The BBC Philharmonic welcomes world renowned jazz drummer Peter Erskine for the UK premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s eponymous work, Erskine.
On Friday 20 November at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Conductor John Storgårds will take the podium to lead the BBC Philharmonic in the UK premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Concerto, Erskine for Drum set and orchestra. Peter Erskine will himself perform this new work, written especially for him by long-time collaborator Turnage.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Erskine is widely recognised as one of the best jazz drummers of all time. He has appeared on over 600 albums and film scores, including fifty albums released under his own name or as co-leader and won two Grammy Awards.
His versatility and love of working in different musical contexts, has seen him perform with the likes of Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Diana Krall, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Kate Bush, and as a soloist with the London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Frankfurt Radio, Oslo and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras.
The piece is 30 minutes long and evolves with each performance, with the final movement now much more funkily accented. Rather than with a traditional concerto, in the concert Erskine will be positioned at the back of the orchestra – his typical position in a big band set up, rather than at the front as is traditional for soloists in a classical performance.
This fusion of jazz and classical music is a first for the BBC Philharmonic this season. Classical audiences may not be too familiar with Erskine, but having been crowned ’Best Jazz Drummer of the Year’ ten times by the readers of Modern Drummer magazine, he clearly has a strong following amongst jazz fans.
This concert also features John McCabe’s Joybox, three pieces by Stravinsky, Ives’s Unanswered Question and Antheil’s Symphony No. 5, ‘Joyous’. The concert will be broadcast live for BBC Radio 3.
Tickets cost from £12 to £38 and can be purchased online at www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 0161 907 9000.
