Barry Gray Centenary Concert Update

The organisers of this event have asked me to help plug the Barry Gray Centenary Concert (which Jeremy Briggs trailed here back in July). After watching a few classic (and, admisttedly, some not-so-classic) Thunderbirds episodes on SciFiUK over the past few days and being a life long Anderson fan, I'm more than happy to do so!

Here's the latest information, in full, including links to two new promotional videos (the Parker movie is fab!)...

BARRY GRAY CENTENARY CONCERT
SATURDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 2008

AN EVENING CHARITY EVENT IN AID OF THE CINEMA AND TELEVISION BENEVOLENT FUND AT SOUTH BANK CENTRE’S ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON

THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA, conductor FRANCOIS EVANS

GUEST OF HONOUR: GERRY ANDERSON

COMPERE: BRIAN BLESSED

Barry Gray bequeathed to generations of TV viewers a creative legacy whose technical brilliance and inspiring creative sweep has become an enduring and integral part of our popular culture. From the child-like innocence of 'The Adventures of Twizzle' and 'Torchy the Battery Boy' to the epic excitement of ‘Stingray’, 'Thunderbirds', ‘Captain Scarlet', ‘Joe 90’, ‘UFO’ and ‘Space: 1999’, the musical ability of Barry Gray has subtly enriched the history of both the entertainment media, and our own personal recollections.

The one element that links all these programmes is one of Britain’s, and indeed the world’s most famous television producers: Gerry Anderson. Over a period of eighteen years Barry Gray scored music for a total of twelve of his television series, and four feature films. Gerry Anderson will be attending the concert as guest of honour, along with members of Barry’s family.

The programme will be performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra, which was founded in 1945 primarily as a recording orchestra, and is resident at Southbank Centre. It is made up of more than eighty musicians giving around forty concerts in London and over sixty concerts a year at its residencies and other venues around the UK. It is the world’s most recorded orchestra with over a thousand releases to its credit. Guest musicians will include composer-pianist Crispin Merrell (‘Space Precinct’, ‘Lavender Castle’ and ‘New Captain Scarlet’), Hammond organ player Harry Stoneham (‘UFO’) and from Paris, Pascale Rousse-Lacordaire (ondes Martenot).

Compere for the evening will be one of the country’s best known and highly respected actors: Brian Blessed. Brian has featured in three Gerry Anderson productions. He was the lead in ‘Into Infinity: The Day After Tomorrow’ and guest-starred in two episodes of ‘Space: 1999’. Brian’s more recent work has included his roles of ‘Duke Frederick / Duke Senior’ in Kenneth Branagh’s film version of ‘As You Like It’. He has also filmed a guest role in ‘The Royal’ for ITV. Other recent work includes his role of ‘Cardinal Piccolomini’ in the feature film ‘The Conclave’ and ‘Lord Francisco del Ruiz’ in ‘Day of Wrath’.

Ralph Titterton, restorer of the Barry Gray archive, co-producer of the Barry Gray original soundtrack CDs, Cathy Ford, Barry Gray librarian; researcher and biographer, and film composer and conductor Francois Evans have joined together to produce a concert to celebrate the centenary of Barry Gray’s birth. A percentage of gross income from the concert will be donated to the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, registered charity number 1099660. In 1979 Barry Gray was invited to arrange and guest-conduct some ten minutes of his own compositions for the annual ‘Filmharmonic’ Concert of Film Music, the proceeds of which benefited the Cinema & Television Benevolent Fund. The organizers of this special evening felt it fitting to continue Barry Gray’s association with this Charity.

’Providing care behind the scenes’, the CTBF is the trade charity of the British film, cinema and commercial television industries including cable and satellite. It encourages the next generation by supporting young talent, welfare services for those who have fallen on hard times, owns and manages its own residential care home: Glebelands, which aims to provide comfortable accommodation in a caring environment set in its own grounds.

Tickets:
Tickets can be obtained from either Southbank Centre’s ticket office Tel. 0871 663 2500, or online at: www.southbankcentre.co.uk priced from £10.00 - £45.00, concessions 50% off (limited availability).

New online Quicktime videos, advertising the event, are available to view.

2’05 Promotional Concert Video:
• http://www.barrygray.co.uk/video/parker_announces_bgcc.mov



3’06 Mini Documentary on Composer Barry Gray (1908-1984):
• http://www.barrygray.co.uk/video/barry_gray_musical_maestro.mov

• For updates on the concert see: www.barrygray.co.uk/events.htm