The first performance by the Gavin Bryars Ensemble was given at the Museum of Fine Arts, Gent, Belgium in November 1986. To celebrate Gavin Bryars’ 80th birthday year, this concert will be recreated, with some adjustments, in the Museum on December 15 2023, followed by a separate concert in the Handelbeurs, Gent the following day.

The original 1986 concert was:

My First Homage
The Cross Channel Ferry

The Vespertine Park

Allegrasco

-interval-

Sub Rosa

Eglisak

Alexander Balanescu, violin/viola; Roger Heaton, clarinet/bass clarinet; Jamie McCarthy, percussion, violin, recorder; Andrew Bilham, percussion; Dave Smith, piano, tenor horn, percussion; Gavin Bryars, piano, double bass, percussion.

 (6 players)

This will be played, with some changes – there are pieces in the programme that have hardly been played since that concert: Eglisak, for example was an adaptation of material from the cantata Effarene, rewritten as feature for solo violinist Alex Balanescu; and there are players too (Jamie McCarthy and Andy Bilham) who have not played with the ensemble since those days.

December 15, 2023, S.M.A.K, Gent (1986 revisited), 

My First Homage (revised 2022)

The Cross Channel Ferry (1979)

The Vespertine Park (1978 revised 2022) – prefaced by Hi Tremolo

Added Time (2021) solo guitar – ensemble

Allegrasco (1983)  solo clarinet – ensemble

Sub Rosa (1986)

Saturday December 16th, HA Concerts, Zaal, Kouter 29, 9000 Gent

Ramble on Cortona 10′ – solo piano – ensemble

The Flower of Friendship 12’

The Sinking of the Titanic

– interval –

The North Shore solo viola – ensemble

Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet 

Epilogue from Wonderlawn solo viola – ensemble

Performers

Morgan Goff, Katie Wilkinson, violas; Roger Heaton, clarinet/bass clarinet; James Woodrow, electric guitar; Audrey Riley, cello; Gavin Bryars, keyboard, bass; Yuri Bryars, piano/bass; Alexandra Tchernakova, piano

(8 players)