BCMG Celebrates The Music Of Composer Rebecca Saunders And Presents The World Premiere Of Donghoon Shin's Concerto For Sheng Virtuoso Wu Wei

In a concert which explores how music can dissolve borders and broaden our understanding of the world, BCMG celebrates the music of Berlin-based British composer Rebecca Saunders at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham on Thursday 21 March with performances of evocative 2009 work murmurs - the inspiration for the title of this concert - and CRIMSON - Molly's Song 1, a musical meditation on the final monologue of Molly Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses. The recipient of the 2019 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and winner of the 2018 British Composer Award in the Small Chamber category, Rebecca Saunders will be present at the concert and can be heard in conversation with fellow composer Donghoon Shin in a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.

The world-renowned ensemble also invites Chinese Sheng virtuoso Wu Wei to give the world premiere of a specially-commissioned Sheng Concerto by Korean-born BCMG Apprentice Composer in Residence 2017-18 and 2016 Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Prize winner, Donghoon Shin, at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham. The Sheng's history spans more than 3000 years and one of the world's foremost players of the Chinese 'mouth organ', Wu Wei, has dedicated his career to opening up new creative possibilities for the ancient instrument, collaborating with composers from all of the world to expand its repertoire. As part of BCMG's Murmurs concert at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham on 21 March, Wu Wei joins BCMG musicians to perform Chinese composer Jia Guoping's work for Sheng, cello and percussion, The Wind Sounds in the Sky, and gives the world premiere of Donghoon Shin's BCMG-commissioned Sheng Concerto with musicians from the world-renowned ensemble conducted by Julien Leroy - a performance which marks the culmination of the Korean composer's residency with BCMG.

In a special Families@2 concert at 2pm on Sunday 17 March, families are invited to the CBSO Centre in Birmingham to delve into the history of the Sheng and explore its music with Wu Wei and BCMG musicians performing works spanning centuries and free activities taking place in the CBSO Centre foyer from 1pm. Later that day at 5pm, audiences are also invited to learn more about the ancient mouth organ at a special insight event, Meet the Sheng, in which Wu Wei discusses his instrument and demonstrates its sounds.

For press tickets please contact victoria@victoriataylorpr.com / 07900 183 560

For further information on BCMG's concert series visit https://www.bcmg.org.uk/

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