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Looking back on MUSICON 2023/24

Durham's professional concert series once again brought top-class musical performance from across the world to Durham in 2023/24. Organised by Durham University in partnership with Durham Cathedral and GemArts, MUSICON 2023/24 worked with 12 professional ensembles to entertain 850 total audience members at five venues. It worked with three local schools (two state, one private) and eight student executive committee members. It delivered five student workshops to 110 university students, and two public workshops and one schools workshop to 180 members of the public. 

MUSICON 2023/24 brochure
12
12 Concerts
850
850 Total audience members
8
8 Workshops
5
5 Venues

Events

These were the live music events, performed at stunning historic venues across Durham as part of MUSICON 2023/24:

Come and Sing William Byrd

14 October 2023: An inspiring day exploring the rich and varied music of ‘England’s nightingale’ William Byrd (c.1540-1623), in the 400th anniversary year of his death.
William Byrd

Fretwork: William Byrd and his Contemporaries

18 October 2023: The viol consort Fretwork makes a welcome return to MUSICON with its acclaimed programme of music by the English Renaissance composer William Byrd.

Royal Northern Sinfonia: Mendelssohn’s String Octet

1 November 2023: Soloists from Royal Northern Sinfonia perform chamber music classics, including melodies by Amy Beach, Bacewicz’s Quintet and Mendelssohn’s String Octet.
Royal Northern Sinfonia

East Asian Fusions 1 – Geomungo and Bagpipes

21 November 2023: Heo Yoonjeong, on the Korean geomungo zither, and Cassandre Balbar, on the bagpipes and medieval recorder, perform separately and together.
Cassandre Balbar and Heo Yoonjeong

Rolf Hind, piano

16 January 2024: World-renowned pianist and composer Rolf Hind performs Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus in the transcendent space of Durham Cathedral.

Trio EAPOS: East Asian Soundscapes

29 January 2024: Trio EAPOS (East Asian Pool of Sound) is an exciting new fusion group combining three highly distinctive instruments from three different countries.
MUSICON EAPOS (East Asia Pool of Sound)

Idrîsî Ensemble

30 January 2024: Merging sound installation, cutting-edge research, ancient Mediterranean traditions and experimental song, this promises to be a concert like no other.
Idrisi Ensemble, who will perform at Musicon

Singing Hildegard Workshop

31 January 2024: Interactive workshop with Thomas Fournil and members of Idrîsî Ensemble
Singing Hildegard

Svetlana Rudenko: DreaMR

2 February 2024: DreaMR performance by Svetlana Rudenko (piano), talks by Prof. Mads Haahr (Trinity College Dublin), and Dr Kelly Jakubowski (Durham University).
Svetlana Rudenko

 

 

Learn more about MUSICON in previous years >>>