Svenja Bühl’s work selected as curtain raiser for the international film festival.

MFA Creative Practice student Svenja Bühl has directed Customised items in common use, a short dance film which has been selected as one of three curtain raisers to be shown at the Leeds Screendance Competition, part of at Leeds International Film Festival 2020.

Developed from Trinity Laban programme module ‘Dance and the Moving Image’, the film is an exploration of found footage from British and American educational films from 1940s – 1970s. The material evolves as a culmination of colour, rhythm, and absurdity.

It is inspired by the editing practise of Siobhan Davies’ and David Hinton’s All this can happen (2012). Svenja has also been influenced by John Smith’s deconstruction of words and meaning in Blight (1996) and filmmaker Maya Deren’s energy and flow of colour.

Svenja explains –

“The Dance and the Moving Image module was ground-breaking for me in relation to my creative practice and the way I think choreographically. Through filmmaking I developed a practice that experiments with framing and relationship building and that embraces visual composition.

“Module leader Becky Emunds has always been extremely encouraging, inspiring and supportive and has guided me in a very positive and sensitive way, challenging me with intriguing questions and pushing me beyond my expectations.

“Although creating video installations has been present in my work for many years, it has been amazing to get to explore this much further. It let me discover film making as a strong focal point of what I artistically pursue.”

The South East London based dance and performance artist graduated with a BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance from Trinity Laban in 2015. She returned to the conservatoire in 2018 to study her MFA Creative Practice.

Svenja’s work focuses on exploring landscapes and instinctive environments. She collaborates with artists from different disciplines to create site specific works, and has recently performed at and created work for The Dock (Leitrim / Ireland), Holden Gallery (Manchester), Lofft – das Theater (Leipzig / Germany), and APT Gallery (London).

Watch all this year’s films, including Svenja’s Customised items in common use, via the Festival website.

Find out more about studying dance at Trinity Laban on our study pages.

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Image: screenshot from Customised items in common use (courtesy of Svenja Bühl)

Thomas Page will create solo screen dance for Lights Up

Trinity Laban alum Thomas Page is one of six artists to be commissioned by Oxford’s Arts at the Old Fire Station as part of their Lights Up project. This first round of support sees artists receive £500 to produce a new work on the theme of relationships.

Thomas, who graduated from Trinity Laban’s BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance programme in 2018, will create a solo screen dance exploring artistic community, responsibility and how artists use their platforms. The film will be shared online by Arts at The Old Fire Station later this month.

Thomas comments –

“I’m very grateful to Arts at The Old Fire Station for selecting me as one of their Lights Up Artists and allowing me to continue creating work during these challenging times. For this commission I’ve created a short dance film looking at my personal responsibility as a choreographer and contemporary dance artist, reflecting on ways I can create safe spaces and celebrate my artistic community.”

Thomas is inviting fellow artists to create their own short response to the work and the question “As an artist, what is my responsibility?”. Responses can be in any medium and can be shared on social media tagging @ThomasPageDances and @ArtsattheOFS.

Thomas hopes to encourage a wide artistic community to engage and ‘let the ripple effect flow’.

Find out more about dance at Trinity Laban on our study pages.

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Image Credit: Jazzula Donoghue Photography (@jazzuladonoghuephotography)

Professor of Marimba set to release debut album

Delphian Records, a label committed to nurturing young artists, have announced the signing of Trinity Laban Professor of Marimba Calum Huggan.

The award-winning Scottish percussionist is set to record his debut album of 20^th century American marimba music featuring premiere recordings of works by Ivan Trevino, Michael Burritt, and Eric Ewazen.

Calum comments –

‘I am thrilled to announce my signing with Delphian Records.  The label champions leading young artists and I’m thrilled to become part of the family! I cannot wait to share my debut album early next year.’

A sought-after tutor and player, Calum is has performed with leading UK and European orchestra and ensembles, as well as working on many cross-arts collaborations. He is also a Yamaha Artist & Acoustic Percussion Signature Artist.

To learn more about the Wind, Brass and Percussion Department, visit our study pages.

