LONDON PREMIERE OF JULIAN'S VIOLIN CONCERTO
Violinist Harriet Mackenzie joins the Julian Joseph Trio at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens on Saturday 11 November.
Click here for more info and tickets.
Part of the EFG London Jazz Festival 2023
HARRIET MACKENZIE PERFORMS JULIAN'S NEW VIOLIN CONCERTO
Violinist Harriet Mackenzie joins the Celoniatus Ensemble to perform Julian's new violin concerto, 'Karyryouacou', at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens on Friday 24 March.
Click here for more info and tickets.
WORLD PREMIERE OF JULIAN'S NEW VIOLIN CONCERTO
Violinist Harriet Mackenzie joins Ensemble 12 to perform Julian's new violin concerto, 'Karyryouacou', at the Salisbury International Arts Festival on Tuesday 14 June 2022 @ 8 pm.
Julian's vision for his new piece celebrates the Festival's island theme – the richness of the history of an island in the Grenadines.
“Islands are precious places of family, history and geography but even more importantly of mind, heart, spirit, soul and human connection.” Julian Joseph
For more info and tickets, click here.
St Thomas' Church, St Thomas' Square, Salisbury SP1 1BA
ticketsales@wiltshirecreative.co.uk
tel: 01722 320 333
JULIAN PLAYS SOLO AT SETÚBAL INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Julian is performing a solo set, "Prismatic Images", at the Setúbal International Music Festival in Portugal on Tuesday 24 May.
For more info, click here.
JULIAN JOINS MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE ON Jazz FM TO TALK ABOUT HIS NOMINATIONS FOR "THE CABINET OF JAZZ"
Julian plans to send Ella Fitzgerald out to heal patients using just the power of her voice, to create a unique government role - Minister for the Environment AND Lyricism - and talks about whispering with Miles Davis.
Listen here.
OTHELLO21 NOMINATED SEMI-FINALIST AT THE ARFF BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARDS AND OFFICIAL SELECTION AT THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL
KAROLOS TRIO RECORDING PROJECT FEATURING NEW COMMISSION BY JULIAN JOSEPH
The Karolos Trio – Harriet Mackenzie (violin), Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola) and Graham Walker (cello) – is commissioning a piece by Julian to be recorded alongside Mozart's Divertimento K563 and a new work by South African composer Robert Fokkens.
Described by the Observer as "expressive ... brilliant ... impressive ... virtuosic," and by Gramophone Magazine: “Karolos are a dynamic, virtuoso chamber collective of first-rate players”, the group is best known for its performances and recordings of the chamber music of Stephen Dodgson, which received rave reviews in the critical press, including 5 stars in the Observer, and Editor's Choice in Classical Source.
The Trio is crowdfunding this project. For more info and to contribute, go to their Kickstarter page.
Ben Love's Ballet Soul production of Othello21 with Julian's original score is an Official Selection at the ARFF Berlin International Awards, Phoenix Shorts Film Festival, Canada, and the London Indie Film Festival of 24 Frames.
I KNOW THIS GUY PODCAST
Julian talks to Norm and Hayden Farrar on the 'I Know This Guy' podcast, episode 41, parts 1 & 2. In these two episodes they cover Julian's time touring with the Marsalis brothers, his experiences as an international jazz musician, and what it was like playing with some of the legends of Jazz. They also get into his role as a music educator in London and into how the music education methods of his academy stand apart from the rest.
JULIAN JOSEPH, FELLOW OF THE IVORS ACADEMY
Genre-defying composer Julian Joseph OBE becomes an Academy Fellow, the Academy’s highest honour, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to music in the UK, his excellence and impact on the art and craft of music creation.
Julian is the 21st Academy Fellow, joining a prestigious list which includes Kate Bush CBE, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The Academy said, “We’re delighted to honour Julian for his incredible achievements in music as an educator and as a truly unique and exceptional voice in jazz and classical composition.”
See Julian receive his award at Ivors Academy on Twitter.
Read the feature interview in the PRS for Music's magazine.
Listen to the ceremony on BBC Radio 3.
JULIAN JOSEPH'S TRISTAN & ISOLDE
The remastered recording of the concert performance of Julian's opera, Tristan & Isolde, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Thursday 12 November at 2 pm.
Premiered at London's QEH on 5 & 6 October 2018, the opera, commissioned by the BBC, features the Julian Joseph Trio and members of his All-Star Big Band along with the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers.
With Carleen Anderson as Isolde, Ken Papenfus as Tristan, Christine Tobin as Iuliana, Renato Paris as Marko and Cleveland Watkiss as Vasile.
