Classical Sheffield Weekend 2023
Classical Sheffield is thrilled to launch tickets and announce the full programme of Classical Weekend 2023, celebrating its 10th anniversary, from Friday 17th - Sunday 19th March.
Tickets to all events can be purchased via the Classical Sheffield website, alongside all information about the concerts and venues: https://classicalsheffield.org.uk/events/2023/classical-sheffield-weekend-2023
The last Classical Weekend took place in 2019, reaching over 10,000 people, but the pandemic meant the biennial Festival was postponed in 2021. The 2023 Weekend brings a varied selection of music-making across the city in an exciting programme of events that involves hundreds of music-makers.
Planned events feature amazing spectacles organised in collaboration by member groups of Classical Sheffield, alongside concerts presented by Classical Sheffield to showcase the smaller ensembles and singing groups making music in the city. Entry to many events is free or just £5, keeping costs low so that as many people as possible can experience amazing live music during the three days.
The Weekend opens on Friday 17 March with concerts from Music in the Round, The Hallé and The University of Sheffield.
However, it's on Saturday that things really get going. Free pop up performances take place in the Winter Garden, with free Samba and Brass Band workshops led by Sheffield Music Hub and Concord All Stars in Orchard Square. A variety of singing and instrumental groups will be performing concerts featuring classical and popular classics throughout the day in Upper Chapel and St Matthew’s Church Carver Street. Four Sheffield Community Choirs sing together for the very first time at Victoria Hall, performing Rutter's ‘The Sprig of Thyme’, and Sheffield Bach Choir close the day with their concert at St Mark’s Church Broomhill.
Perhaps one of the highlights of the weekend is the concert dedicated to the music of local folk superstar Kate Rusby on Sunday. ‘Being Human’ a selection of 10 of Kate Rusby's songs in an arrangement by Kate Shipway specially commissioned for the Festival, is given its premiere at Firth Hall, involving over 100 singers from local community choirs.
The grand finale for the Weekend is a performance at Sheffield City Hall of Mahler's Symphony No.2, Resurrection. The evening begins with an awards ceremony for the finalists of the Stella Jockel Young Composer Competition for composers aged 18-35 linked to the city, followed by the world première of the winning piece performed by Hallam Choral Society and the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus. The choirs will then be joined on stage by Hallam Sinfonia and the Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra for a spectacular performance of Mahler's Second Symphony featuring local award-winning singers Anna Harvey and Ella Taylor.
