News and Reviews

News: sinfonia ViVA Jazzes Up
Sept 2008

Celebrated New York jazz pianist and composer Uri Caine joins sinfonia ViVA, the East Midlands based professional orchestra, for a unique fusion of classical music and jazz at the Derby Assembly Rooms on Tuesday October 21. The concert is part of the Orchestra's 'Beethoven in New York' season which links works by Beethoven with some of the best of modern American music and marks the beginning of a three-date national tour for Uri and the Orchestra. It is also the only chance to enjoy this programme in the East Midlands.

Highlights of the concert include the world premiere of a new piece by Caine, which has been commissioned by ViVA as well as the UK premiere of his own typically free-thinking new take on Beethoven's Diabelli Variations.

Add to this Beethoven's complex and rhythmically driven Grosse Fugue - now regarded as one of the composer's finest works - and the first movement of Mozart's famous Piano Sonata in C and the audience are in for a treat of music from classical and jazz genres.

The concert is ViVA's second foray into the world of jazz this year. The first gig earlier this year brought the Orchestra together with Derby Jazz and two of the UK's best-loved jazz saxophonists Don Weller and Bobby Wellins.

Uri Caine commented: "I am delighted to be coming to the UK to perform with sinfonia ViVA this Autumn and I'm really looking forward to working with André de Ridder who I know shares my love of exploring possibilities in music. It's great that the Orchestra has commissioned a new work from me so there will be a world premiere to add to the UK premiere of the Diabellia Variations. Bringing this to British audiences for the first time has been an ambition and is going o be a thrill so I hope that everyone enjoys hearing it."

ViVA Principal Conductor André de Ridder continued: "Uri is probably one of the very few universally prolific musicians around today who are not stuck in their own highly specialised niche. It has been a dream of mine to work with him and it is significant for ViVA to be able to do this so very soon after I have started working with the Orchestra. Bringing together classical music and jazz breaks down the boundaries of different genres of music and appeals to a much wider audience."

He continued: "The Orchestra has certainly moved into new territories this year, having also worked with the James Warner Prophecies in the Spring – merging classical music with rock/indie cultures. These projects illustrate our particular strengths of flexibility and commitment to broadening the appeal of orchestral music."

The concert at Derby Assembly Rooms on Tuesday October 21 starts at 7.30pm. Tickets cost from £8 for Assembly Rooms concert season subscribers and are available from the box office tel: 01332 255800 or online at www.assemblyrooms-derby.co.uk

The programme can also be heard at St George’s Bristol on Friday October 24.

Media enquiries: Sarah Jenkin-Jones - Tel: 01332 515102/07951 945 665 sarah@jjpublicrelations.co.uk