Author Archive

Announcing Trinity Laban’s Julian Bream room

Posted 26 July 2024 Comments are disabled

Trinity Laban’s new Julian Bream Room opened this month, thanks to the friendship and generosity of The Julian Bream Trust.

Trinity Laban’s Head of Guitar, Graham Devine, and the eminent guitarist, John Mills (a trustee of the Julian Bream Trust), cut the ribbon and welcomed guests to the newly refurbished guitar teaching room. The walls are now adorned with Bream’s platinum discs, and there is a special cabinet containing his guitar, lute and other memorabilia.

We are hugely grateful to the Trust for making this possible. In addition, we are thankful for support from Julian’s estate which has provided two new bespoke guitars for students of our Strings Department.

Julian Bream was one of the greatest maestros of classical guitar. He was an internationally celebrated English guitarist and lutenist who inspired great interest in the Renaissance lute. In 2018, he donated a large collection from his personal music library to our onsite Jerwood Library. The scores in the collection reflect every aspect of his long career as one of the world’s greatest guitar players, and many items contain an abundance of markings from his performances and recordings of the pieces.

Julian died in 2020. Trinity Laban has been working closely with the Executors of his estate and this will mean that more unique items and documents relating to Julian’s long career will shortly be added to the collection.

Trinity Laban’s Head of Guitar, Graham Devine, said: “This room is a wonderful tribute to Julian Bream, commemorating his brilliant character and exceptional musicianship. This is a great moment for Trinity Laban and a dream come true for us.”

Leon Bosch awarded 2024 Cobbett Medal for Services to Chamber Music

Posted 19 July 2024 Comments are disabled

The Worshipful Company of Musicians has awarded its 2024 William Willson Cobbett Medal for services to chamber music to celebrated musician and Trinity Laban Professor of Double Bass Leon Bosch. He will be the first double bass player to be so honoured since the medal was first awarded in 1924.

The British virtuoso is the first double bassist and Black musician to receive the medal in the award’s 100 year history.

Leon Bosch is artistic director of I Musicanti, a mixed instrument ensemble comprising some of the most experienced and respected musicians in the UK. Since its formation in 2016, I Musicanti has appeared in concert series at Kings Place, Wigmore Hall, St Johns Smith Square, Conway Hall and in concerts and festivals around the UK. In 2017, Bosch established the Ubuntu Ensemble, which comprises fellow South Africa-born musicians now based in the UK.

Throughout his career, Leon Bosch has performed chamber music in duo partnerships, notably with John Thwaites, Sung-Suk Kang and his current duo partner, Rebeca Omordia. His many duo recordings, principally for Meridian Records, include surveys of British, South African, Russian and Hungarian double bass music as well as portraits of Giovanni Bottesini, Allan Stephenson and two Catalan virtuosos, Pedro Valls and Josep Cervera.

To further support his commitment to the dissemination of music for double bass, Leon Bosch set up I Musicanti Publishing. Editions in the catalogue include a number of Cervera’s works, the manuscripts for which Bosch was instrumental in locating and bringing to light.

Leon has a long history of chamber music guest collaborations with musicians of the highest calibre dating back to his student days. Other collaborations include with the Lindsay, Brodsky and Belcea string quartets, as well as with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, with whom he was principal double bass from 1995 until 2014. He has also appeared as a concerto soloist with internationally renowned orchestras and conductors, having made his solo debut with the Philharmonia orchestra under Antony Beaumont in 1984.

Born in Cape Town, Leon Bosch began studying the double bass as a music student at the University of Cape Town, having enrolled as a cellist. He had initially hoped to study law but, having been imprisoned as a youth for anti-apartheid activities, was prevented from doing so by apartheid authorities. On graduating, he moved to Manchester to study for the PPRNCM Diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music. He became a British citizen in 2000.

As well as pursuing his activities as soloist and chamber musician around the world, he is in demand internationally as conductor, ensemble director and teacher. He also has a master’s degree in Intelligence and International Relations from Salford University.

Leon Bosch says: “I am both honoured and gratified to receive this medal, not only because of the long history of illustrious previous recipients but also because chamber music has been a central part of my musical life throughout my career – I can remember as a student playing with the Amadeus Quartet and making my first appearance at Wigmore Hall with Maria Joao Pires. I have long believed that chamber music offers the ideal possibility for musicians to express themselves with total artistic freedom, and is one of the ideal ways that classical music has for sharing that sense of freedom with audiences and colleagues alike.”

