Saffron Hall celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. The mood of celebration continues this year, with a fleet of the best British ensembles making appearances, as well as major international soloists to boot. The venue has done much to prove itself a crucial part of classical music infrastructure in the East of England.
Notable highlights this season are the several appearances by the Cambridge-based Britten Sinfonia, one of the two resident orchestras at Saffron Hall and an important classical music organisation in the region. The first of their three appearances comes in February, with the stellar South African cellist and composer Abel Selaocoe, performing John Tavener’s spiritually rich The Protecting Veil, alongside Bartók’s Divertimento and Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge. The orchestra appears again in April with tenor Nicky Spence and horn soloist Benjamin Goldscheider for Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, alongside a world premiere Horn Concerto from Huw Watkins. Later in June, the orchestra returns with harpsichordist extraordinaire Mahan Esfahani for several Bach harpsichord concertos.
The venue’s other resident orchestra is the London Philharmonic Orchestra, who make two visits to Saffron Hall in the first half of 2024. In February, gifted young pianist Mishka Rushdie Momen appears in her debut with the LPO, performing Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto. Written when the composer was in her teens, the premiere was conducted by Felix Mendelssohn, whose Symphony no. 3 “Scottish” is also performed alongside Fanny Mendelssohn’s Overture in C. The LPO and Edward Gardner return in April, with award-winning cellist Nicolas Altstaedt for Dvořák’s Cello Concerto and Holst’s astrological barnstormer, The Planets.
The Philharmonia Orchestra make their first-ever visit to Saffron Hall this season too, in March. Nicola Benedetti performs Bruch’s vigorous and folk-infused Scottish Fantasy. Pablo Heras-Casado conducts, with Louise Farrenc’s Overture no. 1 and Beethoven 5 also on the programme. Also appearing in March are longstanding mainstays of Saffron Hall, Aurora Orchestra, who perform together with the singularly talented British tenor Allan Clayton in a unique arrangement of Schubert’s Winterreise by Hans Zender.
Another ensemble making multiple appearances at Saffron Hall this season are the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, who first appear in March for Bach’s Easter Oratorio, as well as two Easter-season cantatas. Then in April, the OAE appears with Sir András Schiff, leading from the fortepiano, for an all-Felix Mendelssohn programme, featuring his youthful First Symphony and Piano Concerto, as well as the ebullient “Italian” Symphony.
Two other period instrument ensembles are noteworthy in the Saffron Hall spring season. The Dunedin Consort appear in April, with guitarist and lutenist Sean Shibe, for a wide-ranging programme including Dowland, Purcell, and a brand new guitar concerto from Cassandra Miller (co-commissioned by Saffron Hall themselves). This will be worth catching: the Canadian composer’s music is fascinating and always emotionally vital.
Shortly afterwards in April, viol consort Fretwork appear with a stellar lineup of singers including countertenor Iestyn Davies. The programme is all-Orlando Gibbons, the great master of English madrigalism (and Glenn Gould’s favourite composer) – with an interleaved work by US composer Nico Muhly written in homage to Gibbons.
Plenty of chamber music and solo recitals are on offer this season too. Piano fans will not want to miss Paul Lewis’ continuing exploration of Schubert in March.
That same month, the US mezzo Joyce DiDonato makes a return to Saffron Hall with a diverse and idiosyncratic programme. Assembling a five-piece jazz combo, DiDonato leads the audience through bespoke arrangements of Giuseppe Torelli and Giovanni Paisiello to Zez Confrey and Duke Ellington. She is one of the few singers who can pull something like this off.
For the stylistically adventurous, other dates for the diary include oudist Joseph Tawadros’ return appearance in April, fresh from a standout performance with the Britten Sinfonia in 2023: as on that occasion, here he performs his own compositions. The Cuban cellist-singer-composer Ana Carla Maza will also be worth catching too – she appears in May with her own ensemble, performing selections from her recent Caribbean-inspired release.
Several Young Artists Concerts are also included in the Saffron Hall season this year. Polish cellist Maciej Kułakowski appears with Israelis Ariel Lanyi (piano) and Jonathan Leibovitz (violin), for a programme of Brahms and Beethoven piano trios in January. And later in the year, young accordionist Ryan Corbett appears in May, and the Adelphi String Quartet in June. And of course, the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain make their yearly visit to Saffron Hall in August – always unmissable.
See all listings for upcoming events at Saffron Hall.
This preview was sponsored by Saffron Hall Trust.