Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This event, originally titled ‘Bowie and Blackstar’, took place on 17 January 2026. The information below is correct as of the publication date.
January marked ten years since David Bowie’s magisterial final artistic statement, Blackstar. We were joined by its musical director, bandleader and saxophonist Donny McCaslin and Director of the Visconti Studios at Kingston University, the musician, producer and author of Blackstar Theory, Dr Leah Kardos, as well as long-time Bowie collaborator, Blackstar album designer, Jonathan Barnbrook. They talked to the DJ and broadcaster Nemone about this thrilling last record.
Introduced by Jehnny Beth.
This event took place as part of David Bowie in Time: A Day at the British Library. To mark a decade since the death of David Bowie, this landmark gathering of musicians, writers, filmmakers, artists and critics reflected on pivotal moments across his kaleidoscopic career and his own fascination with time.
Co-curated by Arsalan Mohammad, creator of the ALBUMTOALBUM podcast, this day of conversations, presentations and performances created space to experience the artist anew and reflect on not only how time changed Bowie, but how he changed our perceptions of it, through his art, music, identity and fame, always reminding us of the fleeting beauty of being alive.
Thumbnail credit: Photo by Henri Kisielewski
To join more online and in person events visit our website: events.bl.uk
Discover more of our past events at our playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVRvouzCZmFeI-PSlsaLHzJwtEkKshATx&si=94-9DoaNCNTFAyQc
Check us out on Instagram: instagram.com/britishlibrary_events
Speaker Bios:
Donny McCaslin is a world-renowned saxophonist and band leader, whose solo projects and collaborations both embrace and overturn contemporary notions of jazz, blending in art rock, programming and sonic experimentation galore. His wide-ranging approach led to him leading the band on David Bowie’s final, and one of his finest albums, Blackstar (2016). Donny trained at Berklee College of Music and became a core member of Gary Burton’s quintet and Steps Ahead, while also working with Maria Schneider, Danilo Pérez, Elvis Costello and others. McCaslin serves as Artistic Director of the touring Blackstar Symphony, a large-scale production that reimagines the masterpiece for a 65-piece orchestra.
Jonathan Barnbrook is one of Britain's best-known designers, working across activism, graphic design, typeface design, industrial design and motion graphics. In 1990, Barnbrook founded his design studio, Barnbrook. His most famous typeface, Mason, became one of the first digital typefaces acquired by The Museum of Modern Art in New York. He has collaborated with artists, including Damien Hirst, Banksy, and notably, David Bowie, with whom he created the artwork for multiple albums, including Blackstar (2016). He was the identity designer and artistic advisor for the ‘David Bowie Is’ exhibition at the V&A in 2013.
Dr Leah Kardos is a writer, music producer and senior lecturer in music at Kingston/KSA. She is the director and co-founder of the Visconti Studio at Kingston and leads on its events, professional sessions, research projects and knowledge exchange. She founded and runs the Kingston University Stylophone Orchestra, and she releases and publishes her own music with Bigo & Twigetti and UPPM. Leah’s book Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie was published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2022. Other writing includes the 33 1/3 book about Kate Bush's Hounds of Love and regular contributions to The Wire magazine.
Nemone has been at the forefront of UK national broadcasting for nearly 30 years, with the last twenty five at the BBC. She is a familiar daytime voice on BBC 6 Music where she curated the electronic music show Nemone’s Electric Ladyland for the best part of a decade. A qualified and practicing psychotherapist, Nemone is an insightful interviewer and vocal champion of mental health issues. She hosts Journeys in Sound: a more intimate series with musicians exploring the experiences and music that have shaped them. Nemone has also collaborated with a wide range of organisations including the Science Museum, Glasgow’s Resonate Music Conference, Mixcloud, Music Minds Matter and more.
Jehnny Beth is a musician and actor who first came to prominence as the compelling frontwoman of Savages, the Mercury Prize-nominated post-punk band known for its live performances and stark lyricism. Her acclaimed solo debut To Love Is To Live (2020) expanded that vision - bold, cinematic, and emotionally charged. In 2020, she created the TV series ECHOES to spotlight emerging artists like Wet Leg and Kneecap. With Johnny Hostile, she recorded her second solo album, You Heartbreaker, You (2025).
The British Library is a charity. Your support helps us open up a world of knowledge and inspiration for everyone. Donate today: support.bl.uk/Donate
This event, originally titled ‘Bowie and Blackstar’, took place on 17 January 2026. The information below is correct as of the publication date.
