Shifting the Paradigm
The year 2021 marks thirty years since the death of Miles Davis, fifty since the death of Igor Stravinsky, and 500 since that of the Renaissance maestro Josquin des Prez.
This trio of pre-eminent composers, celebrated for their revolutionary energy, takes centre stage in a concert that forges electrifying musical connections transcending time, space and genre. From his early work with Charlie Parker, via his 1950s quintets with John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock, to his experiments with jazz-rock and fusion, Miles Davis, aka the Prince of Darkness, repeatedly went back to the roots of his art in order to redefine it.
Where American jazz was born of a profound sense of protest and loss, Stravinsky sought to renew the moribund art music of the nineteenth century by turning to the primitivism that inspired the wild syncopations of his explosive Rite of Spring. Similarly, unlike other composers, who bent themselves into conformity with established musical practice, Josquin was considered: ‘the master of the notes, which must do as he wills.’
As with the innovations of Davis and Stravinsky, the progressive and inventive force of Josquin’s work was transformative. All three of these inimitable artists have the power not only to change the way we hear the music of their time, but to change the way we hear music itself.
I know that the twelve notes in each octave and the variety of rhythm offer me opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust. ― Igor Stravinsky
Good music is good no matter what kind of music it is. ― Miles Davis
The great Leonard Bernstein would recognize a kindred spirit in Nils Landgren, the Swedish trombonist, singer and all-round musical prodigy.
— The Guardian
A protean spirit fired by ceaseless dynamism, Nils Landgren is a trombone master of styles, a balladeer of melting poignancy and an innovative artistic director. In his long career as a trombonist, Nils has built on his classical and jazz training to create a unique idiom that opens up previously unexplored musical territories.
From his time with US chart-topping Blue Swede in the early 1980s, his dazzling sonorities have been deployed for a pantheon of contemporary music stars, and he has featured on 500 albums. Since the mid-1990s he has also played with his own band, Funk Unit, recording eleven albums. In the 1990s Nils also established himself as a singer, with Ballads, the first of several vocal albums showcasing a delicately charged voice that has earned comparisons with Chet Baker. He has received countless awards, notably the German Order of Merit, and is widely respected for his role in charitable work and cultural politics, particularly his Funk for Life partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières in Africa.
Hugo has a rare ability to convey a profound understanding of the music and shed light on its spiritual intent.
— Arvo Pärt
It is very clear that Ticciati is one of tomorrow’s truly great musicians.
— Der Tagesspiegel, Berlin
As violinist, leader and conductor, Hugo Ticciati imbibes all possible forms of creativity, whether it be performing world premieres in the most prestigious venues around the world, improvising with monks in India, or devising innovative programmes for O/Modernt Orchestra and Festival which he founded in 2011. Alongside his passion to discover and learn from the music of previous epochs and non-western traditions, Hugo embraces the world of contemporary music. To date, over forty works have been written for and dedicated to him by a host of eminent composers, including Erkki-Sven Tüür, Pēteris Vasks, Victoria Borisova-Ollas, Albert Schnelzer and Dobrinka Tabakova.
As the Artistic Director of his own O/Modernt Orchestra, and Artistic Partner with Manchester Camerata, Hugo collaborates regularly with Kremerata Baltica, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra da Camera di Perugia. Most recently, he has been invited to work with Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra and Vienna Chamber Orchestra.
Gaining a growing reputation for his innovative and adventurous programming, Hugo is frequently asked to devise and present concerts and festivals with a unique twist. This has led to ongoing collaborations with Wigmore Hall and Kings Place in London. Pursuing his passion for chamber music, Hugo has developed special artistic partnerships with members of the O/Modernt Soloists as well as other internationally renowned artists, notably Evelyn Glennie, Anne Sofie von Otter, Nils Landgren, Steven Isserlis, Angela Hewitt and Olli Mustonen.
Hugo frequently gives master-classes and lectures on music-related subjects both at Scandinavia’s leading specialist music school Lilla Akademien, where he holds the post of Deputy Artistic Director, and other educational institutions around the world.
No young musician outside the pop world has moved as fast into the upper reaches of his profession as Simcock.
