Appointment as Barbican Associate Ensemble

Britten Sinfonia is proud to announce it will join the Barbican’s outstanding roster of international performance partners when the orchestra becomes Associate Ensemble at the Barbican from the 2012-13 season.

From October 2012, Britten Sinfonia’s London subscription series will be performed exclusively at the Barbican. The orchestra will also feature in work produced in collaboration with the Barbican’s artistic team on projects that embrace different genres of music.

Britten Sinfonia will launch its new association at the Barbican on Saturday 27th October 2012 with a day of events that also celebrates Britten Sinfonia’s 20th birthday. Journeying through 400 years of music, the birthday celebrations feature close artistic collaborators including Alina Ibragimova, Mark Padmore, Nico Muhly, Pekka Kuusisto, Joanna MacGregor and Andy Sheppard, the orchestra’s two newest ensembles, Britten Sinfonia Voices and Britten Sinfonia Academy for young musicians, plus special guest appearances.

Britten Sinfonia’s 2012-13 Barbican season also features Beethoven Piano Concertos directed from the keyboard by Angela Hewitt, the world première of a new work by Eriks Esenvalds as part of a ‘Baltic Nights’ programme directed by Alina Ibragimova, and acclaimed tenor Ian Bostridge performing works by Schubert and Britten. Britten Sinfonia will also perform with the Barbican’s own productions including Oliver Knussen’s Where the Wild Things Are and Glass’s Koyaanisquatsi.

David Butcher, Chief Executive of Britten Sinfonia comments:

“It’s a great honour for Britten Sinfonia to be the Barbican’s Associate Ensemble from the 2012-13 season. The Barbican’s wide ranging and pioneering arts programmes sit well with our own artistic outlook. We look forward to developing and presenting projects in partnership with one of the world’s finest arts centres and to welcoming new audiences as well as our existing supporters at this auspicious time in our history.”

Angela Dixon, Barbican Head of Music comments:

“It is with great pleasure and excitement that we welcome Britten Sinfonia to the Barbican’s family of ensembles. Britten Sinfonia stands for excellence and diversity and these shared goals make this a partnership of limitless possibilities. I am delighted that this new venture will start with the orchestra’s 20th birthday celebrations; this promises to be an eclectic journey featuring many of the strong relationships the orchestra has forged with some of the world’s most exciting artists. We are also delighted that Britten Sinfonia are working with the Barbican on some our own major presentations this season. Oliver Knussen’s Where the Wild Things Are promises to be a musical and visual feast. We look forward to seeing Britten Sinfonia and their audiences at the Barbican this season.”

Helen Lax, Regional Director, Arts Council England, East said:

“These high profile roles for the Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia confirm the orchestras’ positioning in the top echelon of international ensembles. These positions will unlock exciting new opportunities for artistic collaborations, audiences, donors and sponsors, and the Barbican’s collaborative approach towards artistic planning will hugely benefit both orchestras. We are very proud to support these orchestras and the exceptional work they produce.”

Full details of Britten Sinfonia’s 2012-13 Barbican season will be available at www.brittensinfonia.com from January 30 2012 when online booking opens to the general public at the Barbican.

Read about the Barbican’s 2012-12 season here.