Surge In Spring returns
Surge in Spring returns to Midlands Arts Centre on 22-23 April 2022, with a festival of high-energy exceptional music from across the globe. This edition of Surge in Spring - the first since 2019 - focuses on new collaborations, with a fusion of genres to give a celebratory feel.
Highlights include the Bosnian-born Swiss accordian maverick Mario Batkovic, who mixes classical and contemporary sounds to create his own unique approach. Mario has received widespread critical acclaim, including from Rolling Stone magazine who voted his self-titled debut album in the Top 10 ‘Best Avant Albums of 2017’. Supporting Mario is Hyelim Kim, a bamboo flautist who is opening up new possibilities for Korean music.
The mighty Krar Collective will serve up a mind-blowing feast of exuberant Ethiopian song and dance tunes. Led by Temesgen Zeleke, the band perform a contemporary take on roots music reflecting the diversity of cultures within Africa’s second most populous country. The ancient krar lyre becomes a gritty rock guitar, weaving around the stunning vocals of Genet Assefa and the driving rhythms of Amare Mulugeta on traditional kebero drums. The line-up has recently expanded to include virtuoso Baby Masinko on the extraordinary one-stringed Ethiopian masinko fiddle and Dawit Seyoum on bass krar for added funkiness. Krar Collective are presented in partnership with Celebrating Sanctuary.
Boasting a stellar line up of special guests, the musical force of Surge Orchestra give a celebratory concert on the Saturday night with over 20 musicians sharing the stage to collaborate on this special performance. Expect a melting pot of fusions spanning jazz, folk and roots all presented with an ever present groove, with appearances from Cheng Yu and Lui Qing of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble, Irish flautist Eimear McGeown, rapper Juice Aleem, guitarist Niwel Tsumbu and Syrian oud player Rihab Azar.
A host of free, joyful pop-up performances will also take place around mac across the two days.
Look out for the Nifeco Costa, who arrived in Birmingham by way of Guinea-Bassau in West Africa and will be premiering his brand new trio project. As well as guesting with Surge Orchestra, Syrian oud player Rihab Azar and Chinese musicians Cheng Yu and Lui Qing will present their own sets showcasing their take on their respective traditional instruments and styles. The Richard Foote Double Trombone Quintet with legendary saxophonist Paul Dunmall, soulful Congolese-born artists Niwel Tsumbu and Didier Kasala, and Katie Stevens and Aaron Olwell add to the line-up.
Opportunities to platform local home-raised talent include Switch Ensemble, a talented group of young musicians challenging ideas about disability, the Jazzlines Ensemble, young jazz musicians from across Birmingham and the S4E Birmingham Schools’ Recorder Ensemble.
Sid Peacock, Artistic Director of Surge Forward Music and Arts, commented:
"It’s an absolute joy to be able to present our Surge in Spring festival again after an enforced silence of two years. We’ve taken this opportunity to bring together some of our amazing collaborators from over the past five years and also present music that wasn’t able to happen in 2020.
“As always we have strove to present exceptional music from around the globe and champion a vision of unity and friendship through art. In addition to Surge and our guests we are especially excited to bring Mario Batkovic, Hyelim Kim and Krar Collective and to also expand our festival over two days.
“We are very grateful to Deborah Kermode at mac Birmingham and all the team there for their support and to Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham and TDE Promotions for co-promoting."
Tickets start at £8. Book your tickets here.
Surge in Spring is produced by Surge Forward Music and Arts CIC and is generously supported by Arts Council England and Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham.
We are also grateful to B:Music, Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham, Services for Education Music Service and TDE
