Wintering is about stillness — about the quiet strength that comes from pausing, reflecting, and embracing life’s fallow periods.
But it also asks what stillness means in a world that rarely stops — a world of noise, motion, and endless striving.
Inspired by Katherine May’s beautiful book of the same name, this new work explores how we might find space to rest, listen, and renew.
On 22 Nov at @wigmore_hall Wintering begins its journey with @manchestercollective and @marianconsort .
One month to go. ❄️
Link in bio
#Wintering #NewMusic #ComposerLife #ManchesterCollective #TheMarianConsort #WigmoreHall #Premiere #ContemporaryClassical #ModernClassical #KatherineMay #WinteringTour #MusicOfStillness #CreativeProcess #Reflection #Renewal
Home to seven earth-sized planets — three of them in the habitable zone — TRAPPIST-1 is one of the most exciting systems in exoplanet science. But when 1b, 1c, and 1d were confirmed to have no atmospheres, attention shifted to 1e. Could this one be different?
In her movement of the Exoplanets suite, composer @_samfernando_ explores that question with music that breaks through the haze of that elusive atmosphere, evoking a planet perpetually split between light and darkness.
This video features score animation by @a440.live who we've partnered with to provide a digital concert companion to The Exoplanets! Check out the link in our bio.
Special thanks to Dr Ruth Angus (Associate Curator of Astrophysics, @amnh ) 🙏
13 March | @hackneyempire
Hosted by @robinince1969 and Prof. @jen_gupta
🔗 in bio
📽 Includes footage taken by @benhigginsondirects and hypothetical visualisations of the TRAPPIST-1 system from NASA's Strange New Worlds gallery
Chiharu Shioto & Yin Xiuzhen, Hayward Gallery. I went on a whim and by chance I arrived at the start of Yung Ma's last tour for this exhibition (senior curator). I wasn't familiar with Yin Xiuzhen's work so this was a helpful way in.
The Wintering Tour was a career highlight for me. Here are some photos from the tour as well as a short snippet from an interview I did on BBC Radio 4 World at One. The full interview with the wonderful author Katherine May can be heard on BBC Sounds, from 39'24'', link in bio. The interview is available until 27th December 2025. The music heard on the interview was taken from the Manchester performance at Stoller Hall.
Performers: Manchester Collective and the Marian Consort.
Manchester photo credit: Chris Payne
Last portrait photo credit: Mike Shelton
Wintering was commissioned by the Wigmore Hall.
#contemporarymusic #wintering #creativeprocess #newmusic #manchestercollective #composer #winteringtour
🧘 Our busy minds and lives make it hard to focus inwards sometimes…
While nature is slowing down, many of us are rushing around before the holidays. But writer @katherinemay_ suggests in her book Wintering that we should use fallow periods – both in nature and in our personal lives – as a moment to rest.
@_samfernando_ ’s piece takes inspiration from this book, while also acknowledging winding down can take some effort!
Our tour continues:
03.12 York @yorkconcerts
05.12 Bristol @bristol_beacon SOLD OUT
🎫 Tickets in bio
Performing Wintering continues to be a deeply special journey. Thank you to everyone who joined us last night in Manchester, listened so intently, and filled @stollerhall with such generosity. Nights like these remind us why we make music. 🙏🏻
4 more concerts to go in Leeds, Liverpool, York and Bristol (already sold out!). If you’re nearby, we’d love to share this music with you. ❄
28 Nov – Leeds – @operanorth
29 Nov – Liverpool – @thetungauditorium
3 Dec – York – @yorkconcerts
5 Dec – Bristol – @bristol_beacon – SOLD OUT
Tickets via link in bio.
Photo: Chris Payne
Slow down during the busiest time of year 🧘 In our hectic world, we often ignore the signs our body and the nature give us to take it easy.
Inspired by the bestselling book by @katherinemay_ , composer Samantha Fernando explores the idea of finding rest during dark days in a new piece for Manchester Collective and the Marian Consort ❄️
Hear it live at:
22.11 London @wigmore_hall
27.11 Manchester @stollerhall
28.11 Leeds @howardassemblyroom
29.11 Liverpool @thetungauditorium
03.12 York @yorkconcerts
05.12 Bristol @bristol_beacon SOLD OUT
🎫 Tickets via the link in bio
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🎥 Video by @mikeskelton_ with footage from Broaden, Jessie Rodger and Tom Mungall.
‘Wintering’ by Samantha Fernando is commissioned by Wigmore Hall with the support of the Marchus Trust and the Wigmore Hall Endowment Fund
