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What’s On

Politics of the Imagination: Anselm McDonnell

LSO Discovery Jerwood Composer+ Showcase

Saturday 9 March 2024 • 7pm

This event has passed.

The Concert

Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke’s

Anselm McDonnell Cross-Purposes
Joel the Custodian Holy Bones
Ana Sokolović Vez
Kosyne Whip
Gráinne Mulvey Arachnid
Barrowclough The Horologist
Sungji Hong Black Arrow
Kosyne Church
Joel the Custodian Ex-Golf Pro
Barrowclough Boudicca Bap
Donnacha Dennehy Paddy
Interval – 30 minutes
Anselm McDonnell Politics of the Imagination (world premiere)

Louise McMonagle  cello
Heather Roche  clarinet
Matthew Farthing  percussion
Barrowclough  rap artist
Joel the Custodian  rap artist
Kosyne  rap artist

The concert will finish at approximately 9.30pm

Tickets

£8 (£6 concessions, £5 under-18s)
+ £1.50 booking fee per online/phone transaction

With influences from dubstep to Balkan rhythms, and featuring rappers from Birmingham’s hip-hop scene – composer Anselm McDonnell brings together three short musical sets exploring themes of playfulness, imagination and politics.

Set 1: Cross-Purposes takes snippets from public figures apologising for breaking their own pandemic regulations and turns them into rhythmic grooves, accompanied by a sarcastic commentary from clarinet and cello. Vez draws us into a world of fast-paced Balkan rhythms and Arachnid unveils an unstable, skittering groove from long, undulating gestures.

Set 2: Black Arrow uses electronics to manipulate music from the bass clarinet into new shapes, and PADDY builds layers of ostinatos into complex patterns.

Set 3: McDonnell’s new piece for clarinet, cello, percussion, sampler and rap artists questions: How can imagination and playfulness inform our politics? What if our solutions to problems were more creative, bizarre or ridiculous?

Read the programme

LSO Jerwood Composer+ is generously supported by Jerwood Foundation.
Politics of the Imagination is generously supported by Art Council Ireland’s Music Bursary Award

Jerwood Foundation    Art Council Ireland Logo

Dive Deeper

Watch the Trailer

Meet the Rappers

Listen to the Playlist

With a glass of wine in the Crypt Cafe and Bar

The Crypt Bar

Open for hot and cold drinks from one hour before the performance, and during the interval (where applicable).
Card payments only.

Booking and Discounts

Booking Your Tickets

Online at lso.co.uk
By phone on +44 20 7870 2500 (Monday to Friday 12–5.30pm)
In person at the Barbican Centre

£1.50 booking fee per transaction when booking online or by phone

Refunds and Exchanges

If you can no longer use your tickets, you can exchange them for another LSO St Luke’s concert or Barbican credit voucher (valid for six months). Please ensure that you inform the Box Office at least 24 hours before the performance (two weeks for group bookings). A per-ticket administration fee applies for all exchange services.

Questions About Your Booking?

Contact the Box Office at tickets@barbican.org.uk.

Visit the Barbican website for conditions of sale and further information.

The LSO reserves the right to change artists or programmes if necessary. If the event is cancelled, all bookers will receive a refund. All discounts are subject to availability and may not be combined. Box office calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance or training purposes

Concessions

£6 tickets for over-60s, full-time students and unwaged/unemployed people.

Under-18s

£5 tickets for under-18s.

Access Members

Members of the Barbican’s Access Scheme can book wheelchair places priced at the lowest price for that event and book a free companion seat. Join the Barbican Access Scheme.

Your Visit and Access