AP24 – Song – Shakespeare & Simon Armitage

We finish &Piano 2024 and our celebration of the music of Madeleine Dring by exploring a selection of some of the songs she wrote. Heavily inspired and influenced by variety shows, cabaret and musical theatre, her songs are lively, witty, jazzy and playful – and many still continue to be performed and sung by singers today.

Inspired by this popular collection, and our mission to support a distinctly Northern identity for Classical music, we’re really excited to present the world premiere of our first ever commission of a new piece of music – ‘Five Armitage Songs’, a collection of songs by emerging composer Alice Beckwith, originally from Halifax, setting five poems by current Poet Laureate and Huddersfield native, Simon Armitage.