Led by Colin Currie ("the world’s finest and most daring percussionist", Spectator), the hand-picked ensemble was formed in 2006 for a performance of Drumming at the BBC Proms to celebrate the 70th birthday of Steve Reich. In the subsequent decade, the Colin Currie Group have performed Drumming around the world. They have expanded their repertoire to include many of Reich’s most popular works, including Music for 18 Musicians, Sextet, Tehillim and Music for Pieces of Wood and are privileged to have frequently had the composer present when rehearsing and performing these works.
A major highlight of recent seasons has been the critically acclaimed world premiere performances of a Steve Reich Traveler’s Prayer, which the Group toured to The Concertgebouw, Royal Festival Hall, Elbphilharmonie, Philharmonie de Paris, Carnegie Hall, Cal Performances and Tokyo Opera City. The Group have previously premiered Steve Reich’s Quartet in 2014 (for two pianos and two vibraphones), dedicated by Reich to Colin Currie. Since the premiere of Quartet at London’s Southbank Centre, the group have given multiple performances of this work, including across the UK, Europe, Asia and America.
Highlights of the Group’s 23/24 season included performing Drumming as part of the Steve Reich celebration at Festival Présences, Radio France and the UK Premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s New England Etudes at London’s Southbank Centre, a work co-commissioned by Colin Currie. They will make their Italian debut in the 24/25 season at Conservatorio di Milano, at the invitation of the historic Società del Quartetto di Milano.
The Colin Currie Group performs regularly at London’s Southbank Centre and have appeared in concert at major halls and festivals worldwide at Shanghai MISA Festival, Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore, Paris Cité de la Musique, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Cologne Philharmonie, Rotterdam De Doelen, Helsinki Festival, Macau Festival, Saffron Hall, the Barbican Centre and made their concertante debut at the 2019 Edinburgh International Festival performing Gubaidulina Glorious Percussion under the baton of Thomas Dausgaard with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
The Group recently released of their third album on Colin Currie Records, Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, which has received outstanding reviews and was selected as Editor’s Choice by Gramophone. This follows their previous release of Live at Fondation Louis Vuitton, their highly successful debut release of Drumming in 2018, and their release of Quartet on Nonesuch in 2019.
The Colin Currie Group is represented by Intermusica.
2024-25 season / 425 words. Not to be altered without permission