Singers * The Clerks * Gareth Malone * Holst Singers * Juice * The Magnets * Making Music Open Stage * The Latvian Radio * Symphony Chorus * Juice * Roundhouse Choir * South Oxhey Community Choir * Stephen Layton * Sing Up * BBC Radio 3

Booking opens 17 January www.roundhouse.org.uk 0844 482 8008

“The only thing better than singing is more singing.” Ella Fitzgerald

There has been an explosion of interest in in the UK in recent years, from TV and radio programmes to government funded drives to improve singing in our primary schools. More people than ever before are enjoying the benefits of singing.

At the same time, the UK has a centuries old singing tradition, some of the finest professional choirs in the world, and a new generation of singers who are taking vocal groups in new and invigorating directions. Further afield, not least in the Baltic region, vocal traditions are equally strong.

So, what happens when you bring singing enthusiasts together with the world leaders in the field? Voices Now at London’s legendary Roundhouse is a huge celebration of ensemble singing on a scale and ambition never seen before.

The four-day choral take-over of the Roundhouse (24-27 March 2011) features some of the world’s best choirs, over 1,000 amateur singers, performances, workshops, talks and specially commissioned new works, with concerts broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

Produced by Artistic Director Stephen Layton and Matthew Swann for Voices Now, and presented in association with Making Music, Roundhouse, Sing Up, BBC Radio 3, and with support from Arts Council , the SHM Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, highlights include:

PERFORMANCES

• Inspiring, uplifting choral music from the UK and the Baltics East meets West: BBC Singers, conducted by David Hill, sing the UK premiere of Judith Bingham’s The Hired Hand, James MacMillan’s Mairi, Percy Grainger Folk Songs and Tippett’s Song from the British Isles. The Latvian Radio Choir showcase choral works by Jāzeps Vītols, Arvo Pärt, Anders Hillborg, Mārtiņš Viļums and Tolvo Tulev, and the two choirs come together for a new commission from Gabriel Jackson (concert broadcast live on BBC Radio 3).

• BBC Singers, Latvian Radio Choir, London Symphony Chorus, the Holst Singers and the Roundhouse Choir, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3’s The Choir. Traditional and contemporary British music and sounds of the Baltic, Russia and beyond plus an all-comers performance of Bob Chilcott’s I Am the Song.

• The Holst Singers, conducted by Stephen Layton, explore music inspired by folk-song from the UK and , including works by Ēriks Ešenvalds, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Veljo Tormis and a new commission by young British composer Stuart Hancock. Kaspars Putnins and the Latvian Radio Choir delve into Baltic singing.

• The Clerks create a tapestry of worldwide religious sounds, weaving live performance with digital installation and collaborations with local primary schools in The Hours

• A rare chance to hear the 100+ voices of the London Symphony Chorus perform unaccompanied, with music by Jonathan Dove and Morten Lauridsen

• Jaw-dropping close harmony, beatboxing and pop from The Magnets; virtuosic experimental and contemporary classical with female vocal trio Juice

• Sing Up: five of England’s very best primary school choirs show their mettle in support of the BBC Singers and the Latvian Radio Choir, including a performance of Alexander L’Estrange’s This is Our World.

• Contemporary cool from the young singers of the Roundhouse Choir and Roundhouse Experimental Choir.

COME AND SING

• Come and Sing with Gareth Malone and the South Oxhey Community Choir (as featured on BBC 2’s The Choir) – from Van Morrison to Purcell.

• Making Music Open Stage invites choirs from across the UK to follow in the footsteps of Jimi Hendrix and perform at the legendary Roundhouse.

• Come and Sing Tallis’ Spem in Alium with the Holst Singers and Edward Wickham: Tallis’ monumental 40 part motet, known for both its size and complexity, is beyond the reach of most amateur choirs… until now. An informal performance for experienced singers who can prepare their parts in advance. Choose a part and download music at www.voicesnow.org.uk

• The infectious rhythms and melodies of South African choirs with the Camden Township Choir. Paul Bartholomew and Joyce Maholoagae lead the call and response, with words in Zulu, Sesotho and Xhosa (clicks and all).

