LFAM | Percussion !!

A celebration of US composers who have expanded the expressive language of percussion to its most imaginative. There are concerts that make you realise what you've been missing... The first half of Thursday's Lontano concert at St John's, Smith Square, provided the answer.' The Independent Curated by visionary Cuban-American conductor-composer, Odaline de la Martínez, the five-day London Festival of American Music (LFAM) aims to promote the work of outstanding American composers who are well established at home but less well known to UK audiences. A thrilling evening dedicated entirely to percussion, featuring two works by Ursula Mamlok alongside three newly-commissioned world premieres, conducted by Odaline de la Martínez. The programme includes three commissioned works from Neva Derewetzky, Charles Shadle and Daniel Thomas Davis together with two rarely-heard works for percussion by the Jewish émigrée, Ursula Mamlok. PROGRAMME Ursula Mamlok Variations and Interludes for 4 Percussionists* | 2000 Notes Arranged for Percussion* Neva Derewetsky [New commissioned work]** Daniel Thomas Davis [New commisioned work]** Charles Shadle [New commisioned work]** *UK Premiere **World Premiere ARTISTS Lontano Odaline de la Martínez conductor ​Born in Cuba and brought up in the USA, Odaline de la Martínez is now based in the UK where she has become a formidable force on today's classical music scene, pursuing a busy career as an award-winning composer, conductor, record producer and event curator. Working with everything from Mozart symphonies to the latest contemporary music, she has acquired an illustrious reputation for her versatile and eclectic vision, with a longstanding special commitment to contemporary music, women composers and Latin American composers in particular. Amongst her many achievements, Martínez was the first woman to conduct a BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall in 1984. Since its foundation in 1976, Lontano has been recognised as one of the UK’s most exciting and versatile exponents of twentieth and twenty-first century music. Lontano’s work includes themed seasons in London, opera and music theatre productions, concerts and tours throughout the UK and abroad, and regular recordings on its own LORELT label, as well as workshops and educational projects. Lontano also records for numerous other companies including Albany Records, Summit (USA), Da Capo (Denmark), Metier Records and Retrospect Opera (UK). The ensemble is internationally renowned, and its tours have taken it to many countries in Europe as well as both North and South America. The ensemble began their biennial London Festival of American music in 2006.