Errollyn Wallen and TL students recognised in this year’s shortlist

A registered charity, the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) has been at the heart of music for over 200 years, championing the vital role that music plays. The society’s annual awards celebrate the great feats achieved in classical music over the past year.

Composition professor Errollyn Wallen’s This Frame is Part of the Painting has been shortlisted for the RPS Award for Large-scale Composition. The category is for an outstandingly imaginative and engaging large-scale work that has received its first UK performance in the last concert year.

Inspired by the work of painter Howard Hodgkins, the piece for soprano and orchestra was premiered at the BBC Proms 2019 by Catriona Morison and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Elim Chan.

Errollyn comments –

“I put my whole heart into composing This Frame is Part of the Painting to honour the work of painter Howard Hodgkin. I’m delighted it has been nominated for an RPS award.”

In addition to the nomination, Errollyn has just released Peace on Earth, her new EP of choral music with King’s College Choir.

Also nominated in the Large-scale Composition category is The Fish that became the Sun by English composer Frank Denyer. Originally written in the early nineties, the epic piece received its premiere last year at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival performed by vocal ensemble Rubythroat (postgraduate students Helen Daniels, Anna Marmion and Ruby Nightingale, led by vocal tutor Linda Hurst), TL percussionists and the Octandre Ensemble.

The 2020 Large-scale Composition shortlist has been decided by a select group of industry specialists including Meurig Bowen, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Britten Sinfonia, and composer Sally Beamish. The winners will be announced in a streamed digital ceremony on Wednesday 18 November at 19.00 on the RPS website.

Alban Gerhard, Tasmin Little and Lilli Maijaila to give online masterclasses this autumn

Across the next two months Trinity Laban’s String Department will be joined by three international concert performers who will share their skills and experience with students in an autumn series of digital masterclasses.

German cellist Alban Gerhard will deliver a virtual masterclass on 13 November. Since making his debut with Berliner Philharmoniker in 1991, Alban has made a unique impact on audiences worldwide across a thirty year career with his intense musicality, compelling stage presence and insatiable artistic curiosity. His is renowned for shedding fresh light on familiar scores and investigating new repertoire from centuries past and present. Alban recently premiered a new cello concerto by Julian Anderson with Orchestre National du France following on from the success of his performances of Brett Dean’s concerto premiered with Sydney Symphony and Berliner Philharmoniker. Release in 2019, Alban’s comprehensive album Bach’s solo Cello Suites was chosen as one of the Sunday Times top 100 CDs of the year.

Hailed by The Independent as “Britain’s finest violinist”, Tasmin Little OBE’s multi-award winning and varied career encompasses international concerto and recital performances, master classes, workshops and community outreach work. She has performed on every continent in some of the most prestigious venues of the world, including Carnegie Hall, Vienna Konzerthaus and Royal Albert Hall, Lincoln Center and given numerous World Premiere performances including concerti by Willem Jeths, Robert Saxton and Dominic Muldowney. Her commissioned work, Four World Seasons by Roxanna Panufnik, was premiered as a live broadcast on the BBC at the start of Music Nation weekend, leading up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. Tasmin joins Trinity Laban on 19 November to deliver a virtual masterclass.

Finnish violist Lilli Maijaila is a former member of quartet-lab with cellist Pieter Wispelwey and violinists Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Pekka Kuusisto and regularly appears as a soloist and chamber musician on stages across Europe. In 2013 she premiered the viola concerto of Lauri Kilpiö with Jyväskylä Sinfonia, and in 2019 released the critically-acclaimed premiere recording of Pehr Henrik Nordgren’s Concerto for viola, double bass and chamber orchestra with the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, conductor Juha Kangas and bass player Olivier Thiery. Lilli is first prize winner of the viola competition Klassik Festival Ruhr, held in conjunction with music academies across Europe. Based in Amsterdam, she divides her time between her teaching post at the Sibelius Academy and international music festivals as West Cork, IMS Prussia Cove, Resonances, Peasmarsh, Schiermonnikoog. Lilli will deliver a virtual masterclass at Trinity Laban on 10 December.

