Continuing JAM's Commissioning Legacy
at Music of Our Time in London
At its core JAM was created to enable, commission and promote new music. The commissioning of composers born, studying or living in the UK has a long tradition for us and we are proud that many composers have benefitted from JAM’s commissioning programme, including Judith Bingham, Gabriel Jackson, Thea Musgrave, Jonathan Dove, Paul Mealor and Mark-Anthony Turnage.
At Music of Our Time we look forward to hearing two JAM Commissions – the world premiere of Isabelle Ryder’s Illumination and a revisit of Tarik O’Regan’s The Night’s Untruth.
THE NIGHT's UNTRUTH
Written for choir, brass and organ, The Night’s Untruth by Tarik O’Regan was co-commissioned by JAM and VocalEssence, to celebrate our 10th and VocalEssence’s 40th anniversary. The piece was world premiered in March 2010 at St Bride’s church, and was performed by none other the BBC Singers, Onyx Brass and Stephen Disley (organ), conducted by Nicholas Cleobury. Tarik’s composition explores the theme of sleep as a metaphor, with death, love, fear, ecstasy, isolation, dreaming and rest all providing textual ‘variations on the theme’, drawing on poems across the centuries by Keats, Shakespeare, Samuel Daniel and Hart Crane. The Night’s Untruth received great praise and was shortlisted for the 2010 Ivor Awards, and the concert was included in Time Out London’s ‘Best of the Year 2010 classical concert’ list.
On 20 March we will return to this atmospheric piece and to the venue of its world premiere, together with JAM Principal Conductor Michael Bawtree, the Selwyn College Chapel Choir, Onyx Brass and organist Simon Hogan.
ILLUMINATIONS
Isabelle Ryder was commissioned after she participated in JAM’s first Composers’ Residency last year. The former Earthquake scientist’s compositions are often influenced by her researching experience, which took her to remote places around the world. For her JAM commission though, Isabelle did not turn to her travels for inspiration, but to JAM’s concert venue, and her love “for everything Irish”: Illumination was written with St Brigid in mind, the patron saint of Ireland and of St Bride’s church London, and the famous illustrated manuscripts of Kildare Abbey.
“The piece introduces a Celtic-style melody, which is progressively decorated as the piece builds up.”
The world premiere of Illumination will be performed by Simon Hogan and trumpet players: Alan Thomas and James Fountain.
From its beginnings in 2000 the mission of JAM has been to support composers and their careers. Music of Our Time gives contemporary composers a platform and is a great opportunity to discover new pieces of music.