Orchestrapaedia

Roxanna Panufnik's new chamber work, Orchestrapaedia, mirrors Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra – but with added cartoons by her brother, Jem.

Published: April 17, 2013 at 1:56 pm

Roxanna Panufnik's Orchestrapaedia has its world premiere this month in Cardiff and aims to bring the instruments of the orchestra to life for young classical concert-goers. Cartoons of some of the instruments, by her brother Jem, will be projected during the performance, but we've gathered the motley gang together here for a sneak preview…

Click on the pictures to enlarge the gallery

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The piece takes a Welsh folk song, Dros yr Afon, and then, like Britten's Young Perons's Guide, takes the orchestra apart, as Panufnik explains: 'All instruments play the melody together, give listeners a chance to take it on board before moving through each main section of the orchestra: from mysterious, moonlit percussion through shimmering flutes, emotional oboes, sassy clarinets, a dangerously irresistible Señor Trompeta, the Mexican trumpet, matched by an equally dashing Herr Alpine Horn – the perfect foil for the loving lower strings and dancing violins.'

Orchestrapaedia will be premiered at the Dora Stoutzker Hall in Cardiff on 18 April at 7pm and then performed as part of the Cheltenham Festival in Cheltenham Town Hall on 7 July at 7pm.

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