GUILDHALL SCHOOL
EPM Showcase
26 – 28 June 2024
Digital Programmes
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Milton Court
Eating is not permitted in the auditorium. Drinks are allowed inside the auditorium in polycarbonates.
Filming or recording of the performance is not permitted.
Latecomers will be able to enter the auditorium at a suitable break in the performance.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Founded in 1880 by the City of London Corporation
Chairman of the Board of Governors
Emily Benn
Principal
Professor Jonathan Vaughan
Vice-Principal & Director of Music
Armin Zanner
Select Programme:
Wednesday 26 June
6pm Kevin Rodgers
6.30pm Sohee Baek
7pm Indira Zhangabayeva
7.30pm Eleanor Fineston-Robertson
Thursday 27 June
6pm Rosemary Moss
6.30pm Richard Macklin
7pm Maxwell H. Ratzky
7.30pm Rob Marr
8pm Lian Dyogi
Friday 28 June
6pm Angus Vardy-White
6.30pm Nicolas Karamacheras
7pm Eleanor Weavers
7.30pm Ruaridh Summers
8pm Freddie Graham
Kevin Rodgers
Four Horsemen
Wednesday 26 June, 6pm
Horseman One
Horseman Two
Horseman Three
Horseman Four
Music and Visuals by Kevin Rodgers with improvisatory help from the assembled musicians and dancer.
About
The Book of Revelation’s vision of apocalypse has terrified mankind for millennia. Four Horsemen is an electro-acoustic work that takes its inspiration from various segments of this Biblical text.
Horseman One is an aria for soprano and piano. “I looked and behold a pale horse: and its rider’s name was Death”
Horseman Two takes the melodies of this aria and fragments and distorts them in an improvisatory segment for violin, piano and electronics. “And power was given unto them … to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with pestilence”
In Horseman Three a dancer takes the lead – triggering electronic material by having her movements analysed in real time by an on-stage computer. “The sun became black as sackcloth, and the moon became as blood”
Last, Horseman Four is an improvisation for the whole band based on harmonies from the aria in Horseman One. “The fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire; And men were scorched with great heat”.
Lizzie Marshall soprano
Olivia Underwood piano
Heidi Kim violin
Kevin Rodgers electronics
Freddie Graham saxophone
Asha Ponikiewska dance
Sohee Baek
‘상상 (Sang-sang)’
Wednesday 26 June, 6.30pm
Inspiration
Night Flight
All music by Sohee Baek
About
‘상상 (Sang-sang)’ : Envisioning in one's mind phenomena or objects that one has not actually experienced.
Through my performance, I’d like to allow people to experience imagining something new with my musical palette. My performance is a film concert with a live ensemble- flute, clarinet, violin, cello, classic guitar, piano and prepared electronic sounds by myself. The first piece is written for the silent stop-motion animation Inspiration by Karel Zeman. This is my first composition for film, which was written in 2019. The second piece is composed for the novel Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The music follows the narrative of chapter 15 and 16, depicting the emotion of a pilot trapped in the sky by a storm.
Justyna Szynkarczyk flute
Lauren Peck: clarinet
Mario Gutierrez Gorria violin
Kosta Popovic cello
Seungyeon Lee guitar
Soohong Park piano
Oliwia Radomska conductor
Gwent Odai actor
Justin Ramos illustrator for Night Flight
Indira Zhangabayeva
Piano with Electronics
Wednesday 26 June, 7pm
Electronics with live piano improvisation.
All music by Indira Zhangabayeva
Eleanor Fineston-Robertson
Scarlet Silence
Wednesday 26 June, 7.30pm
Scarlet Silence Trailer
Scarlet Silence Extended Cues
Scarlet Silence Film
A Film By Zen Nguyen
Music By Eleanor Fineston-Robertson
About
‘Scarlet Silence’ explores the universal human desire to be loved, feel complete, and to find oneself; whether through love or art. Set in London, the hope is to break preconceived notions and stereotypes by featuring Asian actors in lead roles within a Western concept film. Harvey, Mimi, and Zoe lead us on a captivating journey where intimacy and love intertwine with the seed of jealousy and ambition that lies deep within their hearts. The visual aesthetic is the focal point, inspired by various artistic movements, infused with symbolism. The aim is to immerse the audience in a visually captivating world that mirrors the characters' emotions; through compositions, colours, and careful attention to detail. My aim with the music was to best utilise the soundtrack to enhance and complement the emotions portrayed on screen. For the more romantic scenes, I chose strings and piano to subtly underline the tenderness and affection unfolding between the characters. To pick up pace, when scoring the more violent scenes I used a combination of electronics, alongside manipulated acoustic instruments. This fusion of traditional and modern created a tense, jarring soundscape that encapsulated the chaotic energy of these scenes.
