This next week Birmingham has lots to offer. We’re particularly excited about:

Reich Influences: Chris Mapp Quartet

Thursday 7 March, Bramall Music Building, 5pm

In celebration of Steve Reich’s visit to Town Hall this week THSH have programmed a mini-series of concerts exploring his musical influences. We are really looking forward to the Chris Mapp quartet on Thursday 7 March at 5pm at the Bramall Music Building.

Bassst Chris Mapp and his quartet, featuring renowned British saxophonist Iain Ballamy, Sam Wooster on trumpet, and Tymek Jozwiak on drums, perform specially commissioned work Buzzoig. This mostly improvised work is Mapp’s response to an exploration of Reich’s music and his varied influences including Radiohead, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

Rosie Kay Dance Company: There Is Hope

Thursday 7 and Friday 8 March, mac

There Is Hope is the new hard-hitting, contemporary dance work by Rosie Kay Dance Company, exploring ancient ritual and contemporary religion, including the Seven Deadly Sins. Inspired by the city she lives in, choreographer Rosie Kay wants to work with young people and communities to take a picture of modern ideas of morality, hope and faith in a changing and unstable world.

Musically There Is Hope features live improvisation from Chris Mapp, Mike Hurley and Sam Wooster and precomposed music by SOUNDkitchen’s Annie Mahtani. 

The UK Spring Tour launches this week and will be touring nationally until April. Full tour dates here

Joby Burgess: Powerplant

Thursday 14 March, mac 

Internationally acclaimed percussionist Joby Burgess is best known for his virtuosic, lissom performances and regularly appears with artists including Stewart Copeland, Peter Gabriel, Joanna MacGregor and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

In a lavish audio-visual feast the worlds of minimalism and electronica collide: explosive drumming, looped xylosynth, found objects, American presidents, traces of Michael Haneke and Franz Schubert culminate in Powerplant’s landmark collaboration with composer Gabriel Prokofiev .

“The thundering percussion and rapid-fire rhythms of Joby Burgess was thrilling, absorbing stuff.” The Scotsman