London Contemporary Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO) is an ensemble of young musicians formed in 2008 whose stated aim is "to explore and promote new music to an increasingly wide audience". LCO staged its inaugural season at LSO St Luke's and has since performed at venues and festivals including The Roundhouse
, Snape Maltings
, Spitalfields Festival
, The Old Vic Tunnels and Latitude Festival
. In April 2010 the LCO was shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards
(Audience Development category).
, Kaija Saariaho
, Thomas Adès
, Iannis Xenakis
, Simon Holt
, Olivier Messiaen
, Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood
, and new works from young composers Emily Hall
, Colin Alexander and Jonathan Cole
. In May 2009 the LCO collaborated with experimental electronic duo Matmos
and composer Anna Meredith for a series of performances at Shoreditch warehouse, Village Underground. LCO appeared at The Roundhouse
in January 2010 as part of the venue's 'Reverb' festival of contemporary music, performing works by Steve Reich
, John Cage
, Biosphere
and the world premiere of Shiva Feshareki's turntable concerto, "TTKonzert". LCO made its debut at the Spitalfields Festival
in June 2010 and at Aldeburgh Music's 'Faster Than Sound' in May 2010. In October 2010, The Roundhouse
staged three screenings of Metropolis
(restored version) with Gottfried Huppertz’s original score performed live by the LCO. LCO performed at The Old Vic Tunnels in May 2011 to a capacity audience.
at Latitude Festival
in July 2010 and rejoined the band for their UK tour in December 2010. The concerts reprised many of the arrangements first performed by Belle & Sebastian and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
at the Hollywood Bowl
in 2006. In June 2010 members from the LCO joined Mercury Prize
-nominated band Foals at Glastonbury Festival
for a BBC 6 Music
live session. LCO appear on the band's single "Spanish Sahara" (radio edit). In addition to LCO's collaborations with Biosphere
and Matmos
, the ensemble has worked alongside artists including Mira Calix
, Simon Fisher Turner
, United Visual Artists, Donovan
, Jimmy Page
, Sound Intermedia and Mara Carlyle
.
, Jonathan Cole
, Rolf Hind, Richard Barrett
, Marcus Davey and John Woolrich
. LCO was appointed Ensemble-in-Association at Brunel University
in October 2008.
, 2007 winner of the BBC reality TV show The Apprentice.
Release Date: 2 July 2010
Label: Warner Music UK Limited
Foals: "Spanish Sahara
" with London Contemporary Orchestra
Release Date: 12 September 2010
Label: Warner Music UK Limited
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
, Snape Maltings
Snape Maltings
Snape Maltings is part of Snape, Suffolk, U.K., best known for its concert hall, which is one of the main sites of the annual Aldeburgh Festival....
, Spitalfields Festival
Spitalfields Music
Spitalfields Music is a music charity based in the Spitalfields area of the Tower Hamlets borough of London. In 2008 they changed their name from Spitalfields Festival to Spitalfields Music due to their ever growing learning and participation programmes in the community.They hold two music...
, The Old Vic Tunnels and Latitude Festival
Latitude Festival
The Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006....
. In April 2010 the LCO was shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards
Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards
The Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards are given annually for live classical music-making in the United Kingdom. The awards were first held in 1989 and are independent of any commercial interest....
(Audience Development category).
Overview
LCO's 2008 season featured music by composers including Mark-Anthony TurnageMark-Anthony Turnage
Mark-Anthony Turnage is a prolific English composer of classical music. His initial musical studies were with Oliver Knussen, John Lambert, and later with Gunther Schuller...
, Kaija Saariaho
Kaija Saariaho
Kaija Saariaho is a Finnish composer.Kaija Saariaho studied composition in Helsinki, Freiburg and Paris, where she has lived since 1982. Her studies and research at IRCAM have had a major influence on her music and her characteristically luxuriant and mysterious textures are often created by...
, Thomas Adès
Thomas Adès
Thomas Adès is a British composer, pianist and conductor.-Biography:Adès studied piano with Paul Berkowitz and later composition with Robert Saxton at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London...
, Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis was a Romanian-born Greek ethnic, naturalized French composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers...
