Simon Cummings is a composer, writer and researcher based in the Cotswolds. He composes instrumental and electronic music, exploring aspects of algorithmic composition, and has recently completed a Ph.D. in composition at the Birmingham Conservatoire under the supervision of Richard Causton and Howard Skempton. His musical tastes are ludicrously broad but are focused most on contemporary/avant-garde classical and electronic music. When not composing, he writes regularly about new music; Simon is the author of the contemporary music blog 5:4 (5against4.com), and regularly contributes articles for a variety of books, journals and websites. Follow him on Twitter @5against4.
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla’s polarised approach exaggerates music by Weinberg and Prokofiev, while Kirill Gerstein keeps control in a refreshing, elegant performance of Schumann’s Piano Concerto.
A self-effacing, literal approach from conductor Ilan Volkov brings marvellous transparency to works by Sibelius and Prokofiev, while highlighting the flaws in a new work by Freya Waley-Cohen.
Conductor and soloist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider oversees a stunningly beautiful account of Bruch’s First Violin Concerto and guides the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra through both glory and violence in Strauss’ Alpine Symphony.
Gergely Madaras’ interesting approach to Mahler’s First suffers from sloppy execution while Larcher’s Third succeeds in a vivid evocation from the CBSO of triumph and tragedy.
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Ryan Bancroft and violinist Anthony Marwood deliver an evening of rapid gear-shifting, punchy momentum, dancing lyricism and mischief at Hoddinott Hall.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason and the CBSO give a flat rendition of Haydn in an otherwise emotionally-conflicted, moving evening featuring Weinberg, Elgar and Thomas Adès.
Nicola Benedetti and the CBSO under Kazuki Yamada bring impressive levels of sensitivity and honesty to Dvořák’s New World Symphony and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.
Elizabeth Watts gives an unforgettably powerful performance of Finzi’s Dies Natalis in an otherwise problematic concert, marred by Adrian Partington’s uncertain approach.
Rolf Martinsson opts for clichéd opulence in his song cycle Ich denke Dein…, while Emilia Hoving delivers a sublime, conflicted account of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony.
Finnegan Downie Dear oversees a decidedly conflicted concert of works by Beethoven, Britten and Cassandra Miller that veered between ravishing beauty and unsynchronised sloppiness.
