Composer-in-Residence Events

Handel House Museum - Composer-in-Residence Events

The highlights of John's residency include two new commissions for Handel House, one based around an original half-page document in Handel's own hand, which is in the Museum collection. The document contains the aria which Handel wrote to insert into the score of his oratorio Esther and represents the many revisions and additions Handel made to the score of Esther well into the late 1750s, long after its composition in 1718. This extra aria was performed in the 1751 revival at Covent Garden Theatre.

Saturday 13 September, 3pm-4.30pm
FAMILY EVENT: Musical Battles
Beat drums, clang cymbals, pluck strings and sing out your war cries as you take sides in a thrilling musical battle! Rivalry between singing stars caused fights in Handel’s day. Armed with your voice or instrument, pitch your musical talents against each other as you create an exciting new piece. Composer-in-Residence John Habron and singer Kate Mapp will be with you on the front line. Let battle commence!
Suitable for ages 8-12. Please let us know if you are bringing an instrument when booking. A selection of percussion instruments will be provided.
Free for 16 years and under / free with adult admission (£5), unless otherwise stated.

Composer-in-Residence Series

A series of four concerts curated by John, featuring contemporary, Medieval, Baroque, arrangements of 19th-century music, folk-song and new pieces combining compositional and performance practices, and instruments from Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, India and China.

Thursday 9 October, 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Classical Accordion
Award-winning accordionist Miloš Milivojević presents a programme of contemporary music and arrangements of music from the 18th and 19th centuries. The concert will include pieces by Scarlatti, Mendelssohn, Luciano Berio and Howard Skempton. ‘Brilliant young performer…took the breath away’, Michael Church, Independent, 2008.
Tickets: £9 / £7.50 concession

Thursday 16 October, 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Remembering the Future
The title of this performance refers to ensemble The Hola’s recreation and combination of a wide variety of compositional and performance practices from many ages, including the incantation and powerful delivery of Eastern European polyphony, the enchantment of Indian, Arabic and Chinese musical traditions and instruments, gamelan-inflected vocal melodies and elements of playground music. All this is brought together in a uniquely expressive whole. With Ignacio Agrimbau (oud, moxenio, vocals), James Weeks (harpsichord, vocals), Sophie Appleton (violin, vocals), Joe Kelly (double bass, charango, mandolin, vocals) and John Habron (percussion and vocals).
Tickets: £9 / £7.50 concession

Thursday 23 October, 6.30pm – 7.30pm
The Measured and the Free
Jane Chapman (harpsichord and vocals) and John Habron (percussion and vocals) perform pieces by Handel, Ligeti and Adam de la Halle, as well as a new work which they have composed together. Baroque and modern styles of improvisation combine with stricter modes of music-making in a thoroughly collaborative concert, which will interpret free preludes, recitatives, folk song and sound poetry in ways which have not been heard before.
Tickets: £9 / £7.50 concession

Thursday 30 October, 6.30pm – 7.30pm
In the sky I am walking (Am Himmel wandre Ich)
Stockhausen’s large-scale re-working of Native American folksong and poetry is performed here as a tribute to this icon of the avant-garde, who died last December. This concert also features the London premiere of John Habron’s second commission from Handel House Museum, Salve Regina, which is itself an in memoriam and makes a fitting companion piece. With Monica Acosta (voice), Miranda Westcott (voice) Robert Gildon (voice), and Mark Chaundy (voice).
Tickets: £9 / £7.50 concession

Booking line: 020 7399 1953