Today’s string musicians need to be dynamic and innovative, displaying the technical mastery and flexibility necessary succeed in the ever-evolving, diverse world of music. Through top class training and a supportive, highly creative environment, we will help you to excel and flourish as an artist in the 21st century.

To find out more about studying strings at Trinity Laban, visit our department pages.

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Image L-R: Alban Gerhard, Tasmin Little, Lilli Maijaila

Jacob Fowler’s band Since September crowned winners of the BBC talent show

BBC’s Little Mix: The Search saw singers and musicians compete in bands to be a support act for the multi-award-winning girl group’s UK tour.

Third year Musical Theatre student Jacob Fowler won his place in the live shows after a solo audition and was placed in boy-band Since September. The newly-formed band are influenced by 5 Seconds of Summer, Jonas Brothers and McFly.

Following a show-stopping final and public vote, Since September were named the winners of the competition and have been set on the path to stardom. They will join Little Mix on their next Confetti tour in 2021 to perform at locations in Dublin, Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow and London.

On being part of the winning act, Jacob comments –

“We’ve all dreamed of being in this position for years and it doesn’t feel real.”

Little Mix: The Search is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Find out more about Trinity Laban’s Musical Theatre Department.

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Image courtesy BBC

Ezra Collective selected for the first round of the Youth Music Incubator Fund to develop new and diverse talent.

Youth Music’s new £2 million Incubator Fund is designed to improve access to sustainable creative careers for people aged 18-25 by providing grants of £5,000 to £30,000 to creative businesses, collectives and not-for-profits.

London-based Ezra Collective are among the forward-thinking creatives to have received funding, selected for their ‘viable and progressive plans to drive better equality in the music industry’.

The band – comprised of Trinity Laban alumni Dylan Jones (trumpet), Femi Koleoso (drums) and Joe Armon Jones (keys), with James Mollison (saxophone) and TJ Koleoso (bass) – will use the grant to deliver a training and mentoring programme for young, black women in behind-the-scenes roles across management, live sound, tour management and band leadership.

Bandleader Femi Koleoso commented –

“The underrepresentation of black women in the industry is something really close to our hearts, with six black members of our team. Mentoring, community and role models are at the core of Ezra Collective with all of us growing through Tomorrow’s Warriors who provided that for us and instilled those values in us.

“The plan is simple, ‘each one teaches one’, and we’re channelling this through each member of the team training and mentoring young, black women with the ambition of supporting them into paid roles across the industry. […] Inclusivity and representation are at the heart of the band and our music. The funding means this exciting new project is possible.”

Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music, said –

“The organisations we’re funding are trailblazers in their own fields. […] What’s particularly special with our Incubator Fund is seeing individuals who kicked off their careers at Youth Music funded organisations, including Reprezent Radio and Tomorrow’s Warriors, now spearheading the changemaking projects that we’re funding, such as No Signal and Ezra Collective. That’s the long-term impact of investing in grassroots music.”

Find out more about our jazz department.

Trinity Laban have teamed up with Tomorrow’s Warriors to deliver Jazz Taster sessions for young musicians aged 11-16 year-olds interested in exploring jazz. We particularly welcome interest from Black or female young musicians who are at an early stage of their engagement with jazz. You can register your interest for the December workshops using our online form.

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Image credit Dan Medhurst

Alum Deschanel Gordon and first-year student Kielan Sheard make it to the final

The finalists for BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020 have been announced and Trinity Laban’s Jazz Department is well represented, with alum Deschanel Gordon and first-year student Kielan Sheard both reaching the final.

The biennial competition supports and celebrates the wealth of young talent on the UK jazz scene.

Pianist Deschanel, who graduated from Trinity Laban this summer, commented –

“I am really excited to be playing in the finals at Cadogan Hall and looking forward to working with the amazing Mark and Michael Mondesir.”

Double bassist Kielan said –

“I’m thrilled to be in the finals of BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020. It’s an honour to be playing with and competing against some of the finest young jazz musicians of our generation.”

On joining London’s creative conservatoire this September Kielan added –

“My first term at Trinity Laban has been great! It is an incredible feeling to be able to make music on a regular basis with likeminded people once again. I’m thrilled beyond words to have the opportunity to represent the TL Jazz Department on a national scale and to showcase some of my original compositions.”

