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Radio 3 Summer Invitation Concerts
August & September 2009
Ulster Hall, Belfast



French connections meets home grown music in Belfast this summer, as this year's annual BBC Radio 3 Summer Invitation Concerts series comes to the Ulster Orchestra's new residence, the Ulster Hall, Bedford Street, Belfast.

The season will feature the Ulster Orchestra performing music by French composers, as well as a celebration of five of Ireland's leading pianists, and a contemporary work from a Northern Irish composer each week.

This year's series of concerts includes four lunchtime concerts (Tuesdays) and five evening concerts (Fridays):


Tuesday 4 August, 1.05pm

Claire Ormshaw, soprano
Robin Tritschler, tenor
Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy, baritone
Ulster Orchestra
Jean-Luc Tingaud, conductor

Programme details:
BERLIOZ: Overture to Béatrice et Bénédict
RAVEL: Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques
CANTELOUBE: Songs of the Auvergne (excerpts)
RAVEL: Don Quichotte a Dulcinee
DEBUSSY: Cantata - Le Gladiateur (first broadcast performance)


Friday 7 August 7.45pm

Philip Martin, piano
Ulster Orchestra
Jean-Luc Tingaud, conductor

Programme details:
HONEGGER: Pastorale d'été
BILL CAMPBELL: Weather Report (first broadcast performance)
POULENC: Concerto for Piano
BIZET: L'Arlesienne Suite No.2
LALO: Symphony in G Minor


Tuesday 11 August 1.05pm

Ulster Orchestra
Rumon Gamba, conductor

Programme details:
SATIE (orch. Milhaud): Jack in the Box
MOZART: Symphony No.31, Paris
FAURÉ: Pelleas et Melisande, Op.80: Suite


Friday 14 August 7.45pm

Finghin Collins, piano
Ulster Orchestra
Rumon Gamba, conductor

Programme details:
SCHUMANN orch.RAVEL: Carnaval
D'INDY: Tableaux des Voyages
FAURÉ: Ballade (for piano and orchestra)
DEBUSSY orch. RAVEL: Sarabande et Danse
STEPHEN GARDNER: The Shipyard (for piano and orchestra)
BIZET: Symphony in C


Tuesday 18 August 1.05pm

Ulster Orchestra
Pierre André Valade, conductor

Programme details:
IBERT: Divertissement
STRAVINSKY: Pulcinella
MILHAUD: Le Boeuf sur le toit


Friday 21 August 7.45pm

John O'Conor, piano
David Adams, violin
Ulster Orchestra
Pierre André Valade, conductor

Programme details:
DEBUSSY arr. CAPLET: Children's Corner
DEIRDRE McKAY: Meltwater
FIELD: Piano Concerto No. 1
BERLIOZ: Rêverie et caprice, Romance for violin and orchestra
RAVEL: Ma Mère l'Oye


Tuesday 25 August 1.05pm

Ulster Orchestra
Jane Glover, conductor

Programme details:
BIZET: Carmen Suite no. 1
ROUSSEL: Concerto for small orchestra
SAINT-SAËNS: Symphony No.2


Friday 28 August 7.45pm

Hugh Tinney, piano
Ulster Orchestra
Jane Glover, conductor

Programme details:
RAVEL: Le Tombeau de Couperin
HAMILTON HARTY: Piano Concerto
ROUSSEL: Petite Suite Op.39
ELAINE AGNEW: Straight to the Point
MASSENET: Scènes Alsaciennes


Friday 4 September 7.45pm

Michael McHale, piano
Ulster Orchestra
Pascal Rophé, conductor

Programme details:
FRANCK: Symphonic Variations
IAN WHITE: Strata (BBC Radio 3 Commission, World Premiere)
SCHMITT: La Tragedie de Salomé

All the concerts will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 later in the year, with selected works also broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster's Sounds Classical in the autumn (Sunday nights at 9pm).

To apply for tickets, visit the BBC Tickets website or call the BBC Ticket Line on 0370 901 1227*.