BBT gave its first BBT Artists awards in 2003. In the two decades since then there have been 119 awards encompassing 199 individual musicians, 21 of whom came together, with Mitsuko Uchida, to celebrate the Trust’s 20th anniversary over one long weekend in June 2023 in London. Starting with a world premiere BBT commission (there have been over 50 BBT commissions to date) from Kate Whitley, given by her Multi-Story forces and three BBT alumni at Bold Tendencies in Peckham, the focus then moved to Wigmore Hall for four concerts with artists from around the globe.
FRIDAY 9 JUNE 2023 at 7pm
World premiere of Verified, a Kate Whitley BBT Commission
Ruby Hughes soprano, Francesca Chiejina soprano,
Hyeyoon Park violin and Simone Rubino percussion
Multi-Story Orchestra & Young Creatives
Verified explores the complexities of social media through music.
SATURDAY 10 JUNE 2023 at 3pm
Mark Simpson Darkness Moves
(BBT Commission, dedicated to Franco Buitoni and Ilaria Borletti Buitoni)
Mark Simpson clarinet
Debussy Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp
Adam Walker flute, Timothy Ridout viola, Sivan Magen harp
Angélica Negrón The Violinist violin solo with electronics
(BBT Commission, UK premiere)
Salina Fisher Hikari for solo violin
(BBT Commission, UK premiere)
Alexi Kenney violin
Stravinsky L’histoire du soldat Suite
Alexi Kenney violin, Mark Simpson clarinet, Filippo Gorini piano
SATURDAY 10 JUNE 2023 at 7.30pm
Schubert Notturno in E flat D897 (Op 148)
Mitsuko Uchida piano, Geneva Lewis violin, Christian Poltéra cello
Mahler Rückert Lieder
Mitsuko Uchida piano, James Newby baritone
Schubert String Quartet No 14 in D minor D810 Death and the Maiden
Apollon Musagète Quartet
SUNDAY 11 JUNE 2023 Coffee Concert at 11.30am
Bach Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor
Sivan Magen harp
Bach Cello Suite No 3 in C (excerpts)
Simone Rubino marimba
Bach Contrapunctus I and XI from The Art of Fugue
Filippo Gorini piano
Bach Chaconne from Partita No 2 in D minor
Geneva Lewis violin
SUNDAY 11 JUNE 2023 at 1pm
Screening of BBT film Commissioning for the Future and
Il Ritmo della Terra, Lamberto Curtoni’s chamber work for percussion, strings and voice, commissioned by and featuring Simone Rubino percussion
SUNDAY 11 JUNE 2023 at 7.30pm
Purcell Fantasia No 6 in FZ737
Quatuor Ébène
Dowland Fantasia in E P.1
Sean Shibe guitar
Dowland from First Book of Lute Songs: Come Heavy Sleep • Think’st Thou Then by Thy Feigning • Can She Excuse My Wrongs?
Britten from Songs from the Chinese: The Old Lute • Autumn Wind
Thomas Adès from The Exterminating Angel:
It’s Very Late Now (Silvia) • Blanca (Over the Sea)
Ema Nikolovska mezzo-soprano, Sean Shibe guitar
Schubert Rondeau brilliant D895 (Op 70)
Mitsuko Uchida piano, Itamar Zorman violin
Ravel String Quartet in F
Quatuor Ébène
Read the BBT20 press release here