Preparations are gearing up for Oxford Chamber Music Festival’s 25th anniversary (September 22-27) with an extraordinary array of world class musicians, concerts and events coming to the city’s most prestigious venues.
And what a feast of big names, composers, ensembles and music they have in store, all based around this year’s theme ‘Eden in Oxford’ which brings together an eclectic blend of nature, nurture, the seasons, temptation, dreams, desire and reflection, in a beautiful and meticulously planned programme.
Oxford Chamber Music Festival was founded and planned by Oxford musician Priya Mitchell, who is delighted with this year’s line-up, the opening concert alone setting the scene as Belcea Quartet performs with Reto Bieri to bring you BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH at The Sheldonian on Monday September 22 – to open this year’s festival.
“The Belcea Quartet is one of the most successful quartet in the world right now, so for them to be able to join us this year is wonderful,” Priya says. BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH will feature clarinettist Reto Bieri for Mozart‘s beloved Clarinet quintet, alongside Mozart‘s ‘Dissonance’ quartet, composer-in-residence Thomas Adès‘ O Albion, and Beethoven’s last quartet. Book here https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/the-belcea-quartet-and-reto-bieri-between-heaven-and-earth
ECHOES OF EDEN brings a more esoteric mix of music to Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesday September 23, care of a returning Hugo Ticciati and the brilliant young Swedish chamber orchestra O/Modernt Chamber Orchestra. Think Philip Glass‘s Echorus, Arvo Pärt‘s Fratres for violin and strings, Frescobaldi‘s Se l’aura spira for baroque lovers, Sting’s Shape Of My Heart and even John Lennon‘s Blackbird and Across the Universe, alongside a wide mix of sacred music, all conducted by candlelight. Book here https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/echoes-of-eden
Those preferring a moment of reflection and quiet should venture down to Holywell Music Room on September 24 at 1pm for A PLACE OF PEACE in an enchanting hour of music, meditation, and tranquility. Take an inspiring walk through the Garden of Eden, accompanied by soothing readings, poetry, improvised music, guided breathing exercises, and calming, uplifting masterpieces including Bach, Adès Music for the film Colette, Mozart‘s Adagio, Schumann‘s Kinderszenen, Joni Mitchell‘s Both Sides Now, and John Cage’s ‘Branches’, which incorporates natural sounds. https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/a-place-of-peace
This is followed at 6pm by a wonderful collaboration of global musicians formed at last year’s Oxford Chamber Music Festival where a meeting of minds and cultures plays out in THE FALL in Holywell Music Room. English singer, dancer and actress Emma Bonnici, Swiss clarinettist Reto Bieri, Romanian violist Sascha Bota and Swedish double bassist Jordi Carrasco Hjelm explore the beauty of nature, in this magical evening taking you on a musical journey through diverse and colourful landscapes filled with folk song, free improvisation, and chamber music from Bach to Kancheli. https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/the-fall
The evening concert THE DIVINE GIFT completes the trilogy on Sept 24 in Holywell Music Room, which Priya says begins in the garden of Eden and takes you musically through innocence (Bach and Biber), pain and consequences and ends with the exuberant and joyous Schubert Trout quintet and the burning passion of Franck‘s famous sonata. https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/the-divine-gift
It’s all about dreams on Thursday September 25 at 1pm – The New Space, New College viewed through the prism of Bach‘s unique masterpiece, the Goldberg variations, written for a talented harpsichordist to soothe his master’s chronic insomnia, in this now-famous arrangement for strings. John Cage‘s beautiful dreamscape for that mysterious, other-worldly work, connected to the Bach a perfect, if unexpected introduction. https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/a-waking-dream
Human desire and romance rears its head in FORBIDDEN FRUIT on September 25 at The New Space, New College (Mansfield Road entrance) expressed via the great sextet which begins Strauss‘s last opera Capriccio for the love of a Countess; alongside Schoenberg‘s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) for string sextet, interspersed by composer-in-residence Thomas Adès‘ most-acclaimed works Lachymae from Alchymia for clarinet quintet, as well as Mahler’s short but impassioned piano quartet in one movement https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/forbidden-fruit
A veritable aviary of musical birds is being transported to Holywell Music Room on Friday September 26 at 1pm in BIRDS OF PARADISE from Vivaldi‘s concerto The Goldfinch, Haydn‘s Lark is a soaring ode to the lark for string quartet, Messiaen ode to the blackbird, quail and cuckoo singing over each other, a Catalan folk-song and Schumann‘s eerie prophet bird. https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/birds-of-paradise
Performed in masks in the glare of atmospheric blue lighting to represent the ocean, OUT OF THE DEPTHS explores being cast out of Eden in this edgy concert in Holywell Music Room on Friday September 26, where and George Crumb‘s astonishing Vox Balaenae evokes the great Whale journeying far beneath the sea, Brahms‘ disquieting piano quartet, Schubert‘s glorious, lyrical sonata Arpeggione also knows and Purcell songs realised by composer-in-residence Thomas Adès. https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/out-of-the-depths
“Our INNOCENCE concert aims to be both fun and entertaining so should appeal to families,” Priya explains, as Vivaldi‘s Spring, Ravel‘s Mother Goose Suite, Adès‘ Sola for solo cello and Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals takes centre stage on Saturday September 27 at 1pm in the Holywell Music Room, alongside a mock-innocent musical joke from composer-in-residence, Thomas Adès. Fun for children of all ages! https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/innocence
And to close on a triumphant note, book to see RETURN TO EDEN on Saturday September 27 in Holywell Music Room as Schubert‘s ethereal, magical Fantasy For Violin And Piano sets the playful scene continues with composer-in-residence Thomas Adès‘ Märchentänze (Fairytale dances) which spins magical textures around four old English folk tunes, ending with Beethoven‘s Septet. https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/return-to-eden
Of course no Oxford Chamber Music Festival would be complete without the closing 25th Festival Party hosted by the Vaults & Garden Cafe, where spontaneous performances accompany the delicious organic food and wine. But book quickly because tickets are limited (£50pp), with proceeds going to support OCMF’s 25th Anniversary Campaign. BOOK HERE
Throw in a free pop-up concert in the Weston Library for OCMF’s NEXT GENERATION ARTISTS initiative on Sunday September 21 at 2pm to give a platform to rising British chamber groups. It stars The Kleio quartet (winner of the 2023 Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music competition, and a BBC New Generation Artist), playing Elgar‘s String Quartet, Five Movements by Webern, and Haydn‘s joyful ‘Frog’ quartet.
Or try the Body Percussion Workshop THE PULSE OF LIFE on Thursday September 25 in New College Long Room aimed at all levels and led by percussionist and improviser extraordinaire Nora Thiele.
All-in-all, a stunning line-up of thrilling pics and musicians, wrapped up in Oxford Chamber Music Festival’s inimitable style, ready for the thousands of concert-goers and chamber music lovers to delve into. Or as Priya puts it: “I hope that our audience will experience a week of great happiness, pleasure and delight walking through and listening to the sounds of Eden – discovering pleasure and delight, musical utopia, hearing the wonder of creation and infinity of sounds.
“The festival evolves year-on-year and last year everyone said it was our best ever, but we just want our music to bring people together, excite, intrigue, introduce new music, discover new pieces and revisit old favourites which is always very heart-warming.”
Oxford Chamber Music Festival runs from September 22-27. Tickets can be bought individually or invest in a Festival Pass. More info at https://www.ocmf.net
