Image: Sun-Mi Hong by Lieve Boussaw.
Turner Sims’ spring season brings treats for all ages with new monthly family events and an inspiring weekend dedicated to nature. Music fans can enjoy jazz, folk, classical, latin rhythms, klezmer and more at the University of Southampton venue known for its outstanding acoustics and imaginative programme.
Following popular family days in recent years, Turner Sims is expanding its programme for families in 2025 with tickets from just £4. Children of all ages, from babies upwards, will be able to discover the joy of live music at the venue with five events already announced from February – April.
Family highlights include puppetry and music in Pythagoras’ Toolkit (Sunday 30 March) and The Wonderland Garden with City of London Sinfonia (Sunday 6 April).
The first two family events of the year, You are the Sun and The Orchestra of Seasons, form part of a special nature-themed weekend called ‘Notes from Nature’. Events during the weekend (Saturday 1 – Sunday 2 February) will encourage audiences to celebrate and protect the beauty of our natural world.
Alongside family events, ‘Notes from Nature’ features performances by London Sinfonietta Trio and John Metcalfe (composer and producer to the likes of Coldplay, Peter Gabriel and Blur). Metcalfe’s stunning album Tree will be brought to life with visuals from Jony Easterby in a multimedia performance imagining the life-cycle of a tree.
Gary Crosby and Denys Baptiste (pictured) launch the jazz season on Saturday 25 January with an all-star quartet celebrating John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’.
Further jazz highlights include celebrated pianist Gwilym Simcock with rising star saxophonist Emma Rawicz (Tuesday 18 March). Drummer Sun-Mi Hong makes her Turner Sims debut with her brilliant band (Tuesday 25 March), and the reunited Neil Cowley Trio bring Cowley classics and new material (Thursday 1 May).
Throughout the season, Turner Sims will celebrate a world of musical influences. Discover Latin rhythms from Cuban pianist and showman Alfredo Rodriguez (Sunday 23 February), and modern Polish music and klezmer from trio Kroke (Thursday 8 May).
Folk fans have plenty to look forward to with Fairport Convention (Thursday 27 February), Scottish duo Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham (Thursday 3 April), and The Young’uns (Thursday 24 April). The venue celebrates International Women’s Day with an impressive folk line-up featuring Lady Maisery and O’Hooley and Tidow (Thursday 6 March).
2025 also brings a Shostakovathon musical marathon led by conductors Craig Lawton and Paul Ingram (Sunday 2 March), and two exclusive classical series. Violinist Chloë Hanslip and pianist Danny Driver delve into the works of JS Bach in a trio of concerts beginning in March. Pianist and guest curator Cordelia Williams is joined by violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen, The Maxwell Quartet, and a stellar cast of musicians for her three curated concerts.
Find out more at turnersims.co.uk
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