As part of the UK-Russia Creative Bridge online forum, the Culture and Education Section of the British Embassy presented a public talk about the trends in the modern music scene and challenges associated with organising large music events and festivals. The talk featured music journalist Alexey Munipov in conversation with Pelin Opcin, Director of Programming at Serious. Pelin Opcin is making decisions that are helping to reshape the face of jazz across the UK and beyond. The talk was e linked with a concert featuring the new jazz star Shabaka Hutchings and the Britten Sinfonia chamber music orchestra.
About Shabaka Hutchings
A central member of the new London jazz scene, clarinetist, saxophonist and composer Hutchings blurs the lines between jazz and classical music in Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, written for the legendary ‘King of Swing’ Benny Goodman. Reflecting further on the jazz idiom, he takes on Igor Stravinsky’s 3 Pieces For Clarinet Solo, then continues this theme in real time with a short solo clarinet improvisation.
Britten Sinfonia will also perform Copland’s musical portrait of XIX century pioneers, which brings together traditional Shaker melodies with his quintessentially American sound in one of classical music’s most-loved pieces.
About Serious
With a track record spanning more than 20 years, Serious is one of the UK’s leading producers and curators of live jazz, international and new music.
Serious are producers of outstanding live cultural experiences, including festivals, concerts, tours, multi-disciplinary site-specific work, conferences, specially commissioned bespoke events, creative engagement projects and talent development schemes, working extensively in both the live and digital realms. In addition to their flagship event, EFG London Jazz Festival, they produce events in specialist settings such as prisons, hospitals, schools, and from genre-bending artistic collaborations to community work with marginalised young people, Serious uses the experience and passion to break down barriers and to open up opportunities for everyone to access great art.
By working in partnership with main other arts organisations, renowned venues, youth and community providers and schools Serious aims to bring bespoke projects which provide exciting engagement opportunities to the widest possible audiences in all kinds of places and spaces.