New season offers highlights

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A NEW season featuring contemporary, jazz, folk, world and roots music at the Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham.

Artists including Sierra Maestra, Laura Marling, The Portico Quartet, Jack Bruce, The Imagined Village and The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are among those who will be taking to the stage from now until June.

The two world-class venues will present a programme of over 20 ticketed events and more than 40 free events spanning music from across the globe such as British trad-jazz, Irish folk, Indian classical and many styles in between.

Season highlights include performances from Grammy nominees and Latin music heroes Sierra Maestra, the Symphony Hall debut by 2011 Brit Award winner and Mercury Prize nominee Laura Marling, a return to Town Hall by legendary Cream bassist and songwriter-storyteller Jack Bruce and his Big Blues Band, a visit by inspirational folk-world experimentalists The Imagined Village and a specially commissioned work exploring the songbook of folk’s founding father Cecil Sharp from The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

In addition to ticketed events, music fans can get their fix of jazz, folk and world music for free at the weekly Rush Hour Blues and monthly Mid-day Mantra, Folk For Free and Sax in the City sessions in the Symphony Hall Cafe Bar.

Paul Keene, director of programming at the Town Hall and Symphony Hall, said: "2012 sees Birmingham’s internationally acclaimed Symphony Hall begin its 21st anniversary celebrations alongside our continuing commitment to developing Town Hall as a world-class venue for wonderful and distinctive music-making.

"We're doubly thrilled, therefore, to be delivering another season of exciting concerts featuring outstanding artists both new and established."

Visit www.thsh.co.uk or call the box office on 0121 7803333 for more information.