Kings Place, King’s Cross, London - Programme for April 2025.
Friday, February 21, 2025
King Place has announced its music programme for April 2025 featuring jazz, folk, classical, contemporary classical and spoken word performances. Press release attached.
We have received the following press release;
Kings Place in April - Aurora Orchestra, Alice Boyd’s ‘The Sounds of Kings Cross’, Folk Weekend and more
KINGS PLACE IN APRIL
Earth Unwrapped continues with Aurora Orchestra performing Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, Alice Boyd’s The Sounds of King’s Cross and a Folk Weekend inspired by birdsong, as well as two contrasting events in the Platoon Presents at Kings Place series
Aurora Orchestra performs Iain Farrington’s arrangement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, and singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd presents The Sounds of King’s Cross
The Folk Weekend returns with an ornithological focus as part of Earth Unwrapped, featuring performances from Eliza Carthy, Martin Simpson, The Wilderness Yet and more
Platoon Presents at Kings Place events include pianist Belle Chen performing from her album Ravel in the Forest as well as a discussion between Stewart Copeland and Arash Safaian for Earth Day
Other highlights include the return of the Bach Weekend and Shadowlands presenting contemporary chamber music blending early music, folk and plainchant
EARTH UNWRAPPED | CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL, FOLK, SPOKEN WORD
Earth Unwrapped, the latest in Kings Place’s award-winning year-long series, continues in April 2025. Sub-titled Sirens for a Wounded Planet, it brings artists together to explore our relationship with the Earth and its eco-system, plant life and ornithology, the climate crisis, activism, protest and more, through music and spoken word.
Kings Place’s Resident Ensemble Aurora Orchestra perform Iain Farrington’s arrangement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with mezzo-soprano Alice Coote and tenor Andrew Staples, conducted by Nicholas Collon in a programme that also includes music by Lili Boulanger and Jean Rebel [5 Apr]. Singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd presents folk-inspired harmonies, ambient electronics and field recordings in new soundscape installation The Sounds of King’s Cross [5 Apr], which explores places of natural beauty throughout the area, with another concert later that day inspired by her trip to the Cairngorms [5 Apr].
Kicking off the annual Folk Weekend [25-27 Apr], which this year is inspired by birdsong, English musician Eliza Carthy brings her unique, powerful voice and fiddle playing to Hall One [25 Apr]. Folk history writer and naturalist Andrew Millham discusses his debut book, Singing Like Larks, which explores the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk songs [26 Apr]. Folk trio The Wilderness Yet, comprising folksinger Rosie Hodgson, traditional fiddler Rowan Piggott and guitarist-flautist Philippe Barnes, brings their special sound to the Folk Weekend [26 Apr]. One of England’s most revered folk artists, Martin Simpson, is joined by virtuosos Liz Hanks on cello and Louis Campbell on guitar [26 Apr]. Fiddle player and composer Miranda Rutter and concertina player Rob Harbron perform Bird Tunes – an exquisite suite of folk music with birdsong at its core [27 Apr], and Chris Wood weaves the English folk tradition with contemporary parables [27 Apr].
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS | CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ, SPOKEN WORD
The celebrated Feinstein Ensemble, conducted by Martin Feinstein, returns for the Bach Weekend [12-13 Apr]. The first concert features music by Handel, Bach and Telemann, featuring Feinstein on solo recorder [12 Apr], and the second sees them perform Bach’s Magnificat in D alongside The London Bach Singers [13 Apr].
Australian pianist Belle Chen performs as part of the Platoon Presents at Kings Place series, presenting work from her Platoon album Ravel in the Forest, leading the audience through ancient woodland, clearings and canopies [10 Apr]. The series also presents a discussion between renowned composers Stewart Copeland (also known as the drummer of The Police) and Arash Safaian exploring their recent compositional projects relating to climate change and nature [22 Apr]. The Scottish pianist and composer Ethan Loch makes his London debut with a programme including music by Ravel, Debussy and Loch’s own piece, The Owl of Romanticism [24 Apr]. And the three vibrant voices of the jazz group Shadowlands – pianist Kit Downes, saxophonist and clarinetist Robin Fincker and singer Lauren Kinsella - perform a programme of improvisation and original pieces [3 Apr].
CLASSICAL | CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL
Sat 5 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
Aurora orchestra
song of the earth
Earth Unwrapped
Lili Boulanger (arr. Farrington) D’un matin du printemps
Jean Rebel Les élémens
Mahler (arr. Farrington) Das Lied von der Erde
Alice Coote mezzo-soprano | Andrew Staples tenor
Nicholas Collon conductor | Aurora Orchestra
Described by Leonard Bernstein as ‘Mahler’s greatest symphony’, Das Lied von der Erde is an incomparable musical homage to the natural world, and humanity’s place within it. Aurora performs the work in Iain Farrington’s chamber orchestra version alongside two of the leading Mahler singers of our time. Mahler’s Song of the Earth offers a glimpse into a composer wracked by extreme loneliness and an increasing obsession with his own mortality, in one of his most profoundly moving works.