January marked ten years since David Bowie’s magisterial final artistic statement, Blackstar. We were joined by its musical director, bandleader and saxophonist Donny McCaslin and Director of the Visconti Studios at Kingston University, the musician, producer and author of Blackstar Theory, Dr Leah Kardos, as well as long-time Bowie collaborator, Blackstar album designer, Jonathan Barnbrook. They talked to the DJ and broadcaster Nemone about this thrilling last record.
Introduced by Jehnny Beth.
This event took place as part of David Bowie in Time: A Day at the British Library. To mark a decade since the death of David Bowie, this landmark gathering of musicians, writers, filmmakers, artists and critics reflected on pivotal moments across his kaleidoscopic career and his own fascination with time.
Co-curated by Arsalan Mohammad, creator of the ALBUMTOALBUM podcast, this day of conversations, presentations and performances created space to experience the artist anew and reflect on not only how time changed Bowie, but how he changed our perceptions of it, through his art, music, identity and fame, always reminding us of the fleeting beauty of being alive.
Thumbnail credit: Photo by Henri Kisielewski
To join more online and in person events visit our website: events.bl.uk
Discover more of our past events at our playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVRvouzCZmFeI-PSlsaLHzJwtEkKshATx&si=94-9DoaNCNTFAyQc
Check us out on Instagram: instagram.com/britishlibrary_events
Speaker Bios:
Donny McCaslin is a world-renowned saxophonist and band leader, whose solo projects and collaborations both embrace and overturn contemporary notions of jazz, blending in art rock, programming and sonic experimentation galore. His wide-ranging approach led to him leading the band on David Bowie’s final, and one of his finest albums, Blackstar (2016). Donny trained at Berklee College of Music and became a core member of Gary Burton’s quintet and Steps Ahead, while also working with Maria Schneider, Danilo Pérez, Elvis Costello and others. McCaslin serves as Artistic Director of the touring Blackstar Symphony, a large-scale production that reimagines the masterpiece for a 65-piece orchestra.
Jonathan Barnbrook is one of Britain's best-known designers, working across activism, graphic design, typeface design, industrial design and motion graphics. In 1990, Barnbrook founded his design studio, Barnbrook. His most famous typeface, Mason, became one of the first digital typefaces acquired by The Museum of Modern Art in New York. He has collaborated with artists, including Damien Hirst, Banksy, and notably, David Bowie, with whom he created the artwork for multiple albums, including Blackstar (2016). He was the identity designer and artistic advisor for the ‘David Bowie Is’ exhibition at the V&A in 2013.
Dr Leah Kardos is a writer, music producer and senior lecturer in music at Kingston/KSA. She is the director and co-founder of the Visconti Studio at Kingston and leads on its events, professional sessions, research projects and knowledge exchange. She founded and runs the Kingston University Stylophone Orchestra, and she releases and publishes her own music with Bigo & Twigetti and UPPM. Leah’s book Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie was published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2022. Other writing includes the 33 1/3 book about Kate Bush's Hounds of Love and regular contributions to The Wire magazine.
Nemone has been at the forefront of UK national broadcasting for nearly 30 years, with the last twenty five at the BBC. She is a familiar daytime voice on BBC 6 Music where she curated the electronic music show Nemone’s Electric Ladyland for the best part of a decade. A qualified and practicing psychotherapist, Nemone is an insightful interviewer and vocal champion of mental health issues. She hosts Journeys in Sound: a more intimate series with musicians exploring the experiences and music that have shaped them. Nemone has also collaborated with a wide range of organisations including the Science Museum, Glasgow’s Resonate Music Conference, Mixcloud, Music Minds Matter and more.
Jehnny Beth is a musician and actor who first came to prominence as the compelling frontwoman of Savages, the Mercury Prize-nominated post-punk band known for its live performances and stark lyricism. Her acclaimed solo debut To Love Is To Live (2020) expanded that vision - bold, cinematic, and emotionally charged. In 2020, she created the TV series ECHOES to spotlight emerging artists like Wet Leg and Kneecap. With Johnny Hostile, she recorded her second solo album, You Heartbreaker, You (2025).
The British Library is a charity. Your support helps us open up a world of knowledge and inspiration for everyone. Donate today: support.bl.uk/Donate