Deschanel and Kielan follow in fourth-year Xhosa Cole’s footsteps. Since being crowned BBC Young Jazz Musician 2018, Birmingham saxophonist Xhosa has performed with groups such as the Jazzlines Ensemble and his own quartet: the CharCole Collective. He was named Jazz Newcomer of the Year in the 2019 Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

In a recent BBC press release, Xhosa commented –

“Winning the 2018 Competition proved to me the power of consistency, sincerity and patience. The award has put my career in fast forward and […] been an incredible springboard for me – beyond any of my initial dreams.”

Read Xhosa’s full Q&A and watch his 2018 winning performance.

The final of the BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020 will be broadcast as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival on Sunday 22 November at 19.00 on BBC Four.

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Image L-R: Deschanel Gordon (credit Lisa Wormsley); Kielan Sheard (credit Jonathan Trotman)

Professor Emma Redding presents speech on how TL’s dance training and research has responded to covid-19

Founded in 1954, Beijing Dance Academy is one of the largest dance higher education performing arts institutions in China and is a partner institution of Trinity Laban. Their Dance Forum, now in its second year, is an international platform for dance artists, experts and academics to present research and exchange knowledge.

This year, the Forum took place virtually at the beginning of November. Its theme was ‘Pandemic, Human Destiny, Dance’, and covered topics from performance and education to collaboration and medicine to discuss the role of dance in society and the future.

Strengthening our relationship with other international arts institutions, Head of Dance Science at Trinity Laban, Professor Emma Redding was invited to speak at the event. She presented ‘Research into Dance for Health & Commentary on Dancing during the Pandemic’ as part of a series of talks on the topic ‘How does dance play its therapeutic and rehabilitative functions to improve people’s quality of life?’.

On her involvement in the Forum, Emma comments –

“Being part of the prestigious Beijing Dance Forum 2020 extends our relationship with China and enhances our partnership with Beijing Dance Academy. I enjoyed presenting our research into dance for health and sharing our experiences of training dancers during the pandemic. We hope to pursue collaborative dance science research between Trinity Laban and Beijing Dance Academy in the near future”.

Emma’s talk is the most recent collaboration between BDA and Trinity Laban. Find out more about our international partners.

Learn more about studying Dance Science at our Postgraduate Virtual Open Evening on 25 November. Register now.

London’s creative conservatoire announces the winners of its annual Awards scheme for teaching and support staff.

The Trinity Laban Teaching and Supporting Learning Awards scheme recognises staff members who have made an outstanding contribution to learning and teaching, reflecting the conservatoire’s innovative and nurturing learning environment.

For 2020, all staff were invited to nominate any colleague or team of colleagues who has positively influenced student experience through an activity or initiative over the past three years.

Nominations were shortlisted by the cross-faculty Awards panel, who named a total of 9 awardees based on the demonstration of innovative teaching, championing of collaborative approaches and the enhancement of TL’s learning culture, especially in response to the recent challenges of Covid-19.

Trinity Laban is delighted to announce the following staff members as recipients of the inaugural Awards:

Natalie Harman (Musical Theatre Department Coordinator) – nominated for her work developing internal and external communication channels that have assisted in the transformation of the learning environment for teachers and students within the Musical Theatre Department. During the pandemic, Natalie lead arrangements for an online showcase which enabled 85% of students to secure representation. Natalie has also organised a range of creative activities including a recruitment workshop for students from Asia, Taster Days, TLMT Easter Programme in partnership with Blackheath Halls, and The TLMT Concert Series.

Melanie Henry (Saxophone teacher) – nominated for her enthusiastic engagement with working groups, projects, and curriculum reviews, helping to support the transformational aspirations of the Faculty of Music. Also nominated for her commitment to students’ pastoral care – including the organisation of online meet-ups and social media activities during the pandemic – and her leadership of the Saxophone Festival.

Tom Hobden (Dance Lecturer) – nominated for his work re-writing the 413 Leading Dance in Community Settings module to encompass an incredible amount of knowledge and information for the students around dance and technology, how to set up and protect yourself online as an artist, and approaches to artistry and delivery. In response to the pandemic, he turned an extremely daunting experience into one in which everyone could learn from.

