Manchester Collective: Neon

As the sun starts to dip below the horizon, our cities change. This nocturnal world, this neon world, is a place of mystery where anything is possible.

Built around Steve Reich’s monumental Double Sextet, Manchester Collective’s new show interrogates the darker side of our urban dreams, evoking the intrigue and momentum of sleepless nights and crowded streets. Fast. Slow. Fast. Keep up. Don’t be late.

A pair of new music commissions lie at the heart of this programme. Hannah Peel’s titular ‘Neon’ fuses layers of live electronics and field recordings from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo with acoustic performances, whilst Berlin-based artist Lyra Pramuk presents her first major work for chamber ensemble – a meditation on feelings of disconnection and grief.

Known for their experimental programming and daring collaborations, Manchester Collective perform a combination of cutting-edge contemporary music, classical masterpieces and staged work in venues ranging from concert halls to warehouses, nightclubs to festivals.