Steve Reich "Different Trains"

One of the pieces we're playing during our tour is 'Different Trains' by Steve Reich. It's a three movement piece for string quartet and tape written in 1988. During the war years Reich made train journeys between New York and LA to visit his parents who had separated. Years later Reich thought about the idea that, as a Jew, had he been in Europe at that time instead of the US, he might have been travelling on Holocaust trains. We're really excited to be playing this piece as part of our tour of the southwest.
Check out this version by the Smith Quartet:



Exeter Contemporary Sounds

Buy tickets for  our tour 'Back there on Earth' in Exeter on May 27th here.

Family Sunday

We've had a really positive meeting with Clare at Exeter Phoenix this week.  Our performance of 'Back there on Earth' on May 27th coincides with one of their regular Family Sundays and we've always planned to offer activities alongside our afternoon rehearsal - not least to entertain our various offspring whilst we rehearse!

It's looking likely that the whole afternoon will take on a Space theme - start saving your fairy liquid bottles for rocket making. Clare is keen to create astronaut back-packs and dress everyone up in bubble wrap.....
There will be a performance of Simon's piece at the end of the afternoon and a chance to talk to the players, the composer and get up close to the instruments.  More details as they emerge......

Buy your tickets for the Exeter Phoenix performance here.

JH (Exeter Contemporary Sounds)

First rehearsal

Welcome to the first post of our brand new blog!
We've had our first rehearsal for our new programme today, lots of Steve Reich and lots of tea drinking.
We also got Simon to come along and take some informal shots - check them out on Picasa below.
We plan to keep this updated with what we're up to throughout the development of this project, so more to follow very soon.........