BBT Commissions

Kalevi Aho Trombone Concerto
Jörgen van Rijen trombone

World premiere: 2nd March 2012 with The Hague Residentie Orkest, conducted by Santtu Rouvali
Finnish premiere: 29th March 2012 with Oulu Sinfonia Finland, conducted by Anna-Maria Helsing
UK premiere: 10th May 2012 with BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Vedernikov at Barbican, London

Commissioned by Jörgen van Rijen with the support of Borletti-Buitoni Trust

Excerpt (movement 4) from world premiere performance, courtesy of The Hague Residentie Orkest

Lukas Ligeti Tangle for Percussion and Trumpet
Colin Currie percussion
for duo with Håkan Hardenberger trumpet

Premiere: 14th April 2011 Hanover, presented by ProMusica Hannover
Commissioned for Colin Currie and Håkan Hardenberger by Borletti-Buitoni Trust

"In this world premiere Håkan Hardenberger played in the highest register and didn’t fail in delivering the top notes. Meanwhile Colin Currie not only established a strong rhythm section but also created harmonious sounds with his instruments."
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, 18 April 2011

Marc-André Dalbavie Oboe Concerto
Alexei Ogrintchouk oboe

Premiere: 17th December 2010 Barbican, London
BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jiří Bēlohlávek
Commissioned for Alexei Ogrintchouk by Borletti-Buitoni Trust and the BBC

"the concerto dazzles like a 100-watt bulb in a hall of mirrors…the restless energy of Ogrintchouk's performance could power the Barbican's stage lights for months..."
Erica Jeal, The Guardian 21 December 2010

"The small patterns swelled into big ones, swooping up and down the entire range of the oboe with a virtuosity that had to be heard to be believed."
Ivan Hewett, Daily Telegraph 20 December 2010

Live recording from premiere courtesy of BBC Radio 3 www.bbc.co.uk/radio3

An oboist with record-breaking lungs

Stephen McNeff ConcertO Duo for percussion duo and orchestra
O Duo percussion duo

Premiere: 22nd October 2010 Barbican, London (BBCSO 80th birthday concert)
BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Robertson
Co-commissioned for O Duo by Borletti-Buitoni Trust and the BBC

"Stephen McNeff’s ConcertO Duo, written for the outrageously talented percussionists O Duo... plays to their strengths by exploiting split-second timing and staggering virtuosity on anything that could reasonably be hit with a stick."
Barry Millington London Evening Standard 25.10.10

"This was an engaging work that made imaginative use of the instruments and staging, from whistles and untuned percussion recalling a carnival dance, to the more dark, funereal atmosphere created by tubular bells."
Hannah Gill, Bachtrack 24 October 2010

Read Stephen McNeff’s blog ConcertO-Duo: Banff to Barbican (via Essex)

O Duo determined to delight

Gavin Bryars Piano Concerto The Solway Canal
Ralph van Raat piano

Premiere: 19th February 2010 Vredenburg, Utrecht and 20th February 2010 Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic / Cappella Amsterdam / Otto Tausk Co-commissioned for Ralph van Raat by Borletti-Buitoni Trust with Dutch Broadcaster NPS
A recording of the premiere performances will be released on CD by Naxos.

Read Ralph van Raat’s BBT Blog On Gavin Bryars' "Solway Canal"

Writing in the light of history

Olga Neuwirth Viola Concerto
Remnants of Song... An Amphigory
Antoine Tamestit viola

Premiere: October 2009 Graz, Austria RSO Wien / Peter Eötvös
Co-commissioned for Antoine Tamestit by Borletti-Buitoni Trust with ORF, Musikprotokoll Graz, Wien Modern, DSO Berlin and Betty Freeman

"The work is entirely original, astoundingly complex and, ultimately, gloriously rewarding and uplifting."
Larry L. Lash, MusicalAmerica.com 8 December 2009

"Antoine Tamestit played it with virtuosity and a heartwarming tone"
Salzburger Nachrichten, 12 October 2009

