20136 – 1 5 D E C E M B E R

Box Office 01904 658338 www.ncem.co.uk/xmas

Friday 6 December Saturday 7 December

Event 01 7.30pmVenue St Michael le Belfrey Church,

High Petergate, York Tickets £18.00 (concessions £16.00)

Yorkshire Bach ChoirYorkshire BaroqueSoloists with The English Cornett& Sackbut Ensembledirected by Peter Seymour

A Festive VenetianSpectacularJoin us for a truly celebratory openingto the 2013 festival inspired by thegenius of Gabrieli, Monteverdi,Schütz and Praetorius in 17thcentury Venice. Using the acousticsof St Mark’s, these composersrevelled in setting instruments againstvoices to maximize the sonorities andtheatrical ‘effect’ of their work.

Highlights include Gabrieli’s In ecclesiisand Jubilate Deo, Praetorius Wachet auf,Schütz Magnificat à 8 and Monteverdipsalms from Selve morale.

www.yorkshirebachchoir.org.uk

Event 02 10.30am – 4.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s ChurchTickets £15.00 (students £10.00)

including music and light refreshments. See www.ncem.co.uk/xmasrose for details andbooking form. Please book by 27 November

A Workshop forSingers withDavid SkinnerChristmas Music fromRenaissance EnglandThe Trinity Carol Roll, now preserved in Trinity College,Cambridge, is the earliest source for the English

polyphonic carol, including the most famous of allcarols Ther is no rose. The workshop will studythese 15th century anonymous carols andWilliam Byrd’s Mass Propers for Christmas Day.

This event is open to all voices but some sightreading ability will be helpful. The workshopwill conclude with an informal public

performance at 4:00pm (no ticket required).

Organised in association with

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas2

Saturday 7 December

Event 03 7.30pm Venue Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York Tickets Reserved seating £25.00

(concessions £22.00, students £5.00)

Brecon BaroqueRachel Podger director/violinJohannes Pramsohler violin Jane Rogers viola Alison McGillivray cello/gambaMarcin Świątkiewicz harpsichord withPamela Thorby recorderA Christmas CanonA sparkly entertainment of concertos, fugues and canons, alongside seasonal tunes from France and Germany.

Bach’s Art of Fugue provides the serious element! One of the most ambitious and brilliant of all his creations, heemploys every conceivable contrapuntal machination, creating an exhilarating display of freedom within extremelystrict parameters — utterly mind-blowing!

Purcell's theatre music offers a strong contrast to the intensity of the Bach fugues, Sammartini’s Concerto forRecorder crackles with virtuosity, Corrette's Concerto Comique – a portrayal of a Parisian opera on a small scale -tickles our lighter side and Bach’s Nun komm der Heiden Heiland and Corette’s Noëls lead us firmly into theChristmas season.

“fluid, dynamic playing” Boston Globe

www.percius.co.uk/clients/brecon-baroque

Promoted in association with

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas 3

Event 04 12.30pm - c.1.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s ChurchTickets £10.00 (NCEM Patrons free of charge, students £5.00)

directed by Heather Moger

All This Time This Song is BestThe Minster Minstrels are joined by singers directed by BBCMusic Fellow Bethany Seymour in a polyptych of musicalportraits depicting scenes from the Nativity. Our centralpanel, Hassler’s polychoral Verbum caro factum est, isframed by a colourful array of Christmas pieces,including a setting of Joseph, lieber Joseph mein(Hieronymus Praetorius) and Buxtehude’sCantata In Dulci Jubilo.

www.ncem.co.uk/minsterminstrels

The Minster Minstrels is run as a partnership between the NCEM and York ArtsAcademy with support from the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust. If you are interestedin joining this vibrant group – or our newly formed recorder ensemble foryounger musicians – please contact us by e mailing education@ncem.co.uk

Become A PATRON

The NCEM Patrons Scheme is celebrating its firstanniversary with a series of specially organised eventsdesigned to give Patrons greater access to our work –through open rehearsals, opportunities to meet with artistsand like-minded individuals, receptions and supper parties.

The NCEM is dependent on your support to continue itsambitious programme of festivals, educational activitiesand concerts - so please do join us.

Contact us for information at patrons@ncem.co.uk, orcheck out www.ncem.co.uk/patrons

Thank you!

