A new work that sees a collaboration between a professional brass quintet, brass bands and bowed cymbals is to be featured in a pioneering series of concerts and productions that will form the New Music Biennial 2025.

The free events will be based in Bradford from 6th-8th June as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and from 4th-6th July at the Southbank Centre in London.

Halocene

Entitled, 'Holocene' it has been commissioned by the Onyx Brass ensemble and written by Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award-winning composer Ailis Ni Riain.

It will also feature Hammonds Band for its Bradford performance and Amersham Band in London.

Soundscape

Scored for 25 players it weaves a raw, intricate soundscape that stretches the language of contemporary brass music. The Holocene is the current geological epoch which began around 11,700 years ago and correlates to the last maximum axial tilt towards the sun.

Composer Ailis Ni Riain (above) who is deaf, is a leading voice in disability arts and music advocacy. She has produced what is referred to as a "tapestry of sonic nuance, that is earthy and mysterious" utilising non-standard brass techniques, raw breath, voice, and the eerie shimmer of bowed cymbals.

She has produced what is referred to as a "tapestry of sonic nuance, that is earthy and mysterious"4BR

Bradford and London

The New Music Biennial 2025 will showcase both existing work and brand-new commissions in its brace of 3-day festival events in Bradford and London.

Composers include Halina Rice, Jasdeep Singh Degun, Ailis Ni Riain, Shri Sriram, Uri Agnon, Xenia Pestova Bennett, Verity Watts, Linda Buckley and Alex Groves amongst others with performers including the BBC Concert and BBC Symphony Orchestras, Brighde Chaimbeul, Ailis Sutherland, Maxwell Quartet, Drum The Bass and CoMA.

Find out more:

To find out more about the performances go to:
Bradford: https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/holocene/

London: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/holocene/