£19.50 – £69.50; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s
Sat 12 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
The Feinstein Ensemble with Catherine Manson
Bach, Handel, Telemann: Suites and Concertos
Bach Weekend
Handel Water Music, Suite No. 3 in G, HWV 350
JS Bach Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C, BWV 1066
Telemann Ouverture-Suite in A minor, TWV 55:a2
JS Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G, BWV 1049
Catherine Manson solo violin
Martin Feinstein solo recorder/director | The Feinstein Ensemble
Martin Feinstein’s Bach Weekend begins with a feast of dances, featuring some of the most famous suites by Bach, Handel and Telemann. Bach’s uplifting Orchestral Suite in C is partnered with two other suites: Handel’s ever popular Water Music Suite in G and Telemann’s Orchestral Suite in A minor. Famous for its virtuoso solo recorder part, this is one of Telemann’s greatest instrumental works.
£20 – £50; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s
Sun 13 Apr | Hall One 3pm
The Feinstein Ensemble and The London Bach Singers
JS Bach: Magnificat
Bach Weekend
JS Bach Cantata: ‘Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgend ein Schmerz sei’, BWV 46
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F, BWV1049
Magnificat in D, BWV 243
The Feinstein Ensemble | Martin Feinstein recorder/director | James Eastaway oboe
Anneka Scott corno da tirarsi | David Blackadder trumpet | Catherine Manson violin
The London Bach Singers | Faye Newton soprano | Zoë Brookshaw soprano | Martha McLorinan alto | Gwilym Bowen tenor | Ben Davies bass
Bach’s sparkling setting of the Magnificat has long been one of his most loved works, with it’s blazing trumpets and timpani. The sublime Cantata 46, written as part of Bach’s miraculous first cantata cycle in Leipzig, was the model for his Mass in B minor and is scored with extraordinary richness, using recorders, oboes da caccia and the corno da tirarsi, the slide horn, an instrument unique to Bach and only used by him on three occasions.
£20 – £50; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s
Thu 24 Apr | Hall One 8pm
Ethan Loch: Piano
Ravel Jeux d’eau
Ethan Loch The Owl of Romanticism
Chopin Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
Debussy Prélude No. 7 (Bk II) ‘La Terrasse des audiences du claire de lune’
Prélude No. 12 (Bk II) ‘Feux d’artifice’
Rachmaninov Prelude in E flat, Op. 23 No. 6
Prelude in C minor, Op. 23 No. 7
Winner of the Piano Category Final at BBC Young Musician 2022, and blind since birth, Scottish pianist and composer, Ethan Loch, takes us on a colourful and virtuosic journey for his London debut, including impressionist works by Ravel and Debussy, Rachmaninov’s Preludes No. 6 & 7 and Chopin’s visceral Sonata No. 3 alongside Ethan’s own work as a composer.
£10.00 – £30.00; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s
CONTEMPORARY
Thu 10 Apr | Hall One 8pm
PLATOON PRESENTS… BELLE CHEN
Ravel in the Forest
Platoon Presents at Kings Place
Belle Chen‘s album Ravel In The Forest, released on the Platoon label, leads the listener through ancient woodland, quiet clearings and tropical canopies. Notes fall like raindrops, quickening pace as the clouds gather. The piano melody splish sploshes into the electronic soundscape. We’re accompanied by birds, a chameleon, a dragonfly – the wonder of the natural world is imbued into this imaginary space.
£15 – £25; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s
FOLK
Sat 5 Apr | Hall Two 6.30pm & 7pm
Alice Boyd: THE SOUNDS OF KING’S CROSS – SOUND INSTALLATION
Earth Unwrapped
Singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd brings folk-inspired harmonies, ambient electronics and field recordings to Hall Two, inviting us to ponder the intersection of human life and the landscapes we call home.
Immerse yourself in the vibrant soundscapes of King’s Cross’ urban green spaces. This sound installation weaves the natural ambience of the city with the voices of those who care for these cherished spaces.
£8
Sat 5 Apr | Hall Two 8pm
Alice Boyd & GUESTS: CONCERT
Earth Unwrapped
Singer-songwriter and sound artist Alice Boyd brings folk-inspired harmonies, ambient electronics and field recordings to Hall Two, inviting us to ponder the intersection of human life and the landscapes we call home.
In this performance, Alice Boyd and her ensemble share her latest music, including songs and sounds inspired by her trip to the Cairngorms retracing the steps of legendary nature writer Nan Shepherd.
£17; Half-price concessions
Fri 25 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
Eliza Carthy
Earth Unwrapped | Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
As the daughter of folk legends Martin Carthy & Norma Waterson, Eliza Carthy grew up immersed in the world of traditional music from an early age. Whether solo or fronting a big band, performing a centuries-old ballad or a self-written song, her powerful, nuanced voice, fiercely beautiful fiddle-playing, and mesmerizing performances have influenced a whole generation of young musicians.
