Programme Highlights

'Exquisite.' The New York Times​

Named after Manuel Quiroga, one of the most outstanding instrumentalists of Spanish music history, the Quiroga Quartet have established themselves as one of the most dynamic and unique quartets of their generation, winning international acclaim from critics and audiences alike for their distinctive personality as well as their bold and original approach to the string quartet repertoire. 

The Quartet’s programme offers the chance to hear music by the 'Spanish Mozart', Juan Cristóstomo de Arriaga, Argentina’s most important 20th-century composer, Alberto Ginastera, and contemporary Spanish composer, Cristóbal Halffter who has, amongst many things, been awarded Spain’s highest award for composition.

​Quiroga Quartet string quartet

Presented by ILAMS and the Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with Eaton Square Concerts and the CNDM as part of Echoes Festival 2018 and the Europa Project, under the patronage of H.E. the Spanish Ambassador

PLUS Ticket includes a complimentary glass of wine!

BOOKINGS 020 7553 4039 | eatonsquareconcerts.org.uk

MORE INFORMATION echoesfestival.co.uk | cuartetoquiroga.com | cndm.mcu.es | ilams.org.uk | 

londres.cervantes.es

'So beautiful!' BBC RADIO 4 (Woman’s Hour)

Launching with a sell-out concert at Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room as part of La Linea Festival, the TangOpera project offers a heady fusion of tango and high art. Exploring the rich and wonderfully complex lyric history of the Argentine tango, the programme traces its global trajectory from roots in bel canto opera, Italian canzonetta and the Cuban habanera through to the golden age of tango canción and Carlos Gardel, to the art songs of classical composers such as Guastavino, Bizet, Fauré, Falla, Henrique, Hahn and - of course - Astor Piazzolla. Conceived by British-Spanish pianist and Latin classical specialist Helen Glaisher-Hernández, this unique project features the exhilarating voice of pre-eminent Spanish tenor, Jorge Navarro Colorado. Join us at Zédel's Crazy Coqs for this special 'Echoes Late' event - the perfect nocturnal setting in which to enjoy a drink and surrender yourself to the seductive allure of the tango.

SNEAK PEEK! Video clip

Presented by ILAMS and the Instituto Cervantes as pat of Echoes Festival 2018 in collaboration with Crazy Coqs at Zédel and 7 Star Arts

TICKETS £25 | £20 Concessions | £15 Friends of Echoes Festival (click HERE to join)

BOOKINGS 020 7734 4888 | echoesfestival.co.uk

MORE INFORMATION liveatzedel.com | 7stararts.com | jorgencolorado.com | helenglaisherhernandez.com

'Light-years ahead of any guitar duo past or present.' American Record Guide

'Listening to the Assad Brothers is a bit like hearing four hands playing one large guitar.' Los Angeles Times

After a 15-year absence from the London stage, the 25th September sees the much-awaited return of the superlative classical guitar duo, the Assad Brothers, with a recital at the Royal Academy of Music. Described by the Washington Post as quite simply 'the best two-guitar team in existence, maybe even in history', Brazilian-born brothers and Latin Grammy winners Sérgio and Odair Assad have set the benchmark for all other guitarists by creating a new standard of guitar innovation, ingenuity and expression. Having also played a major role in creating and introducing new music for two guitars, the duo is known for their uncanny ensemble-playing, which also extends to collaborations with such renowned artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Paquito D'Rivera and Gidon Kremer. The duo have curated a colourful, bespoke programme for Echoes Festival showcasing music from various corners of the Luso-Hispanic world, including several original works alongside others from their native Brazil. Expect lashings of virtuosity, Latin swing and classical cool... Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear classical guitar royalty performing up close in the intimate, sumptuous setting of the RAM’s Duke’s Hall. Advance booking highly recommended! 

Sérgio Assad & Odair Assad guitars

Organised by ILAMS and the Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music as part of Echoes Festival 2018 and the Guitarrísimo series

SNEAK PEEK! Video Clip

TICKETS 

BOOKINGS 

0800 411 8881 (lines open 24/7) | echoesfestival.co.uk

MORE INFORMATION

ram.ac.uk | londres.cervantes.es | assadbrothers.com | ilams.org.uk

​​             

‘A transcendental Hispanic ensemble.’ Le Monde de la Musique

El Greco (1541-1614) had an exact musical contemporary and equal in the Spanish composer Alonso Lobo (1555-1617). Both figures were the product of the cultural flowering of Spain’s siglo de oro, driven predominantly from the ‘Imperial City’ of Toledo where the artists worked at the turn of the 17th century, and it is likely that El Greco heard Lobo’s music at Toledo Cathedral where the composer was maestro de capilla. Parallels have been drawn between their respective aesthetic affinities, with Lobo expressing in sound the equivalent austere, transcendental silence of El Greco’s sacred artworks.

