The Colin Currie Group

Led by Colin Currie, this hand-picked ensemble was formed in 2006 for a performance of Drumming at the BBC Proms to celebrate the 70th birthday of Steve Reich. The Colin Currie Group has since performed Drumming and other Reich works around the world, and in recent years has expanded their repertoire to include Mark-Anthony Turnage, Steve Martland, Guillaume Connesson and Iannis Xenakis. They made their concertante debut at the 2019 Edinburgh International Festival performing Sofia Gubaidulina’s Glorious Percussion with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

In 2014, Colin Currie Group premiered Quartet at the Southbank Centre in London, the first in a collection of works written for them by Steve Reich. A major highlight of recent seasons is the critically acclaimed world premiere of Reich Traveler’s Prayer in 2021, which they toured to The Concertgebouw, Royal Festival Hall, Philharmonie de Paris, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Carnegie Hall, Cal Performances and Tokyo Opera City.

In the 2026/27 season, the Group will celebrate Steve Reich’s 90th birthday, giving the world premiere of In All Your Ways at the Edinburgh International Festival, written by Reich to mark this anniversary. The work is co-commissioned by NTR Zaterdag Matinee, The Barbican, Philharmonie de Paris and Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, with further performances still to be announced.

The Group

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Colin Currie

Conductor / Percussion

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George Barton

Percussion

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Emma Burgess

Clarinet

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Clio Gould

Violin

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Owen Gunnell

Percussion

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Michelle Hromin

Clarinet

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Catherine Ring

Percussion

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Adrian Spillett

Percussion

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Sam Walton

Percussion

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Siwan Rhys

Piano

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Rowland Sutherland

Flute

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Helen Whitaker

Flute

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Jonathan Morton

Violin

In other highlights of the 2026/27 season, Colin Currie Group will return to the BBC Proms performing Reich’s Tehillim, a work they also perform at Oxford’s Schwarzmann Centre. The Glasshouse will host a major weekend celebration of Steve Reich in October 2026, which has been curated by Colin Currie and features the Group performing two programmes including Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ and Music for 18 Musicians. This piece will also feature on their programme at Philharmonie Luxembourg, where the Group make their debut this season.

Colin Currie Group recently released their latest album on Colin Currie Records, Steve Reich: The Sextets, which brings together Reich’s complete works for sextet forces onto a single album for the first time. Previous releases on the label include Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians (2023), Live at Fondation Louis Vuitton (2019) and the highly successful debut album Drumming (2018). Colin Currie Group has also released recordings of Quartet and Traveler’s Prayer on Nonesuch.

In April 2026, the Group debuted an exciting new programme at Kings Place, celebrating the music of Steve Martland, who was a mentor and friend of Currie. The programme features revivals of Martland’s band music, bringing onboard some original members of the Steve Martland Band.

The Colin Currie Group has performed at major halls and festivals worldwide including London’s Southbank Centre, Shanghai MISA Festival, Esplanade Concert Hall Singapore, Paris Cité de la Musique, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Cologne Philharmonie, Rotterdam De Doelen, Helsinki Festival, Macau Festival, Saffron Hall, Barbican Centre, Bold Tendencies and the Società del Quartetto di Milano.

Read the full Colin Currie Group official biography → here.

Press Quotes

Bachtrack

"And in that brief silence between the final chord and ensuing rapturous applause, one realized that Colin Currie and his ensemble had woven their magic upon Reich's music once more, bringing magic and mystique to Drumming’s richly coloured surfaces."

— Bachtrack —

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Gramophone Editor's Choice

"Steve Reich’s structural ingenuity throughout these works is embraced with style, precision and musicality by the Colin Currie Group."

— Gramophone Editor's Choice —

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Guardian

"The performance was technically impeccable and musically overwhelming; richly deserving of the lengthy standing ovation."

— Guardian —

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Independent

"Held together by eye contact, ear contact, intimate understanding of the score and collective breathing, the performance was both aurally and visually exciting – a work of art and also one of craft at its most disciplined and alert."

— Independent —

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Gramophone Editor's Choice

"The extraordinary control that Steve Reich’s fascinating work requires, is matched by exquisite musicality from Colin Currie and colleagues – the result is a sublime and reflective recording. … impeccable musicianship and collective musical understanding is evident throughout."

— Gramophone Editor's Choice —

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Daily Telegraph

"The performances, led by Currie, seemed exemplary. Each performance worked like a well-oiled machine, the players appearing to stroll from one instrument to the next."

— Telegraph —

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