Loncon 3 Music Programming

Fans attending Loncon 3 will find the halls are alive with the sound of music.

Says Vincent Docherty, Music Programme Area Head:

Many people’s experience of the subject is limited to film soundtracks and genre-influenced popular music albums. So, we are keen to step outside the familiar Western modes to also explore mythology, history, some aspects of religious practice, and links to science and modern science fiction and fantasy. We also want to look to future developments.

Loncon 3’s music programme will include:

  • The Brideshead Ballroom Stompers swing band performing at the 1930s-themed Retro-Hugos ceremony and the dance that follows on Thursday evening;
  • A live ceilidh band at Friday’s dance after the concert;
  • Composer Gary Lloyd, speaking about his collaboration with Iain M Banks;
  • Isabella van Elferen, Professor of Music at Kingston University and a Loncon 3 academic keynote speaker, participating in the wider music program.

The highlight will be Friday evening’s concert by the 86-piece Worldcon Philharmonic Orchestra, which will perform works related to science fiction and fantasy. The program will explore the historic connection between music and the genre, and include pieces that illustrate “the sound of the future.”

Featuring some of the UK’s finest musicians and soloists, including soprano Sarah Fox, and members of the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, and London Philharmonic Orchestras, the Worldcon orchestra will be led by Keith Slade (National Schools Symphony Orchestra and the Worcester Symphony Orchestra). There will be music from Holst’s The Planets, Dvorak’s ‘Song to the Moon’, Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, Shimomura’s Kingdom Hearts soundtrack, and John Williams’ Star Wars Suite, as well as a special memorial piece for Iain M Banks.

The concert program has been arranged by Adam Robinson. Vincent Docherty will host. The concert begins 8 p.m. Friday, August 15.

The full press release follows the jump.


Loncon 3 announces music programme and major concert

MEDIA RELEASE #24

Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention

14-18 August 2014 at ExCeL London

http://www.loncon3.org

[email protected]
 

Music in science fiction and fantasy: Loncon 3 announces music programme and major concert

London, UK. 3 June 2014 – Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention, has confirmed exciting plans to highlight science fiction and fantasy music through programming, special events, and live performances, including a full symphony orchestra.

Vincent Docherty, Music Programme Area Head, said: “Our goal is to highlight science fiction and fantasy music in the widest sense, and to show that, for as long as people have been making music and telling fantastic stories, the two have been linked.

“Many people’s experience of the subject is limited to film soundtracks and genre-influenced popular music albums. So, we are keen to step outside the familiar Western modes to also explore mythology, history, some aspects of religious practice, and links to science and modern science fiction and fantasy. We also want to look to future developments.”

The highlight of the music programme will be the Friday evening concert by the 86-piece Worldcon Philharmonic Orchestra, which will perform works related to science fiction and fantasy, exploring the history of the connection between music and the genre, and including pieces that explore what makes ‘the sound of the future’.

Featuring some of the UK’s finest musicians and soloists, including soprano Sarah Fox, and members of the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, and London Philharmonic Orchestras, the Worldcon orchestra will be led by Keith Slade (National Schools Symphony Orchestra and the Worcester Symphony Orchestra). Highlights include music from Holst’s The Planets, Dvorak’s ‘Song to the Moon’, Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, Shimomura’s Kingdom Hearts soundtrack, and John Williams’ Star Wars Suite, as well as a special memorial piece for Iain M Banks. The programme has been arranged by Adam Robinson, and the event will be hosted by Vincent Docherty. The concert will take place at 8pm on Friday, 15 August 2014.

The music stream is embedded throughout the Loncon 3 programme and will also feature:

  • The Brideshead Ballroom Stompers swing band performing at the 1930s-themed Retro-Hugos ceremony and following dance on the Thursday evening
  • A live ceilidh band at Friday’s dance after the concert
  • Gary Lloyd, who will speak about his collaboration with Iain M Banks
  • Isabella van Elferen, Professor of Music at Kingston University and a Loncon 3 academic keynote speaker, will also feature in the wider music programme

A subsequent release will highlight Loncon 3’s filk programme, and other music performances and invited speakers.

Full details of how to become a member of Loncon 3 are available at http://www.loncon3.org/memberships

ENDS

For more information about the music programme, please contact Vincent Docherty at [email protected]. For general media enquiries about Loncon 3 please contact [email protected].

ABOUT THE WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION

Founded in 1939, the World Science Fiction Convention is one of the largest international gatherings of authors, artists, editors, publishers, and fans of science fiction and fantasy. The annual Hugo Awards, the leading awards for excellence in the fields of science fiction and fantasy, are voted on by the Worldcon membership and presented during the convention.

Loncon 3 is the trading name of London 2014 Ltd, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England, company number: 7989510. Registered Office: 176 Portland Road, Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 1DJ, UK.

“World Science Fiction Society”, “WSFS”, “World Science Fiction Convention”, “Worldcon”, “NASFiC”, “Hugo Award”, the Hugo Award Logo, and the distinctive design of the Hugo Award Trophy Rocket are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.

3 thoughts on “Loncon 3 Music Programming

  1. Wait. They’re going to have music at Worldcon to show that music and storytelling have been linked for a long time…

    But not opera (which looks like a natural for that)
    Not filk
    And not wizard rock or geek music or any of the newer stuff?

    Hmm. Interesting.

  2. This is just one piece of publicity — note that its last line says, “A subsequent release will highlight Loncon 3’s filk programme, and other music performances and invited speakers.”

    We already know there will be a musical component of Loncon 3’s production of The Anubis Gates

    “In addition to kinetic casting, the production will fill the stage with imaginative trickery and a chorus providing choral music written exclusively for The Anubis Gates by Irish composer Emma O’Reilly.”

  3. Oh, I missed that last line. Nice catch.

    And frankly, of course there will be filk at LonCon; I know some of my filker friends are going. I just thought its absence from what I took to be the official info about such things was a little odd.

    I would not be surprised if wizard rock and so on were left out–not as a purposeful snub but because “filk” is older and WorldCon tends to draw an older crowd.

    I kind of wish I could see the Anubis Gates performance; that sounds fun.

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