Although revered in his own time, Lobo did not arrive in the 20th century with the same momentum as contemporaries such as Victoria, but the new millennium has witnessed his revival, thanks in part to the pioneering work of the illustrious Spanish ensemble La Grande Chapelle whose world-premiere recordings for the Lauda label have firmly re-established Lobo as one of the great polyphony composers of the European Renaissance. In tandem with the Wallace Collection's new exhibition From El Greco to Goya, La Grande Chapelle will perform the monumental Beata Dei genitrix mass from Lobo’s Liber primus missarum (1602), inspired by the eponymous motet by Guerrero. A rare opportunity to hear Lobo’s heavenly music performed by one of its leading international exponents amidst the sumptuous surroundings of The Wallace Collection's Great Gallery, with an opening address by Director of The Wallace Collection, Xavier Bray.

La Grande Chapelle
Albert Recasens director

Francisco Guerrero Motete ‘Beata Dei genitrix, a 6’
Alonso Lobo Missa ‘Beata Dei genitrix, a 6’ | Selected Motets | De lamentatione Ieremiae Prophetae, a 6

PLUS Join us for a complimentary glass of Spanish wine before the performance!

SNEAK PEEK! Click HERE to listen an audio clip

Image: Detail from La anunciación (1597-1600) by El Greco (1541-1614)

This event is part of Echoes Festival 2017 organised in collaboration with the Cervantes Institute with the kind support of The Wallace Collection, Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) PICE Mobility Grants, the Instituto Nacional de las Artes Escénicas y de la Música (INAEM) and Wines from Spain

TICKETS 

£30 | £25 Concessions and Members of ILAMS / IC | Ticket includes a complimentary glass of Spanish wine

BOOKINGS 

MORE INFORMATION 

There was a time when Americans, North and South, celebrated their shared history and collaborated towards common interests. In 1941, Aaron Copland travelled to Latin America on a diplomatic mission as part of the Panamericanist initiatives of Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policy, which aimed to cement hemispheric solidarity in the face of rising European fascism. This new zeitgeist was embraced by composers throughout the continent and helped forge a renewed sense of identity and a golden age of ‘American’ music.

The ‘PanAmericana’ project offers the perfect antidote to 21st-century politics: tracing hemispherical connections from New York to Buenos Aires, it showcases a cornucopia of classical voices exploring common musical languages which bear testament to music’s power to transcend political borders and foster cultural understanding. This kaleidoscopic programme encompasses an eclectic range of influences, from jazz, lied, tango, opera and musical theatre to folk and film music, allowing audiences to enjoy some of their all-time favourite North American music by iconic composers such as Copland, Bernstein and Gershwin alongside lesser-known gems from South of the Border by Piazzolla, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera and Lecuona. Featuring performances by an exciting line-up of young talents, expect passion, lush tunes, irresistible rhythms and edge-of-your-seat virtuosity!

PLUS The bar will be serving Latin American cocktails before the performance and during the interval

Sneak peek! Click HERE to watch a video clip of Luis Gomes | Click HERE to watch a video clip of Duo Diez | Click HERE to listen to an audio clip of the Los Angeles Duo

A benefit concert for Latin American Women’s Aid (LAWA), this event is part of Echoes Festival 2017, organised by the Iberian & Latin American Music Society (ILAMS) and the Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with Music Beyond Frontiers and Amigo Month

TICKETS

020 7638 8891 | tickets@barbican.org.uk | barbican.org.uk
​
MORE INFO

Can't make the concert? You can still contribute by donating here!

 

‘Chopin was Cuban.’ Paquito D’Rivera

How might Chopin’s music sound if the composer had been born in the Caribbean? Whilst Chopin never crossed the Atlantic (the closest he would ever get to a tropical island would be a sojourn on Mallorca in 1838-9), his influence on the ebullient classical music scene of the 19th-century Antilles was superlative. At a time when many Latin Americans were fighting to achieve independence from Europe, Chopin offered an enticing model of musical nationalism with which they could construct new identities. These hybrid, colonised cultures identified with Chopin’s exiled condition; as Chopin sought refuge in the Polish folk melodies of his mazurkas, so did Caribbeans embrace local valses, danzas and contradanzas into their works. The last and most famous of these Caribbean Romantics, the virtuosic Cuban pianist-composer Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963), would himself come to be known as ‘The Chopin of the Caribbean’.

In this event, pre-eminent Latin American pianists Clara Rodríguez and Gustavo Corrales Romero join forces to pay tribute to the 2017 anniversaries of two great figureheads of 19th-century Antillean music: Cuban composer Manuel Saumell (1817-1870), and from the Caribbean mainland, Venezuelan composer Teresa Carreño (1853-1917). Both leading exponents and international ambassadors of this unique repertoire, they present a colourful programme blending Romantic lyricism with authentic, toe-tapping rhythms, including music for 4 hands.

PLUS Enjoy a drink whilst you listen! (Bar opens before the performance and during the interval.)