Sunday 8 December

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas4

Event 05 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £25.00 (concessions £22.00) CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

AlamireDavid Skinner directorAlison Hill soprano Ruth Massey mezzo-soprano

Steven Harrold tenor Jimmy Holliday bass

with Andrew Lawrence-King harps

There is no rose: English Medieval Carols & the Trinity Carol RollThe Trinity Carol Roll (from Trinity College, Cambridge) is the earliest sourceof the English polyphonic carol. The 13 works in this manuscript includethe famous Agincourt Carol, celebrating Henry V’s victory over the Frenchin 1415, and much-loved and performed Ther is no rose. Alamire recordedthe entire roll in the Wren Library at Trinity College in September 2011.Celebrate Christmas with David Skinner and Alamire in medieval style withthis charming programme.

“Extremely fine performances ... outstanding, authoritative, and thusessential listening.” Early Music

www.alamire.co.uk

Sunday 8 December

Gift VouchersThese can be purchased from the Box Office in amounts of £5 and £10.

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas 5

Tuesday 10 December

Event 07 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s ChurchTickets £18.00 (concessions £16.00)CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

L’Avventura LondonŽak Ozmo director, archlute, baroque guitar Joanna Lawrence violinNatasha Kraemer cello, percussionTaro Takeuchi theorbo, baroque guitar with Sandra Medeiros, Joana Seara sopranos

Christmas at the Monastery of Santa Cruz The Monastery of Santa Cruz at Coimbra was one ofthe major centres of Portuguese music during the16th and 17th centuries. L’Avventura London will bepresenting some of the most interesting, entertaining,and ravishingly beautiful villancicos and romances(passionate songs, both secular and sacred) along withrelated instrumental music, found in its archives. The programme will also include villancicos de negros,by many scholars considered to be written musicalmanifestations of the black Portuguese population,and characterized by captivating melodies andunusual syncopated rhythms. Many of these piecescall on the listener to express their joy of Christmascelebration by singing and dancing, and it is trulydifficult to resist.

“terrifically animated, wonderful energy… gorgeous!” BBC Radio 3

www.lavventuralondon.co.uk

Event 06 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £18.00 (concessions £16.00)CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

The York Waits Tim Bayley, Lizzie Gutteridge, Susan Marshall,William Marshall, John Peel shawms, curtals,recorders, bagpipes, harps, hurdy gurdy, portativeorgan, fiddle, rommelpot, lute, pipe and tabor

with Deborah Catterall singer

Drive the Cold Winter Away: Music for the Cold Season ofthe YearSecular songs, dances, and topical instrumental musicto herald the onset of winter. The programme includeslively dance tunes, ballads about feasting, pastimes forthe dark evenings, and of course, references to theweather that dominated medieval and renaissancelives for a third of the year! The York Waits' vast arrayof period instruments even includes a rommelpot - apercussive device made from a pig's bladder and usedby children on the continent to accompany theirWassails.

“a display of consummate discipline and immensebreadth.... in company with Deborah Catterall'swarm, clear soprano, it made an aural - and visual– feast” The Press

www.theyorkwaits.org.uk

Monday 9 December

Festival Saver Ticket £125 (concession £110)

Buy a ticket for events 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and12 and save up to 25%!

Includes Front Nave seats for Event 8.

Please note that all concerts must be booked at the same timeand the offer is subject to availability.

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas6

Thursday 12 December

Event 08 7.30pm Venue York MinsterTickets Reserved seating front nave: £28.00

Reserved seating rear nave: £20.00 (concessions £18.00)Unreserved seating side aisles: £15.00 (students £5.00)

The SixteenHarry Christophers directorwith Frances Kelly harp

Ceremony of Carols Francis Poulenc Quatre petites prières de Saint François d’AssiseMedieval carols: Nowell, nowell: Out of your sleep;

Sweet was the song; Sing we to this merry companyPoulenc Salve regina Medieval carols: Nowell, nowell: In Bethlem; Angelus ad virginem; Make we joyPoulenc Quatre motets pour le temps de NoëlBenjamin Britten Hymn to the VirginBritten A Shepherd’s carol Britten The Holly and the Ivy (arr.)Anon The Salutation CarolBritten A Ceremony of Carols

We are delighted to welcome The Sixteen to York for the first time within the Christmas Festival and to celebrate theseasonal music of two of the most significant composers of the 20th century - Poulenc and Britten. Don’t miss thismagical evening, concluding with the ever popular, and exquisitely beautiful, Ceremony of Carols.