Battle of the Bands at Blackheath Halls

Posted 15 July 2024 Comments are disabled

Trinity Laban’s inaugural Battle of the Bands for young musicians took place on 9 July with a huge diversity of talent on show, spanning genres from R&B to metal. Each band presented one cover song and one original composition on the main stage at Blackheath Halls, compered expertly by recent BA Music Performance and Industry graduate Leon Tilbrook, who also performed.

First on, and highly commended by the panel, were the aptly named Rock Band One from Lewisham Music. They opened the night with a confident performance of ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ by Panic! At The Disco and impressed the judges with tight vocal harmonies and onstage rapport. The first half continued with a beautifully sung R&B duet from Platanos College, fantastic stage presence and songwriting from Leigh Academy Blackheath, and well-arranged call and response vocals from Deptford Green School.

The second half was kicked off in epic style by bands from Sedgehill Academy: rock trio Spitflame in Year 10, and the appropriately named Mellow in Year 9. The cover version choices were particular crowd favourites here, with a surprise choice of ‘Careless Whisper’ followed by TLC’s ‘No Scrubs’. Lewisham Music band Red Box followed up with a classic indie guitar set.

After seven fantastic performances, the panel – chaired by Joe Townsend, Head of BA Music Performance & Industry, along with legendary bassist Yolanda Charles and Rudimental member Mark Crown – selected Spitflame as the winner. The band will visit Trinity Laban in the Autumn for a day of expert coaching and studio recording.

This event was part of Trinity Laban’s extensive programme for children and young people, in partnership with the BA Music Performance and Industry programme.

Image Credit: John Williams

The Bolling Trio named winners of The Carne Chamber Music Competition 2024

Posted 11 July 2024 Comments are disabled

Congratulations to The Bolling Trio, who won the third Carne Chamber Music Competition on Monday 1 July with their magnificent performance in the final at Conway Hall. This high-profile chamber music prize is delivered by Trinity Laban with generous support from Philip Carne MBE.

The competition final was adjudicated by violinist and broadcaster Tasmin Little CBE; Meurig Bowen, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Britten Sinfonia; and Dr Aleksander Szram, Trinity Laban’s Director of Music, in front of a live audience.

Following the preliminary rounds in March, the final saw four exceptional ensembles – The Bolling Trio, The New Eden Consort, The Mozaika Trio, and Amphion Brass – compete for a share of the £4000 prize fund.

The Bolling Trio was named as the winner, and Amphion Brass as runners-up.

The Bolling Trio are current Trinity Laban students Ethan Windle (fourth year, BMus), Raymond Yiu (Artist Diploma), and Catriona Bourne (postgraduate flute performance). They first formed to compete in the 2022 Carne Chamber Music Competition, where they performed Bolling’s Suite No. 1 for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio at St John’s Smith Square. They have since continued to perform together in numerous concerts both in and out of London, from St. James’ Piccadilly to Famington Farm in South Warwickshire. They have commissioned and premiered new works by composers such as Asha Parkinson and Trinity Laban alumni Nathen Durasamy. They are grateful to be supported in their activities by the Colin Blythe Award.

Amphion Brass, winners of the 2024 Philip Jones Brass Ensemble Competition, is a brass quintet based in Greenwich. Comprising five dedicated young musicians studying at Trinity Laban, the quintet was established in September 2021 and has since delved into the repertoire of brass chamber music, embracing works from Bach and Ewald to Arnold and Bourgeois. They have performed at various venues including St John’s Smith Square, Southwark Cathedral and St Alfege’s Church as well as performing across Greenwich, Blackheath, and all the way down to Dover. Their notable engagements include performing at the processions and recessions of Trinity Laban’s 2023 graduation ceremony and representing the conservatoire at the Philip Jones Brass Spectacular in 2024.

Chamber music is a central focus of training at Trinity Laban. Music students receive frequent coaching led by the internationally acclaimed staff, many of whom perform in the country’s leading ensembles. Each term instrumentalists also have the chance to work with The Carne Ensembles in Residence: the Carducci Quartet and the Linos Piano Trio.

In addition to structured chamber music, students are also encouraged to create their own opportunities and can showcase their talents in venues such as St Martin-In-The-Fields, Wigmore Hall, St James’s Piccadilly and The Old Royal Naval College Chapel.

The six Innovation Award winners sit on the floor in a row.