SNEAK PEEK! Click HERE to watch a video clip | Click HERE to listen to an audio clip

This event is part of Echoes Festival 2017, organised by ILAMS and the Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with Amigo Month with the kind support of KyG Productions

TICKETS 

Advance bookings: £20, £14, £8 | 15% off Concessions & Groups (x6 people +) | 30% off Members of ILAMS / IC | 50% off Access patrons (+ companions)

On the door: £24, £18, £12 | 15% off Concessions & Groups (x6 people +) | 30% off Members of ILAMS / IC | 50% off Access patrons (+ companions)

BOOKINGS

MORE INFORMATION 

pianoclararodriguez.blogspot.com | gustavocorralesromero.net | amigomonth.com

    

'Leo Brouwer is one of the greats'. Le Droit

Leo Brouwer is one of contemporary music’s living legends. Acclaimed in his youth as one of the all-time great performers of the classical guitar, the Cuban composer is an Honorary Member of UNESCO and is recognised worldwide as the guitar’s most outstanding living composer for the instrument, and as a pioneer in the fusion of musical styles and genres. As part of his forthcoming visit to London under the auspices of the guitarrísimo series, Leo Brouwer offers two days of public, one-to-one coaching on his own works and the broader classical guitar repertoire. All levels are welcome to participate and/or spectate, from enthusiast through to professional. Participant places are limited to a maximum of x16 and active participation is by prior application only. All classes will be delivered in English.

Also in the series, don't miss the following events at Bolívar Hall:

Click HERE to watch a clip of Leo Brouwer discussing his recent masterclasses at the Conservatori Liceu in Barcelona

Image: Leo Brouwer by Miguel Morales

This event is part of the guitarrísimo series organised by ILAMS and the Instituto Cervantes with the kind support of the Embassies of Cuba and Venezuela

APPLICATIONS / BOOKINGS

  0800 411 8881 (lines open 24/7) | www.brownpapertickets.com

  We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment

 

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk | www.ilams.org.uk/brouwer.htm

    

'Leo Brouwer is one of the greats'. Le Droit

Two giants of the classical guitar world set the world to rights in a public interview at London's favourite classical guitar venue, the Bolívar Hall, as John Williams chats to his longstanding friend and collaborator, Leo Brouwer, on life, music and guitars. Leo Brouwer is one of contemporary music’s living legends. Acclaimed in his youth as one of the all-time great performers of the classical guitar, the Cuban composer is a Honorary Member of UNESCO and is recognised worldwide as the guitar’s most outstanding living composer for the instrument, and as a pioneer in the fusion of musical styles and genres. John Williams is considered by many to be quite simply the best classical guitarist in the world performing today. Please note that this event does not feature any live performances. Talk chaired by Stephen Goss. Advance booking highly recommended!

Also in the series, don't miss the following events at Bolívar Hall:

Click HERE to hear John Williams performing works by Leo Brouwer

This event is part of the Thinking Ibero-America series organised by the Instituto Cervantes and Canning House, in collaboration with the ILAS and the IMLR, with the kind support of the Embassy of Cuba. It is also part of the guitarrísimo series organised by ILAMS and the Instituto Cervantes with the kind support of the Embassy of Venezuela. 

BOOKINGS

  0800 411 8881 (lines open 24/7) | www.brownpapertickets.com

Celebrating the Centenaries of Estévez and Ginastera

'Clara Rodríguez is a poet of the piano.' Antonio Estévez

'A duo of almost telepathic consonance.' Music & Vision

Join us for an uplifting evening of Latin American classical music at London’s intimate Venezuelan chamber music venue, the Bolívar Hall. ‘Venezuelan virtuoso’ pianist Clara Rodríguez (The Telegraph) joins forces with TangOpera Duo to mark the centenary of her compatriot, composer Antonio Estévez (1916-1988) with a concert showcasing his works for piano and voice as part of a vibrant programme of piano pieces by some of the giants of Latin American classical music, including the seminal Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera (Argentina) (1916-1983), who also celebrates his centenary this year.

Antonio Estévez is one of the most important Venezuelan composers of the 20th century, known especially for his Cantata criolla and Mediodía en el llano, recorded by the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra in 2008. A leading light of the Parisian-Venezuelan avant garde, Estévez’s music stands out for its rare beauty and profound originality. In Clara Rodríguez, Estévez has a longstanding ambassador for his legacy – her successful campaign to establish his output on the ABRSM 2015-2016 exam syllabus saw his music performed by thousands of pianists in the UK. Heard here alongside some of Latin America’s most famous composers, such as Villa-Lobos (Brazil) and Cervantes (Cuba), this event places Estévez firmly amongst the panoply of Latin America’s ‘Great’ composers. If you are unfamiliar with his music, this programme will be a revelation. An event not to be missed!

PLUS Join is after the concert for a complimentary glass of wine

Clara Rodríguez piano | TangOpera Duo soprano & piano | Timothy Adès translator-poet | William Roberts actor

pianoclararodriguez.blogspot.co.uk | www.amaiaazcona.com

This is event is part of Echoes Festival organised by ILAMS with the kind support of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

BOOKINGS 0800 411 8881 (lines open 24/7) | www.brownpapertickets.com

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk | www.ilams.org.uk/echoesfestival.htm

The London Classical Guitar Festival is back with an exciting line-up for 2014!

Established in 1995, the LCGF is the UK's No. 1 classical guitar festival. We celebrate the Latin roots of our favourite musical instrument with a feast of music from Spain, Portugal and Latin America performed by leading artists from around the world. Organised by ILAMS (the Iberian and Latin American Music Society) in collaboration with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Cervantes Institute, the Seville International Guitar Competition and Making Music, the Festival's natural home, the Bolívar Hall, provides an acoustic unrivalled in the UK for classical guitar, and a vibrant atmosphere in which to enjoy this colourful repertoire. The guitar is at the heart of Latin classical music culture, so for anyone wishing to become better acquainted with Iberican classical music, the LCGF is a 'must'.

