Britten as a Boy Statue © Ian Rank-Broadley / Photo: Harry Scott
Lowestoft is the birthplace of renowned composer Benjamin Britten, where he learnt the viola and took inspiration from the North Sea for his compositions. Harriet McKenzie and ensemble celebrate Britten, his inspirations and those who were influenced by him, with works that nod to his early music teachers – Frank Bridge and Audrey Alston, as well as by Arvo Part and Deborah Pritchard.
Presented by Zeb Soanes, this Sea Change event will also mark the installation late last year of the Britten as a Boy statue on Lowestoft’s upper promenade within sight of his family home.
Programme:
Light – Deborah Pritchard (solo violin) inspired by Maggi Hambling, her paintings and her affinity with Benjamin Britten
Cantus in Memorium Benjamin Britten – Arvo Part – written to show Part’s great admiration for Britten, as an elegy to mourn the composer after his death in 1976.
Romance – Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge – Benjamin Britten’s salute to his most influential teacher.
Lark Ascending – Vaughan Williams –one of Britain’s most loved pieces, marking Vaughan William’s and Britten’s shared history at the Royal College of Music and many shared connections as well as Vaughan William’s part in establishing Britten as a serious international force in composition, which then Britten continued to grow and define.
Simple Symphony – Benjamin Britten –entirely based on works for the piano which Britten wrote as between the ages of 9 and 12 while he lived in Lowestoft, Simple Symphony is dedicated to Audrey Alston (Mrs Lincolne Sutton), Britten’s viola teacher during his childhood. It chimes with the new statue of Britten as a child and his growth as a composer.
Harriet Mackenzie is an internationally renowned concerto soloist and has performed across five continents. Her recordings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orchestra Nova and the English Symphony Orchestra have received international acclaim, including Five Stars in The Times, ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone Magazine and a nomination for ‘Recording of the Year’ in Music Web International. A dedicated ambassador for contemporary music, over a hundred works have been written for her and performances in major concert halls worldwide.
Zeb Soanes was born and raised in Lowestoft, before becoming an actor, BBC newsreader and radio presenter. Currently hosting Relaxing Evenings with Zeb Soanes on Classic FM, Zeb is also the Chancellor of the University of Suffolk. Zeb was one of driving forces behind the commission, funding and installation of the Britten as a Boy statue.
Britten as a Boy statue was unveiled in November 2025 by Sir John Rutter CBE. Find out more on: https://www.brittenasaboy.com/