Announcing our 2024 Innovation Award winners

Posted 4 July 2024 Comments are disabled

A huge congratulations to the winners of our 2024 Innovation Award: Hope O’Brien, Caitlin Howe, Harshita Parekh, Alessandra Felci, Kornélia Nemcová, and Shannon Hill.

The Innovation Award is an exciting opportunity for final-year undergraduates to pitch an idea for an original project. We support successful candidates to turn their idea into a reality by providing funding, mentoring from Trinity Laban alumni, and expert guidance from industry professionals.

Launched in 2019 and open to all final-year undergraduate students at Trinity Laban, the competition provides a unique opportunity for emerging artists to access professional development support as they establish themselves within one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK economy. Made possible by The Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), each winning project receives an award of up to £4,000 to use on development, and will benefit from a specially tailored mentorship programme.

Find out more about the winners, their projects, and their mentors below.

Winners:

Hope O’Brien and Caitlin Howe (Eye to Eye)

Hope O’Brien and Caitlin Howe are in their final year of the BA in Contemporary Dance and have formed the collective Eye to Eye. It aims to create interdisciplinary art, derived from research around social issues, particularly through a queer feminist lens. Working across dance, textiles, fine art and poetry, the collective believes a multimedia approach can build informative projects that speak to the complexity of human experiences. They want to utilise this range of skills to create safe spaces and open up conversations about challenging topics. Eye to Eye will be utilising the Trinity Laban Innovation Award to build a multimedia collection of research about consent.

Hope and Caitlin say: “We are excited to begin creating our Consent Event, this work is very necessary, and we are incredibly proud to have the support of Trinity Laban to make it happen.”

Harshita Parekh

Harshita Parekh, a British- Indian classical pianist, started her musical journey at the age of 8, under the guidance of Yuriy Chubarenko and is currently under the tutelage of Alexander Ardakov. Harshita is the founder of BM Piano & Music Theory Lessons, a practice which has been running for almost five years. Coming from a background where studying music is not common practice, she continues to introduce students to the journey of piano playing.

Alongside her studies, Harshita’s work focuses on exploring connections between classical piano and Bollywood music. Her project, ‘Bollywood at the Piano’ – Bach, Beethoven and Bollywood!, aims to explore how Bollywood music can be performed in classical settings and provide a new perspective on the piano.

Harshita says: “I feel very honoured and privileged to receive this year’s Innovation Award in a project which has been a vision for many years. I am grateful and excited to receive mentorship and recognition to start this new journey.”

Alessandra Felci

Alessandra Felci is an Italian-Swiss dancer and artist who discovered her passion for dance at the age of 7. She had the opportunity to train at the Accademia Ucraina di Balletto in Milan and later at the Ashkenazy Ballet Centre in Switzerland, where she passionately performed in ballet performances and international competitions. In addition to her dance journey, she also attended the linguistic high school and graduated with top marks. She continued her dance studies at Trinity Laban, where she received a scholarship for admission. Here, she developed and is still developing my technical ability, performance skills, and choreography, and she has begun to grow her artistic voice. In the last three years, she has had the opportunity to share her own creative work and perform on a variety of occasions. Finally, starting in September 2024, she is very enthusiastic about joining the company MA Emergence for which she has been selected. Her project is called Dance Has No Age.

Alessandra says: “Winning the Innovation Award fills me with immense pride and excitement. As a creative, I feel grateful for this opportunity and for the people who believe in me and will help me bring my project to life. This recognition energizes me to continue striving for excellence and pushing for more creativity.”

Kornélia Nemcová

Kornélia Nemcová is a London-based composer and musician from Slovakia. Her work often involves multidisciplinary collaborations, while aiming to bring about awareness of social issues and groups who are otherwise overlooked. The Stories of the Silent Voices project series will highlight music and art for social change, incorporating direct journalism and research from subject matter experts. The first one is premiering soon: A Woman’s War is a performance about the untold stories of Ukrainian women who had to flee Ukraine after the full-scale invasion of 2022, that directly incorporates spoken accounts acquired from interviews.

Kornélia says: “The transition into industry after university is tough for any artist. The Innovation Award smoothens that transition, while allowing me to tackle more ambitious, professional and impactful projects.”

Shannon Hill

Shannon Mairead Hill is a multidisciplinary artist. She has a strong passion for dance, circus, and bringing about constructive change in the larger creative industry. The project Atypical Creative has a specific interest in bridging the gap in the transition, from student to professional life. The main objective will be to help students become more confident, experienced, and educated about the evolving creative industries. While also providing them with the chance to interact in person, exchange knowledge and first-hand experience with one another. She plans to use the innovation award to host multiple events aimed at encouraging students in building their careers whilst still in education.

