Media Release 11 December 2015

Max Richter Ensemble & Abdullah Ibrahim announced for National Concert Hall as part of Perspectives 2016

ABDULLAH IBRAHIM: SOLO PIANO
Friday 4th March 2016 at the National Concert Hall.
Tickets: €39.50, €34.50, €29.50

MAX RICHTER ENSEMBLE
From Sleep and The Blue Notebooks
Sunday 29th May 2016 at the National Concert Hall  
Tickets: €40, €35

Both Concerts On Sale Monday 14 December 10am
Tel: 01 417 0000

The National Concert Hall announces two exciting concerts as part of its Perspectives Series for 2016. On Friday 4th of March one of the most charismatic performers in jazz today, South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim will grace the National Concert Hall stage in a one-off concert. On Sunday 29th of May the renowned Max Richter Ensemble will perform Richter’s award-winning From Sleep - a new piece drawn from his eight-hour landmark work. This concert will also include a performance of The Blue Notebooks and is part of the first UK and Ireland tour by this leading contemporary artist. Tickets for both concerts go on sale Monday 14th December at 10am.

ABOUT ABDULLAH IBRAHIM

One of the most charismatic performers in jazz today, South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim has been at the forefront of the jazz scene for over fifty years. His music has long tracked the turbulence of his South African homeland’s history, matching its past struggles and current optimism through music of great hope and deeply reflective soulfulness.

Discovered by Duke Ellington in a jazz club in 1963, Abdullah went on to record prolifically and become one of the leading pianists, composers, and figures in modern jazz.


In the 1970s, his songs Mannenberg and Soweto were embraced as anthems of protest against Apartheid in South Africa. In the 1980s, he formed the septet Ekaya, which became one of the few successful acoustic jazz groups of this era. The 1990s saw him collaborate with big bands and classical string orchestras.

Nelson Mandela referred to him as ‘South Africa’s Mozart’, The Guardian says 'People don't like Abdullah Ibrahim, they adore him' and Newsday writes that ‘Giants still walk the earth, and Abdullah Ibrahim is one of them…an authority that is almost regal’.

ABOUT MAX RICHTER

British electro-acoustic polymath Max Richter is hailed as the most influential composer of his generation. For this concert at the National Concert Hall, the Max Richter Ensemble will perform From Sleep, a new piece drawn from his eight-hour landmark work, described by Richter as his ‘personal lullaby for a frenetic world’. Scored for piano, strings, electronics and vocal, the original 8-hour work was intended to send the listener to sleep! It was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 to sleeping listeners and is now the Guinness World Record holder for the longest live broadcast of a single piece of music. More recently it was also chosen as Jarvis Cocker’s BBC6 Album of the Year.


The first half of this concert will feature a performance of The Blue Notebooks, which Pitchfork described as 'a gigantic beacon for composers searching for ways to introduce dance music's visceral qualities into the classical sphere.'

Inspired equally by Bach, punk rock and ambient electronica, Richter’s sonic world blends a formal classical training with modern technology. His work includes a series of acclaimed solo albums on FatCat and Deutsche Grammophon, concert and ballet music, and scores for the award-winning films, including Waltz with Bashir and HBO’s The Leftovers.

YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/user/maxrichtermusic
SOUNDCLOUD https://soundcloud.com/max-richter

Media Enquiries
Sinead Doyle, Marketing & PR Manager, The National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 417 0057 / 087 1775334

The National Concert Hall is rated by performing artists as one of the finest concert halls in Europe. With weekly performances by its resident orchestra, The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, as well as a range of performances covering classical, opera, traditional, jazz, musicals and popular music, the National Concert Hall caters for all musical tastes. The National Concert Hall’s vision is to excite and engage audiences with a musical programme that will enhance immeasurably the cultural life of Ireland.
Box Office Tel: 01 417 0000 or www.nch.ie