Mentored by the LPO’s Composer-in-Residence, Brett Dean, the Young Composer Programme is a year long programme of lectures, seminars, workshops, and rehearsals culminating in a new work for orchestra performed by Foyle Future First musicians and LPO players at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Composers: Jakob Bragg, Philip Dutton, Zakiya Leeming, Matt London, Tayla-Leigh Payne.
New work: Through Gates Unseen for Orchestra (2.2.2.2, 2.2.2.1, 2perc, pno, hp, 3.2.2.2.2)
Through Gates Unseen takes Australian artist and descendent of the Yawuru people Robert Andrew’s Tracing inscription (2020) as a departure point to explore the dialogue between control and decay. Andrew’s work uses suspended charcoal, branches, ochre, and stones, each connected to a moving plotting machine at the far end of the gallery space. Over time, the plotting machine and suspended strings gradually move each piece of organic matter, slowly marking the white wall behind, smearing, decaying, breaking apart, and bumping into each other. Through Gates Unseen translates the plotting machine into a custom built percussion ‘staff’ as a force that dictates the unfolding of music activity. Sheer blocks of sound echo the separated but interdependent panels of charcoal and branches that gradually erode over time, while the smearing of line and ornamentation resemble the blurred black and ochre shadow left by the organic material upon the white gallery wall behind.
Premiere: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 13th July, 2023. See concert page for more details.
Jakob Bragg 