** TRIGGER WARNING ** VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL CONTENT
Camille Saïd violin I
Martha-Maria Mitu violin II
Florentia Chan Vee Chow viola
Eryna Kisumba cello
Olivia Underwood piano
Max Ratzky electric guitar
Eleanor Fineston-Robertson conductor
Rosemary Moss
bellows
Thursday 27 June, 6pm
opera
sometimes
fixtures
Organ (for Sofia and Serena)
About
A programme of original songs about grief, friendship and transformation, written by Rosemary.
I am very grateful to be joined by the wonderful talents of: James Allen, Isaac Burland, Toby Comeau, Oscar Garcia Guardans, Theo Guttenplan, Seamus Heath, Genia Isachenko, Simeon May.
With thanks to Toby Comeau, Elsa Hackett (add prod on sometimes).
And Sofia Kourous Vasquez, Serena Mirambeau Brey, Sylvie Dumont, Yohan de Richard, Charles Bourthoumiuex, Reuben Esterhuizen, James Allen, Seth Scott.
For my Granny.
Performers:
James Allen
Isaac Burland
Toby Comeau
Oscar Garcia Guardans
Theo Guttenplan
Seamus Heath
Genia Isachenko
Simeon May
Richard Macklin
PSEUDOCELOT – Ontology of Lean
Thursday 27 June, 6.30pm
Ontology of Lean
All music by PSEUDOCELOT (Richard Macklin & Angus Vardy-White)
About
Intrepid, we leaned forward, that we might produce electronic music
We leaned too far; toppling
Tracing vectors of the deep unknown
Oh no, we thought - we’ve absolutely had it
Should’ve listened to Alain
But actually it was quite nice in there
Now we’re just spinning about
It is recommended that you remain upright at all times
Richard Macklin double bass and electronics
Angus Vardy-White piano and electronics
Maxwell H. Ratzky
Coast to Coast – A Transatlantic Musical Journey
Thursday 27 June, 7pm
Incidental & Lullaby
Maxwell Harrison Ratzky
Northwest
Maxwell Harrison Ratzky
White Light, Hips, Red Hot Euphoria (medley)
Veslemøy Rustad Holseter, Maxwell Harrison Ratzky and Sophie Nicole Ellison
Darkest Blue (excerpt)
Maxwell Harrison Ratzky and Anna Lena Bruland
Longing
Maxwell Harrison Ratzky
Trish
Maxwell Harrison Ratzky, Stephen Haddon Schmidt and Hsin Chang
Grave and Weep (excerpt)
Maxwell Harrison Ratzky
About
Coast to Coast - A Transatlantic Musical Journey is an autobiographical concert and final recital charting Maxwell’s musical journey from Los Angeles to Liverpool, then to London and back to Los Angeles, ultimately ending up back in his adopted home of London.
The concert charts selections of his songwriting journey from his first very two pieces on guitar through to works written with old bands, at music college, and during his Master’s at Guildhall. Most crucially, the concert features long-standing collaborators and friends who have made an impact musically and personally throughout Max’s development in London, Liverpool and LA.
Hopefully conveyed throughout is the tension and complication of moving back and forth between countries multiple times, and the feeling of being stuck or lost as one tries to find one’s place to fit in best. Ultimately, home is where you make it, and the conclusion of the performance is that all of these places, in one way or another, are Max’s musical homes.
Maxwell H. Ratzky guitar, vocals, piano, programming
Jaga Klimaszewska violin
Veslemøy Holseter vocals, bass
Sophie Nicole Ellison vocals, guitar
Megan Cronin alto saxophone
Hsin Chang vocals, synths
Stephen Schmidt synths, co-programming (in absentia)
Lucy Gibbs vocals
Rob Marr
To the Wire: Songs with Acoustic Piano and Live Electronics
Thursday 27 June, 7.30pm
Addicted to Drama*
Fencebuilding**
That Was Then This is Now**
Death & Comfort**
*Music by Rob Marr, Hugh Wilkinson, Jon Cox and Tom Morgan/Lyrics by Rob Marr
**Music and lyrics by Rob Marr
About
Rob Marr is a UK-based songwriter, musician and composer.
