Bird Fanfares

Sunday 15 June 2025, 4:30pm

CBSO Centre, Birmingham

Tickets: General £18, Student £9, under 12s FREE with a paying adult

Family Activities at 3:00pm

Come along at 3:00pm to compose your own birdsong music for real and imaginary birds in the foyer at CBSO Centre, facilitated by BCMG's Learning Team. 

Pre-Concert Talk at 3:30pm

David Hindley (1933-2018) – “a man who writes birdsong” – transcribed the songs of birds into musical notation, allowing these
melodies to be perceived and appreciated by human ears in new ways.

Hindley dedicated his life to the analysis, simulation and composition of contemporary music rooted in ornithology. He was a pioneer of his field, bridging the worlds of science, technology, zoology and music. Hindley’s passion and dedication to raising awareness about the decline and extinction of birds is highlighted with our performance. Our concert celebrates Hindley’s music, paired with other works inspired by birdsong from Olivier Messiaen.

Piano: Rolf Hind
Conductor: R. Isaac Boulter
BCMG Brass
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Brass

David Hindley (1933-2018) - FANFARE: Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra 21.7.63) for brass sextet (1994)

David Hindley - Three Songs for Piano:

ORGANUM: Woodlark (Lullula arborea 14.5.61) (1994)

Le Rossignol brillant et mordant: Nightingale (14.5.60) (1997)

TRANSCRIPTION: Skylark (Alauda arvensis 12.6.69) (1994)

David Hindley - Dodo (Didus ineptus) for electronics (1992)

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) - Woodlark (L'Alouette lulu) from "Catalogue of Birds"  for solo piano (1958)

Anthony Plog (b. 1947) - Four Sketches movements II and III for brass quintet (2011)

The brass ensemble is a collaboration between BCMG musicians and brass students at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

What else is coming up?