Shannon says: “I consider myself incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and to provide something that I think will help future generations of creatives. I am very excited, huge thanks to Trinity Laban for your support!”

Mentors

Becky Dell

Becky Dell is the Conductor and Co-Founder of the Citizens of the World Choir, the UK’s leading refugees and allies choir. The choir has performed at Glastonbury Festival, regularly on the BBC, at Buckingham Palace for the Platinum Party at the Palace (winning a BAFTA for Best Live Event), The Royal Opera House and on the Great British Bake Off. She also runs a Music Academy in Blackheath and Greenwich and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Kate Scanlan

Kate is a Creative Producer working in the cultural sector since 1998. She has a track record of producing pioneering projects and curating transformative events with artists, young people and communities.

She is the Founder of Scanners’ Inc, a creative non-profit that creates connection in public spaces through culture, retail partnerships and the arts. Events like The Bridge, Popin’ Pete’s Pop Shop, Sofa Sessions and Fit Street bring people together and create joy. In a time when we’re lonelier than ever, this work boost mental health, provides positive intergenerational activity and makes a positive economic impact.

Kate is joint Creative Director/CEO of East London Dance with Tia Hassan, and together they have been Creative Directors for MOVE IT for nine years. She has also producer for Breakin’ Convention, Fuel, Sadler’s Wells, Battersea Power Station, Studio Wayne McGregor: Random Dance, EcoWorld London, Rambert, Lendlease Elephant Park, Croydon Council, English National Opera and others. Kate is a Clore Fellow and gives guest lectures at a range of organisations including Goldsmiths, Ravensbourne, UEL, Swindon Dance, Matthew Bournes’ Re:Bourne and for Shechter II.

Roswitha Chesher

Roswitha is an award winning director and film maker and has had many films and installations screened extensively both nationally and internationally, at various venues and film festivals. Her most recent collaboration with choreographer Rosemary Lee, a seven screen installation ‘Orchard Portraits’, was recently on show at Limerick City Art Gallery.

Originally trained as a dancer and choreographer, she enjoys bringing that knowledge to her work in all aspects of film making. Looking, watching and giving contributors time and space, capturing, editing and framing their presence. Roswitha has had the wonderful opportunity of collaborating with a really diverse mix of contributors and artists and enjoys the richness that this brings to her work.

Luke Birch

Luke began training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and completed his BA Hons degree at Trinity Laban. In 2009, he joined post graduate dance company Edge at London Contemporary Dance School. Professionally, he has performed for a variety of companies (Punchdrunk, Flexer and Sandiland, Janine Harrington) internationally alongside working with visual artists performing in galleries (Tate, Hayward Gallery). His choreographic work has been shown at Canterbury Festival, Saddlers Wells (Damn Fine Dance at Elixir Festival), The Place, Siobhan Davies Studios, Move it 2016 and Arts Depot. His most recent work commissioned by Loop Dance Company is currently touring the UK. Luke also has a passion for teaching and has delivered classes and workshops with Greenwich Dance, The Place, Independent Dance, Laban, London Studio Centre, Salzburg Academy of Experimental Dance, Shobana Jeyasingh and Candoco.

Celebrating the successes of our inspiring harp alumni

Posted 3 July 2024 Comments are disabled

Congratulations to Trinity Laban alumni harpists Juan Antonio García Díaz and Noelia Cotuna on their recent orchestral successes.

Juan Antonio García Díaz, who graduated from Trinity Laban with a MMus and Artist Diploma, has recently been appointed as Principal Harpist of the celebrated Essener Philharmoniker, the main symphony and opera orchestra of the city of Essen. Founded in 1899, the orchestra enjoys an excellent international reputation with regular guest appearances at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and the International Dvořák Festival under the baton of Principal Conductor Andrea Sanguineti. In addition to regular opera services at the Aalto Theater, the Essener Philharmoniker performs in more than 30 concerts per season: symphony concerts at the Philharmonie Essen as well as children’s and youth concerts and their own chamber concert series. The orchestra can also be seen and heard on tour: in the Semper Opera House at the Dresden Music Festival, at the Penderecki Festival in Zabrze and Krakow, at the Richard Strauss Festival in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and in the Frauenkirche in Dresden.

