"The Erratic Dreams of Christian Lindberg" at Cadogan Hall - feat. world renowned trombonist Christian Lindberg, rising star clarinettist Emil Jonason and the dynamic Västerås Sinfonietta

• Legendary trombonist Lindberg, voted one of the greatest brass players of the 20th century, returns to Cadogan Hall in London

• Emil Jonason, one of the leading clarinettists of his generation - hailed by critics as “the next Martin Fröst” - performs UK premiere of The Erratic Dreams of Mr Grönstedt

• UK debut of the dynamic Swedish chamber orchestra Västerås Sinfonietta

• UK premiere of Lucioles by award winning, female composer Andrea Tarrodi

Saturday 17 May 2014, 7.30pm 
Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ, UK

(London, UK, 13 March 2014) A breath of fresh Swedish air will flow through Cadogan Hall on Saturday May 17th when world renowned Christian Lindberg – trombonist, conductor and composer – takes centre stage with Västerås Sinfonietta and clarinettist Emil Jonason. The exhilarating programme includes music by Leopold Mozart and Manuel de Falla as well as two UK premieres. One of the premieres is a work by Lindberg himself -- The Erratic Dreams of Mr Grönstedt, a five-movement clarinet concerto with a surreal edge; it was written for Jonason, a rising star of the classical world who also finds inspiration in klezmer and – more unexpectedly – the work of gravel-voiced singer-songwriter Tom Waits. The other new work is Lucioles (Fireflies), a characteristically shimmering and captivating piece by the 33-year-old Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi.

Tarrodi is currently composer-in-residence with the Västerås Sinfonietta. This 33-strong chamber orchestra, which traces its roots back to 1883, is based in the lakeside city of Västerås, about 100km west of Stockholm. It collaborates regularly with soloists who also direct the orchestra: in addition to Lindberg, these have included clarinettist Martin Fröst, trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger, violinists Elizabeth Wallfisch and Pekka Kuusisto, and pianist Ralf Gothoni. Wielding a baton rather than an instrument, Roy Goodman, Lionel Bringuier, Charles Hazelwood, James Macmillan, Anthony Halstead and Peter Deijkstra have numbered among recent guest conductors.

It is more than 30 years since Lindberg first appeared as a young soloist with the Västerås Sinfonietta. Not only did he go on to tour with the orchestra in the former Yugoslavia and Denmark, it was one of the first ensembles to commission a concerto for him – from the Swedish composer Folke Rabe (b.1935). “The orchestra has always been very close to my heart,” he says. “It is one of the most exciting chamber orchestras in Scandinavia at the moment”.

Named as one of the top brass players of the 20th century, Lindberg has premiered over 300 works for the trombone, but at Cadogan Hall he performs the genial D major concerto by Leopold Mozart, father of Wolfgang Amadeus. His new clarinet concerto was commissioned by the Stockholm-based Anders Wall Foundation, which has Jonason among its protégés. While still a student, he deputised in the Stockholm Wind Ensemble, conducted by Lindberg, and the two musicians got to know each other. The Erratic Dreams of Mr Grönstedt reflects Jonason’s quick wit and brilliant musicianship, but also the charisma of Anders Wall, the businessman who established the commissioning Foundation. The name Grönstedt, meanwhile, is a reference to Sweden’s leading marque of brandy!

The concerto – which Jonason and Lindberg premiered last October with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra to rave reviews – was shaped by dreams that Lindberg had over the period of its composition, and which all featured a jolly gentleman wearing a checked jacket and bow tie. “The dreams were extremely surreal in character,” explains Lindberg, “and there was absolutely no logic in what happened, but this man kept on haunting me night after night and finally he just became Mr. Grönstedt. The music, like the dreams, does not have a particular storyline, and the titles I have given the movements simply represent an attempt to evoke the abstract visions that inspired the music.”

The second half of the concert opens with the UK premiere of Lucioles. Tarrodi studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, in the Italian city of Perugia and in Piteå in the far north of Sweden. Her works, which have won a number of awards, are notable for their colour, sensitivity and expressivity.

Lucioles, first heard in 2012, is based on a haiku:

By the leaves
the fireflies anchor
the lake is illuminated

The American journalist Leah Harrison wrote that: “At ten minutes in length, Lucioles shimmered and fluttered, creating a glowing soundscape that was at once serene and lively. Through much of the piece, the strings played a variety of quick rhythmic figures, but the layered parts maintained a buoyant airiness..."

Rounding off the programme is steamier music from the opposite end of Europe – Manuel de Falla’s El amor brujo, with its evocation of Andalusia and hypnotic Ritual Fire Dance.

Rikard Gateau, General Manager of the Västerås Sinfonietta, says: “The orchestra is delighted to be making its London debut at Cadogan Hall – which, like our home, the Västerås Concert Hall, holds an audience of around 900. We could not ask for better company than Christian Lindberg and Emil Jonason and it is a special thrill for all of us to showcase exciting new music from Sweden. We are already looking forward to the opportunity to return to the UK.”

The concert is promoted by From Sweden Productions in collaboration with Anglo-Swedish partners and sponsors, including the Embassy of Sweden in London and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK.

Tickets: £35, £28, £22, £15. Encore members: 10% off
Box office: 020 7730 4500 or online www.cadoganhall.com

For press queries, interviews and more information, please contact:

Karolina Davison, From Sweden Productions
Tel. +44 (0)20 8876 1888, Mob. +44 (0)7527 846 070
karolina@fromswedenproductions.com | Media centre: www.fromswedenproductions.com