“the choral sounds were wonderfully clear and unfailingly precise … Christopher’s group can be just asimpressively extrovert as they had been austerely restrained” The Guardian

Promoted in association with The Sixteen

www.thesixteen.com

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Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas 7

Event 09 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s ChurchTickets £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00)

including mulled wine & mince pies on arrival from 7.00pm

CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

Bethany Seymour soprano

Niels Tilma trumpet

with Yorkshire Baroque Soloists Daniel Edgar, Nia Lewis violins Malgosia Ziemkewicz Artabe viola Rachel Gray cello Peter Seymour organ, harpsichord

Eternal Source of Light Divine Handel Eternal Source of Light Divine Vivaldi La Follia Op.1 No 12 Scarlatti Su le Sponde del Tebro Conti Languet anima mea Corelli Sonata for Trumpet and Strings JS Bach Cantata 51

The soaring solo for voice and trumpet from Handel’s Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne presents the title andcharacter of this extravagant programme based around virtuosic music of the Italian Baroque. Vivaldi’s famous trioand Conti’s cantata – part of Bach’s library at Cöthen – each provided models for Bach’s celebrated cantata forsoprano and trumpet whilst Handel went to Italy to learn the latest flamboyant styles with Corelli and Vivaldi. This

concert, performed by candlelight, promises a brilliant evening’sentertainment.

“Bethany Seymour’s elaborate vocal decoration superblysung will surely place her among Europe's leading

Baroque sopranos” Yorkshire Post

www.bethanyseymour.co.uk

Bethany Seymour is a BBC Performing Arts Fund Music Fellow 2012

Friday 13 December

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

22 – 26 May 2013 Early Music Festival

& East Riding

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FRIDAY 5 – SATURDAY 13 JULY

2013

JazzFolk

Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk

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F . Johanna Juhola 7.30pm

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. Union Jill 7.30pm

F Brass Jaw 7.30pm2 – 26 May Beverley and East Riding Early Music FestivalS Antonio Forcione 7.30pmM Celtic Fiddle Festival 7.30pmF Tina May 7.30pmT .

. . .

Ayanna 7.30pmS – Insight Day All DayW . – 13 July York Early Music Festival

Stay In TouchTo stay in touch email us atboxoffice@ncem.co.uk or sign up at www.ncem.co.uk

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas8

Saturday 14 December

Event 11 7.30pmVenue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £15.00 (concessions £13.00)

Crows’ BonesbyMartin Green (Lau) withBecky Unthank, Inge Thomsonand Niklas RoswallCommissioned by Opera North Projects

In the tradition of telling ghost stories atChristmastime, Crows’ Bones is a mesmerisingcollection of ghost songs old and new, pinpointing theessence of what is most beautiful and unsettling inthe folk genre.

Led by Lau accordionist Martin Green, it is performedby a specially assembled group of folk luminaries madeup of Becky Unthank (The Unthanks), nykelharpistNiklas Roswall and singer Inge Thomson (KarinePolwart band). Drawing together songs of murderousvisitations and unnatural happenings, Crows' Bonestakes you deep into a musical hinterland of brokenmusic boxes and twisted gramophones to reveal thedark heart of folk song.

"Best of all was Crows' Bones, a luminous musicalcollaboration - a must see" The Herald

www.operanorth.co.uk/projects/crow-s-bones

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas 9

Event 10 12 noon – c.1.00pmVenue NCEM, St Margaret’s ChurchTickets £5.00 (students £3.00)

Members of theOrchestra of the Ageof Enlightenmentwith Andrew Passmore harpsichordand York Arts Academy

A Christmas CrackerThroughout 2013, the NCEM is working with baroqueviolinist Rachel Podger, members of the OAE and YorkArts Academy on an educational programme designedto explore the understanding, and performance, ofbaroque string playing.

Our ‘Christmas Cracker Concert’ takes the opportunityto share our work with the festival audience withhighlights including Corelli’s famous (and ever tuneful)Christmas Concerto.