Reflecting on the appointment, Juan said: “The day I received the news of successfully passing my trial in the orchestra, I felt a very surreal feeling of relief and joy. I have dreamt of becoming a member of a professional orchestra since as long as I can remember. Now that I have accomplished it, I can only say thank you to all the people who helped me get to where I have arrived, especially to dearest Gabriella Dall’Olio and Frances Kelly, who helped me become the musician and harpist that I am today during my three years at Trinity Laban.”

Noelia Cotuna, who graduated from Trinity Laban with a first class BMus (Hons), has won the audition for post of Principal Harp at the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana – Palau de les Arts Valencia. While studying at Trinity Laban, Noelia won several solo competitions and the prestigious soloist Competition with Renié Concerto, and immediately after became a member of the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker (2019-2022). Noelia finished an MMus in Solo Performance at the Universität der Künste in Berlin in 2023 and she is currently at the Academy of the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Noelia stated: “I am still in disbelief at the news, but I am so excited to join the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana and to start my trial period in the coming months! I really look forward to playing alongside their many fantastic musicians and working with such a versatile ensemble that performs a wide range of opera, symphonic, zarzuela and ballet repertoire each season in the beautiful house of Palau de les Arts in Valencia. I am incredibly grateful to all my family, friends and teachers for their unwavering support, and in a special way to my wonderful Professor Gabriella Dall’Olio, Frances Kelly, Head of Strings Nic Pendlebury for all their help and guidance, and to all the generous donors that made my studies at Trinity Laban possible.”

Image credit: Daniel Delang (for Noelia’s photo), Björn Hickmann (for Juan’s photo)

Sir Wayne McGregor CBE receives a Knighthood for pioneering contributions to dance

Posted 21 June 2024 Comments are disabled

Trinity Laban proudly celebrates Sir Wayne McGregor CBE, who has been awarded a Knighthood in this year’s Birthday Honours List for his outstanding services to the field of dance.

His Majesty the King has awarded a Knighthood to world-renowned choreographer and director Wayne McGregor in recognition of his trailblazing innovations in performance that have radically redefined the world of contemporary dance. His work continues to inspire and challenge, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the creative arts. Wayne joined the staff of Trinity Laban in September 2013 as a development of the partnership with Wayne McGregor | Random Dance. The Academic Board has conferred the title of Professor in recognition of his status as an eminent artist researcher of international distinction.

Wayne McGregor said in a statement: “I am very honoured to be offered a knighthood and grateful to all of the incredible people who have nurtured me for over 33 years in the art form I love – dance. Building a career in the arts, creative thinkers make a vital and significant contribution to public life and to the nation’s economy whilst experimenting, risk-taking and challenging convention. Recognising that the arts matter, this honour reminds us that every young person given access to culture and creative expression has the opportunity to fly.”

Wayne McGregor has directed and choreographed over 160 works throughout his 30 year career, including over forty works for Company Wayne McGregor, which he founded in 1993, and more than twenty works for The Royal Ballet where he has been Resident Choreographer since 2006. He also choreographed the revolutionary avatar concert ABBA Voyage in 2022.

More about Sir Wayne McGregor CBE

Wayne McGregor is a multi-award-winning British choreographer and director, internationally renowned for his physically testing choreography and groundbreaking collaborations across dance, film, music, visual art, technology and science. He is Artistic Director of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, Resident Company at Sadlerʼs Wells, and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet.

McGregor has created new works for Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, English National Ballet, NDT1, Rambert Dance Company among others. His works are also in the repertories of the leading ballet companies in the world including the Royal Danish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, the Bolshoi, Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Mariinsky Ballet. He has directed movement for theatre and film including Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire, and has choreographed music videos including the Grammy-nominated Lotus Flower video for Radiohead, and Ingenue for Atoms for Peace. He has also directed opera for La Scala, Milan and the Royal Opera House, London, and choreographed for plays, musicals, fashion shows and art galleries including site specific installations at the Hayward Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, National Gallery, Canary Wharf, Glastonbury, the Pompidou Centre and for Secret Cinema. In July 2012, he created a large-scale public dance work with 1000 performers, Big Dance Trafalgar Square, part of London 2012 Festival in celebration of the London Olympic Games.

McGregor’s work has earned him three Critics’ Circle Awards, two Time Out Awards, two South Bank Show Awards, two Olivier Awards, two prix Benois de la Danse and a Critics’ Prize at the Golden Mask Awards. In January 2011, McGregor was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for Services to Dance.

