PERFORMANCE: Re-imagining the musical bandstand in the 21st century | IN PERSON

Musicians from Bentham’s Body Ensemble and Shovel Dance Collective will perform short programmes of classical and traditional English folk music around UCL’s Bloomsbury campus and neighbouring outdoor spaces. Programmes will be a mix of genres and cultural influences, drawing on the history of bandstand and outdoor music programming from the 1700s to the mid-20^th century.

Provisional Schedule

12.15-12.30 pm: Institute Of Advanced Studies corridor and lift area
1.00-1.30 pm: North Cloisters or North Terrace, if available
2.00-2.15 pm: North Cloisters/Housman Room
2.30-2.45 pm: Octagon
3.00-3.15 pm: South Cloisters, if available
3.30-4.00 pm: South Terrace, if available
5.00-5.30 pm: Front Quad by café area, if available
6.00-6.30 pm: outside Print Room Café
7 pm onwards: Gordon Square area

Slade student Chantal Goulder won our competitive commission for a mobile design to demarcate performance in public spaces, as part of the process of re-imagining the musical bandstand for the 21^st century. See her design in action during the performances.

The project has involved historical and musicological research, including use of UCL’s London History Collection of rare books, pamphlets and maps. See items from the collection, and hear the project collaborators talk about their research and performance experience, together with brief music performances, on Wednesday 22 June 5.30pm.

By focusing on music in outdoor and public spaces, this project explores the social history of those spaces local to UCL. Using historical and musicological research methodologies, including use of archives and rare books in UCL Special Collections’ London History Collection, this exploration will lead to a public acoustic musical performance of classical and traditional English folk music. We are interested in the ways in which various outdoor musical traditions have had different roles in responding to or colluding with the state and economic power exerted by public spaces upon individuals, and seek to explore the sonic politics of public space in relation to discourses around labour, imperialism and immigration.“

All welcome. Please note that there may be photography and/or audio recording at some events and that admission is on a first come first served basis. Please follow this FAQ link for more information. All our events are free but you can support the IAS here.

Photo by Julia Hammond on Unsplash. Brighton Bandstand.