This project is organised in association with

with support from

Event 12 7.30pm Venue Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York Tickets Reserved Seating £20.00

(concessions £17.00, students £5.00)

European Union Baroque Orchestra directed from the harpsichord by Lars Ulrik Mortensen Bojan Čičić concertmaster Anne Freitag flute

Barock meets Baroque JS Bach Suite No 1 in C BWV 1066Bach Suite No 2 in B minor BWV 1067Leclair Concerto for Flute in C Op. 7 No 3Rameau Suite from Acanthe et Céphise

We are delighted to welcome the EUBO back to York – it’s like no other orchestra as it auditions and selectscompletely new personnel from across the European Union every year – all gaining performing experience after theirconservatoire studies under the direction of some of the world’s finest baroque conductors. In 2013 the EUBOcomprises musicians from 17 different countries who will give nearly 40 performances across 14 European countries.We are particularly pleased to welcome flautist Anne Freitag – winner of the 2011 Brugge Early Music Competitionand holder of the EUBO Development Trust Award – in this her prize-winning European tour. Performances are trulyinspiring and not to be missed!

“Lars Ulrik Mortensen's extravagant conducting encourages the young performers to bring out every nuanceof the music in their performances, with exciting and intensely musical results" Early Music Review

Promoted in association with

www.eubo.eu

Supported by

Sunday 15 December

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas10

On-Line: Visit our web site at www.ncem.co.uk and use the secure on-line booking service.

By telephone: Please contact the box office on(01904) 658338. Tickets can be booked by Visa,Mastercard, Access and Maestro. Please note that asurcharge of £1.00 will apply per transaction.

By post: Write to the NCEM Box Office, St Margaret’sChurch, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL enclosing an SAE.Please use a large stamp for the return of 10 or moretickets. Cheques should be made payable to the National Centre for Early Music.

In person: The box office is open Monday – Friday9.00am – 5.00pm.

Seating: Seats are unreserved except where indicated.

Reservations: Tickets must be paid for within threeworking days of reservation and at least 24 hours priorto the performance. Any remaining tickets will be sold atthe venue immediately prior to the performance.

Concession prices: These are shown in brackets.They apply to those aged 60 and above, students andregistered disabled and their carers.

Refunds: We regret that refunds can only be given ifthe concert is sold out and we are able to sell on theticket. Please note that there will be a 10%administration charge.

General enquiries: Please ring 01904 632220 forgeneral information.

Group bookings: Special savings can be made forthose bringing a group of 10 or more, in which case weoffer an additional seat free.

Photography/Recording: Please note that the useof cameras/recording equipment is prohibited.

Accessible facilities: The Festival offers awarm welcome to everyone. The NCEM websitewww.ncem.co.uk is accessible to the partiallysighted and the NCEM has the benefit of anRNIB Braille map of York available on requestfrom the box office.

Assistance Dogs are welcome at concerts. Fordetailed information, please ring 01904 632220.The NCEM is a Typetalk Approved business.

Box OfficeThe National Centre for Early MusicSt Margaret’s ChurchWalmgate, York YO1 9TL

www.ncem.co.uk 01904 658338

N

Hotel informationHotel information: The NCEM warmly recommendsa number of York hotels, please log on towww.ncem.co.uk/hotels for details.

The York VisitorInformation CentreThe York Visitor Information Centre

offers help with accommodation and generalinformation about the City. Please ring 01904550099 or email info@visityork.org

Dates for your diaryFriday 29 November

A Venetian Extravaganza Join us for an evening of music, mystery and magicwww.ncem.co.uk/venetian

Thursday 22 - Sunday 25 May 2014

Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival Tickets will be on sale from Decemberwww.ncem.co.uk/bemf

Thursday 10 - Saturday 19 July 2014

York Early Music Festival Booking opens Monday 17 March. Details and tickets available spring 2014

www.ncem.co.uk/yemf

Booking Information

Box Office 01904 658338www.ncem.co.uk/xmas 11

Box Office 01904 658338 www.ncem.co.uk/xmas

AT A GLANCE

The York Early Music Christmas Festival is directed by Delma Tomlin MBE and administered by the National Centre for Early Music through the York EarlyMusic Foundation registered charity number 1068331. All details are correct at the time of going to press but NCEM reserves the right to amend thepublished programme if necessary.

Front cover image: The Nativity, miniature by Jean Bourdichon (c.1457-1521). © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

yorkearlymusic

Friday 6 Yorkshire Bach Choir

Saturday 7 Vocal workshop

Saturday 7Brecon Baroque

Sunday 8Minster Minstrels

Sunday 8Alamire

Monday 9The York Waits

Tuesday 10L’Avventura LondonThursday 12 The Sixteen Friday 13 Bethany Seymour Saturday 14A Christmas Cracker Saturday 14Crows’ BonesSunday 15European Union Baroque Orchestra

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