“The Rest is Noise”, Queen Elizabeth Hall London, 3 February

Folk music was the inspiration behind the work of many composers in the early 20^th century. Kathryn and Northern Sinfonia explore this phenomenon worldwide – from the North East’s own W G Whittaker to Brazilian folk-heroine Chiquinha Gonzaga, passing through Spain, Australia, America and Armenia through the music of De Falla, Grainger, Ives, Cassado, Cowell and Komitas. Kathryn has chosen the music for this fascinating concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 3 February at 3pm. Tickets are available here.

Kathryn nominated for BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards

Great news: Kathryn has been nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in the category “Musician of the Year”! The awards are a touchstone of outstanding achievement in folk music, celebrating artists that have brought exceptional work to the public domain in the previous year. The Folk Awards 2013 will take place at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 30 January 2013 as part of the Celtic Connections festival. Full details of the awards and nominees can be found here.

Northumbrian Voices; BBC Radio 3 “Music Matters”

On Saturday 3 November at 12:15 you can hear Kathryn on the panel of BBC Radio 3’s “Music Matters”, live from Sage Gateshead. The last few Northumbrian Voices performances this year are at Grantham, Bury St Edmunds, Hexham and Keswick this week. See live dates below for full details.

Northumbrian Voices UK touring & BBC Radio 3

Northumbrian Voices resumes its autumn tour in Sheffield on 24th October, promoted by Assist, supporting vulnerable asylum seekers. Tickets available here. Northumbrian Voices has attracted some incredible reviews! Some here from Folk Radio UK and Folkcast with the notable description of Kathryn’s dad, Mike Tickell, as “a Northumbrian Richard Burton”! Kathryn’s just been on BBC Radio 3’s “In Tune” (listen again at BBC Radio 3) and will be live on BBC Radio 3’s “Music Matters” on Saturday 3rd November. The double live album is very competitively priced at £10.99 + p&p and you can buy it here.

Towersey and Snape Festivals

Hello! If you’re at either Towersey or Snape festivals this weekend there will be pre-release copies of the album Northumbrian Voices for sale! The album will be available via the website too, in a few weeks. You can listen to a few tracks here of course just to whet the appetite!

Kathryn and Folkestra at BT River of Music, 22 July.

Kathryn Tickell and The Sage Gateshead’s Folkestra ensemble will be performing together as “JigHop”, tomorrow in Trafalgar Square as part of London 2012 Festival’s BT River of Music (tickets are no longer available for this event). If you’re there, post us a comment! Of JigHop, Kathryn says:

“It’s been really interesting watching connections being made through the development of this piece…seeing how traditional clog dancing and B-Boying actually have common ground and how instruments like Northumbrian pipes and melodeon can work collaborating with a scratch DJ. There are lots of unexpected collaborations in this project, but none that have felt forced to us as performers – throughout the project we have worked only with material that we all feel excited about, and that doesn’t compromise the integrity of our individual traditions or genres, but actually informs and enhances them.”

JigHop comprises of Kathryn Tickell, Folkestra and a selection of professional musicians and artists from the North East including Amy Thatcher, Brendan Murphy, Tom Besford, Robby Graham, Paul Kelly, Mariam Rezaei, Hannabiell Sanders and Kevin Lees.

Salisbury, Alnwick, London

If you’re in the audience for any of the Northumbrian Voices performances this month, Kathryn would love to hear your thoughts. We’ve often also received stories and anecdotes that fit beautifully with the spirit behind Northumbrian Voices. Do post a comment!

Northumbrian Fantasia

Last night Kathryn’s new piece for the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain was premiered at The Sage Gateshead and will be performed again at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on Saturday 14 April. Kathryn describes composing for such a large orchestra as ‘being let loose in an amazing sweet shop’! More details can be found on the NYO blog with videos of Kathryn demonstrating the Northumbrian pipes and a tantalising extract of ‘Northumbrian Fantasia’ in rehearsal, with Charles Hazlewood conducting.

Spring Sale!

Please check the Shop section below where you’ll find the following CDs at a reduced rate. Some titles are to be deleted in the next few weeks, so if your collection really ought to be completed, do put in an order:

Back to the Hills, What We Do, Kathryn Tickell Band, Ensemble Mystical all at £9 (reduced from £13)
Melodeon Crimes (Julian Sutton) £8
Music for a New Crossing (with Andy Sheppard) £3 (EP)