Currently browsing category

Jazz

Performance roundup

A few more items from the last month in performance: We were really chuffed to read this wonderful blog post from London Sinfonietta violinist extraordinaire David Alberman, who joined Southampton staff and students for the world premiere of Michael Finnissy's new work, Remembrance Day. This year jazz and pop students from the department of Music and MuSoc - the student music society - are putting on a series of nights at our partner live music venue, Talking Heads. Continue reading →

Last month in jazz and pop

Our head of jazz and pop performance, Thomas Seltz, reports on October events: 30 October: In the first of four events organised in partnership between MuSoc (the Student Union Music Society) and the Music Department, the new generation of entertainers took to the stage of Talking Heads and delighted the crowds with their beautiful songs and youthful energy. On 24 October, the jazz performance class had a visit from Tim Garland. Continue reading →

Nuffield launch

Last Wednesday we had an event to mark the opening of the newly-refurbished Nuffield theatre Kitchen, a café space that is housing the lovely Brinsmead baby grand that was given to us in the autumn.  Andy Fisher, our head of commercial composition, played Gershwin and accompanied postgraduate singer Lizzie Rogers in a sneak preview of some of the songs from his new one-woman show, Girl in a Crisis. Continue reading →

Happy holidays

We're now closed for business until 2 January.  Along with our best wishes of the season, here's a warm account of our final festive event from Phil Draisey (year 3) - with a link to the live streamed video at the bottom.  Happy holidays to all from the staff and students of the Music department! Over to Phil: It’s December the 13th, the last day of term at the University of Southampton. There is a seeping chill in the air and winter rain falls for the first time this month. Continue reading →

Premiere of Loop Concerto for Improvising Pianist and Orchestra

Ben Oliver (Lecturer in Composition) tells us about the first performance of his new Piano Concerto: One of the highlights of my summer was conducting the Kent County Youth Orchestra and jazz pianist Ivo Neame in the September premiere of my new piano concerto, Loop Concerto. The manager of the orchestra, Geoff Dixon, approached me in 2012 to write a piece for the orchestra’s 50th Anniversary concert. Continue reading →

Cheltenham festival from the inside

Jack Webster (year 3) tells us about interning at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and other summer placements: In May 2013, I did a volunteer placement at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival. I, along with several others, arrived a few days before it started to help the production team set up the festival. The placement was very hands-on, rather than being office-based, and I found myself working in a variety of areas. In the days leading up to the festival, I helped set up the site and stage areas. Continue reading →