In 2017, he founded Studio Wayne McGregor at Here East, the first legacy arts building in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The same year, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the British Science Association. He became an Arts Foundation Ambassador in 2019, was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Prix de Lausanne in 2021, and received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in 2023. He is Professor of Choreography at Trinity Laban, President of Elmhurst Ballet School, Vice-President of The Roundhouse, and is part of the Circle of Cultural Fellow at King’s College London. Since 2021, he has also been Director of Dance for the prestigious Venice Biennale.

Professor Emma Redding receives MBE for services to dance

Posted 14 June 2024 Comments are disabled

A huge congratulations to Professor Emma Redding, who received her MBE for services to dance at Windsor Castle this Wednesday. Princess Anne bestowed the honour.

Originally trained as a dancer, Emma holds a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences from City University London, UK, an MSc in Sports Science from The University of Essex, UK and a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre from Trinity Laban.

Emma was Head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban until 2022 and is now Director of the Victorian College of the Arts (University of Melbourne). She wrote the first Master’s degree in Dance Science and has since played a key role in developing dance science as a recognised field of study through her research and teaching internationally, as a founding partner of the National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science and as member of the Board of Directors and Past President of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science.

She is on the Research Advisory Board of Help Musicians UK, serves on the editorial boards and review committees of national and international research journals and funding councils and is currently Associate Editor for two international academic journals. Emma also serves on advisory and expert panels and offers consultancy to other higher education institutions in Europe, Asia and the United States on curricula development.

BBC Symphony Orchestra at Trinity Laban

Posted 8 May 2024 Comments are disabled

Last week, our brass students participated in a fantastic masterclass with principals from the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Our trumpet and trombone students took part in two exceptional masterclasses with Helen Vollam, Philp Cobb, and Liz Burley (Principal Trombone, Principal Trumpet, and Principal Piano of the BBC Symphony Orchestra respectively). The students were also treated to a wonderful recital by the professional trio.

Helen Vollam, Principal Trombone of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, comments on the event: “It was great to work on some key aspects of brass playing with the enthusiastic Trinity Laban brass students in our trumpet and trombone masterclasses. Also, it was exciting to perform to them some of our brand new trio repertoire for trumpet, trombone and piano.”.

Kevin Ashman, Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Department Coordinator said: “It’s always a pleasure to welcome guest masterclass leaders to Trinity Laban. The recent visit by BBC Symphony Orchestra principals Philip Cobb (Trumpet), Helen Vollam (Trombone) and Liz Burley (Piano) was a truly memorable event. Philip and Helen spent time with a number of our trumpet and trombone students, with Liz accompanying them. Their insights and observations were so helpful and constructive, giving the students plenty to think about in terms of technical and musical ideas. They also added some valuable comments about working with an accompanist! The two masterclasses were separated by a recital of music for trumpet, trombone and piano that included the UK premiere of a work by composer Julia Simpson (who was present for the recital) along with a wide and varied range of repertoire that showcased the versatility and instrumental mastery that our guests possess!”

Trinity Laban extends its thanks to the BBC Symphony Orchestra musicians for their wonderful help and guidance.

About the BBC Symphony Orchestra

The BBC Symphony Orchestra has been at the heart of British musical life since it was founded in 1930. It plays a central role in the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, performing at the First and Last Nights, as well as throughout each Proms season. The BBC SO performs an annual season of concerts at the Barbican in London, where it is Associate Orchestra. Its commitment to contemporary music is demonstrated by a range of premieres each season, as well as Total Immersion days devoted to specific composers or themes.

Highlights of the 2022–23 season at the Barbican included Total Immersion days exploring the music of George Walker, Kaija Saariaho and Jean Sibelius, the last two led by Chief Conductor Sakari Oramo, who also conducted concerts showcasing the music of Grażyna Bacewicz. Principal Guest Conductor Dalia Stasevska conducted two concerts, one featuring Elgar’s Cello Concerto with cellist Sol Gabetta and a family concert celebrating the work of French animator Grégoire Pont.

A literary theme ran through the season, which included Neil Brand’s new version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles and the world premiere of Iain Bell’s Beowulf, with the BBC Symphony Chorus and with soloist Stuart Skelton. Ian McEwan, one of the most admired storytellers of our time, joined the orchestra to read from his own works, with music curated around his readings. The BBC Symphony Chorus also joined the BBC SO for Michael Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, under Conductor Laureate Sir Andrew Davis, with soloists including Pumeza Matshikiza and Dame Sarah Connolly. Among this season’s world and UK premieres were Victoria Borisova-Ollas’s Portrait of a Lady by Swan Lake, Kaija Saariaho’s Saarikoski Songs and Valerie Coleman’s Umoja (Anthem of Unity) conducted by Gemma New, and the season came to a close with the UK premiere of Joby Talbot’s opera Everest.

