As part of their 50th anniversary tour, the pioneering group Kronos Quartet perform seminal pieces from their extensive canon, as well as three UK premieres.
For 50 years, San Francisco’s GRAMMY-winning Kronos Quartet – David Harrington, John Sherba, Hank Dutt and Paul Wiancko – has challenged and reimagined what a string quartet can be, revolutionizing it into a living art form.
Having performed thousands of concerts, created more than 70 recordings, commissioned over 1,000 works and arrangements, and receiving more than 40 awards, including three GRAMMYs, Kronos Quartet now marks its fiftieth anniversary with the KRONOS Five Decades tour.
This special evening will highlight the legacy of innovation of Kronos Quartet with new commissions, signature works from its vast repertoire, and pieces from Kronos’ Fifty for the Future project. Honing in on five decades of material, the programme includes performances of Steve Reich’s Triple Quartet, the UK premiere of new works by Angélique Kidjo and Sun Ra/Terry Riley, as well as music by Sigur Rós, Jlin and Laurie Anderson.
This concert will be recorded by BBC Radio 3 for future broadcast.
Presented by Bristol Beacon
Performers
David Harrington Violin
John Sherba Violin
Hank Dutt Viola
Paul Wiancko Cello
Format: Reserved seating
Age: 14+ (Under 18s accompanied by an adult)
This performance will be recorded for future broadcast by the BBC
Performance Times
Doors: 19.30
Kronos Quartet 20:00
Interval: 21:00 (20 mins)
Kronos Quartet: 21:20
Finish: 22:05
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Programme
Angélique Kidjo YanYanKliYan Senamido (UK Premiere) **
Gabriella Smith Keep Going *
Jlin Little Black Book **
Sigur Rós Flugufrelsarinn +
Sun Ra/Terry Riley Kiss Yo’ Ass Goodbye (UK Premiere) *
Aleksandra Vrebalov Gold Came From Space (UK Premiere) *
Interval
Terry Riley One Earth, One People, One Love from Sun Rings *
Laurie Anderson Flow +
Traditional (arr. Jacob Garchik) Lullaby +
Steve Reich Triple Quartet *
* Written for Kronos
** Written for Kronos Fifty for the Future
+ Arranged for Kronos
***** “The San Francisco group, led by founding member David Harrington, dipped into a vast, varied back catalogue with their eyes firmly on the future”
The Guardian on KRONOS Five Decades at the Barbican, October 2023
About Beacon Hall
Our new flagship venue at Bristol Beacon
Seating plans
Seating plans
Beacon Hall has three levels that can be used in a seated or standing format. View seating plans, auditorium entrances and exits and accessible viewing areas.
Venue information
Venue information
Take a closer look at our beautifully restored venue, see what’s on and view detailed information about the performance space.
The venue
Beacon Hall
at Bristol Beacon
Getting to the venue
Location: Beacon Hall is located within Bristol Beacon. Head to Level 1 and follow signs to find the auditorium.
Address: Bristol Beacon, Trenchard Street, Bristol, BS1 5AR
Bicycle
Bicycle racks can be found in front of the main entrance on Trenchard Street, Colston Street, and on the city centre promenade. Find your nearest cycle routes using Cycle Planner.
Car parking
Trenchard Street multi-storey car park is 200m away, directly behind Bristol Beacon.
Bristol Clean Air Zone
Bristol Beacon is inside the Bristol Clean Air Zone. Check if your vehicle will be charged and how much you’ll have to pay.
Bus
Most bus services stop in and around the city centre promenade, 250m from Bristol Beacon.
Access
Mobility
Spaces for wheelchair users are in:
- row S in the centre of the rear Stalls (10 spaces)
- row Z in the left and right wings at the back of Lower Tier (4 spaces, 2 on each side),
- rows G/H on the left only at the back of Upper Tier (2 spaces)
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs and emotional support animals are allowed in the performance space. Seats in row F are most suitable. If you prefer, you can leave your animal with a member of staff during the performance.
Hearing Facility
A Sennheiser MobileConnect assistive listening system is installed in the venue. Download the free App and use your own mobile device and headphones to listen to the performance. (Devices are available on request.)
Eat & Drink
Eat & Drink
We’ve got plenty of places for you to relax and refill. From coffee and cake, to delicious sharing boards, to full menus.
