lola perrin: piano
with guest speaker jennifer leach (Director festival of the dark)

This event is part of both ClimateKeys and Reading's Festival of the Dark.

ClimateKeys is a glocal initiative launching with over thirty concerts in nine countries during October & November 2017 to raise public engagement with CoP23, the 2017 UN climate talks taking place in November. ClimateKeys, founded by London-based composer pianist Lola Perrin, features concert pianists and climate change experts collaborating in performances that include a conversation with the audience about positive response to climate change. To date, over a hundred concert musicians and guest speakers in twenty countries have joined ClimateKeys. More concerts are being planned through 2018.​

Reading's Festival of the Dark, a visionary year long festival that unites artists and thinkers in creative and unique projects was founded by Jennifer Leach/Outrider Anthems

Room G01 Building L29

University of Reading

London Road

Reading RG1 5AQ

Entry to both events: Free

Book tickets

"Talking about climate change needs to move into the center of all we do, so we are scores of pianists putting the conversation into the heart of our concerts." (Lola Perrin, ClimateKeys founder)

PROGRAMME

Piano Suite IX: Significantus (Lola Perrin 2016)

For piano, guest speaker Jennifer Leach, and a conversation with the audience

This suite was composed in response to writings about climate change, and how to respond positively. The title is inspired by one of the writings: "We are on the cusp of a new philosophical era reversing 500 years of science telling us how insignificant we are.” (Mark Maslin, University College London). The composer has given the work eleven performances in the UK and Amsterdam. During November Bosnian pianist Biljana Jasic Radovanovic will perform the suite in Banja Luka, Bosnia. American pianist Hsing-Ay Hsu (Boulder, Colorado) and Uk pianist Caroline Tyler (Brighton, UK) will perform extracts.

LOLA PERRIN: Composer, pianist, collaborator, Composer in Residence at Markson Pianos, has published eight piano suites and has two CDs on general release. Collaborates in performance with various artists including Hanif Kureishi, Sue Hubbard, Mihir Bose. Has been interviewed by Quentin Cooper, and about her climate change compositions on BBC’s The Paul Hudson Weather Show. Lola has initiated ClimateKeys in which scores of pianists will be performing with guest speakers to engage audiences in talking about climate change across the world.

JENNIFER LEACH: Director of Outrider Anthems, established as an arts organisation that holds sacred art practice at its heart. The work of Outrider Anthems is to reconsider those stale myths and narratives that are not serving us, and to suggest others that might take their place, through diverse creative means. Currently, Jennifer is directing a yearlong Festival of the Dark in Reading, in which reflection, mystery and challenge are key. She continues the questioning in her own practice, with transmedia theatre works such as Song of Crow, Where Then Shall We Start? and Take Two, respectively looking at humankind’s dislocation with our habitat, the destructive nature of war, and the traumatic plight of Palestine. The works rely, not on didacticism and condemnation, but on asking the questions, ‘What have we lost?’ and ‘How could it be different?’ Where possible, these questions are always considered with a view to the delight, love and laughter that feed an alternative vision. Outrider Anthems has received substantial ACE funding since 2007.