Juliet Jackman (Student Information Officer, Music) – nominated for initiating activities to mark Black History Month in 2017 and developing the celebrations year on year to include performances, film screenings, walks and talks. These events have helped to foster a culture that encourages students and staff to consider issues of diversity and inclusivity in their work.

Dominic Natoli (Vocal teacher) – nominated for his development of an audition masterclass that led to employment opportunities for students at Opera Holland Park, and for the organisation of a Tosti Concert involving male students to attract more male singers to conservatoire study. Dominic also led the way in moving vocal teaching online during the pandemic and created an online introductory video for incoming students.

Ian Peppiatt (IT/AV Advisor) – nominated for creating user-friendly, globally accessible, space-saving systems for storing and accessing AV recordings, research outputs, technical guidance and equipment booking, at no purchase cost. He has brought creative technical solutions to the Faculty of Dance and assists students to produce high quality footage of their work.

Adam Saunders (Music Lecturer) – nominated for his contribution to the development of the BA Music Performance and Industry programme, bringing his experience of L&P activities and professional music production experience to the team. Also his enthusiasm for working in the community, helping students to create schools performances and giving them an understanding of creative leadership.

Daniel Squire (Dance Lecturer and Music Coordinator) – nominated for his work with musicians, enabling the development of the relationship between music and dance within the institution.

Joe Townsend (Head of CoLab) – nominated for his creative leadership of the CoLab festival and role in creating collaborative spaces for Music and Dance, as well as the co-creation of the Voices from Industry series, the TL Innovation awards and co-leadership of TL MADE. Joe has changed the culture of the institution by bringing in prominent contemporary professional voices and through his development of the BA Music Performance and Industry programme.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.

Alumni and staff nominated for prestigious composition awards

The Ivors Academy has revealed the 53 works nominated across 11 categories for The Ivors Composer Awards 2020.

Now in their 18^th year, the annual Awards (previously the British Composer Awards) honour the best new works by UK contemporary composers in classical, jazz and sound art. This year Trinity Laban’s Calum Gourlay, Mark Lockheart and Amir Konjani have made the shortlist.

Composer, band leader and double bass virtuoso Calum Gourlay’s New Ears Suite for tenor saxophone, tenor trombone, double bass and drums is nominated for Jazz Composition for Small Ensemble. Calum joined Trinity Laban’s Jazz Department in September 2018 as a bass teacher.

Also nominated in the category of Jazz Composition for Small Ensemble is saxophonist Mark Lockheart. His work Weird Weather is for saxophones, keyboards, bass violin and drums. Having studied at Trinity Laban, Mark is now professor of jazz saxophone and improvisation.

Composition alum Amir Konjani’s Kraken Cello Concertante is nominated in the category of Small Chamber Ensemble. The work explores ‘performing sculpture’ and is scored for Kraken cello, trumpet, violin and Kraken piano. The adapted instruments incorporate installations to ‘entertain and distract’ the soloists. Amir completed his Masters in Composition in 2012 at Trinity Laban, under the tutelage of Stephen Montague, Edward Jessen and Head of Composition, Dominic Murcott, and now teaches at the conservatoire in the Composition Department.

Peer recognition is at the heart of the Awards, making them a uniquely authentic and respected recognition of craft. The Academy holds a public call for entries and all eligible submissions are reviewed anonymously by judging panels of composers and music practitioners appointed by the Academy.

Gary Carpenter, Chair of The Ivors Academy’s Awards Committee, said –

“The works nominated for this year’s Composer Awards perfectly illustrate how contemporary classical, jazz and sound arts respond to the world around us and shape our understanding of the contradictions, uncertainties and hopes that create the fabric of our lives. On behalf of music creators and The Ivors Academy I would like to congratulate all nominees on their achievement. As our world feels increasingly uncertain, we must treasure what makes life so wonderful – music, inspiration and escape.”

Winners will be revealed in an exclusive live ceremony broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 1 December.

To find out more about our jazz and composition departments, visit our study pages.