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London Contemporary Orchestra

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The London Contemporary Orchestra, LCO for short, was founded in 2008 by Hugh Brunt and Robert Ames. It is an ensemble of young musicians that wants to explore new music and bring it to an ever wider audience. The first season took place at LSO St Luke's and included works by Mark-Anthony Turnage, Kaija Saariaho, Thomas Adès, Iannis Xenakis, Olivier Messiaen and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, alongside new pieces by young composers. The orchestra plays on stages and at festivals in Britain and beyond, including at the Roundhouse.

Music and breakthrough

From the beginning the LCO sought the border with pop music and electronics. In 2009 it collaborated with the experimental duo Matmos and the composer Anna Meredith. In 2010 it played works by Steve Reich, John Cage and Biosphere, and in 2013 it performed Claude Vivier in the disused Aldwych Underground station, a hundred metres below ground. In 2015 it won the ensemble prize at the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards. In January 2022 it played a non-stop twenty-four-hour concert at the Barbican Centre.

Influence

The orchestra also contributed to film music. In 2018 it played on Thom Yorke's first film score, for Suspiria, and later it worked with Jed Kurzel on films such as The Mustang and Seberg. Albums such as LAGEOS from 2018 and Spiderhead from 2022 show that bridge. The LCO shows that a string orchestra is also at home in the pop world, alongside Radiohead and electronic musicians.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the film music of Suspiria and notice how the strings and the voices together create a menacing atmosphere. Can you hear how an orchestra can sound like an electronic instrument?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists