Monthly Archives: April 2024

Sibelius at the 2024 Proms

BBC Proms 2024 visual

The programmes for the BBC Proms 2024 have been announced. Sibelius is represented at the following concerts (links to BBC website beneath each concert listing):

Friday 26 July 2024 at 7.30 pm
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead (Proms around the UK)
Germaine Tailleferre: Little Suite
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 8
Alena Baeva, violin
Royal Northern Sinfonia / Dinis Sousa
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ez39hn


Wednesday 7 August 2024 at 7.30 pm
Royal Albert Hall, London
Robert Schumann: Genoveva – overture
Jean Sibelius: Pohjola’s Daughter
Hans Abrahamsen: Horn Concerto (UK premiere)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
Stefan Dohr, horn
BBC Philharmonic / John Storgårds
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ec8mzc


Saturday 24 August 2024 at 7.30 pm
Royal Albert Hall
Julius Eastman: Symphony No. 2, ‘The Faithful Friend: The Lover Friend’s Love for the Beloved’ UK premiere
Gustav Mahler: Rückert-Lieder
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 5
Jamie Barton, mezzo-soprano
BBC Symphony Orchestra / Dalia Stasevska
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e5qxp6


Sunday 25 August 2024 at 7.30 pm
Royal Albert Hall
Lara Poe: Laulut maaseudulta (Songs from the Countryside) (BBC commission: world premiere)
Jean Sibelius: The Wood Nymph
Gustav Holst: The Planets
Anu Komsi, soprano / Royal College of Music Chamber Choir
Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra / Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ep5wxj


Sunday 8 September 2024 at 4 pm
Nottingham Royal Concert Hall (Proms Around the UK)
Doreen Carwithen: The Men of Sherwood Forest – overture
Elizabeth Kelly: Lace Machine (BBC commission: world premiere)
Sergei Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Erich Wolfgang Korngold: The Adventures of Robin Hood, suite
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 3
Clare Hammond, piano
BBC Concert Orchestra / Anna-Maria Helsing
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/efnqwh

Sibelius Home Assistant

Sibelius Homa Assistanrt image

New and exclusively from Sibelius One:
the Sibelius Home Assistant!

Inspired by the runaway success of devices such as Alexa and Echo, the Sibelius Home assistant lets you instantly play music, control your smart home, get information, news, weather and more using just your voice.

The assistant makes use of the latest AI and robotics technology, and is actived by the command word ‘Janne’. To play music, for example Sibelius’s Fourth Symphony, simply say ‘Janne – play your Fourth Symphony’, and a recording of the work in question will immediately start to play through your hi-fi system. In addition, the assistant’s arms will ‘conduct’ in time with the music.

The voice of ‘Janne’ has been created from original sound recordings of Sibelius’s voice (e.g. his 1948 radio interview and assorted other recordings), digitally resampled and combined to produce an infinite variety of words and phrases.

Using methods based on the classic 1960s Supermarionation technology, internal solenoids are used to synchronize the assistant’s lips with whatever it is saying. This also works when you ask the assistant to play a recording of Sibelius’s songs.

The Sibelius Home Assistant is 91 cm high and is designed to resemble Jean Sibelius in every respect (except height). Unlike rival virtual assistants, it is capable of independent movement and can thus assist with domestic tasks in ways hitherto unknown. For example, a powerful vacuum cleaner is built into the left sleeve, so the simple command: ‘Janne – vacuum my living room’ will initiate a thorough cleaning routine lasting just over 20 minutes. The right sleeve houses a drinks dispenser, so the command ‘Janne – pour me a drink’ will supply you with a chilled glass of champagne.

The Sibelius Home Assistant can be ordered exclusively from Sibelius One, price just GBP.499.00 plus VAT and delivery. Click here for order form.