, Simon Holt
Simon Holt
Simon Holt is a British composer.-Biography:Holt was educated at Bolton School. Shortly after graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music, he became firmly established on the new music circuit with a series of commissions and fruitful collaborations with the London Sinfonietta and the Nash...
, Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
, Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood
Jonny Greenwood
Jonathan Richard Guy "Jonny" Greenwood is an English musician and composer, best known as a member of the English rock band Radiohead. Greenwood is a multi-instrumentalist, but serves mainly as lead guitarist and keyboard player. In addition to guitar and keyboard, he plays viola, harmonica,...
, and new works from young composers Emily Hall
Emily Hall
Emily Hall is a composer of classical music, electronica and songs. Her music has been performed by the Duke Quartet, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brodsky Quartet, the London Sinfonietta, and the Philharmonia; it has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and France Culture...
, Colin Alexander and Jonathan Cole
Jonathan Cole
Jonathan Cole is a British composer and professor of composition at the Royal College of Music.-Biography:...
. In May 2009 the LCO collaborated with experimental electronic duo Matmos
Matmos
Matmos is an experimental electronic music duo originally from San Francisco but now residing in Baltimore signed to the Matador Records label. M. C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel are the core members, but they frequently include other artists on their records and in their performances, including...
and composer Anna Meredith for a series of performances at Shoreditch warehouse, Village Underground. LCO appeared at The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
in January 2010 as part of the venue's 'Reverb' festival of contemporary music, performing works by Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
, John Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
, Biosphere
Biosphere (musician)
Biosphere is the main recording name of Geir Jenssen , a Norwegian musician who has released a notable catalogue of ambient electronic music. He is well known for his "ambient techno" and "arctic ambient" styles, his use of music loops, and peculiar samples from sci-fi sources. His track "Novelty...
and the world premiere of Shiva Feshareki's turntable concerto, "TTKonzert". LCO made its debut at the Spitalfields Festival
Spitalfields Music
Spitalfields Music is a music charity based in the Spitalfields area of the Tower Hamlets borough of London. In 2008 they changed their name from Spitalfields Festival to Spitalfields Music due to their ever growing learning and participation programmes in the community.They hold two music...
in June 2010 and at Aldeburgh Music's 'Faster Than Sound' in May 2010. In October 2010, The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
staged three screenings of Metropolis
Metropolis (film)
Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and...
(restored version) with Gottfried Huppertz’s original score performed live by the LCO. LCO performed at The Old Vic Tunnels in May 2011 to a capacity audience.
Collaborations
Known for its cross-genre collaborations, the LCO performed with headliners Belle & SebastianBelle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
at Latitude Festival
Latitude Festival
The Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006....
in July 2010 and rejoined the band for their UK tour in December 2010. The concerts reprised many of the arrangements first performed by Belle & Sebastian and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
at the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
in 2006. In June 2010 members from the LCO joined Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
-nominated band Foals at Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
for a BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
live session. LCO appear on the band's single "Spanish Sahara" (radio edit). In addition to LCO's collaborations with Biosphere
Biosphere (musician)
Biosphere is the main recording name of Geir Jenssen , a Norwegian musician who has released a notable catalogue of ambient electronic music. He is well known for his "ambient techno" and "arctic ambient" styles, his use of music loops, and peculiar samples from sci-fi sources. His track "Novelty...
and Matmos
Matmos
Matmos is an experimental electronic music duo originally from San Francisco but now residing in Baltimore signed to the Matador Records label. M. C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel are the core members, but they frequently include other artists on their records and in their performances, including...
, the ensemble has worked alongside artists including Mira Calix
Mira Calix
Mira Calix, real name Chantal Passamonte, is an artist signed to Warp Records, specialising in mixing her intimate vocals with jittering beats and experimental electronic textures...
, Simon Fisher Turner
Simon Fisher Turner
Simon Turner is an English musician, songwriter, composer, producer and actor.After portraying Ned East in the 1971 BBC TV adaptation of Tom Brown's Schooldays and roles in films such as The Big Sleep , Dover-born Simon Turner quickly rose to fame as a teen star in Britain thanks to his mentor...
, United Visual Artists, Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, Sound Intermedia and Mara Carlyle
Mara Carlyle
Mara Carlyle is an English singer-songwriter and arranger who also plays the musical saw and the ukulele. She was raised in Shropshire, England and now lives in London.-Career:...
.