PLUS join us at the close of the Festival after-show party for a complimentary glass of wine!

*Please note that this event takes place at the Instituto Cervantes, 102 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AN. For bookings and further information please contact: reservas.londres@cervantes.es | 0207 201 0752| http://londres.cervantes.es/imagenes/File/concert_series.pdf.

Information:
Web site
E-mail
020 7388 5788
Tickets: Admission free (retiring collection - suggested donation £5); no booking required. ILAMS members may reserve seats.

‘A programme of great virtuosity…rigorous in its presentation…interpretative freshness and vigorously expressive.’ Reforma

Mexico's No. 1 contemporary classical music ensemble come to London! Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear some of the most vibrant and exciting music on the global classical music scene today from Mexico and the USA performed by leading exponents, ONIX Ensemble. 

Alejandro Escuer flute and artistic direction | Fernando Domínguez clarinet | Abel Romeroviolin | Edith Ruiz piano | Edgardo Espinosa cello

***European premiere

www.onixensamble.com

Click HERE for a sneak peek of ONIX performing works by Hindemith.

This is an ILAMS event presented with Anglo Arts in collaboration with ONIX, Conaculta-FONCA, the Anglo Mexican Foundation, the Mexican Embassy and the Vale of Glamorgan Festival.

Information:
Web site
E-mail
020 7388 5788
Tickets: Admission free (voluntary exit donations); no booking required. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.

‘One of the world’s greatest classical pianists.’ The Daily Mail

‘A revelation.’ The Independent

It's Bach to Brazil with virtuoso pianist Marcelo Bratke and his latest project 'Bach and Bachianas' - a celebration of Latin classical piano music exploring 20th-century musical dialogues between Europe and Brazil. Bach's iconic Partita No. 1 in B Flat Major is juxtaposed with the Bachianas brasileiras No. 4, one of the great masterworks of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, fusing Baroque counterpoint with Brazilian rhythm and soul. Villa-Lobos stands as one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century - an 'enfant terrible' to the establishment who, like Bratke, is renowned for his exuberant and colourful visionary landscapes. To mark the 150th anniversary of Villa-Lobos' contemporary, seminal Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth, the concert also gives a taste of Nazareth's 'Brazilian tangos' and how these provided a direct influence on the piano music of French composer Darius Milhaud.

Johann Sebastian Bach Partita No. 1 in B flat, BWV. 825
Heitor Villa-Lobos Bachianas brasileiras No. 4
Darius Milhaud Saudades do brasil
Ernesto Nazareth Pássaros em festa | Ameno resedá | Brejeiro | Batuque

www.marcelobratke.com

Opening for Marcelo Bratke is the duo TangOpera, showcasing the classical world of Latin American song (see above).

This concert is organised by ILAMS in collaboration with ¡Como No! as part of La Linea festival, with the kind support of TAM and Arts Council England.

This event is FREE to ILAMS members!  Want to join ILAMS? Click HERE.

Information:
Web site
E-mail
0844 847 9911
Tickets: £12 | Premium seats £20 | Concessions 50% off | FREE admission to ILAMS Members (when booking via info@ilams.org.uk)

The future of classical music has arrived: Classical goes Latin! Make way for a whole new continent of vibrant, irresistible repertoire...

Against the backdrop of the recent bicentennial celebrations of Latin American Independence, the Latin Chamber Orchestra takes you on a kaleidoscopic journey of discovery through the history of Latin classical music, from imagined Aztec rhythms, to the sacred jungle music of the Jesuits, and the exuberant Modernism of Villa-Lobos, Piazzolla and beyond. Meet the opera stars Christopher Columbus, Simón Bolívar and Che Guevara in a dazzling programme with influences ranging from Mexican corridos to Argentine tango and Cuban son, including a world premiere by acclaimed Venezuelan composer, Ricardo Lorenz, for pots, pans, megaphone and audience participation! Plus, in another break with tradition, bring your drink into the concert to really get into the revolutionary spirit of the evening and enjoy world-class performances from the UK's foremost classical Latin musicians and vocalists, including special guest Omar Puente.

The Latin Chamber Ensemble | Maite Aguirre conductor | Omar Puente violin & voice

www.SouthbankCentre.co.uk 

Pre-concert Talk at 6.30pm: Join leading Venezuelan composer Ricardo Lorenz for an introduction to the concert.  See listing above for more info.

 This is an ILAMS event, organised with the kind support of Journey Latin America, Meliá White House Hotel and Express Media International in aid of Help Argentina.

This event is FREE to ILAMS members!  Want to join ILAMS? Click HERE.

Information:
Web site
E-mail
0844 847 9911
Tickets: £20 | £10 concessions | £6 Early-birds | FREE to ILAMS Members (limited availibility; reservations to info@ilams.org.uk)

Three of the UK's leading Mexican artists join forces to celebrate the sumptuous classical music, opera and popular songs of Mexico from Ponce to the present day, including the world premiere ofLa Calavera Catrina for guitar by Stephen McNeff inspired by Mexico's Day of the Dead Festivities.

