The Glasshouse

This September, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this December, launches an explosive new season featuring a vast array of music spanning classical masterpieces and contemporary innovations.

The classical music season kicks off on 14th September with a spellbinding opening concert featuring Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The evening will transport audiences into Shakespeare’s enchanting world, with Royal Northern Sinfonia, Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia, and Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa at the helm. On 26th September, the Philip Glass Ensemble will deliver a groundbreaking performance of Glassworks, one of only three UK dates, showcasing the minimalist maestro’s seminal work in its entirety. The ensemble, established by Glass himself, will also present selections from his iconic operas Satyagraha, Akhnaten, and The Photographer.

The orchestral music continues with Royal Northern Sinfonia at its heart in over 50 concerts. The season is highlighted by Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa’s second three-year term, with Artistic Partner Maria Włoszczowska and newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor Nil Venditti joining forces. The music encompasses a wide range of works, from heroic symphonies to intimate chamber music to music of the avant-garde, with special attention given to anniversaries of influential composers such as Ravel and Schoenberg.

Royal Northern Sinfonia’s season includes new and experimental projects, including a series of contemporary music concerts focusing on composers like György Ligeti, John Cage, Pauline Oliveros and Nico Muhly, along with a world premiere commission from Heloise Werner. The ‘Share the Stage’ series returns a powerful performance of Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, offering non-professional musicians from across the North East the opportunity to perform alongside the orchestra in one of the largest performing groups the region has ever seen.

In addition to the core classical series, The Glasshouse hosts an impressive array of visiting artists and ensembles. Highlights include performances by John Wilson’s Sinfonia of London with Sheku Kanneh-Mason, the BBC Philharmonic, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Away from orchestral music there’s a diary packed with gigs and concerts from a huge range of musicians. From household names to cult favourites and independent artists there are must-see shows to grab tickets for while you can. Marc Almond on 15th September, celebrates 45 years in music with a set of cover songs from his new album, I’m Not Anyone. On 22nd September, groovetrain returns for a highly anticipated funk-soul performance. The season continues with the much-anticipated reunion of Fairground Attraction on 3rd October, followed by Rioghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet’s eclectic show on the same evening. October 17th brings Afro Celt Sound System’s pioneering fusion of world music, and Public Service Broadcasting’s evocative performance on 21st October promises to transport audiences through time and sound.

November features Ron Sexsmith’s intimate solo performance on the 3rd, Eddie Chacon’s minimalist R&B on the 7th, and Jessica Pratt’s atmospheric melodies on the 9th. Guitar virtuoso Julian Lage will take the stage on 17th November, followed by the sold-out 20th-anniversary celebration of Bellowhead on the 23rd. The season continues through to a co-headline tour by Gruff Rhys & Bill Ryder-Jones on 27th November, rounding out a diverse and vibrant lineup of concerts.

/ENDS

For media enquiries please contact

susie.gray@premiercomms.com
or
beverley.knight@theglasshouseicm.org

Notes for editors:

IMAGES:

Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia credit Tynesight Photographic – IMAGE

Philip Glass Ensemble credit Ryuhei Shindo  – IMAGE

Sheku Kanneh-Mason credit Jake Turney – IMAGE

Public Service Broadcasting credit Alex Lake – IMAGE

Gruff Rhys & Bill Ryder- IMAGE

LISTINGS:

• Friday 13 September 2024 | Paul Carrack ‘How Long’ 50th Anniversary Tour
• Saturday 14 September 2024 | Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Saturday 14 September 2024 | Nearly Dan in Concert
• Sunday 15 September 2024 | Marc Almond
• Sunday 15 September 2024 | Tide Lines
• Sunday 22 September 2024 | Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony
• Sunday 22 September 2024 | groovetrain and friends
• Thursday 26 September 2024 | Philip Glass Ensemble play Glassworks
• Thursday 26 September 2024 | From The Glasshouse: Kindelan, Sunflower Thieves and Callum Pitt
• Friday 27 September 2024 | Jo Harrop ‘The Path Of A Tear’
• Saturday 28 September 2024 | RNS Moves – The World is Round
• Thursday 3 October 2024 | Fairground Attraction
• Thursday 3 October 2024 | Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet – They Want What You’ve Got Tour
• Friday 4 October 2024 | Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20
• Friday 4 October 2024 | Riverside Ragas: Jasdeep Singh Degun
• Saturday 5 October 2024 | Newcastle International Chamber Music Series – Valo Quartet
• Sunday 6 October 2024 | Life on Our Planet in Concert
• Sunday 6 October & Friday 29 November 2024 | Will Young – Light It Up Live
• Saturday 12 October 2024 | Carrie Hope Fletcher – Love Letters
• Saturday 12 October 2024 | Turin Brakes (Acoustic)
• Wednesday 16 October 2024 | Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells – Extended 50th Anniversary Celebrations
• Thursday 17 October 2024 | The Pretenders
• Thursday 17 October 2024 | Afro Celt Sound System
• Friday 18 October 2024 | Sinfonia of London Sheku Kanneh-Mason plays Shostakovich
• Friday 18 October 2024 | Walter Trout
• Saturday 19 October 2024 | Transfigured Night
• Saturday 19 October 2024 | Steve Hackett Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo
• Sunday 20 October 2024 | Samling Academy in Concert
• Monday 21 October 2024 | Public Service Broadcasting
• Wednesday 23 October 2024 | King King
• Thursday 24 October 2024 | From the Glasshouse x Jazz North East: Faye MacCalman, John Pope Quintet, Moonfish
• Sunday 27 October 2024 | Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony
• Tuesday 29 October 2024 | The Piano – The Final Concert
• Thursday 31 October 2024 | Psycho in Concert
• Thursday 31 October 2024 | Cara Dillon ‘Coming Home’