• Driving Lessons for Choir Leaders with Joseph Cullen and members of the London Symphony Chorus: how to get your choir to stop, start, brake, speed-up, turn round and sing together.

• Pushing Boundaries: extended vocal technique with The Magnets and Juice – how to sound like an entire drum-kit using just your voice or knock out a crystal-clear top C.

• The BBC Singers partner with Harrow Secondary Schools to get over 400 young people singing in choirs.

• Debate: Where Now? The Future of Choirs in the UK (in association with BBC Radio 3’s The Choir)

LISTINGS Venue: Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8EH Performances: 24 – 27 March 2011 Tickets:

Main Space performances £15 (stalls), £10 (circle) and £5 (standing) Saturday evening (Holst Singers and The Magnets): £30 (stalls), £20 (circle) and £12.50 (standing) Sunday Main Space – London Symphony Chorus and The Choir: £25 (circle), £15 (stalls) and £7.50 (standing) Golden Ticket: All Voices Now Main Space performances for only £75

Come and Sing, workshops and Studio Theatre performances £5/£7.50/£10.00 Sing Up, The Hours and Making Music Open Stage performances are FREE

Box Office: 0844 482 8008 / www.roundhouse.org.uk Tube: Camden Town / Chalk Farm

PRESS ENQUIRIES Sophie Cohen T 020 7428 9850 / 07711 551787 E [email protected] www.voicesnow.org.uk www.facebook.com/voicesnow twitter: @voicesnow

Voices Now is grateful for support from the following organisations The SHM Foundation The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Arts Council England The Embassy of

Voices Now - Calendar

Thursday 24 7.30pm Roundhouse Choirs Studio £5 March Theatre Friday 25 March 10.30am- The Clerks – The Hours Studio Free 9.30pm Theatre 5.45pm Sing Up Foyers Free 7pm BBC Singers and Latvian Main Space £5, £10, £15 Radio Choir 9.30pm The Clerks – Taverner’s Studio £5 Missa Gloria Tibi Trinitas Theatre Saturday 26 March 11am Gareth Malone – Come and Main Space £7.50 for Sing 11am come and sing and 1pm performance 1pm Gareth Malone and the Main Space (see above) South Oxhey Community Choir 2pm- Making Music Open Stage Foyers Free 8.30pm 2pm Latvian Radio Choir – Baltic Studio £5 Music Theatre 3.30pm Where Now? The Future of Studio Free Choirs in the UK – Theatre Q&A/Panel 5.30pm Juice & The Magnets – Studio £5 Pushing Boundaries Theatre 7pm Stephen Layton and the Main Space £5, £10, £15 Holst Singers 8.30pm The Magnets Main Space £10, £15, £20 10pm Juice Studio £10 Theatre Sunday 27 March 10.30am Tallis Spem in Alium – Come Main Space £5 and Sing 12.30pm- Making Music Open Stage Foyers Free 6.30pm 2pm London Symphony Chorus Main Space £5, £10, £15 3.30pm Camden Township Choir Studio £5 Theatre 5pm Driving Lessons for Choirs Studio £5 Theatre 6.30pm The Choir - Live Main Space £5, £10, £15

About the Roundhouse Each year the Roundhouse works with over 3,000 11-25s enabling them to reach their creative potential; and offers audiences of all ages new and extraordinary experiences in live music, circus, theatre and new media.

About Marking Music Making Music, the National Federation of Music Societies, is one of the largest arts umbrella organisations in the UK , representing and supporting over 3,000 voluntary music groups. Its members include choirs, orchestras, music promoters, jazz and folk bands, community festivals, samba groups, sitar ensembles, barbershop choruses and brass bands. It provides a comprehensive range of financial, artistic and administrative services, as well as development and training opportunities to amateur musicians. Making Music also lobbies on behalf of its members to national and local government and other agencies. Collectively, Making Music’s 250,000 musicians and music lovers present around 12,000 concerts each year to an audience of 1.6 million people. www.makingmusic.org.uk