Brno Contemporary Orchestra brings America to Tuřany

16 December 2024, 10:00
Brno Contemporary Orchestra brings America to Tuřany

Planes from all over the world have been landing in Brno Tuřany for seventy years now, but there hasn't been a single direct flight from America. The Brno Contemporary Orchestra decided to make up for this symbolic deficit with a concert entitled From America to Tuřany. And it's in just the right Christmas spirit. The ensemble will transform the Tuřany Sokol hall into the heart of the Euro-American world. It will be filled with Argentine rhythms, minimalism, a postmodern waltz and unorthodox carols.

During Advent, when everyone is rushing about looking for presents and going crazy to prepare for a peaceful holiday, the orchestra will offer a concert that will take place on 18th December 2024 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tuřany Sokol hall. "The run-up to Christmas tends to get terribly hectic, everybody wants to get everything done and we all feel like we don't have enough time for anything. People get together, everything is winding down, and there's certainly no time to reflect on Advent and enjoy some peace and quiet. In connection with the anniversary of Tuřany Airport, I remembered the expectations that most people had when they left for America during the last couple of centuries. I thought it was amusing and important to remind us all of that. We do not want to bring today's America to Tuřany, but the wonderful dreams of America, which, like it or not, remind us of the coming of the Saviour." says orchestra dramaturg Viktor Pantůček.

The concert will feature the Argentinian Varieté by Mauricio Kagel, born, incidentally, on 24 December. Kagel has incorporated an amateur performer into his score, so in addition to the tango influence, it promises to be a bizarre experience. Steve Reich's legendary Clapping Music, which puts rhythm over melody and harmony in a minimalist way, will be performed by the conductor. The postmodern Straussiana by Trevor Grahl will see the Canadian composer take original inspiration from the legacy of Johann Strauss. This piece will come to a spectacular end with an explosion of confetti. And this year, the audience can also look forward to Miloslav Kabeláč's Play With A Crib, an example of Czech interwar modernism with an intimate Christmas atmosphere that is a traditional part of any Brno Contemporary Orchestra pre-Christmas concert.

The soloists will be Aneta Podracká Bendová, Kornél Mikecz, Michal Kuča and Martin Kotulan. The atmosphere of the evening will be further enhanced by a raffle and refreshments prepared by the BCO especially for the occasion.

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