News

A roundup of alumni news, performances and projects in March.

March saw International Women’s Day marked across the cultural industries, with alumni celebrated by various outlets. Jazzwise gathered interviews from many trailblazing artists, including Nubya Garcia, Cassie Kinoshi, Nerija, Emilia Martensson, Emma Jean Thackray and Laura Jurd, while Lucy Drever interviewed Cassie Kinoshi as part of the Edinburgh International Festival Digital Composers Project.

We ran our own five-day celebration for #IWD, featuring  many of our alumni across our social media channels, sharing their work and the women who inspire them. Check out our IWD webpage for the full roundup.

Alumni continued to release new work and perform for virtual audiences.

Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui’s dance film Transit-20 streamed in a mixed bill of film work from The Place, while fellow dance alum Anna Stereopoulou’s audio visual work, WATCH LIVE, premiered at the Women in Experimental Online Festival and is now part of the British Library Sound Archive.

The Chapel Hill Duo recorded their EDM and Irish folk fusion of Tiësto’s ‘The Business’, as The Public Bungalow’s latest arrangement took a modern jazz twist on Ineza’s ‘Healing’.

Héloïse Werner featured in a take on Bach’s epic Chaconne, filmed live across five floors of the Barge House on London’s Southbank. KOKOROKO performed old favourites and new work live at Boiler Room.

SEED Ensemble performed a live concert streamed from the Grand Junction, while Daniel Casimir and Nubya Garcia previewed music from Daniel’s new album in a Jazz Re:freshed live stream. Nubya also recorded a brand-new performance at the BBC Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House for the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.

Yuki Negishi and The Altheus Trio performed a programme of Bach, Chopin and Enescu in a digital concert at the end of the month, while actor and musical director Tom Self featured in A Night of Music, streamed from the Hazlitt Theatre.

Audiences enjoyed classics from Ellington and Sinatra as Len Phillips Big Band, with Musical Director Joe Pettitt and featuring players Gemma Moore and Jon Stokes, performed at London’s Abbey Road Studios.

Vocalist Sahra Gure released her new single ‘I’m Alright’, as Moses Boyd teamed up with producer and artist Alewya for new single ‘The Code’. Christina McMaster also released music in March, as her monthly Debussy Preludes series continued with ‘Danseuses de Dephes’.

The BBC announced it has commissioned Theo Jamieson to write the music and lyrics for new production U.Me The Musical.

Ayanna Witter-Johnson composed the music for Brown Sounds, a short film released in March that was produced in collaboration with LA Opera, the African American Art Song Alliance, Aural Compass Projects, Black Opera Alliance, National Association of Negro Musicians and the Philadelphia Dance Company. Ayanna also discussed her recent work on BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour and appeared alongside Nitin Sawhney on BBC 2’s Later… With Jools Holland.

Also interviewed this month were dance alumni Lucy McCrudden, founder of Dance Mama, and Jessica Ward, principal of Elmhurst Ballet School. The pair discussed maternal responsibilities and the dance skills that double as parental qualities in a Dance Mama interview. Both Lucy and Jessica also made the shortlist for the AWA Dance Women in Dance Awards.

Fellow dance alum Takeshi Matsumoto spoke to DanceEast about his background and inspirations in dance, while Joseph Houseal spoke to Japanese dancer Heidi Durning in his latest feature in Buddhist Door.

Alumni received nominations, awards and funding in March.

Led by CEO Chrissy Kinsella, the London Music Fund was named Outstanding Musical Initiative in the Music and Dance Education Awards 2021.

Oberon White received financial support through Help Musicians’ Transmission Fund, enabling them to develop their skills in electronic music production and song writing, while choreographer Maciej Kuzminski was nominated for a Professional Performing Arts Award from the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, recognising exceptional contributions to stage art.

TL alumni shared their knowledge and insights through projects and teaching, as Jean Abreu led a week of morning classes with Independent Dance and Ivors Academy Board Director Emily Saunders shared her thoughts on redressing imbalances in the music industry.

Parable Dance, led by Artistic Director Natasha Britton, launched their inclusive dance film, Inclusive Practice is Good Practice, bringing together 42 of the UK’s most experienced inclusive dance artists and companies. Natasha also contributed to a panel discussion hosted by South East Dance’s Mind The Gap programme, sharing insights into making work more accessible.

Coming up:

Moses Boyd performs live from the Barbican Centre on Sunday 18 April, 20.00. Get tickets.

Curated by Aline Derderian, online conference Dancing beyond memories: Armenian cultural heritage & corporeality. South Caucasian approaches to creative practices will take place on Tuesday 6 April. The symposium brings together an eclectic community of inspiring choreography, movement, performance, visual artists and researchers.

Millie Cranston performs in the ensemble of brand-new musical feature film In Pieces, available to stream 23-26 April.

Don’t miss pianist Harriet Stubbs’ concert series, streamed from her home every Wednesday and from Coach House Pianos on Fridays at 17.00.