Brundibár Arts Festival – A Voice Not Stilled – HMD 2026
Activity information
Activity type: Public activity
Organisation name: Brundibár Arts Festival
Website: https://brundibarartsfestival.com/events.html
Address:
St James's United Reformed Church
Northumberland Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
Tyne and Wear
NE1 8JF
United Kingdom
Brundibár Arts Festival was launched in January 2016 as the first annual Festival in the UK dedicated to the Music and Arts of the Holocaust. Located in Newcastle and Gateshead, the Festival takes its name from Hans Krása's children's opera "Brundibár" (meaning bumblebee), which was first performed publicly by the children of Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1943. Brundibár Arts Festival seeks to find new ways to positively document the astonishing achievements of artists under adversity, and to keep their stories alive through music and the arts.
In 2026, we're marking 10 years since Brundibár Arts Festival began, with eight concerts and a film screening taking place across the week of the festival.
The programme for this concert will begin with “The Orchestras of Auschwitz” - a selection of long-forgotten compositions and arrangements by Holocaust prisoners which have been rescued from obscurity by composer/conductor and founder of Constella Music, Leo Geyer. This will be followed by the title piece, “A Voice Not Stilled” Sinfonia Concertante by Michael Easton, based on a theme by Gabriella Kolliner.
A long list of incredible musicians will be performing in this concert, including members of the North East's very own Royal Northern Sinfonia.
PROGRAMME:
The Orchestras of Auschwitz
Interval
“A Voice not Stilled” Sinfonia Concertante based on theme by Gabriella Kolliner
Natalie Klouda: “Alma Rose” Special Commission 2022
PERFORMERS:
Members of Royal Northern Sinfonia
Conductor: Leo Geyer, Thomas Carroll
Piano soloist: Katya Apekisheva
Baritone: Simon Wallfisch
Violin: Kyra Humphrey, Iona Brown, Roman Mints, Natalie Klouda, Jack Liebeck
Viola: Anna Barsegjana, Nimrod Guez, Hélène Clément
Cello: Gabriel Waite, Bartholomew LaFollette
Double Bass: Sian Hicks
Clarinet: Jessica Lee
Trumpet: Katie Hodges
Saxophone: Dov Goldberg
Percussion: Jan Bradley
Tuba: Adam Collins
Accordion: Ilona Suomalainen
Organiser Name