    

 

Information:
Web site
E-mail
07762 731010
Tickets: £12 on the door | £10 in advance | FREE to ILAMS Members

Victoria is undoubtedly Spain’s greatest ever composer and is also considered one of the most important composers of the late Renaissance, along with Palestrina. His Requiem is one of the most astonishing-ever settings of the Requiem Mass, replete with grief and passion - the summation of both his art and the Spanish Renaissance tradition.

Join us in a performance of the monumental Requiem to mark Victoria's 400th anniversary. If you are an amateur singer passionate about classical music with some prior experience of choral performance don’t miss this rare opportunity to work under the baton of Carlos Fernández Aransay, the UK’s foremost Hispanic vocal music conductor and Director of the UK’s only specialist choir in Iberican repertoire, the acclaimed Coro Cervantes.

Singers will need to provide their own copy of the score, which is widely available in all good sheet music stores, or can also be downloaded for free HERE.  Please note that lunch and refreshments are not included.  Attire for the concert performance is black shirt/top (no jackets) with black skirt/trousers.

Registration is via www.ilams.org.uk/victoria.htm.  Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.  Members of the public are welcome to attend the final concert at 7.30pm free of charge, with no booking required.

       

Information:
Web site
E-mail
07762 731010
Tickets: £40 | £30 ILAMS members | Admission to the concert is free.

To mark the 400th anniversary of Spain’s greatest-ever composer, Tomás Luis de Victoria (1584-1611), one of the most important composers of the late Renaissance, ILAMS joins forces with the Instituto Cervantes London to bring together the UK’s foremost Victoria experts in an afternoon of talks, concluding with a round-table discussion and a short musical performance.  Programme includes:

1. Noel O’Regan (University of Edinburgh): 'A Tale of Two Cities': Victoria between Rome and Madrid

Tomás Luis de Victoria's productive life was divided fairly equally between Rome and Madrid. In Rome he was a Spaniard, a member of what was in many ways a colonial elite. In Madrid he may well have been seen as a Roman, at least in musical terms. Victoria played a crucial role as transmitter of music and musical style between the two cities. This paper will look at aspects of that transmission, particularly from a Roman perspective.

2. Owen Rees (University of Oxford): The Six-voice ‘Requiem’ and its Context

This paper reviews the circumstances of the composition and first performances of Victoria's six-voice Requiem, following the death of the Empress Maria in 1603. It then considers intriguing aspects of the 1605 published edition of the work, and finally it sets the music into the context of Requiem settings from the Iberian world in this period.

3. Javier Marín López (University of Jaén, Spain): Tomás Luis de Victoria, or Polyphony and Ideologies in Colonial Latin America

This presentation explores the practice of Renaissance Latin polyphony using Tomás Luis de Victoria and his American dissemination as a case study of how music became a powerful ideological tool and a symbol of prestige and status in front of the native cultures which had not developed a written polyphonic musical tradition.

4. Round-table discussion 

With special guest Carlos Fernández Aransay, the UK’s foremost Hispanic vocal music conductor and Director of the UK’s only specialist choir in Iberican repertoire, the acclaimed Coro Cervantes.

5. Concert

The day's proceedings will be rounded with a short musical performance by the pre-eminent liturgical vocal group Cantores Missae. www.cantoresmissae.co.uk

            

Information:
Web site
E-mail
07762 731010
Tickets: Admission free; suggested donation £3

The International Guitar Festival is the UK's No. 1 classical guitar festival. We celebrate the Latin roots of our favourite musical instrument with a feast of music from Spain, Portugal and Latin America performed by leading artists from around the world. The festival's natural home, the Bolívar Hall, provides an acoustic unrivalled in the UK for classical guitar, and a vibrant atmosphere in which to enjoy this colourful repertoire. The guitar is at the heart of Latin classical music culture, so for anyone wishing to become better acquainted with Iberican classical music, this festival is a 'must'.

This festival is organised by ILAMS in collaboration with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, KAPA Productions and the Seville International Guitar Competition

TICKETS Admission free; retiring collection

BOOKINGS No booking required | ILAMS Members may reserve their seat by email

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk | www.ilams.org.uk 

ILAMS is privileged to present the UK debut of Bárbara Llanes, Cuba's prima soprano and one of the world's leading bel canto singers.  Fusing a colourful Cuban sensibility with ferocious Russian coloratura technique, Bárbara Llanes' performances are truly awe-inspiring.  Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear Bárbara Llanes in London performing a selection of opera arias and Spanish zarzuela, alongside art songs from her native Cuba rarely performed in the UK.

For a sneak preview of the performance you can listen to Bárbara Llanes singing Vives' Ruiseñorlive with the Cuban National Orchestra conducted by Enrique Pérez Mesa at the Amadeo Roldán Theatre in Havana by clicking HERE.

Information:
Web site
Tickets: Admission free; suggested donation £3.50

The International Guitar Festival is the UK's No. 1 classical guitar festival. We celebrate the Latin roots of our favourite musical instrument with a feast of music from Spain, Portugal and Latin America performed by leading artists from around the world. The festival's natural home, the Bolívar Hall, provides an acoustic unrivalled in the UK for classical guitar, and a vibrant atmosphere in which to enjoy this colourful repertoire. The guitar is at the heart of Latin classical music culture, so for anyone wishing to become better acquainted with Iberican classical music, this festival is a 'must'.