Blackheath Halls celebrates remarkable venue transformation

Posted 25 April 2024 Comments are disabled

Sir Bryn Terfel, the Blackheath Halls Youth Choir and TL Jazz students performed for HRH The Duke of Kent to celebrate the completion of Blackheath Halls’s remarkable renovation.

The enthusiasm and dedication to the arts in the community of Blackheath has meant that this year, Blackheath Halls has completed a project to redevelop and modernise the interior and exterior spaces of its beautiful Grade II listed building.

This work has transformed the venue into a more versatile, accessible and welcoming performance space to serve and inspire the local community who have helped fund the project. In 2018, it had the stage levelled, retractable raked seating bank installed, acoustics improved, and overall décor modernised whilst retaining the original barrel- vaulted ceiling. The Bar, Box Office and communal areas were also modernised, creating light and airy spaces.

During summer 2023, the exterior was transformed with new paving, stone benches and planting, providing an inviting spacious and open area for the local community as well as audiences visiting the venue. The outdated signage was replaced with a backlit pillar and digital totem display.

To improve accessibility, a lift to the more intimate The Hearn Recital Room was fitted, the entry ramp to the building resurfaced, and a bespoke stage lift installed for performers, community participants and students with access requirements. With the arts being one of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic and one still struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, this project is a real triumph of community commitment and passion.

As part of the oldest surviving purpose-built cultural complex in London, Blackheath Halls has a rich history dating back to its construction in 1895, funded by public subscription. Saved from demolition in the 1980s by the local community, this iconic venue has evolved into a vibrant hub for arts and culture. Since becoming part of Trinity College of Music’s estate in 2004, Blackheath Halls has flourished, hosting around a thousand events annually and attracting over 50,000 visitors. From classical music to folk, comedy, talks, literary events, and children’s theatre, the diverse program caters to all tastes. At the heart of their mission is community engagement, exemplified by initiatives like the annual Blackheath Halls Opera, Musical Theatre courses, choirs, and youth programs nurturing young talent from our local boroughs. Their esteemed reputation has also drawn renowned groups like the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and English National Opera, as well as the London International Festival of Early Music, all seeking the unparalleled acoustics of their spaces. Partnerships with parent company Trinity Laban and Greenwich and Lewisham Music Hubs further enrich their offerings, making Blackheath Halls a vital center for artistic collaboration and education.

The transformation has only been made possible by donations from the Friends and Patrons of the venue (the majority of whom are local residents) as well as a major donation from arts charity The Hearn Foundation, Arts Council England, Viridor Credits and others. To celebrate the completion of the project, HRH The Duke of Kent attended a special event on Wednesday 17 April attended by all those who donated to the project as well as local businesses, who enjoyed performances from Sir Bryn Terfel, the Blackheath Halls Youth Choir and jazz students from parent Trinity Laban.

Announcing Trinity Laban’s Summer Season 2024

Posted 22 April 2024 Comments are disabled

Trinity Laban presents an inspiring and innovative events programme for the Summer Season, celebrating new works and contemporary voices.

Running from May to July, our summer season takes Trinity Laban talent to venues across the UK to celebrate cutting-edge works and contemporary voices across different artforms. The season features a vibrant variety of performances – from festivals and contemporary operas to commissioned works and musicals – bringing audiences a mix of exciting programmes to look forward to.

APRIL

The Protecting Veil

Trinity Laban String Ensemble and Dancers present a staged production of John Tavener’s iconic work, featuring celebrated cellist and TL International Chair of Cello and Chamber Music, Raphael Wallfisch.

The Protecting Veil captures the cosmic power of the Mother of God. Her voice and life represented by the cello, which never stops singing throughout the performance. Told in eight continuous chapters depicting various moments of her life, this performance offers a visual representation of the mystic spirituality of Tavener’s work, speaking to the power of motherhood, the giving of life and its subsequent journey.

Songs on the Water

A free exhibition night of new songs written and performed by students on our BA in Music, Performance and Industry.

New Lights Festival

From 18 to 21 June, New Lights Festival will be taking over various venues in Greenwich for a celebration of contemporary piano music. As part of this festival, join us at Cutty Sark to hear new music for harp and ensemble with Trinity Laban.

