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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250419T100000
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SUMMARY:Greys Monument Tours
DESCRIPTION:Grey’s Monument tours will resume in April 2025 and we’re bringing you an extra event each month. \nMonument tours will now happen on the first and third Saturday of each month from April till September. \nApril Grey’s Monument tours are fully booked. \nTickets for the May openings (3rd and 17th) will go on sale on Saturday 19th April at 9am. \nTicket links will appear here and keep checking this page for future ticket release dates.\n \nMake sure to set your alarm clock – tickets sell out very quickly. \nTickets are for half hour slots between 10am and 3.30pm. Pre-booking is essential. \nClimb the 164 steps to the top of Grey’s Monument on a tour with Newcastle City Guides. The Monument is named after the 2nd Earl Grey\, Charles Grey\, who hailed from the North East and was British Prime Minister in the 1830s – the famous Earl Grey tea blend was named after him too! From here you can enjoy unrivalled views over Grainger Town’s magnificently preserved Georgian architecture. \nPlease arrive no later than 5 minutes before your booking time. If you miss your slot\, we cannot guarantee entry at a later time than shown on your ticket. \nPrice \nTickets are £7 per person\, season tickets are not applicable to Grey’s Monument tours. \nChildren under 5 years are not permitted. \nGroup tours \nGrey’s Monument can be hired for group tours between March and October subject to Guide availability. A minimum charge of £75 + VAT (£90) applies\, which provides up to 2 ½ hours of access and accompanying tour guides. The Guides can provide a commentary on the history of Monument and the surrounding area\, highlighting the local Newcastle landmarks and places of interest. Please note that group tours will not operate from October to February due to the reduced daylight hours and increased likelihood of bad weather and poor visibility. \nTours typically take 30 minutes\, including climb and descent\, with a maximum of 8 guests per tour. A 2 ½ hour hire could therefore accommodate a maximum of 40 people. Group tours depend upon guide availability and whether other events are taking place on Grey’s Monument plinth. Tours can be cancelled at short notice in the event of severe weather or poor visibility. If this happens\, we will try and book your tours on another date. Please email newcastlecityg@gmail.com for more information. \nPlease note \n\nChildren under 5 years are strictly not admitted on Monument tours.\nChildren 5-16 must be accompanied by an adult.\nThere are 164 steps to climb and at some points the staircase is narrow and dark.\nIf you have a fear of heights or confined spaces\, have breathing difficulties\, a heart condition\, or are in the latter stages of pregnancy\, please do not attempt this climb.\nPlease be aware that only 8 people can climb to the top per tour.
URL:https://blog.alandotchin.com/event/greys-monument-tours/
CATEGORIES:Tours
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SUMMARY:Ravel’s Tzigane
DESCRIPTION:Passionate. Sensual. An evening of intimate rarities.\nWho’s on stage\nMaria Włoszczowska directs harpist Oliver Wass and musicians from Royal Northern Sinfonia. \nWhat they’re playing\nBe transported to Paris in the 1920s with music by the leading composers of the day\, Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. \nWhat you’ll hear\nMaurice Ravel Introduction and Allegro (11’)\nClaude Debussy Syrinx (3.5’)\nMaurice Ravel Sonata for Violin and Cello (20’)\nClaude Debussy Danse sacrée et profane (9’)\nClaude Debussy Sonata for Flute\, Viola and Harp (17’)\nMaurice Ravel Tzigane (10’)\nMaurice Ravel arr Tim Mulleman La valse (13’) \nWho’s playing it\nMaria Włoszczowska director\nOliver Wass harp\nRoyal Northern Sinfonia \nWhat’s happening in the music?\nRavel’s fiery Tzigane for violin and piano is at the heart of this concert. Passionate\, fierce and full of breathless virtuosity\, it’s a show-stopper from start to finish. His Sonata for violin and cello has a similarly Hungarian flavour to it\, and was written as a tribute to Debussy\, whose sensual work for harp closes the evening. \nRavel vs Debussy\nThe two composers often get lumped together because they lived at the same time in the same city and admired each others music\, plus its true that there are similarities between their musical styles\, with it being what might be called ‘musical impressionism’. Their differences are pretty stark though. Debussy was much more of an innovator\, whereas Ravel worked within more traditional forms. Ravel was brilliant at taking melodies (sometimes other peoples) and transforming them into something magical for the full orchestra (for example Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition\, which you can hear on 21 February)\, whereas Debussy always originated his own melodies. They were both top-rank composers in their own right\, and a programme of their music is a total treat.
URL:https://blog.alandotchin.com/event/ravels-tzigane/
CATEGORIES:Classical,Concerts
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