This festival is organised by ILAMS in collaboration with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

TICKETS Admission free; retiring collection

BOOKINGS No booking required | ILAMS Members may reserve their seat by email

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk | www.ilams.org.uk 

Guitar legend John Williams, ‘recognised as one of, if not the greatest, classical guitarists of his time’, makes a rare appearance on the London stage to explore the life and music of the seminal Latin guitarist and composer Agustín Barrios Mangoré, in an open discussion.

www.johnwilliamsguitar.com

*Click here to join ILAMS and reserve your seat.

The LCGF is sponsored by Christopher Pollard Tours www.christopherpollardtours.com

LONDON CLASSICAL GUITAR FESTIVAL 2010

Information:
Web site
E-mail
020 8852 3381
Tickets: Admission free; exclusive reservations for ILAMS members*

A concert of Spanish sacred choral music inspired by the National Gallery exhibition The Sacred Made Real

Conductor: Carlos Fernández Aransay

With special guests:

Part I: 

Meditations on Death
Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) Officium Defunctorum. Introitus: Requiem æternam 
Miguel Juan Marqués (active 1641-1661) Versa est in luctum

The Passion of Christ 
Joan Cererols (1618-1680) ¡Ay, qué dolor! 
Fernando Sor (1778-1839) O Crux 
Vicente Goicoechea (1854-1916) Christus factus est 
Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) Salmo VI del Oficio de Difuntos 
Carlos Suriñach (1915-1997) Via Crucis (with guitar)
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1958) Romancero gitano (Federico García Lorca) (with guitar)

Part II:

Saints, prophets and martyrs
Pablo Casals (1876-1973) O vos omnes
Federico Mompou (1893-1987) Cantar del alma (solo soprano, choir and piano)

The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception
Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) Ave María (in 8, in two choirs)
Mateo Romero (ca.1575-1647) Soberana María 
Joan Cererols (1618-1680) Salve Regina en Ecos (8 singers and continuo in 2 choirs)
Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) Ave María

The Birth of Baby Jesus
Antón García Abril (1933-) Vos en Belén, Si quieres subir al cielo 
Juan Bautista Comes (1582-1643) ¡Terremoto, qué ruido!

*ILAMS members can claim 20% off on all ticket prices for this event.  To obtain the discount code, please email us via the Contact Us page, with 'Coro Cervantes, October' in the subject box and select 'Concerts' from the dropdown menu.

Part of the ILAMS October Rodrigo Festival.

Information:
St John's, Smith Square
Web site
E-mail
020 7222 1061
Tickets: £20, £15, £10 (ILAMS members* and concessions 20% off)

A month-long festival commemorating the 10th anniversary of the death of one of Spain's greatest cultural icons and musical dreamers, Joaquín Rodrigo.

This Festival is organised by ILAMS in collaboration with the Fundación Victoria y Joaquín Rodrigo, with the kind support of the Gobierno de Aragón, Canning House, Spanish Embassy Cultural Office and the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

BOOKINGS www.ilams.org.uk

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk

Cecilia Rodrigo introduces and reads a fascinating collection of letters and essays written by her father, composer Joaquín Rodrigo, with a script compiled by guitarist Carlos Bonell. Together with Bonell playing music by Falla, Sanz, Sainz de la Maza and Rodrigo himself, the presentation will include letters to some of Spain’s leading artists of the last century, including Segovia, Mompou, and Manuel de Falla, and his future wife Victoria K. The letters reveal a personal and artistic struggle to find success and satisfaction, and are a vivid evocation of the turbulent times which Joaquin Rodrigo’s long life (1901-1999) encompassed.

‘High art…a virtuoso performance. A keen aural imagination, and the technique to reproduce the subtlety of tints and tones he hears, is what makes the playing of Bonell so distinctive.’ The Times

Carlos Bonell was born in London of Spanish parents and studied at the Royal College of Music with John Williams, where he was appointed the youngest ever professor in 1972. He gained prominence in 1981 through his recording for Decca of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez. He has made more than 20 LP, CD and DVD recordings, received a Grammy nomination, and has been awarded the prestigious Spanish prize Premio Trujamán. Since 2006 Carlos has been helping Sir Paul McCartney in notating and recording a concerto for guitar and orchestra. The work was featured in a June 2007 cover article by The New Yorker magazine.

Programme to include:

Joaquín Rodrigo La sarabanda lejana
Joaquín Rodrigo 'Fandango' (from 3 piezas españolas)
Joaquín Rodrigo Sonata a la bolero
Joaquín Rodrigo Ya se van los pastores (arr. J. Rodrigo)
Joaquín Rodrigo Pequeña sevillana 
Joaquín Rodrigo En los trigales
Joaquín Rodrigo Theme from ‘Adagio’ from Concierto de Aranjuez
Regino Sainz de la Maza Peteneras
Gaspar Sanz Selection of pieces that inspired Fantasía para un gentilhombre
Manuel de Falla Homenaje a Debussy

N.B. Narration in English.

www.queenguitarrhapsodies.com

Part of the ILAMS October Rodrigo Festival.