Read Antoine Tamestit's BBT Blog Olga Neuwirth and Me

Live recording from premiere courtesy of ORF

Simon Holt a table of noises
Colin Currie percussion

Premiere: May 2008 Symphony Hall Birmingham
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Martyn Brabbins
Winner of British Composer Award 2009 for Orchestral Composition
Nominated for RPS Award 2009 for Large Scale Composition
Co-commissioned for Colin Currie by Borletti-Buitoni Trust with CBSO

"This work shows an extraordinary sense of beguiling and haunting instrumental sonorities, defining a piece of breathtaking originality, imagination, invention and wit."
Citation, British Composer Awards 2009

"Currie's virtosic performance confirmed that the percussion repertory has been enriched."
John Allison, Sunday Telegraph May 2008

Read Colin Currie's BBT Blog Introducing Simon Holt's "a table of noises"

Live recording from premiere courtesy of BBC Radio 3

Detlev Glanert Double Piano Concerto
Simon Crawford-Phillips and Philip Moore piano duo

Premiere: March 2008 City Halls, Glasgow
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Martyn Brabbins
Co-commissioned for Simon Crawford-Phillips and Philip Moore by Borletti-Buitoni Trust with BBCSSO

"Glanert whisks us on a journey through space to Mars.The seed material is a little scale in thirds running up and down. In itself it is nothing. But Glanert the magician turns it into a pulsing particle of matter, constantly mutating and exploding. Moore and Crawford-Phillips proved ideal spacemen, with Brabbins and the orchestra riding alongside."
Geoff Brown, The Times 18 March 2008

Read Simon Crawford-Phillips' BBT Blog Giving Life to Glanert's Concerto

Concerto Countdown

Richard Baker
BBT Tour Ensemble

Christian Tetzlaff (violin), Christanne Stotijn (mezzo), Christian Poltéra (cello), Soovin Kim (violin), Colin Currie (percussion), Shai Wosner (piano)

Premiere: October 2006 Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh
Commissioned for BBT Tour Ensemble by Borletti-Buitoni Trust

"a humorous finale piece which brought together all six musicians in perfect harmony"
Die Welt 6 October 2006

BBT Tour 2006: Precious time with Tetzlaff

Dave Maric Lucid Intervals for percussion and trumpet
Colin Currie percussion
for duo with Håkan Hardenberger trumpet

Premiere: July 2006 Verbier Festival
Commissioned for Colin Currie and Håkan Hardenberger

"Maric's sparse, rarefied sound-world is here matched by an extraordinarily sensitive response by both players. It's magic."
Robert Levett IRR November 2007

"Enthralling stuff, every second of it."
Tim Ashley, Guardian 17 February 2007

In the court of King Currie

Kalevi Aho Clarinet Concerto
Martin Fröst clarinet

Premiere: April 2006 Barbican, London
BBC Symphony Orchestra / Osmo Vänskä
Co-commissioned for Martin Fröst by Borletti-Buitoni Trust with BBCSO

"a work of beguiling beauty and huge excitement."
Hilary Finch, The Times 25 April 2006

"An atmospheric piece, it moves from a tempestuous opening via achingly beautiful solo passages and a vibrant scherzo to a dazzling, multi-phonic coda. The perfect showcase for the remarkable skills of the Swedish soloist Fröst."
Anthony Holden, The Observer 30 April 2006

The art of commissioning with Martin Fröst and Kalevi Aho

Lewis Spratlan Wonderer for solo piano
Jonathan Biss piano

Premiere: 2005/06 US recital tour
Commissioned for Jonathan Biss by Borletti-Buitoni Trust

"...a grab-bag of contemporary sounds that the bemused composer encounters on his journey through our high-tech world, interrupted occasionally by nostalgic strains from The Missouri Waltz struggling to compete."
Broadstreet Review, 3 January 2006 

Michael Berkeley Concerto for Two Guitars
Katona Twins guitar duo

Premiere: July 2004 Cheltenham Festival
Co-commissioned for Katona Twins by Borletti-Buitoni Trust with
Young Concert Artists Trust

"... the beauty of the glassy second movement and the brittle clarity of the final chase...... leaves you wanting more: the brilliant Katona twins are clearly capable of it."
The Times, 6 July 2004