THE UNIVERSITY ORCHESTRA TOURS ITALY IN MARCH

Travelling between Milan, Bergamo, Cremona, Bologna, and Parma from Saturday 9th to Sunday 17th, the Oxford University Orchestra will be touring Northern Italy with conductor Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey in March 2024. Their programme includes five public concerts in the different cities, a collaboration with the choir of Bologna University, an open rehearsal for school groups, and a chamber music concert in a retirement home.

Oxford University’s premier ensemble, OUO, is made up of talented students reading a range of subjects from Music to Maths, to Chemistry and History who perform together every term under the leadership of an invited professional conductor. Since 1958 they have had a reputation for tackling some of the most challenging parts of the orchestral repertoire in their Oxford concerts, including old favourites and championing equally brilliant lesser-known works. In Italy, the 60-strong orchestra will perform Brahms’ beautifully melodic 2nd Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet overture, and Ruth Gipps’ exceptional 2nd Symphony. Alongside these will be the premiere of Sŏlum, a new composition by Italian composer and Oxford graduate Giulia Monducci commissioned for this tour. OUO will play in the concert season of the professional ensemble based at the university, Orchestra UNIMI, dedicated to the celebrations of the centenary of the Milanese university (find out more). The following day, selected chamber groups will perform at the Casa di Riposo G. Verdi: a private afternoon event in the historic Milanese care home for retired musicians.

Bergamo, 8pm Tuesday 12th March, Basilica di S. Maria Maggiore

The immense Basilica in the ‘Città Alta’ will resound with the melodies of Tchaikovsky and Brahms for a symphonic concert dedicated to the victims of Covid-19 (find out more).

Cremona, 8.30pm Wednesday 13th March, Teatro A. Ponchielli

In the morning at 10.30am, there will be a rehearsal open to middle and high school students as part of the 'Oltre I Banchi' (‘Beyond the Desks’) project. The evening concert will include two premieres:  the first Italian performance of the Second Symphony by Ruth Gipps, an English composer of the 20th century, and the world premiere of a new commission by Giulia Monducci, Italian composer and Oxford alumna on the theme of environmental sustainability and climate change (find out more).

Bologna, 8pm Friday 15th March, Auditorium Manzoni

OUO will be the guests of the Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Bologna and will share the stage with the Choir of the Collegium Musicum of the University of Bologna in a performance of Edward Elgar's From the Bavarian Highlands, as well as performing Brahms and Monducci (find out more).

Parma, 8.30pm Saturday 16th March,  Auditorium Paganini

The grand finale of the tour at the hall designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano will host the music of Monducci, Tchaikovsky, Gipps, and Brahms in an extraordinary concert in collaboration with La Toscanini (find out more).