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SADLER'S WELLS SEASON 2010

• THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW (BALLET IN TWO ACTS, 5-INSTRUMENT VERSION) (Opus 0522)

This year's run of the Snowman Stage Show opens at The Peacock Theatre on December 1st and is scheduled to run till January 9th. It is hoped that this year will see a special gala charity night on December 8th - details yet to be announced.

KOREAN SNOWMAN 2010

• THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW (BALLET IN TWO ACTS, 5-INSTRUMENT VERSION) (Opus 0522)

Plans are confirmed for the Snowman Stage Show to open for a run in Seoul starting 24 November 2010. This results from the succesful 3-week run in the Seoul Opera House in March-April 2009. Howard flew over to rehearse the musicians and oversee the first night.  A huge ovation greeted it and went on for so long that finally Howard was dragged up from his seat and persuaded to dance with the 'Korean Snow-woman' (a new character in traditional Korean costume and a special Korean musical 'signature' - both added specially for this splendid occasion.) Howard will be flying out to introduce the show again this year and attend the opening at the Hoam Art Hall.

CARDIFF MILLENIUM CENTRE

• THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW (BALLET IN TWO ACTS, 5-INSTRUMENT VERSION) (Opus 0522)

Howard has been invited to give a talk about the stage show and its evolution from short animated film to full evening theatre. It precedes the first Welsh run of the show opening November 10 2010

SHANGHAI EXPO 2010

• SPEECH AFTER LONG SILENCE (Opus 0610)

Pianist William Chen has specialised in Howard's piano music, making the memorable first recording of 'Lifecycle' in 2003 in Sydney, premiering 'Haiku' in Cita Nagoya, Japan in 2006 and performing the piano concerto with the Royal Philharmonic at Howard's 70th birthday concert in London. He appeared as 'piano-guru' in the popular Channel 4 series on musical prodigies, a perfect role since he is also Professor of Piano at Shanghai Conservatoire. He commissioned Howard to create a piano work for a celebrity recital on September 4th 2010 as part of the Expo and Howard responded with a work entitled 'Speech after long silence' which is both lyrically-moving and virtuosic in its demands on the soloist. His recital will feature the premiere of this work along with some pieces from 'Lifecycle' - 'Isabelle','Walking in the Air' and 'Oberon'. An added attraction of this concert is the use of the extraordinary Stuart piano of 102 notes. Howard is going over for the event as is Wayne Stuart its inventor.

GOLD BADGE AWARD FROM BASCA

Howard will be presented with a Gold Badge award at an event and lunch presented at the Lancaster Room, The Savoy, London on October 20th 2010. For the past 36 years BASCA, The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, in association with PRS for Music has 'presented Gold Badge Awards to exceptional people from right across the entertainment industry as a sign of appreciation for the very special contribution that they have made in support of British composers and songwriters.' The award has been sponsored by PPL, Phonographic Performance Ltd, whose table Howard will join.

BRATISLAVA

• DIVERSIONS FOR CELLO AND ORCHESTRA (Opus 0337)

Benedict Klockner is to perform Howard Blake's 'Diversions' for cello in the finals of the New Talent, European Broadcasting Union November 26th 2010 9.30pm.

THE BEAR IN TORONTO

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra have scheduled a performance of 'The Bear' with projected film as part of their Christmas concert 2010

SONY ENTERTAINMENTS FILM OF THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW

• THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW (BALLET IN TWO ACTS, 5-INSTRUMENT VERSION) (Opus 0522)

Sony Entertainment decided to film the stage show of the Snowman towards the end of its run at The Birmingham Rep - right next to Symphony Hall in Centenary Square. The London-based film company Splinter arrived there on January 24th with 3 gigantic mobile studio trucks servicing 13 cameras and their operators and a 48-track audio mix. The award-winning director was Nick Wickham whose credits include a host of spectacular shows for artists that include Madonna, Britney Spears, Beyonce and many others. The show was shot live to a packed theatre to try and capture the warmth and involvement of the audience which is so much an ingredient of the show's success. The cast and band were in terrific shape and there was a great buzz to the event. The DVD has now completed editing and Sony is preparing for major release by Christmas. The DVD will have a number of extra features including a narration performed by a major celebrity, shortly to be announced.

EDINBURGH QUARTET CD RECORDING JUNE 2010

• SPIELTRIEB (STRING QUARTET IN ONE MOVEMENT) (Opus 0594)
• STRING TRIO (Opus 0199)
• LEDA AND THE SWAN (Opus 0249)
• SNOWMAN SUITE (for string quartet) (Opus 0457)
• A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY (FOR STRING QUARTET) (Opus 0611)

The premiere of Howard BLake's string quartet 'Spieltrieb' in February 2010, commissioned by the Edinburgh Quartet to celebrate their 50th anniversary, led to a complete CD being recorded for Naxos in the Reid Hall June 4-7 which features the new work along with other quartets - Leda and the Swan, Month in the country, 'Flying song' for string quartet and a String Trio dating from 1975, receiving its first performance.  The composer's connection with Edinburgh and the quartet goes back to 1960 when Howard as a student gave a chamber music recital at the Leith Hall in Edinburgh with violinist Miles Baster who was then asked to form the quartet of which he remained leader until 1995.The present leader is the brilliant young violinist Tristan Gurney.

NAXOS CHORAL/ORCHESTRAL CD RELEASED APRIL 2010

• THE PASSION OF MARY (for soloists, chorus and orchestra) (Opus 0577)
• FOUR SONGS OF THE NATIVITY(for SATB choir and 8 brass) (Opus 0415)

Naxos released a a major new CD of choral/orchestral works by Howard Blake at Easter 2010. Howard conducts his dramatic oratorio 'The Passion of Mary' for soloists, choir and orchestra and the song-cycle for chorus and brass ensemble 'Four Songs of the Nativity' in premiere recordings made at Abbey Road Studios with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Voices and soloists: Patricia Rozario (soprano), Richrd Edgar-Wilson (tenor), David Wilson-Johnson (bass-baritone) and treble Robert William Blake the composer's 11-year old son. Originally commissioned under the title 'Stabat Mater' by The Lady Dione Digby for her Dorset Summer Music Festival, a premiere of 'The Passion of Mary'  was given in Sherborne Abbey on 18th May 2002 conducted by David Hill with the Winchester Cathedral Choir and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. The part of Mary was created for and sung by Patricia Rozario, but other parts were spoken. However, after this first performance, Howard began to develop the idea of making all the parts singing roles and he substantially revised and extended the work, finally completing and renaming it 'The Passion of Mary' in 2006. 'Four Songs of the Nativity' was originally commssioned by The Book Club and first performed by The Bach Choir and London Brass with Sir David Willcocks in St. Paul's Cathedral in 1990.

Matthew Power
Choir & Organ, May 2010
The highly original oratorio and refreshing Nativity songs focus on the life of Christ through the eyes of Mary. The approachable sound-world delivers an immediacy and drama that will draw listeners in. Excellent soloists bring the texts alive