Summer Music Concert 1
4-MALITY
Friday 4 July 7.30pm

Programme including
Rafnesson  Ykjur
du Plessis  Incalcando
Wallfisch  Apex
Westlake  Omphalo Centric Lecture
Sammut  Lost in the Ocean
Reich  Drumming
Irvine  The Rather Unfortunate Demise of Mr Whippy
Bradley  Stretch


Biography   |   Supper menu   |   Audience reviews   |   Summer Q&A

Rehearsal pictures

Quotes

'... THE 4-MALITY players take the theatreicality of percussio performance as a gift to be sized on, and their show runs with a slick, well-oiled purr behind the blur of mallets and finely co-ordinated drill.' Irish Times

'For breathtaking ensemble skills, visual display and sheer bravado, Jan Bradley's stunning In-Line was appropriately reserved for the finale of this exhilarating, liberating presentation.' Birmingham Post

'...good percussion quartets are a rarity, 4-Mality is one of those rare gems... For something outside your normal musical diet, take a bite out of 4-Mality - you’ll be glad you did.' Edinburgh Evening News 

Biography

4-MALITY is a powerful and inventive percussion quartet of young musicians formed by Adrian Spillett, the first percussionist to win the prestigious BBC Young Musicians competition.

4-MALITY deploy an immaculately coordinated warehouse of instruments arranged into a purpose-built musical sculpture: over 80 drums, gongs, vibraphone and 7ft marimbas to name but a few. 4-MALITY create a fusion of global music which is both funky and fast, sensuous and sensitive. Their show's are visually inspirational and their music defies musical categorisation, sweeping from Japan, to Africa, to the Caribbean, with virtuosic skill and infectious energy giving a nod to Steve Reich on the way, all of which they perform with the skill and artistry of dedicated chamber musicians.

4-MALITY has appeared at many major British Music Festivals including the BBC Proms, Rhythm Sticks, Newbury, Cheltenham, Edinburgh Fringe, and Bath. Other venues include Bridgewater Hall, Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and the Linbury Studio. BBC Radio 3 have featured 4-MALITY on numerous occassions as well as the BBC World Service and and BBCTV. Overseas trips include Australia, Taiwan, Turkey, France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium and Finland.

4-MALITY have commissioned new works by Ian Vine, Julian Warburton, Eric Sammut, Benjamin Wallfisch, Dinuk Wijeratne with the Apollo Sax Quartet.

www.4-mality.com

ADRIAN SPILLETT was the first percussionist ever to win the BBC Young Musicians Competition in 1998. Since, Adrian has moved south to persue his career as a freelance percussionist specialising in modern music with the likes of Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and London Sinfonietta, as well as the West Ends Lion King!	JAN BRADLEY is a freelance percussionist based in Manchester. He plays for various orchestras including The Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Northern Sinfonia and Camerata. he is also a composer and arranger, primarily for percussion, but has also recently written a piece for trumpet and percussion concerto wih symphony orchestras.	MARK NORMAN graduated from the Royal Northern College of music in 2003. Since he has worked with the BBC Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra, Opera North, English National Ballet and Northern Ballet Theatre. As well as being 4-MALITY's newest member, Mark is also part of the Spectrum Percussion Duo.	SOPHIE HASTINGS is based in Manchester. Sophie has worked with the likes of Mystique, Jimmy Nail, Lesley Garrett, and plenty of shows including Saturday Night Fever and Phantom of the Opera. Orchestras include BBC Philharmonic, Liverpool Philharmonic, Hallé, Northern Sinfonia, Northern Ballet, English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Manchester Camerata

Adrian’s answers to our Summer Q&As

Q Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
A My Wife and Green Wing

Q What was your earliest childhood memory of summer?
A Holidays in France

Q Are you going anywhere nice for your summer holidays?
A No, but I did recently have a 2 month honeymoon in New Zealand and the Cooks

Q What is your favourite city?
A Cape Town

Q What are you reading at the moment?
A Michael Athertons Autobiography

Q What music are you currently listening to?
A Soundtracks written by Thomas Newman, Erin Brockovich being my favourite

Q What's your favourite summer drink?
A Very cold Asahi Beer

Q What food would you most associate with summer?
A BBQ Chicken

Q Which composer would you most have like to have met?
A Thomas Newman

Q How would you like to be remembered?
A Being taller than I am

Jan’s answers to our Summer Q&As

Q Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
A Billy Connelly

Q Are you going anywhere nice for your summer holidays?
A Our family has been travelling relentlessly for the last year so we will not be going away. We're staying at home to paint our new house.

Q What is your favourite city?
A Wellington – New Zealand

Q What are you reading at the moment?
A The Guardian!

Q What music are you currently listening to?
A Steve Vai 'Sound Theories' Vol I and II

Q What's your favourite summer drink?
A Elderflower Presse

Q What food would you most associate with summer?
A Raspberries

Q Which composer would you most have like to have met?
A Schoenberg – I would have told him he was wrong

Q How would you like to be remembered?
A "Oh he's the one that wrote......"

Mark’s answers to our Summer Q&As

Q Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
A Norwich City winning

Q What was your earliest childhood memory of summer?
A Playing in rockpools in Broadstairs, Kent

Q Are you going anywhere nice for your summer holidays?
A Egypt (on Honeymoon!)

Q What is your favourite city?
A New York

Q What are you reading at the moment?
A The Death of Vishnu – Manil Suri

Q What music are you currently listening to?
A Aphex Twin

Q What's your favourite summer drink?
A Very cold lager

Q What food would you most associate with summer?
A The first peas from my allotment

After concert supper 1

After concert supper bookings for this concert is now closed.

MAIN: Lemongrass and coriander poached salmon served with Greek salad, tomatoes with red onion and basil, handmade coleslaw and new potatoes with spring onions.  

VEGETARIAN: Quiche of asparagus and baby spinach served with Greek salad, tomatoes with red onion and basil, handmade coleslaw and new potatoes with spring onions.

DESSERT: Handmade Summer pudding with berry coulis. Coffee/tea.

If you wish to add your review to the concert please email your comments and they will be uploaded onto the website. Blackthorpe Barn reserves the right to edit comments submitted.

Janey & Adie, Felsham
Didn't know what to expect – absolutelt blown away! Will be back to see them again...

June & Lillund, Bury St Edmunds
Understandingly good. A well virtuous performance

Nigel & Judy
Ultimate perfection and superb professionalism, ABFAB!

Arthur, Stowmarket
Wonderful syncopation and I loved the Steve Reich. A good start to the wonderful Blackthopre Summer Music

Ann, Stowmarket
Enjoyed thoroughly all the syncopation – especially Mr Whippy! The supper too, was extremely good. Tasty as well as interesting. Thank you.