New Works
- Emily HallEmily HallEmily Hall is a composer of classical music, electronica and songs. Her music has been performed by the Duke Quartet, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brodsky Quartet, the London Sinfonietta, and the Philharmonia; it has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and France Culture...
: "Put Flesh On!" (2008) - Colin Alexander: "Potential Fracture Lines" (2008)
- Jonathan ColeJonathan ColeJonathan Cole is a British composer and professor of composition at the Royal College of Music.-Biography:...
: "Assassin Hair", revised version (2008) - Howard Quin: "Combination Curves" (2009)
- Jonathan ColeJonathan ColeJonathan Cole is a British composer and professor of composition at the Royal College of Music.-Biography:...
: "burburbabbar za" (2009) - Shiva Feshareki: "TTKonzert" (2010)
- Tristan Brookes: "Ur" (2010)
- Emily HallEmily HallEmily Hall is a composer of classical music, electronica and songs. Her music has been performed by the Duke Quartet, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brodsky Quartet, the London Sinfonietta, and the Philharmonia; it has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and France Culture...
and Toby LittToby LittToby Litt is an English writer, born in Bedford in 1968. He studied at Bedford Modern School, read English at Worcester College, Oxford and studied Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia where he was taught by Malcolm Bradbury....
: "Songs" (2010) - Mira CalixMira CalixMira Calix, real name Chantal Passamonte, is an artist signed to Warp Records, specialising in mixing her intimate vocals with jittering beats and experimental electronic textures...
and Larry GovesLarry GovesLarry Goves is a British composer.A Phd student at the University of Southampton, his tutor is Michael Finnissy. In addition to Undergraduate and Postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, he has studied privately with Richard Barrett and Simon Holt...
: "pedotin"; "ipo" (2010) - Simon Fisher TurnerSimon Fisher TurnerSimon Turner is an English musician, songwriter, composer, producer and actor.After portraying Ned East in the 1971 BBC TV adaptation of Tom Brown's Schooldays and roles in films such as The Big Sleep , Dover-born Simon Turner quickly rose to fame as a teen star in Britain thanks to his mentor...
: "Attitude" (2010) - Jonathan ColeJonathan ColeJonathan Cole is a British composer and professor of composition at the Royal College of Music.-Biography:...
/ Colin Alexander: "Forum" (2011)
Education
LCO has staged two open 'Call for Scores' initiatives to date, culminating in workshops for young composers led by Baldur BrönnimannBaldur Brönnimann
-Biography:Brönnimann was born in Switzerland, and at the Musik-Akademie der Stadt Basel and was a Junior Fellow in Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester....
, Jonathan Cole
Jonathan Cole
Jonathan Cole is a British composer and professor of composition at the Royal College of Music.-Biography:...
, Rolf Hind, Richard Barrett
Richard Barrett (composer)
Richard Barrett is a British composer.-Biography:Barrett began to study music seriously only after graduating in genetics and microbiology at University College London in 1980 . From then until 1983 he took private lessons with Peter Wiegold...
, Marcus Davey and John Woolrich
John Woolrich
John Woolrich is a British composer. He was BBC Radio 3 'Composer of the Week' in March 2008, involving the broadcast of over 4 hours of his music in one week.-External links:**...
. LCO was appointed Ensemble-in-Association at Brunel University
Brunel University
Brunel University is a public research university located in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom. The university is named after the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel....
in October 2008.
Organisation
LCO's Chairman is Simon AmbroseSimon Ambrose
Simon Ambrose was the 2007 winner of the third series of the British version of reality TV show The Apprentice, in which contestants compete for a £100,000-a-year job working for British business magnate Sir Alan Sugar...
, 2007 winner of the BBC reality TV show The Apprentice.
Discography
Foals: "Miami" (Glastonbury Acoustic) feat. players from the LCORelease Date: 2 July 2010
Label: Warner Music UK Limited
Foals: "Spanish Sahara
Spanish Sahara (song)
"Spanish Sahara" is the first song released from Foals' second album Total Life Forever. Although not an official single, it was the first song to be released from this album. It was premiered on 1 March 2010, on BBC Radio 1. Later that night, a music video for the single was put up on the...
" with London Contemporary Orchestra
Release Date: 12 September 2010
Label: Warner Music UK Limited