About The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is a home for live music lovers.

It’s a place where you can hear rock legends or pop icons on the same night as folk trios or string quartets. Where new musicians are nurtured and showcased on the same stages as platinum-selling performers. And where youth choirs and tambourine-shaking toddlers practise in the same spaces as its acclaimed orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Because as an international centre for music they’re focused on creating and celebrating outstanding music – whether that’s unearthing or growing talent from the region or bringing the world’s best artists to their stages. And as a charity they’re focused on making sure all of that is available to anyone – no matter where you’re from, how old you are, how much money you have, or what challenges you face.

Which is why every year more than 2 million people are able to enjoy top-notch gigs, concerts, and classes – in their venue at Gateshead Quays, out in communities across the North East, and through livestreamed performances and digital lessons.

Whether you’re making it up or taking it in, you’ll find music lives and grows here.

More about The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

• From global stars to artists starting out, The Glasshouse has hosted 10,022 performances, totalling 4.7m tickets. To have seen every performance would have meant seeing one show every day for 27 years.
• It’s hosted over 220,000 music lessons for North East folk. The region’s young people have learnt to play, sing or produce with us, on over 1.7m occasions.
• Royal Northern Sinfonia perform at The Glasshouse, tour the region, and have played to international audiences on four continents, with livestreams reaching people across five.
• Like stepping stones, artists like Ward Thomas have worked their way from their free stages to selling out its big hall and getting global recognition.
• The Glasshouse regularly opens its doors to a wide range of conferences and events. Since 2004, they’ve welcome over 400,000 delegates from the likes of Greggs, NHS and British Engines, and many, many more.
• The charity is one of Gateshead’s biggest employers, and so far it’s generated £500m of economic value to the region.
• The charity has been the proud guardians of The Glasshouse for almost 20 years, safeguarding it when live music was put on hold during the pandemic.
• The centre has 630 panes of glass and stands 40m tall.

Royal Northern Sinfonia

Internationally renowned, calling Gateshead home.

37 musicians at the top of their game. Electrifying music, old and new. All the talent, determination and creativity of the North East on a worldwide stage. From their home at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia share the joy and wonder of orchestral music with thousands of people across the North of England – and beyond – every year.

From symphonies to string quartets, film soundtracks to choral masses, and original performances with awesome artists from Sheku Kanneh-Mason to Self Esteem, the orchestra’s members have got one of the most varied jobs there is. They’re always looking for fresh new sounds from up-and-coming composers, inviting local communities to share a stage, and doing everything they can to inspire and prepare the musicians of tomorrow to one day take their place.

They’re also working hard to smash the barriers that can stop brilliant people getting into classical music. They’ve teamed up with national partners to support women conductors to develop their careers, to help global majority musicians get vital experience in the orchestra world, and to celebrate disabled and non-disabled musicians breaking new ground together in RNS Moves. And they bring new musical opportunities to the region, headlining the first-ever BBC Proms weekend outside London.

Because they whole-heartedly believe orchestral music is for anyone – big cities and tiny villages, brand-new babies and life-long listeners, die-hard fans and curious minds – they travel far and wide to make sure there’s top-notch classical music on offer for anyone ready to say “I’ll give that a go”. You’ll find them in churches, castles, and community venues across the North, as well as spearheading concert seasons in Carlisle, Kendal, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland.

With 65 years of success to build on, they’ve signed a dynamic young artistic leadership -Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa, Artistic Partner Maria Włoszczowska and Principal Guest Conductor Nil Venditti – to lead the way into a bold, bright future.

Wherever the orchestra play and whoever they share a stage with, every performance is a chance to see, hear and feel the music.