Life Cycle

Sunday 21 September 2025, 4:30pm

CBSO Centre, Birmingham

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

Pre-Concert Talk at 3:30pm

At the heart of this concert is the world premiere of Julian Anderson’s Life Cycle – eight songs that explore themes of identity, memory, belonging, life and death.

Anderson draws on poetry from across time and cultures, including English, French, Spanish, German and Gaelic traditions. Inspired by a connection to family history and a vision of life beyond national borders, Life Cycle reflects the composer’s own experiences 'as a traveller in search of home beyond nationality'.

Charlotte Bray’s shimmering Reflections in Time is a work of quiet intimacy, inspired by her newborn twin nieces. This is a tender portrait of the relationship between the twins – innocent, curious and fragile.

Finally, we have the world premiere of Serpentine, a new BCMG Commission by an exciting young composer, Birmingham’s own Marcus Rock. His music evokes something which speaks more to physiological experience than conceptual ideas.

Anna Dennis Soprano

Stephan Meier Conductor

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group

Charlotte Bray (b.1982): Reflections in Time (2018)

Julian Anderson: Watersong (2025) - World Premiere

Marcus Rock (b1997): Serpentine (2025) - BCMG Sound Investment World Premiere

Julian Anderson (b.1967): Life Cycle (2018 – 2025) Eight songs for Soprano and Ensemble - BCMG Sound Investment World Premiere

View Song Texts Here

Enlarged Font Version Here

The performance of Charlotte Bray’s ‘Reflections in Time’ is supported by Resonate, a PRS Foundation initiative in partnership with Association of British Orchestras and BBC Radio 3.

Want to get involved?

Our wonderful supporters mean we can commission more pieces like Julian's Life Cycle. We say thank you by naming them in the score, inviting them to rehearsals, and the world première, where they can meet the composer.

For more info visit www.bcmg.org.uk/sound-investment. You can support a piece as a one-off through Sound Investment or give monthly through Sound Investment Monthly.

What else is coming up?

Booking for this event has now closed.

Event details

Where

CBSO Centre, Berkley Street, BIRMINGHAM, B1 2LF

View map

When

Start: 21^st September, 2025 at 4:30pm

End: 21^st September, 2025 at 6:30pm

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