Create 2015 Presents - Nancy Galbraith: Passion According to St. Matthew

The University of Salford's Directorate of Music and Performance are proud to present the European premiere of Nancy Galbraith’s Passion According to St. Matthew conducted by Tommy Octave - just 3 months after it received its world premiere in Pittsburgh USA.

The work set for chamber forces with a contralto soloist singing the role of the Evangelist and a tenor soloist singing the role of Jesus with an obbligato soloistic trumpet part throughout; punctuated dramatically throughout with responsive choral writing often accompanied by strings and organ. The colourful percussion writing brings a new dimension to this intimate but powerful work.

This evening's concert which features students and professional musicians from Pittsburgh and Salford marks an important the commencement of important music collaborations between the University of Salford and Carnegie Mellon University. We welcome our guests from Pittsburgh most heartily.

Nancy Galbraith (b.1951) resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, where she is Professor of Composition at Carnegie Mellon University. In a career that spans three decades, her music has earned praise for its rich harmonic texture, rhythmic vitality, emotional and spiritual depth, and wide range of expression. Her works have been directed by some of the world's finest conductors, including Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Mariss Jansons, Keith Lockhart, Sidney Harth, Samuel Jones, and Robert Page. Her compositions are featured on numerous recordings, including six anthologies. With major contributions to the repertoires of symphony orchestras, concert choirs, wind ensembles, chamber ensembles, electroacoustic ensembles, and soloists, Galbraith plays a leading role in defining the sound of contemporary classical music.

We hope you can join us for this powerful peformance in the wonderful surroundings of Manchester Cathedral.