With the arrival of autumn comes the inevitable heatwave for the UK, and a plethora of exciting projects for me to get stuck into before Christmas looms!
First off - on Sunday 10 September we have the final outing (for 2023, at least) of SMOOSH! in Weston-Super-Mare. This is Paraorchestraβs glorious human jukebox - a noisy, playful, inclusive, warm hug of a show featuring a wind, brass and percussion band of professional musicians alongside musicians drawn from local communities, playing British pop classics ranging from Kate Bush to Massive Attack. We will do two shows along the seafront in WSM, bookending a day of free activities and entertainment at Whirligig festival at 11am and 4.45pm.
Image by Paul Blakemore - SMOOSH! in Knowle West, September 2021
Immediately after that, I plunge into rehearsals for The Colour of Dinosaurs - a personal project that has been over two years in the making. Iβll post about this separately at some point in October - but this has been made possible thanks to Unlimited funding with Polka Theatre, support from Bristol Old Vic and a whole range of amazing collaborators on and off stage. Brace yourselves for a colourful, science pop gig for humans of all ages during October half term, digging into the wonderful and fascinating world of palaeontology. Iβm so chuffed to be writing and performing the music, produced by Otic and directed by my amazing friend and mentor, Dom Coyote.
Isaac Shieh, a fabulous natural horn player who is doing a PhD at my alma mater the Royal Academy of Music, will premiere a new solo piece of mine, entitled Sgraffito, at RAM on 27 September. Isaac is a true champion of composers and contemporary music, and I canβt wait to hear him play it as part of his Caprices Reimagined project.
There are also some huge new projects brewing - Trip The Light Fantastic at the end of November will see Paraorchestra reopen the Bristol Beacon concert hall - a hugely significant moment in the cultural life of the city Iβve called home for the last five years. And just before that Iβll be at Sadlerβs Wells in London to play in the onstage chamber ensemble for England on Fire - a new show by the amazing BalletBoyz - featuring yet more new music by my good friend (and frequent Paraorchestra collaborator) Charlotte Harding.
All this means after a reasonably quiet year for performing so far (save for SMOOSH! in London and Glastonbury) Iβll be playing lots this Autumn. For more info on any of the performances and tickets - click through the links on my homepage live dates diary. Hope to see you on the beachfront or theatre or concert hall somewhere soon!