Integrating orchestral and jazz conducting and direction through collaboration
Wayne Shorter, 'Emanon' orchestral project for the Wayne Shorter Quartet and orchestra (2016)
2017 Premiere at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Rotterdam, Casco Phil -The Chamber Orchestra of Belgium
2017 Subsequent performance at the Ghent and Perugia Jazz Festivals
Brad Mehldau, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (2016)
2018 World premiere at Cité de la musique, Philharmonie de Paris, l’Orchestre national d’Île-de-France.
Subsequent performance in Luxembourg, Barcelona, Barbican, NDR Hannover (broadcast and recorded). Further (COVID delayed) performances are scheduled in Prague, Vienna, Lille, and Tokyo.
Julian Joseph (music) and Mike Phillips (libretto), 'Tristan and Isolde' (2018) for five solo voices, chorus, jazz trio, big band, and orchestra.
2018 Premiere performance at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with Carleen Anderson, Ken Papenjus, Christine Tobin, Renato Paris, and Cleveland Watkiss (voices), the Julian Joseph Trio, Julian Joseph All-Star Big Band, BBC Singers, and BBC Concert Orchestra
Gwilym Symcock, 'Move!' (2014, Rev.2019) for solo piano with jazz trio, and orchestra. Premiere of revised version (with new first movement) premiered by the RNCM and BBC Philharmonic with Gwilym Simcock (piano), Yori Goloubev (double bass), and Martin France (drums).
- Submitting institution
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Royal Northern College of Music
- Unit of assessment
- 33 - Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies
- Output identifier
- 37A
- Type
- I - Performance
- Venue(s)
- Wayne Shorter: Casco Phil, Chamber Orchestra of Belgium, Rotterdam. Brad Mehldau: Philharmonie de Paris, l’Orchestre National d’Île-de-France. Tristan and Isolde: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. Gwilym Symcock: Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month of first performance
- -
- Year of first performance
- 2016
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
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- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- This submission is an ongoing body of work that represents my practice-led performer research as a conductor and proactive performer collaborator, bringing together jazz and classical performance practice. The project explores new approaches to performer-composer collaboration and new directions in large-scale jazz performance that mediate between jazz and classical music and musicians. The four performance projects involve composer/performer/improvisor jazz musicians working simultaneously with jazz ensembles and orchestras in concert and theatrical works. These large-scale high-profile projects have all been extensively performed, broadcast and documented from major festivals and venues across Europe.
These works develop new approaches to conducting in the fusion of precise classical conducting and more groove-based and light-touch big band/jazz direction. As different musicians require different information simultaneously within these contexts, my expertise and understanding have allowed me to develop distinctive conducting skills to take account of the collision of these two traditions.
I have worked closely with all of the composers, developed trusting musical relationships, and have advised on technical and aesthetic approaches to orchestral and instrumental writing, balance and soloist integration, and notational approaches and strategies. As supporting evidence, I have included my edited correspondence with Brad Mehldau to illustrate my process. It demonstrates how advice about orchestration evolves into assisting with compositional decisions, fostering a typical-to-jazz collaborative relationship within the score-making as well as in the rehearsals and performances. In these projects, my role evolves beyond conductor and music director to creative advisor and collaborator; my work is therefore proactive in nurturing new musical practice with these large-scale projects.
Dissemination took place at Jazz Festivals and concert halls across Europe and during tours between 2017-19. Furthermore, sketches, earlier versions and ideas for 'Emanon', were developed between 2014-2017 with orchestras (conducted by Clark Rundell), including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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