This October, we hosted our first ever Jazz and Improvisation Research Symposium – a day of performance, seminars, and discussion.
Lift The Bandstand is the first symposium of its kind at Trinity Laban that specifically addresses practice, research, and ideas surrounding Jazz and Improvisation. Staff, students, alumni, and guests contributed performance, discussion, and presentations throughout the day highlighting the spectrum and possibility of research that not only takes place at Trinity Laban, but also in the wider Jazz-adjacent community in the UK and Europe.
What does it mean to “lift the bandstand”? A phrase popularised by legendary jazz musician Thelonious Monk, Dr Tomas Challenger eloquently defined the saying as “lifting the spirit and energy of the inhabitants of the bandstand with one’s own playing and presence” – a fitting start to a fascinating symposium. From Filippo Ieraci’s research on polyphonic techniques in M. Carcassi’s guitar etude to Byron Wallen’s presentation on Heritage Trajectories and architecting sound, the day was a true testament to the wide-ranging and world-reading research that takes place at Trinity Laban. Featured speakers and performers included Chelsea Carmicheal, Gloria Yehilevsky, Will Glaser, Caius Williams, Head of Jazz Dr Hans Koller, Professor Jonathan Clark, and Calum Gourlay & Band.