Music for Midsummer 2023

In his celebration of midsummer this maverick virtuoso and natural storyteller performs his own guitar originals, choice moments from the acoustic/classical repertoire and Bach on the ukulele.  This wonderful music can be heard in venues the length of the British Isles played by an extraordinary musician carrying his entire show on a bicycle.

Richard will be cycling into Manchester to perform this concert which is part of the Manchester Guitar Festival.

Guitar virtuoso and composer Richard Durrant studied at the Royal College of Music, but his unexpected musical choices and the sheer emotional depth of his playing set him apart. Connection with the land is central to Richard’s work including his last three acclaimed albums Stringhenge, Rewilding and The Sleep of a King. His tours and album releases are planned around the Solstices and Equinoxes.

Durrant’s bicycle stands next to him onstage at each concert, its lights illuminating his performance.  His idea of “Cycling Music” was motivated by the effect on the environment of an average 35,000 carbon heavy miles playing concerts in the years leading up to his first Cycling Music tour in 2014.

Durrant says: “These concerts are not just about the fragile beauty of these instruments, they might also remind people how remarkable a bicycle is. Bicycles save money and promote good health but most importantly they help protect the natural environment. We must all acknowledge that there is a climate crisis.”

“One is left with the impression of a man who loves music and life in equal measure,” Gramophone Magazine

Repertoire for 2023 to include: 

Guitar
Book of Spells (Durrant)
The Sleep of a King (Durrant)
Works by Agustin Barrios
Durrant versions of JS Bach
Ukulele
JS Bach and British Isles folk

“My new favourite guitarist…Richard sits completely outside the accepted genres,” Tom Robinson BBC6Music

Tickets: £5.50 day ticket

Box office: Buy online at the Stoller Hall website