Symmetries in Sound – Ensemble 360 (Upper Chapel, Sheffield)

Musical mirrors, patterns, and playful structure in a striking evening concert

Symmetries in Sound is a thought-provoking and beautifully crafted concert from Ensemble 360, exploring how composers across centuries have used symmetry, reflection, and musical games to create works of remarkable imagination and depth.

Presented in the resonant setting of Sheffield’s historic Upper Chapel, this evening forms part of Music in the Round Sheffield’s Percussion, Pattern & Primes weekend.

The programme

The concert brings together music that quite literally reflects, reverses, and mirrors itself:

• Guillaume de Machaut – Ma fin est mon commencement (arr. for trio)
  A medieval marvel performed forwards and then backwards.

• Oliver Picforth – In Nomine (arr. for chamber ensemble)

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (attrib.) – Der Spiegel
  A witty piece where two violinists read the same music — one upright, the other upside-down.

• John Cage – Music of Changes, Book One

• Arvo Pärt – Spiegel im Spiegel
  A serene meditation on reflection and stillness.

• Claude Debussy – Reflets dans l’eau
  An impressionistic sound-world of shimmering musical reflections.

• Béla Bartók – String Quartet No.4
  A masterpiece of musical architecture, structured as a perfect arch.

Together, these works reveal how composers have long delighted in musical symmetry — from medieval puzzles to 20th-century modernism.

Why this concert stands out

• A rare chance to hear concept-driven programming brought vividly to life

• A blend of early music, modern classics, and bold contemporary ideas

• Performed by one of Sheffield’s most celebrated chamber ensembles

Booking offers

This concert is part of the Music in the Round Sheffield series:

• Save 20% when booking 10 or more concerts in one transaction

• Save 10% when booking 5 or more concerts in one transaction

🎟 Tickets & full details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/symmetries-in-sound