Daniel Kidane (Photo: Kaupo Kikkas) |
Wigmore Hall is devoting Saturday 30 November 2024 to composer Daniel Kildane. Born in Britain of Russian and Eritrean parentage, Kildane was talented young and sang in the children’s chorus of the English National Opera. He studied composition at the Royal Northern College of Music, going on to continue his studies the St. Petersburg Conservatoire under Sergei Slonimsky.
Wigmore Hall’s day begins with a morning concert from Leonore Piano Trio in a programme which includes Kildane’s Flux and Stasis along with a new work for piano trio, alongside music by Shostakovich and Frank Bridge, plus a work by Gary Carpenter with whom Kildane studied at the RNCM.
In the afternoon concert, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group are joined by conductor Gabriella Teychenné, tenor Elgan Llŷr Thomas and guitarist Pétur Jónasson for a programme that includes Kildane’s Winged for electric guitar and string quartet, Pulsing, based on a poem by Zodwa Nyoni, plus Cradle Song and Primitive Blaze along with music by Rebecca Saunders.
In the evening, Manchester Camerata celebrate Kildane’s music having been associated with the composer since 2009 when they commissioned Towards Resolution, which was inspired by the opening of Henry Purcell’s first three-part Fantazia. Ten years later another commission resulted in Be Still, a piece written in direct response to the passing of time during the months in which the nation was under lockdown. Alongside these they are performing Sublime Light and Veiled Light which form parts of Pieces of Light, written in 2020 during the COVID-19 period, Breathe for string orchestra and Movements, for harpsichord and strings, which Mahan Esfahani premiered in Miami in 2021. Also in the programme is music by Bach including two violin concertos with soloist Jonian Ilias Kadesha. Details from the Wigmore Hall website.