Interest area: Music

Kraus and Lick are two exciting locally-based improvising trios.

Kraus features Keith Parkins, Robert Harrison, and Angela Vowles, blending jazz-inspired instruments with spontaneous creativity. Their performances embrace unpredictability, crafting a unique and ever-evolving sound that reimagines harmony and chaos. Lick, comprising Aous, Jon, and Paula, transforms everyday found sounds into unconventional music. Incorporating vocals and clay flutes, they explore the fringes of musical expression with playful innovation. Together, these trios promise an unforgettable evening of avant-garde artistry.

For their spring concert the University of Liverpool Symphony Orchestra will be delving into the classics, with a programme including Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture as well as excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s ballets, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake.

Conducted by Gethyn Jones, cellist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the concert will also feature the winners of the Concerto and Composition Competitions, showcasing the solo performance and compositional talent of our students.

Taking audiences by storm, Saltlines is a compelling and absolutely unique Prose and Music collaboration between bestselling author Raynor Winn (The Salt Path) and folk-roots supergroup The Gigspanner Big Band, which features some of the biggest names on the folk scene.

Together they celebrate the beauty, stories and traditions of the South West Coast Path in a seamless performance of old songs with their origins in the South-West, and brand-new compositions written by Raynor Winn especially for this production.

Raynor says “The coastline of the south west holds a rich past, a vibrant present and has changed my life in ways without measure, so to find inspiration for Saltlines wasn’t hard. The Gigspanner Big Band brought together a beautiful collection of songs from the area to form the basis of the project and my words have come in response to the history, texture and sense of place those songs evoke”

Saltlines is an unmissable experience for those with a love of lyrical writing and inspiring music, and for anyone who values the social and natural history of Britain’s rural landscape, and the common threads that bind its fragile communities and wildlife.

Following the success of his first two productions, which have captivated over 80,000 audience members across the UK, Ireland, and Germany in the last two years, Daniel Martinez returns with a new show that places flamenco dance at the forefront.

“Art of Andalucia” shifts the focus entirely to the art of flamenco dance, offering audiences an immersive experience where the dancers take centre stage, bringing the passion and energy of Andalucia to life. If that weren’t enough, Daniel will also perform new pieces from his highly anticipated third album.

One of the stars of this production is the world-renowned dancer Angel Reyes, a key member of Manuel Linan’s company and the second dancer in Jesus Carmona’s company for many years. Angel’s impeccable technique, skill, and fiery passion will captivate and mesmerise, elevating the performance to an unmissable cultural experience. His powerful presence and artistry bring an electric energy to the stage.

Joining Angel is Gabriela Pouso, the principal dancer of the Daniel Martinez Flamenco Company. Gabriela has played an instrumental role in the company’s success, performing on some of the UK’s most prestigious stages. Her performances are filled with elegance, grace, skill, and intensity, showcasing her remarkable technique and drawing audiences in with every movement.

The dancers will perform to original compositions by Daniel Martinez, created specifically for this show. The performance is further enriched by the incredible vocals of Inma Montero and Danielo Olivera, and the rhythmic pulse of percussionist Julian Ticotico. Together, they create an unforgettable night of flamenco, where music and dance are perfectly intertwined.

“Art of Andalucia” is a celebration of flamenco dance, a vibrant journey into the heart of Andalucia, where the tradition and passion of flamenco are brought to life through stunning choreography and powerful performances.

Enjoy an exceptional candlelit piano recital in the week after Christmas.

The concert will include some of the greatest repertoire for solo piano including Beethoven’s masterpiece iconic, The Moonlight Sonata, performed by renowned concert pianist Warren Mailley-Smith.

Set in the beautiful candlelit location of St George’s Hall (Music Room) in Liverpool,  it’s a hugely appealing programme designed to help you celebrate the lead up to the new year in style! There’s a good choice of bars and restaurants nearby to complete your night.

20 albums and 25 years into her recording career and only now does Thea Gilmore feel enough of herself to make the self-titled album that renews her vows to music – her first love. The album was entirely written, played and produced by Thea. Thea Gilmore is absolutely the record she wanted to make. In many ways the record she had to make.

Thea’s hard-earned reputation as one of the most distinctive, strident and bold singer songwriters of her generation propels her to reach for new ground and this new release feels like a great leap forward into tomorrow.

Thea Gilmore has made 20 albums since the release of her first, Burning Dorothy, in 1998. The veteran of hundreds of festivals, she has sold out shows across the globe. Her music features in numerous films including most recently Olivia Coleman’s film Joyride (2022). Thea has also worked with and won the admiration of cultural icons such as Bruce Springsteen, Martha Wainwright, John Cooper Clarke, Billy Bragg, Steve Earle and Beth Orton.