£23 – £29; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s
Sat 26 Apr | St. Pancras Room 2pm
Andrew Millham
Singing Like Larks: A celebration of birds in folk songs
Earth Unwrapped | Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Andrew Millham will be discussing his debut book, Singing Like Larks, and the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk songs. In this special Earth Unwrapped event, Andrew Millham will delve into ancient folklore and relate his own experiences as a young author, describing his wild journey into the genre. He will also perform some traditional songs from the book both unaccompanied and on acoustic guitar.
£10
Sat 26 Apr | Hall Two 4pm
THE WILDERNESS YET
Earth Unwrapped | Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
The Wilderness Yet continue to sing through the seasons as they explore the many branches of folksong and the growing influence of the natural world on British traditions and folklore. Taking their name from a Gerard Manley Hopkins poem, the Sheffield-based trio fuse the clear, charismatic vocals of Rosie Hodgson with the fine fiddling of Rowan Piggott and the deft guitar and flute playing of Philippe Barnes.
£16; Half-price concessions
Sat 2 Apr | Hall One 7.30pm
MARTIN SIMPSON + SPECIAL GUESTS
SKYDANCERS
Earth Unwrapped | Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Always prolific, and never one to rest long without a guitar in his hands and a song in his head, Martin Simpson continues to travel the length and breadth of the UK and beyond giving rapt audiences passion, sorrow, love, beauty, tragedy and majesty through his remarkable intimate solo performances. For this special concert Martin will be joined by the wonderful Liz Hanks on cello and Louis Campbell on guitar.
£23 – £29; Half-price concessions; £10 under-30s
Sun 27 Apr | Hall Two 4pm
Miranda Rutter & Rob Harbron
Bird Tunes
Earth Unwrapped | Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Fiddle player and composer Miranda Rutter and Rob Harbron on concertina bring Bird Tunes. Miranda Rutter has crafted every tune in the project out of fragments of birdsong which she recorded on her phone during woodland walks near her home. The suite is both a love-song to the intricacy and beauty of birdsong, and a timely reminder of the struggles with habitat loss and human-made dangers faced by migrating birds today.
£16; Half-price concessions
Sun 27 Apr | Hall One 7pm
CHRIS WOOD
Earth Unwrapped | Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
A self-taught musician, composer and song writer, Chris Wood is a lifelong autodidact whose independent streak shines through everything he does. His most recent album So Much to Defend has received wide critical acclaim and includes reflections on minor league football, empty nest syndrome, learning to swim, Cook-in Sauce and, not least, the Gecko as a metaphor for contemporary society.
£20; Half-price concessions; £10 under-30s
JAZZ
Thu 3 Apr | Hall Two 8.30pm
Kit Downes, Lauren Kinsella and Robin Fincker
Shadowlands
Inspired by a blend of early music, folk and plainchant Shadowlands weaves a form of contemporary chamber music rich in sonic textures. Thus the language of Kit Downes, an essential pianist of the new British scene, mixes with that of the Anglophile saxophonist and clarinetist Robin Fincker and the Irish singer Lauren Kinsella in a common desire to question slowness and good gestures.
£20; Half-price concessions
WORDS
Tue 22 Apr | Hall One 8pm
PLATOON PRESENTS… Stewart Copeland & Arash Safaian IN CONVERSATION
Earth Day Special on Nature in Music
Platoon Presents at Kings Place
Stewart Copeland’s Wild Concerto combines sounds from the natural world – captured as field recordings by Martyn Stewart – with their more traditional orchestral counterparts to create an engaging and distinctive sound world where Nature is the soloist. Arash Safaian’s Birdsongs arose from the impulse to create an evocative narrative about our relationship with nature in the face of climate change and debate.
£20 – £30; Half-price concessions; £10 Under-30s
Sat 26 Apr | St. Pancras Room 2pm
Andrew Millham
Singing Like Larks: A celebration of birds in folk songs
Earth Unwrapped | Folk Weekend: Birdsong – You’ve Never Heard So Sweet
Andrew Millham will be discussing his debut book, Singing Like Larks, and the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk songs. In this special Earth Unwrapped event, Andrew Millham will delve into ancient folklore and relate his own experiences as a young author, describing his wild journey into the genre. He will also perform some traditional songs from the book both unaccompanied and on acoustic guitar.
£10
ABOUT KINGS PLACE
Kings Place is an adventurous music and arts venue with an ambition to inspire local community and promote the power of the arts in our society. Its venues enable learning, discovery, debate and experiences that are powerfully intimate, enabling human connection between artists and audiences.
The dedicated and supportive team programmes a series of festivals and events, developing cross-arts collaborations and artistic relationships that deliver unforgettable live experiences.
The award-winning concert series, Unwrapped, is its flagship programme, exploring big ideas and overarching themes across the year. Kings Place is also the UK’s home of live podcasting as creators and hosts of the London Podcast Festival.
As a registered charity Kings Place does not receive regular public funding. Income is generated through ticket sales, donations, grants, and the staging of world-class conferences and events.
Kings Place, 90 York Way, King’s Cross, London N1 9AG