Acordia Ensemble to perform new work by West Kirby composer Ian Stephens for Wirral’s International Guitar Festival

Nov 14 2012 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

A NEW work by a West Kirby composer is being performed for the first time this week as part of Wirral’s International Guitar Festival of Great Britain.

The Acordia Ensem- ble is giving a concert at the Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead on Saturday.

The programme will include Rondo for Three by Ian Stephens, which was commissioned by the Ensemble for the event.

Devon-born Mr Stephens has composed for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Crosby Symphony Orchestra and the Liverpool Welsh Choral Union.

He also composed The World in One City, which was played by the RLPO to celebrate Liverpool becoming Capital of Culture.

He said: “Rondo for Three blends a strong rhythmic impulse with soaring melodic lines and free flights of rhapsody – each member of the ensemble is featured as a soloist at certain points in the work.

“The great challenge in this work was to balance the three instruments against each other – they are not usually heard together, and create a lovely warm blend of woody sounds.”

The Ensemble will also perform its own arrangements of Mexican traditional music, Celtic music and other classical works.

The Acordia Ensemble was formed after a visit by a group of British artists and musicians to Armonia, a Mexican organisation working to transform the lives of the poor in Mexico.

The trip led to a collaboration between musicians and the subsequent birth of the Ensemble, which now performs regularly on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Ensemble is made up of Ann Lawes (violin). Alejandro Del Valle (classical guitar), and Andrew Whettam (marimba).

Ann and Andrew are British, based in Manchester, and Alejandro is Mexican.

The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15 from 666 0000 or www.bestguitarfest.com