Uploaded July 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Tonight we share six brand new works for solo cello performed by Jennifer Langridge that were created through Psappha’s 2019-20 Composing for Cello scheme.
Our Composing for… schemes began back in 2013 and have supported the creation of more than 100 new works to date. The aim of the scheme is to give emerging composers direct access to one of Psappha’s core musicians or a special guest over an extended period of 6 – 8 months. Through a series of one to one workshops the composer and musician get to know each other personally and musically and a new work is created through this collaboration.
The culmination of the scheme is a day in which we film all six works. We’re very proud to share Jen’s fantastic performances tonight through a set of 4K films.
Jennifer Langridge, cello
Mark Thomas - Director of Photography
Rob Kelledy - Sound recording and Mastering
Tim Williams - Editor and Producer
Learn more about Psappha - psappha.com
Please support Psappha's work: psappha.com/support-us
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Stefano Fasce (born 1989) - His Eminence
While reading “The Three Musketeers” by Dumas, I was inspired by the figure of Cardinal Richelieu, the King's most influential advisor and most powerful man in France. This piece aims to convey the feelings of elegance, fear and power that represent the Cardinal.
Learn more about Stefano: stefanofasce.com
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Lisa Robertson (born 1993) - the light through forest leaves
This piece alludes to the mysterious quality of light in a forest which is dappled, flickering and mesmerising. The Japanese word “Komorebi” describes this phenomenon precisely but there is no satisfactory English equivalent. I find that the fact that it is undefinable to me, enhances its transcendental mystery. It is like getting glimpses rather than the whole picture, reality being veiled from human eyes and the light, playing tricks on the viewer. Thus, the piece frantically scurries and flickers between different fragmented ideas in a kaleidoscopic fashion, whilst traveling through different harmonic series and making use of natural tunings, with a blurry, misty timbre so that the material is never fully perceived.
Learn more about Lisa: lisarobertsonmusic.com
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Alex Ho (born 1993) - Shout!
One of my fondest memories of celebrating the Lunar New Year growing up in London was experiencing Chinese lion dancing in Chinatown. With its epic costume and acrobatics, accompanied by the iconic and often cacophonous Chinese percussion as well as hordes of people gathered to watch the spectacle, this cultural ritual seems to capture the vibrancy and vitality of Chinese cultures. This piece looks to embody the spirit of Chinese lion dancing, taking as its stimulus the sounds and theatricalities of the form, and hopes to share some of the joys of Chinese transnational experience.
Follow Alex on Twitter - twitter.com/AlexHoComposer
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Joanna Ward (born 1998) - TRANSLUCENT
This score is a kind of micro-level exploration of the paths and intersections between different strands of my interests as a composer. Open / graphic scoring, using colour, displacing expectations and interacting with the uncanny, centring the subjectivity of the performer, thinking with cyclical structures — all of these are significant aesthetics and experimental practices for me which can be found within this score. This creative work is really embedded within political orientations of queering, decolonising, destabilising, manifesting in thinking experimentally and collaboratively — I’m so glad I was able to bring those perspectives to this small score which I made for Jennifer. I really enjoyed working with her on this project, talking with her in our sessions together and developing a mutual understanding of our perspectives and comfort zones as musicians and creative people.
Learn more about Joanna: joannamward.com
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James Chan (born 1997) - Time Suspended
The piece starts with repetitive gestures with delicate harmonics, as if frozen in time. The stasis is then disrupted by a low dyad and as if a spell is broken the music bursts into song. This intensifies and gets higher and higher, then almost dissolves back into the stasis.
Follow James on Twitter: twitter.com/jameschanmusic
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Carol J Jones (born 1993) - in the shadows
'in the shadows' is based on transcriptions of trapdoor spiders. These spiders are masters of disguise and camouflage their burrows in order to catch unsuspecting prey. This piece explores these sounds and reimagines the tense waiting the spider must play in order to catch its next meal.
Learn more about Carol: caroljjones.com
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Psappha is grateful for the support its ‘Composing for…’ programme receives from: Arts Council England; Britford Bridge Trust; PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner scheme; and the Thistle Trust.