Conducted by Clark Rundell.
Listen online here.
JULIAN TALKS ABOUT BRIDGETOWER ON BBC FOUR'S BLACK CLASSICAL MUSIC
BBC FOUR'S September 2020 documentary, Black Classical Music: The Forgotten History, features a series of Black composers and musicians from the time of Henry VIII to the present day, many of whom either enjoyed great fame during their lifetimes or else struggled to find prominence in the face of social and cultural discrimination. The programme reveals how they have since been largely forgotten, sidelined or simply erased from the historical record.
Among them, George Polgreen Bridgetower, was a violin prodigy who became renowned throughout Europe in the early 1800s. A favourite of George IV and Beethoven, Bridgetower is the central protagonist of Julian's jazz opera, Bridgetower – A Fable of 1807, commissioned to mark 200 years since the abolition of the slave trade in Britain.
"We’ve left it so long. We’ve left it too long and I’ve thought I want to tell stories about culturally what makes a person like me exist. I want to reflect who I am with music and stories. We have to delve into our history; we must start telling our own stories." Julian Joseph, 2007
“Seamless, inspiring bridges between jazz and classical, black and white.” The Stage
Click here for programme notes from English Touring Opera's 2007 production.
CREATOR'S CONVERSATIONS WITH JULIAN JOSEPH AND ORPHY ROBINSON
Join one of the UK’s finest jazz composers – internationally renowned pianist, bandleader and broadcaster Julian Joseph – for an inspirational conversation hosted by multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer and recently appointed The Ivors Academy Jazz Committee Chair Orphy Robinson MBE.
We’ll explore Julian Joseph’s unique creative output, passion for jazz and dedication to inspiring and nurturing the next generation of talent. Discover how Julian Joseph’s journey has unfolded, from career defining moments through to his commitment to engage with young Jazz creators and initiatives like The Julian Joseph Jazz Academy.
This informal chat hosted by Orphy Robinson MBE, will provide an opportunity to ask questions directly to both composers.
CARRY THAT SOUND
Julian's recent commission, recorded live at its premiere at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall in July 2018, is featured on a new CD by the Chineke! Orchestra, released on 17 January 2020.
"It’s hard to frown during Julian Joseph’s Carry That Sound, a fluent exercise in orchestral jazz."
Geoff Brown, The Times
Featured on BBC Radio 3's Essential Classics,
29 January 2020
Listen here
RHAPSODY IN BLUE (arr. Joseph)
Julian will be performing his arrangement of Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' for jazz trio and big band at London's Barbican Hall on 27 September 2019 at 7.30 pm.
For more info and tickets, click here.
TRISTAN & ISOLDE LIVE IN CONCERT
The concert performance of Julian's new opera, premiered at London's Southbank Centre, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Tuesday 9 October 2018 at 7.30 pm.
Hear Julian talking about his new jazz opera, Tristan & Isolde, to be premiered at the QEH on Friday 5 October, on BBC Radio 3's In Tune. With performances by Renato Paris, Cleveland Watkiss and Ken Papenfus.
JULIAN JOSEPH OBE
Julian has been awarded an OBE in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to music.
CARRY THAT SOUND (World Premiere)
The Chineke! Orchestra will be performing Julian's new commission, "Carry That Sound" at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, on 21 July 2018. Click here for tickets.
Hear Julian on BBC Radio 3's In Tune ahead of the world premiere performance of his new commission, 'Carry That Sound'.
In Music of Initiative Julian Joseph shares his insight into the philosophy and practice of jazz and jazz performance. With incisive text, stunning imagery, and downloadable exercises and videos, this unique guide teaches the listener of jazz how to immerse themselves in the music, and the performer how to approach learning repertoire and improvisation. Bold, provocative, thoughtful and deeply inspiring, Music of Initiative will provide life-long stimulation and inspiration to fans, and performers, of jazz.
Music is a miracle in this world of sound and jazz — one of its great marvels. It is mystical, colourful, uplifting, energising, soothing, meditative, gentle, powerful and a force which exists in its own universe. Yet jazz is all around us, absorbed into many other genres and cultures across the globe, expressing all manner of things from conservatism to raciness, from coolness to wildness, from intellect to intuition, from everyday life to that of a secret agent’s. These and many more connections enrich the world of sound through jazz. Its myriad associations in cinema, advertising, education, sport and the many industries that music accompanies mean jazz is always in the atmosphere.
Omnibus Press, 2018.
Available online at Foyle's, Amazon and Waterstones.