KIMICHI ORCHESTRA PERFORMS THE THREE GREAT STRAVINSKY BALLETS
By Christopher Morley
(for 20.3.25)
Launched in 2014, the Acocks Green-based Kimichi School has a unique place among educational establishments in the West Midlands. It is an independent secondary school which has no barriers to ethnicity, disability or gender, and its main ethos is the fostering of musical awareness among every one of its students.
Sally Alexander, herself a professional cellist awarded an MBE for services to education in the late Queen’s 2021 Birthday Honours list,, is its dynamic founder, and her nurturing of the school has run parallel with large-scale musical activities proudly spreading its name. And nothing gets larger than the event she has planned for Sunday afternoon at Symphony Hall on March 23.
All three of the great Stravinsky ballets composed for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes – Firebird, Petrushka, Rite of Spring – are to be performed by the amateur Kimichi Symphony Orchestra, Keith Slade conducting, and there will be choreography as well. Surely this is something that has never been attempted before, anywhere in the world, not even by professionals. I begin our conversation by stating the obvious, that this is such an ambitious project, some would say foolhardy.
“Thank you! We really take that as a compliment,” is Sally’s rejoinder.
“It's all to celebrate Kimichi's ten year existence, and in that time we have programmed ambitious works, held music workshops, taken entire orchestras on tour and pretty much spent our time promoting the benefits and wonderment of music every way that we can. I love the fact that people rise to challenges, and we've seen that at every step of the way.
“KSO really came into existence as it stands back in 2018 with our first performance of Rite of Spring (a personal favourite) and we have performed the other two individually since then, but never together. I figured this would just be the most wonderful way to celebrate ten years, and our players (though they also think the project is completely mad) agree.”
I remind Sally and Keith of the opening of Symphony Hall on April 15 1991, when Simon Rattle conducted the CBSO in two Diaghilev ballets, Firebird and Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe – but with no choreography.
“We're so happy to be able to perform in Birmingham's iconic Symphony Hall,” Keith enthuses, “and the fact that this is almost a reflection of what must have been a wonderful opening concert yet with even more to experience is a testament to the vision of the project.”
Sally tells me how the choreography has been created and rehearsed.
“The dancers have been sourced from various dance schools in the region by our choreographer, Cici Howells. She has worked extensively with them since September based on the choreography that was created by herself, Attiye Passey and Francesca Andrews when the ballets were previously performed. They have been using private archive recordings that were made when we rehearsed before as well as sourcing YouTube recordings. We're very lucky to have Jonathan French, head of piano accompaniment at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, involved as pianist in the concert.”
I ask about the orchestra, some of whom I have conducted myself. Are they the well-loved local semi-professionals we see bolstering the region’s so-important ensembles? How much rehearsal has Kimichi been able to have with them, and where?
Sally smiles. “They certainly are! Some of them have been with us since the inception of KSO as we know it, and have travelled to Prague and Krakow with us, performing such works as the Rite of Spring at the Rudolfinum and most recently Mahler 5 in Krakow. We have been lucky enough to use the Routh Hall at Bromsgrove School for rehearsals, which is a good job as we only just fit! We will have had eight rehearsals in total by the time we come to the concert, but everybody has been great at private practice beforehand.”
“We will be rehearsing on the morning of the concert at Symphony Hall,” adds Keith. “This will be the moment musicians, dancers, costumes, lighting and props all come together.”
The absence of funding has been a huge disappointment, as Sally explains.
“We have reached out to so many people for sponsorship, but unfortunately had no response. It's such a shame, as we have so many community organisations and young people involved in this wonderful opportunity for all. Ticket sales are imperative at this point! We also have a scheme in place whereby some schools in more deprived areas of Birmingham who are not usually able to access this kind of concert have interested families' tickets sponsored by some of our musicians, who believe so wholeheartedly in the power of music that they are willing to do that.”
These three blockbuster Stravinsky ballets make huge demands upon the conductor in terms of stick-technique, a vision simultaneously far-reaching and detailed, and an ability to balance texture and nuance – not least in terms of stamina as well. Has Keith gone into fitness training for this?
“ I certainly have. To learn all three ballets and the intricacies of each has been a challenge, albeit a challenge I have very much enjoyed. I do, however, plan on having steak, eggs and porridge for breakfast on the actual day!”
*At Symphony Hall on Sunday March 23 (3pm).
ends