Classical music series comes to London's clubs
The Jago, Dalston (photo: Larry J Photography)
After the first crowdfunded noisenights this summer featured members of the Chineke! Orchestra and BBC Young Musician Winner Laura van der Heijden, we’ve today announced that the distinctive concert series will continue this winter.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason will appear alongside pianist Harry Baker in Space 289, a converted railway arch in Bethnal Green, and Abel Selaocoe will follow up from his critically-acclaimed BBC Prom with his signature blend of European and African musical traditions at The Jago, Dalston.
noisenights’ sold-out summer season was hailed on this year’s Proms TV coverage as leading a new movement to take classical stars out of the concert hall and into grass-roots music venues.
Max Baillie and Laura van der Heijden at noisenight one, in Hoxton Underbelly
Inspired by London’s great jazz clubs, noisenights offer a new way to experience live classical performance. They feature two identical short classical sets: an early evening rush-hour performance, and a late show which is followed by live jazz, funk and afrobeat acts, accompanied by a late-licensed bar.
On the 4th of December, Abel Selaocoe will appear at Dalston’s iconic arts club, The Jago. Nestled in the old buildings of the Hackney Gazette printing press, the venue is known for hosting acts ranging from reggae to techno, but noisenight three will be The Jago’s first classical night.
Abel Selaocoe
Selaocoe’s ‘Africa meets Europe’ Prom was hailed as ‘riotous’ and ‘radiating heart and joy’ by The Times, and featured throat singing, virtuosic cello playing, audience participation and body percussion. His 7pm and 9pm sets will be followed by a series of afrobeat and jazz bands across the club’s two floors into the early hours.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason and award-winning pianist Harry Baker will perform two sets on the 15th of January at Bethnal Green’s Space 289. The venue has hosted Skepta and countless renowned DJs, but noisenight four’s programme will feature Boulanger, Bach, and improvisations around folk songs and jazz standards.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason (photo: Jake Turney)
Baker is known for spanning the worlds of classical and jazz, recently appearing at Ronnie Scott’s and Wigmore Hall, and his jazz trio will play an aftershow set until late for anyone with tickets to the 9pm show.
These concerts will both be crowdfunded using through the noise’s bespoke crowdfunding platform, which was developed earlier this year. Members of the public are invited to become ‘backers’ in return for tickets to their chosen event, and priority booking for future events. Each event is confirmed when it achieves sufficient backing, ensuring that only concerts that are popular with audiences go ahead.
Harry Baker (photo: Giacomo Gianelli)
through the noise Co-founder and Artistic Director Jack Bazalgette said:
“After an overwhelming response to the first two noisenights, we’ve been compelled to go bigger with noisenights three and four. Abel, Sheku and Harry have constructed groundbreaking programmes specially for these great venues. On top of that, we know how special it is to have an audience made up of crowdfunding backers: every member of a noisenight audience has made that concert possible, which is a beautiful thing to be a part of. We’re sure these two nights will be unforgettable.”
Royal wedding star and BBC Young Musician winning cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason said:
“I am really excited to be performing this programme with Harry Baker in such a unique venue. As performers we respond so much to the space we are in, not just acoustically, but the energy of the room and the people in it. This will be a special opportunity to share music we love in a new setting.”
Award-winning pianist-composer Harry Baker said:
“I’m thrilled to be taking our mix of classical, folk and improvised music out of the concert hall into Space 289. It’ll be really exciting to explore our programme in a new setting with a new audience.”
Space 289, Bethnal Green
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