— Stuart Nicholson, Observer
Winner of many awards for his playing and composition Gwilym Simcock moves effortlessly between jazz and classical creating a sound that is very much his own. He works with orchestras, choirs, big bands, small ensembles and musicians from all areas of music including jazz, folk, pop and classical combining throughcomposed elements with improvisation.
Described as a pianist of ‘exceptional’, ‘brilliant’ and ‘dazzling’ ability, he is renowned for his solo performances, releasing a Barclaycard Mercury nominated solo album 'Good Days at Schloss Elmau” on ACT in 2011 which was lauded as 'dazzlingly fresh', 'world class', 'stupendous', 'phenomenal', 'a cause for huge celebration'. His music is widely acclaimed as ‘engaging, exciting, often unexpected, melodically enthralling, complex yet hugely accessible', and above all 'wonderfully optimistic’.
Jordi Carrasco Hjelm is a Swedish double bass player focusing on chamber music and free improvisation. Born in Stockholm, he has been a part of the O/Modernt concept from the outset, participating in the first edition of the festival and later joining the O/Modernt Chamber Orchestra. He lives in Amsterdam where he was a Bachelor student in the class of Olivier Thiery and Rick Stotijn at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam where he finished his Masters degree in Cross-Over music making with the jazz violinist Tim Kliphuis in 2019.
Jordi has performed as a chamber musician and improviser in festivals all over Europe and as a guest player with a diverse set of ensembles such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orkest, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the Matthew Barley Ensemble (UK), the location-based improvisation concept Buro Nieuw Perspectief (NL) and the string orchestra Arte Frizzante (CH).
In 2021 he looks forward especially to premiering his new composition for solo double bass at the Wonderfeel Festival in Helsinki, improvising with Gareth Lubbe at the Sylt Chamber Music Festival and to spending some summer weeks in the Swiss Alps at the festival Musikdorf Ernen.
Award winner 2017 by the Swedish Radio as the "Musician of the Year"
İkiz is known for being an extremely versatile drummer/percussionist having played and recorded all sorts of music from straight-ahead jazz to funk and pop. Ikiz´s musical versatility can be heard in several different bands where he is a steady member.
Ikiz studied at the Stockholm Music Conservatory between 1995-1998 in the Afro-American music program. In 1998 he won the annual competition there and received a scholarship to study at the Los Angeles Music Academy. While back in Europe with Stockholm as a base, İkiz started to tour with different groups and projects all over the world as well doing recording sessions on a regular basis. Ikiz has performed, held workshops or made studio sessions in over 40 countries.
In October 2017 Ikiz was the first drummer to receive the 'Musician of the year' ('Jazzkatten') prize from the Swedish Radio. İkiz's talent has been recognized by the Swedish Royal Music Academy as he received awards in percussion in 1999 & 2003 and in Jazz in 2004. Due to İkiz's ever-increasing interest in jazz, he started a record company called Stockholm Jazz Records in 2002 which he continues to run today with his partner Daniel Tilling.
The chamber orchestra O/Modernt leads the way.
— Berliner Morgenpost
Ticciati so clearly led his fellow strings to draw even more from them with an infinite variety of dynamics.
— The Arts Desk
Directed by violinist Hugo Ticciati, the O/Modernt Chamber Orchestra is an integral part of O/Modernt. Comprised of top young players from all over Europe, the orchestra performs eclectic and adventurous programmes, with anything from arrangements of medieval motets to Bach, Webern and Metallica. The orchestra regularly collaborates with world-renowned soloists such as Evelyn Glennie, Steven Isserlis, Anne Sofie von Otter and Nils Landgren, as well as jazz artists, rappers, choreographers, rock-balancers and more.
Although only a few years old, the orchestra has gained an international reputation, with performances at the Wigmore Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Wiener Musikverein and Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam. The O/Modernt players enjoy a wide range of outreach and educational projects in Sweden, the UK and further afield in India.
Josquin des Prez (arr. Johannes Marmén)
Mille regretz
Ave Maria ... virgo serena
La plus des plus
Une mousque de Biscays
Igor Stravinsky
Concerto in D (‘Basle’)
Three Pieces for String Quartet
L’histoire du soldat
Le sacre du printemps
L’Oiseaux de feu
Miles Davis (arr. Gwilym Simcock)
Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
Selim
Funky Tonk
So What
Little Church
All Blues
He is the master of the notes, which must do as he wills, while other composers do their bidding. — Martin Luther on Josquin