Tonight we share six brand new works for solo cello performed by Jennifer Langridge that were created through Psappha’s 2019-20 Composing for Cello scheme.
Our Composing for… schemes began back in 2013 and have supported the creation of more than 100 new works to date. The aim of the scheme is to give emerging composers direct access to one of Psappha’s core musicians or a special guest over an extended period of 6 – 8 months. Through a series of one to one workshops the composer and musician get to know each other personally and musically and a new work is created through this collaboration.
The culmination of the scheme is a day in which we film all six works. We’re very proud to share Jen’s fantastic performances tonight through a set of 4K films.
Jennifer Langridge, cello
Mark Thomas - Director of Photography
Rob Kelledy - Sound recording and Mastering
Tim Williams - Editor and Producer
Learn more about Psappha - psappha.com
Please support Psappha's work: psappha.com/support-us
----
Stefano Fasce (born 1989) - His Eminence
While reading “The Three Musketeers” by Dumas, I was inspired by the figure of Cardinal Richelieu, the King's most influential advisor and most powerful man in France. This piece aims to convey the feelings of elegance, fear and power that represent the Cardinal.
Learn more about Stefano: stefanofasce.com
---
Lisa Robertson (born 1993) - the light through forest leaves
This piece alludes to the mysterious quality of light in a forest which is dappled, flickering and mesmerising. The Japanese word “Komorebi” describes this phenomenon precisely but there is no satisfactory English equivalent. I find that the fact that it is undefinable to me, enhances its transcendental mystery. It is like getting glimpses rather than the whole picture, reality being veiled from human eyes and the light, playing tricks on the viewer. Thus, the piece frantically scurries and flickers between different fragmented ideas in a kaleidoscopic fashion, whilst traveling through different harmonic series and making use of natural tunings, with a blurry, misty timbre so that the material is never fully perceived.
Learn more about Lisa: lisarobertsonmusic.com
---
Alex Ho (born 1993) - Shout!
One of my fondest memories of celebrating the Lunar New Year growing up in London was experiencing Chinese lion dancing in Chinatown. With its epic costume and acrobatics, accompanied by the iconic and often cacophonous Chinese percussion as well as hordes of people gathered to watch the spectacle, this cultural ritual seems to capture the vibrancy and vitality of Chinese cultures. This piece looks to embody the spirit of Chinese lion dancing, taking as its stimulus the sounds and theatricalities of the form, and hopes to share some of the joys of Chinese transnational experience.
Follow Alex on Twitter - twitter.com/AlexHoComposer
---
Joanna Ward (born 1998) - TRANSLUCENT
This score is a kind of micro-level exploration of the paths and intersections between different strands of my interests as a composer. Open / graphic scoring, using colour, displacing expectations and interacting with the uncanny, centring the subjectivity of the performer, thinking with cyclical structures — all of these are significant aesthetics and experimental practices for me which can be found within this score. This creative work is really embedded within political orientations of queering, decolonising, destabilising, manifesting in thinking experimentally and collaboratively — I’m so glad I was able to bring those perspectives to this small score which I made for Jennifer. I really enjoyed working with her on this project, talking with her in our sessions together and developing a mutual understanding of our perspectives and comfort zones as musicians and creative people.
Learn more about Joanna: joannamward.com
---
James Chan (born 1997) - Time Suspended
The piece starts with repetitive gestures with delicate harmonics, as if frozen in time. The stasis is then disrupted by a low dyad and as if a spell is broken the music bursts into song. This intensifies and gets higher and higher, then almost dissolves back into the stasis.
Follow James on Twitter: twitter.com/jameschanmusic
---
Carol J Jones (born 1993) - in the shadows
'in the shadows' is based on transcriptions of trapdoor spiders. These spiders are masters of disguise and camouflage their burrows in order to catch unsuspecting prey. This piece explores these sounds and reimagines the tense waiting the spider must play in order to catch its next meal.
Learn more about Carol: caroljjones.com
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Psappha is grateful for the support its ‘Composing for…’ programme receives from: Arts Council England; Britford Bridge Trust; PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner scheme; and the Thistle Trust.