He has written, performed and produced three studio albums (Domestic Dramas, Anatomy and Book of Man) as an independent singer/songwriter, performing across the UK and Europe. He has collaborated live and in the studio with some of the UK’s finest musicians and engineers, including Andy Newmark (Sly and the Family Stone), Chris Spedding, Jamie Morrison (Noisettes), Rick Astley, Al Mobbs (Gorillaz), Rupert Christie and Wayne Wilkins. In 2020 he released the self-penned feature length musical podcast drama (also called Book of Man), narrated by Golden Globe winner Josh O’Connor, which has been streamed more than 10,000 times.
This evening’s performance is the start of an exploration: how can Rob combine the electronic music skills developed during his time at Guildhall with his deep love for acoustic piano and traditional songwriting, to create a truly compelling, modern live performance as a solo artist?
Thank you for listening!
Rob Marr piano, vocals and electronics
Lian Dyogi
Letters from London
Thursday 27 June, 8pm
Departure in Winter*
Sunday Blues**
Body**
Magic***
*Music by Lian Dyogi, poem by Nanie de Castro
** Music and Lyrics by Lian Dyogi and Isadora Pullman-Jones
*** Music and lyrics by Lian Dyogi
About
Letters from London is a collection of pieces written by Lian Dyogi (mainly for films and text) that serves as a time capsule of her first year living in London. We hope you enjoy these letters from London!
Lian Dyogi vocals, electronics
Olivia Underwood piano
Maxwell Harrison electric guitar
Cynthia Guardaño double bass
Isadora Pullman-Jones vocals and backing vocals
Shea Sullivan dancer/choreographer
Park Dongwon visuals/art
Angus Vardy-White
Pelican View
Friday 28 June, 6pm
Beluga
Tern
Music by Angus Vardy-White and Richard Macklin
About
Pelican View is a project devised by Angus in collaboration with Richard exploring the style of live sampling pioneered by the musician Jan Bang.
Angus Vardy-White sampler and keys
Richard Macklin double bass and effects
Nicolas Karamacheras
Media Massage
Friday 28 June, 6.30pm
Media Massage by Nicolas Karamacheras
About
A live, improvisational electronic set, using generative methods of composition as a way of exploring the question, ‘what is human intelligence and creativity’?
Eleanor Weavers
House Select
Friday 28 June, 7pm
Cradle
The Great Reset
Levity
Crystal Bitch
All music by Eleanor Weavers
About
A live mix of progressive house by producer Eleanor Weavers accompanied by real-time visuals by visual artist Reinis Melihovs.
Reinis Melihovs visual art
Eleanor Weavers music
Ruaridh Summers
...And Heaven Lay Empty
Friday 28 June, 7.30pm
...And Heaven Lay Empty
All music by Ruaridh Summers
About
...And Heaven Lay Empty imagines a desolate celestial plain, abandoned by all but one solitary angel. In this composition, Ruaridh blurs the divide between the beautiful and the ugly, drawing influence from traditional depictions of heaven and inverting them. We often imagine angels to be beautiful and joyous creatures, but in looking at biblical descriptions, we see angels depicted as writhing masses of eyes, wings and claws, bringing destruction in their wake.
This performance contains strobe lighting and may be unsuitable for photosensitive audience members.
Ruaridh Summers electronics and vocals
Fabia Martin visuals
Suzanne Parkinson costume design
Freddie Graham
An Electronic Sound Meditation
Friday 28 June, 8pm
An Electronic Sound Meditation
Conceived by Freddie Graham
About
If you want to find the secrets of the Universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” – Nikola Tesla
Sound has been used as a tool of healing in numerous cultures for millennia. Sound is vibration. Humans vibrate; our brainwaves can be measured in Hertz, just like musical notes.
This project aims to make meditation and the concept of sound baths more accessible by blending modern technology with acoustic sounds, new and old. It reminds us that contemporary science and ancient knowledge can be assimilated with therapeutic potential for the benefit of humankind.
Allow yourself to let the sound take you on a journey within yourself. Allow the vibrations to ease your mind, sink into the present moment, find peace, and simply be.
“Future medicine will be the medicine of frequencies.” – Albert Einstein
Conceived by Freddie Graham
Eliza Woodward flutes & electronics
Genia Isachenko modular synthesiser
Izzy Pulman-Jones vocals
James Lansdowne piano, kalimba, singing bowl & electronics
Freddie Graham saxophone & electronics
Visuals by Journey of Curiosity
Donate
We hope you thoroughly enjoy today’s performance at Guildhall School. If you feel inspired by our students and would like to support world-class training for these talented performers and production artists, we would be grateful for a voluntary donation.
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Please visit our website at gsmd.ac.uk
Guildhall School is provided by the City of London as part of its contribution to the cultural life of London and the nation.