BT River of Music
The British Council is supporting a series of five high profile collaborations linking British musicians with artists and performers around the world which will form part of BT River of Music, a spectacular weekend of free music from across the 205 Olympic and Paralympic nations presented at iconic sites along the River Thames on 21 and 22 July 2012.
The collaborations supported by the British Council represent all five continents and have been created from the development of projects around the world, resulting in performances both overseas and in London as part of BT River of Music.
AFRICA STAGE (London Pleasure Gardens, Docklands)
Saturday 21st July
Representing Africa is a UK – Nigerian collaboration that will bring together different generations of musicians to reflect a diversity of influences. The Invisible and King Sunny Ade’s collaboration will bring together the UK’s 2009 Mercury Prize nominated band with one of Africa’s biggest forces – the man who created juju music. Special guests will include young Nigerian talent Wizboyy.
Produced by British Council with No-Nation
Matthew Herbert’s Russian Big Band
EUROPE STAGE (Trafalgar Square)
Sunday 22nd July
British electronic musician and DJ, Matthew Herbert will create a new Russian Big Band from scratch, with the ambition that the band will continue to play together long after the project has finished. Well known for the use of so-called ‘real’, ‘ordinary’ or ‘found’ sounds in modern electronic music, Matthew will compose two new pieces of music created from sounds of Russia. The new pieces will be performed by the Big Band made up of Russian and UK players in Trafalgar Square.
Produced by British Council with Accidental Records.
OCEANIC STAGE (Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich)
Sunday 22nd July
Mamiath – Mother Tongue, is a new project that sees Australian indigenous arts collective Black Arm Band collaborating with alternative Welsh folk roots group, 9Bach. They share a common experience exploring music connections and the preservation of language and culture through music and song.
Produced by British Council and Black Arm Band.
ASIA STAGE (Battersea Park)
Sunday 22nd July
UK dance outfit and cross-cultural globetrotters, Transglobal Underground lead a new collaboration with standout musicians representing UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Confirmed musicians include a powerhouse of vocalists: Hamdan Al-Abri, Al Mohandi and Nizar Al Issa. Teaming up with them are trumpet player Yazz Ahmed, rapper and guitarist Hertham Al-Dayed, qanun player Wahab Abdullah Wahab Al Dhanki and keyboard player Tarik Saeed. As the Middle East enters a new era of self expression, the Gulf States have a story to tell and music offers a unique way of relaying their diverse experiences.
Produced by British Council with Musicians Incorporated.
AMERICAS STAGE (Tower of London)
Sunday 22nd July
British musician and producer Will Holland A.K.A. Quantic and Colombian Mario Geleano, the creative mind behind the band Frente Cumbiero, have joined forces to create Ondatrópica. Built on the success of the British Council’s recent three-year Incubartor project, Ondatrópica aims to explore and savour the popular music of the Colombian Carribean.
Produced by British Council with Como No!
BT River of Music will welcome the world to London with a spectacular weekend of free music from across the 205 Olympic and Paralympic nations, presented at iconic sites along the River Thames on 21 and 22 July 2012. BT River of Music is part of the London 2012 Festival. It is supported by National Lottery Funds through the Olympic Lottery Distributor and Arts Council England and is produced by Serious.
The British Council global programme inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Big Dance, BT River of Music, English for the Games, International Inspiration, International Showcase, International Voices, Poetry Parnassus, Unlimited, The Changing Room, World Olympic Dreams, World Shakespeare Festival and World Stages