Information:
Canning House Cultural Office
Web site
E-mail
020 7235 2303 ext. 222
Tickets: £15, £10 members of ILAMS and Canning House

The International Guitar Festival is the UK's No. 1 classical guitar festival. We celebrate the Latin roots of our favourite musical instrument with a feast of music from Spain, Portugal and Latin America performed by leading artists from around the world. The festival's natural home, the Bolívar Hall, provides an acoustic unrivalled in the UK for classical guitar, and a vibrant atmosphere in which to enjoy this colourful repertoire. The guitar is at the heart of Latin classical music culture, so for anyone wishing to become better acquainted with Iberican classical music, this festival is a 'must'.

This festival is organised by ILAMS in collaboration with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with the kind support of Christopher Pollard Tours and Les Productions d'OZ

TICKETS Admission free; retiring collection

BOOKINGS No booking required | ILAMS Members may reserve their seat by email

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk | www.ilams.org.uk 

Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909) is rightly regarded as the patriarch of the modern classical guitar. He was a superb virtuoso, a very influential teacher, a gifted composer, and he was also a prolific transcriber and arranger of music for the guitar.

7.30pm, Pre-concert Talk: Francisco Tárrega and the Art of Guitar Transcription, by Walter Aaron Clark

The lecture will examine this aspect of Tárrega's career, paying particular attention to his transcriptions of Spanish classics by his friend and compatriot Isaac Albéniz, the renowned pianist and composer, who also died in 1909.  Walter A. Clark is a professor of musicology at the University of California, Riverside, and director of the Center for Iberian and Latin American Music. He has authored major biographies of Albéniz and Granados, both published by Oxford. A student of Pepe Romero, he also holds a master's degree in classical guitar.

8.45pm, Concert: Fernando Espí

'... an emerging new talent .... an outstanding guitarist of the new generation.' Classical Guitar

‘Fernando Espí’s performances are rooted in an authentic, historically informed approach. The result is at once beautiful and very exciting.’ Gramophone

Spanish guitarist and Valencian compatriot of Tárrega, Fernando Espí, offers an overview of Tárrega’s various facets, from monumental works such as the Recuerdos de la Alhambra to some of his lesser-known gems, including some of the transcriptions which were crucial in widening what was previously an extremely limited repertoire.

Francisco Tárrega 2 Mazurkas: 'Sueño', 'Marieta'
Francisco Tárrega Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Ruperto Chapí Serenata morisca (transcription by Tárrega)
Francisco Tárrega Capricho árabe
Francisco Tárrega 2 Polkas: 'Pepita', 'Rosita'
Francisco Tárrega 2 Waltzes: 'Gran Vals', 'Las Dos Hermanas'
Francisco Tárrega 2 Early Dances: 'Pavana', 'Gavota María'
Joaquín Malats Serenata Española  (transcription by Tárrega)
Francisco Tárrega Gran jota de concierto

www.fernandoespi.com
http://www.music.ucr.edu/people/faculty/clark/ 

*Entry to this event is free but reservations are limited to ILAMS members only. Non-ILAMS members are therefore advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment.  ILAMS members can reserve tickets by email through the Contact Us page.

Information:
Web site
E-mail
020 7388 5788
Tickets: *Free entry

'Classico Latino play with panache and purpose.' Songlines Magazine

A gala concert with crossover piano trio, Classico Latino, in advance of their performances at the Festival Mono Nuñez in Colombia, and in celebration of the launch of their new album: Serenata. Classic Latino will perform an evening of classic Latin-American tunes, including famous cumbias, pasillos, joropos and boleros, all in their own unique arrangements, blending popular rhythms and melodies with a refined classical sensibility.

Lizzie Ball violin | Ivan Guevara-Bernal piano | Graham Walker cello

Gutiérrez Alma llanera
Anon El Sanjuanero
Wills El voluntario
Restrepo El cafetero
Martín Carmentea
Walker El pasil inglés
Guerrero Juegos de salón
Alvarez Mi buenaventura
Guevara Alice in Wonderland | Melodía de serenata
Greever Te quiero dijiste
Carillo Sabor a mí | Dos gardenias
Ruiz Usted
Abreu Tico-tico no fuba
Villiamil Si pasas por Sau Gil
Matos La cumparsita
Gardel Volver
Padilla El relicanio
Asius La fena de mauizales

Click HERE to watch a video

www.classicolatino.com

This event is organised by ILAMS with the kind sponsorship of Soliman Travel

TICKETS £15, £12, £10
BOOKINGS 020 7222 1061 | www.sjss.org.uk
 

A centenary concert to celebrate the life and music of Elena Romero, composition student of Joaquín Turina and first Spanish woman conductor.

