主播大秀

Nikki Bedi is backstage once again at LSO St. Luke鈥檚 in Central London to listen to another 主播大秀 Open Ear concert of experimental classical music. There are no boundaries at these concerts and each of the composers and performers she meets are bringing innovative sounds to a receptive, open-minded audience.

Hugh Brunt is the co-founder of the London Contemporary Orchestra which now has a ten year reputation and a large following. He tells Nikki about working with Puerto Rican born Angelica N茅gron and the composer鈥檚 belief that everything makes a sound, including fruit. Hugh also talks about the LCO鈥檚 film work with Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead and composing the sound track for such movies as There will be Blood and Phantom Thread.

The soprano Juliet Fraser performs the world premi猫re of Lisa Illian鈥檚 haunting A Through Grown Earth, inspired by a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins. We also hear from Lisa about her intentions in writing the composition.

The Canadian violinist Mira Benjamin performs the piece written for her by Cassandra Miller For Mira and she explains how the unique singing voice of the late Kurt Cobain performing Where did you Sleep last Night? was the inspiration for the composer.

And Israeli Na鈥檃ma Zisser tells Nikki how her Drowned in C was written in response to the now famous In C by Terry Reilly, which is generally considered a classic of modern minimalist music.

From Norway and Australia, the duo Native Instrument take samples of insect and animal noises to create Insect Techno. Nikki gets into the groove without a trace of insect repellent.

The concert is recorded by 主播大秀 Radio 3 as part of their Open Ear season

Photo: Members of the London Contemporary Orchestra (c) LSO/ Kevin Leighton