City News

A double concerto is rare enough, but when that double concerto is for saxophone and cello and performed by the jazz composer who wrote it together with the Argentinean friend it was written for, the result will surely be momentous!

A giant of the classical world, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and jazz giant Tim Garland will combine forces on 10 December for the premiere of Garland’s new double concerto at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

Garland will take to the stage himself for the solo saxophone part of his concerto, alongside his good friend who he wrote the piece for - CBSO Section Leader Cellist - Eduardo Vassallo.

Tim, who met Eduardo through mutual appreciation of the music of Eduardo’s homeland Argentina, said: “Obviously Eduardo is an amazing cellist with tango in his blood, so I’ve tried to bring tango and jazz together here for him in a contemporary orchestral setting”.

“I was going to write it just for Eduardo,” Tim added, “but he said, ‘I hope you’re going to be in it’.  I wasn’t keen at first - I saw the piece as a celebration of his solo voice, and of his 20 years in the orchestra.” (Eduardo joined the CBSO 20 years ago this year, in August 1989).

But Eduardo didn’t want to miss the chance to perform with Tim: “It’s a privilege for me simply to play with him. He’s one of the greatest musicians in the world today.”

Eduardo said about the tribute, “It’s incredibly funky, groovy music; very rhythmic, sometimes quite violent, but with some lovely melodies too”.

The double concerto is perfectly placed in a concert with a distinct dance theme, featuring ballet music from Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé and Ginestera’s colourful Argentinean ballet Estancia, plus the well-known theme from Bernstein’s West Side Story.

The CBSO’s Symphonic Dances concert, conducted by Krisjan Järvi, is on Thursday 10 December, 7.30pm at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.