This year, as part of the EFG Elements Series, we premiere two new pieces of work from composer, conductor Guy Barker at London’s Cadogan Hall on Thursday, 17 November 2022. Guy Barker is probably better known to Festival audiences for being the composer and one of the creative minds behind Jazz Voice, the glittering opening night gala.
For this special ‘one off’ performance, he teams up with Hong Kong’s famous jazz guitarist Eugene Pao and Giacomo Smith, clarinettist and Creative Director of exciting young jazz band, Kansas Smitty’s. The driving force for these two concertos, Southbank Sinfonia, brings together 33 of the world’s most promising graduate musicians every year. More than just an orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia is a community in which young talent can thrive and take their professional skills to new levels.
The two pieces were originally inspired by chance meetings in a Hong Kong jazz club with Eugene Pao, and a London theatre with Giacomo Smith. Lockdown and the untimely death of long-time friend and former Director of the EFG London Jazz Festival, John Cumming, finally inspired Guy Barker to complete the compositions. The end result is a moving body of work, containing added touches of humour and fun.
Discover the fascinating ‘story behind’ the production in this video: