With opening performance of Timeless Classics and New Beginnings in exactly two months today, it feels to me like the perfect time to begin introducing our program for this series and share why these pieces are so close to our hearts. Our program contains not one but two current Swedish composers, an ode to our genesis in Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden. Despite a strong tradition and regard for classical music in the Nordic countries, Swedish composers are rarely played in Britain, especially in the chamber music setting.

Possibly the most exciting feature of the program is our first commissioned work, which was written by Nicole Rubinova. We are now in the workshop-phase, where we are working with Nicole to develop an interpretation of the piece that is true to her vision which also suits our expressive ensemble style. We can now also announce the name of the work: Tid, meaning Time in Swedish. Read our previous post to learn more about Nicole and the commission.

Rolf Martinsson, composition professor at the Academy of Music in Malmö wrote his first clarinet concerto, Concert Fantastique. The following year, he arranged a version for clarinet and piano, naming it Suite Fantastique. The piece is a rollercoaster ride, truly exploring the clarinet’s whole range with dazzling glissandos into dizzying heights. The funky rhythmic dialogue between the clarinet and piano challenges the limits of the term “classical”. With tickets purchasable through our Concerts page, you are invited to join in for the ride and hold on tight!