A dazzling night of UK firsts! In California, 2022, iconic saxophonist Branford Marsalis premiered Courtney Bryan’s Carmen Jazz Suite on Themes by Bizet. Her love and fearlessness are reimagined in a world where Carmen thrives and wins. A new arrangement of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony brings his life affirming music and transcendent solo soprano to Govan.
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Lewis Banks
We’re delighted to be joined by Scottish Saxophonist Lewis Banks. who is a regularly soloist with the Glasgow Barons. No stranger to diverse and adventurous concert programming, Lewis is rapidly developing a reputation as an exciting soloist who thrives on traversing genre borders. Lewis’ recent work include his new album, Chrysalis (2021), featuring lush Island soundscapes, jazz – tinged electronica and genre – ambiguous drone music for solo saxophones and electronics.
Previously, Lewis developed ‘Afterlife’, a genre – bending new music and film project based on David Eagleman’s book ‘Sum: 40 Tales from the Afterlives’, featuring music by Scottish firebrand composer Jay Capperauld and film by Manchester – based director Paul Wright. As a soloist, Lewis gave the U.K premiere of the orchestral version of Santiago Baez’s L’Arlesienne Fantasy Concerto in 2020, and also appeared as concerto soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 2016, performing Ibert’s Concertino da Camera. Lewis also regularly appears as an orchestral musician with ensembles such as The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Opera.
Previously, Lewis studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he won most performance prizes, was awarded 100% recital marks in both his final degree recitals and graduated with The Principal’s Prize for Excellence in 2018. Future projects include new saxophone concertos by Electra Perivolaris, Jay Capperauld and the release of his second album.
Catriona Hewitson
Named as one of Opera Now’s 2022 Hot List Young Artists, Edinburgh-born soprano Catriona Hewitson won the 2018 Kathleen Ferrier Loveday Song Prize and was a Scottish Opera Emerging Artist for 2020 - 22. She is a Samling Artist and a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and Royal College of Music Opera Studio.
Highlights on the concert platform include a recital for BBC Radio 3 with Malcolm Martineau and performing at the Royal Albert Hall, Usher Hall with Sir James MacMillan conducting and St John’s Smith Square. Last year she won second prize in the inaugural Ashburnham English Song Awards.
With Scottish Opera, Catriona performed Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gretel in Hansel and Gretel as well as Adina and Despina for Scottish Opera On Screen. Other operatic engagements include Micaela Carmen (Waterperry Opera Festival) and Dragon/Teacher/Diva in Lliam Paterson’s Catriona and the Dragon (Lammermuir Festival Community Opera) World Premiere. Recent and upcoming performances include a recording with Retrospect Opera and returning to Ayr Choral.