Trinity Laban Contemporary Music Group presents the final of the Daryl Runswick Composition Competition alongside a new work; Concerto for Kraken harp (Placebo) by Dr Amir Konjani. The unusual and yet beautiful sea monster-like Kraken Harp designed by Konjani will take centre stage at Cutty Sark for the premiere of his new work for Kraken Harp and ensemble, with esteemed harp soloist Gabriella dall’Olio.

“The Kraken Harp was inspired by images of lilies, rib cages and an ancient Persian form of the harp called a Chang. One advantage of this design was that I could make each string/lever separate notes meaning that one could play Bb and B simultaneously in different octaves. The harp projects most of its notes through its wide tentacles, spatialising the field of sound to produce a kind of stereo” – Dr Amir Konjani.

MAY

BAMPI Changemaker Festival

Immerse yourself in creativity and originality by watching the annual BAMPI Changemaker Festival (Tue 28 May – Fri 31 May, Sat 1 June – Sun 2 June) at Blackheath Halls featuring students from all three years of the BAMPI Course including graduating students performing their recitals.

Spring Awakening

Showcasing their final performance on BA (Hons) Musical Theatre at Trinity Laban, third-year students perform Spring Awakening. Join a group of late nineteenth-century German students on their passage as they navigate teenage self-discovery and coming of age anxiety in a powerful celebration of youth and rebellion in the daring, remarkable production Spring Awakening (Fri 17 May & Sat 18 May).

The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Showcasing their final performance on the BA (Hons) Musical Theatre at Trinity Laban, third-year students perform Spelling Bee (Fri 24 May, Sat 25 May). An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. A riotous ride complete with audience participation, this bee is a delightful den of comedic genius.

JUNE

Trinity Laban Chamber Choir: Kaleidoscope

Alex Douglas leads a programme celebrating choral music by Black British composers (Thu 6 June), as part of Trinity Laban’s continuing Kaleidoscope initiative.

Trinity Laban Jazz Orchestra & The Duke Ellington Band: Kaleidoscope

Enjoy music from Trinity Laban Jazz graduates who, over the past decade, have reinvigorated the UK jazz scene and gained worldwide acclaim.

The programme (Mon 10 June), part of Trinity Laban’s Kaleidoscope initiative, includes a performance of Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown and Beige, an extended jazz work divided into three parts, recounting the historical journey of African Americans to the United States.

High School Musical

Disney Channel’s smash hit movie hits the stage live at Blackheath Halls! The ultimate teen musical of its generation about the pressures of first love, fitting in, and being who you want to be. With numbers including We’re All In This Together, Breaking Free and Stick to the Status Quo, High School Musical (Tues 18 June – Sat 22 June) is a musical for all ages to enjoy!

BA2 – Dance Legends

Watch our second-year students perform works by choreographers who have made significant contributions to the development of contemporary dance.

Sasha Waltz in C performed live by dance and music students, led by company dancer and alum Sebastian Aberbanell (Tue 25 June)
Cunningham Repertoire led by Daniel Squire (Tue 25 June)
A study of Rosemary Butcher’s work ‘Scan’ led by Lauren Potter and Henry Montes (Wed 26 June)

JULY

Dido’s Ghost

Trinity Laban Opera presents Errollyn Wallen’s Dido’s Ghost (Thu 4 Jul, Fri 5 Jul, Sat 6 Jul). Errollyn Warren takes Dido’s story forward, interweaving a full performance of Purcell’s great tragedy with this imaginative piece. Set several years after the Carthaginian queen’s death, Dido’s Ghost finds Dido’s sister Anna abandoned on the shores of Aeneas’s new kingdom, igniting a murderous jealously in Aeneas’s wife Lavinia – and as events play out, its characters confront a past that refuses to fade.

Errollyn Wallen CBE (Trinity Laban’s Professor of Composition) has been called a “renaissance woman of contemporary British music” (The Observer) and is an inspirational figure to aspiring young musicians and composers.

BA3 Commissioned Works

Immerse yourself in final year performances of new works by graduating students of the BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance! Programme 1: New works by Lizzi Kew-Ross, Stephanie Schober and Patricia Okenwa (Thu 4 July). Programme 2: New work for primary school children created by Takeshi Matsumoto and Makiko Aoyama.

We are delighted to open this performance to Primary Schools. Please contact Katarina Hill at k.hill@trinitylaban.ac.uk for booking information (subject to availability).