About this Artist
Percussionist COLIN CURRIE has established a unique reputation for his charismatic and virtuosic performances of works by today’s leading composers, and has appeared with many of the world’s most important orchestras – the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra among them. Regularly commissioning and recording new works, he has made an inspirational and innovative contribution to the percussion repertoire.
Colin Currie is deeply committed to the development of new repertoire for percussion in its widest form – orchestral, solo and in chamber music, and his forthcoming commission projects include new works by composers such as Elliott Carter, James MacMillan and Steve Reich. With trumpeter Hakan Hardenberger, Currie premieres a new recital program in Hannover and the Far East including works written especially for the duo by Christian Muthspiel, Lucas Ligeti and Tobias Broström. Currie also performs the world premiere of a percussion concerto by Dutch composer Joey Roukens commissioned by De Doelen Rotterdam. Other recent premieres include works written for Currie by Simon Holt, Kurt Schwertsik, Jennifer Higdon and Alexander Goehr, among others.
Concerto highlights of the 2010/11 season include a tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and a performance and recording of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s percussion concerto Incantations with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under John Storgårds, a work premiered by Currie last season with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as engagements throughout the US including at the Cabrillo Festival with Marin Alsop, Grand Teton Festival with Donald Runnicles and with the Indianapolis and Nashville Symphony Orchestras.
Currie also performs extensively as recitalist and chamber musician. Following their hugely successful, sold-out performances of Steve Reich’s Drumming at the Southbank Centre last season, Currie’s recently established ensemble The Colin Currie Group returns to the Southbank Centre and tours the UK giving further performances of this iconic work. Other highlights of this season include performing Bartok with Stephen Kovacevich and Martha Argerich at the Wigmore Hall, collaborating with the Miro Quartet for concerts in the US and joining the Hebrides Ensemble to perform music by Maxwell Davies.
Colin Currie’s latest CD release features Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto conducted by Marin Alsop with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, a disc which won a 2010 Grammy Award. Currie’s recital disc Borrowed Time, which features music by British composer Dave Maric, is available on the Onyx label.