María José Sánchez soprano | Diego Carneiro cello | Matthew Jones violin/viola | Alberto Portugheis piano

Elena Romero Villancico | Ronda de siesta | Si la luna fuera espejo | Dicen que me case yo | Cantiga | Habanera | Canzonetta | Canción de Cuna | Danza Rústica | Adagio and Rondo | Tres piezas breves | Tardes tristes | Paseo | Naturaleza y metafísica | Divertimento | Fantasía Española | El cantar | Luna sin retorno | El ángel de los números | Cuatro poemas (All UK premieres)

http://mujeresenlamusica.blogspot.com

This event is organised by ILAMS with the kind support of the Asociación Mujeres en la Música

TICKETS Admission free

BOOKINGS No booking required
 

The International Guitar Festival is the UK's No. 1 classical guitar festival. We celebrate the Latin roots of our favourite musical instrument with a feast of music from Spain, Portugal and Latin America performed by leading artists from around the world. The festival's natural home, the Bolívar Hall, provides an acoustic unrivalled in the UK for classical guitar, and a vibrant atmosphere in which to enjoy this colourful repertoire. The guitar is at the heart of Latin classical music culture, so for anyone wishing to become better acquainted with Iberican classical music, this festival is a 'must'.

This festival is organised by ILAMS in collaboration with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

TICKETS Admission free; retiring collection

BOOKINGS No booking required | ILAMS Members may reserve their seat by email

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk | www.ilams.org.uk
 

Witness an historic event: the UK premiere of Enrique Granados' El cant de les estrelles - a score lost after its premiere with the composer at the piano in 1911 and now serendipitously unearthed - with special guest pianist, Douglas Riva, whose work towards reviving the piece has been crucial. The concert also boasts a host of other UK premieres of works by Goicoechea, Ledesma, Vives, Otaño, Albéniz, and Mompou.

Coro Cervantes | Cardiff Polyphonic Choir | Debra Skeen soprano | Anthony Hawgood tenor | Charles Matthewsorgan | Douglas Riva piano | Carlos Fernández Aransay director

This event is organised by ILAMS in association with the Cultural Office of the Spanish Embassy and is part of the Southbank Centre's 'Chorus' Festival

TICKETS £22, £18, £15, £11, £8

BOOKINGS www.southbankcentre.co.uk

MORE INFORMATION customer@southbankcentre.co.uk
 

We celebrate the life and work of the renowned Venezuelan musician and composer, Antonio Lauro (1917-1986), in his 90th anniversary year. The wide-ranging programme will explore his guitar and piano music, to be contrasted by interpretations that will reflect the traditions of Venezuela and songs by some of his contemporaries, including Vicente Emilio Sojo and Inocente Carreño.

Clara Rodríguez piano | Galo Cerón guitar & cuatro | Luzmira Zerpa voice & cuatro | Morgan Szymanski guitar | Ahmed Dickinson guitar | Al Mobbs bass | Stefanie Read soprano | Helen Glaisher-Hernández piano

www.clararodriguez.com | www.galoceron.com | www.morganszymanski.co.uk | www.ahmeddickinson.com

This event is organised by ILAMS as part of the London International Guitar Festival, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 

TICKETS Free admission

BOOKINGS No booking required

MORE INFORMATION 07931 590911 | david@davidyoungmusic.co.uk | www.carlosbonell.com
 

A series of concerts in London throughout 2006 celebrating the life of Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983), his music and Argentina.

BOOKINGS www.ilams.org.uk

MORE INFORMATION info@ilams.org.uk
 

6pm PRE-CONCERT TALK

Georgina Ginastera, daughter of composer Alberto Ginastera will be in conversation with Alberto Portugheis at 6pm in the Bechstein Room.

7.30pm CONCERT

Carlos Fernández Aransay and the Coro Cervantes - a unique professional choir based in Britain dedicated solely to the music of Iberian and Latin American composers - come to the Wigmore Hall to celebrate their 10th anniversary with a programme centred around Ginastera's landmark choral work, the Lamentaciones de Jeremías Propheta.

Coro Cervantes | Carlos Fernández Aransay conductor | Alberto Portugheis piano | Morgan Szymanski guitar

Carlos Guastavino Indianas No. 1
Alberto Ginastera Canción al árbol del olvido | Lamentaciones de Jeremías Propheta
Astor Piazzolla Libertango | Verano porteño
Rodolfo Halffter Tres epitafios Op. 17
Francisco Tárrega Capricho árabe | Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Romancero gitano

This event is organised by ILAMS as part of the Ginastera Festival 2006 - a series of concerts in London celebrating the life of Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983), his music, and Argentina

TICKETS £20, £18, £14, £10

BOOKINGS 020 7935 2141 | www.wigmore-hall.org.uk

MORE INFORMATION boxoffice@wigmore-hall.org.uk

'A superb recital by the young Spanish pianist José Menor, whose beguiling mix of finesse and fire lit up a programme of striking contrasts.' The Daily Telegraph

Recognised as one of the best pianists of the new generation, José Menor presents solo works by Alberto Ginastera, including a world premiere, alongside pieces from his native Spain.

Alberto Ginastera 8 Piezas infantiles (world premiere) | Tres piezas Op. 6 | Preludios americanos(selection) | Rondo on Argentine Children's Folk Tunes Op. 19 | Sonata No. 1, Op. 22
Federico Mompou Canciónes y danzas (selection)
Isaac Albéniz Iberia (selection)

www.josemenor.net

Click HERE to watch a video

This concert is part of the ILAMS Ginastera Festival 2006 and is sponsored by the Ramon Llull Institute and the Spanish Embassy in London

Information:
Web site
E-mail
020 7935 2141