On International Women's Day (08.03.15) I snagged myself, and my gorgeous friend Amy, tickets for BBC Radio 3's Coffee Concert. The music was beautiful, all composed and performed by women. Female composers, I learnt, have been long been atrociously treated by the Classical Music World, largely forgotten, suppressed and underexposed.
My personal highlight from the concert was a piece by Caroline Shaw called 'Limestone and Felt' for cello and viola. I am one thousand percent ignorant about classical music, limited to my Ludovico Einaudi spotify playlist for studying, but 'Limestone and Felt' was really very different from that. A piece inspire by contrast, as indicated by the name, it was a joy to watch the two musicians make eye contact as the piece became less conventional and increasingly intricate, strange and beautiful.
Check out this short video that I tweeted on the day:
Great little moment from @OdalineMartinez (founder of @LontanoEnsemble) from today's concert @BBCRadio3 #WomensDay pic.twitter.com/RbnCtng6aJ
— Fiona Nicholls (@fifinicholls) March 8, 2015
It was a lovely concert, though there was a very definite lack of coffee...
I think it's great that BBC 3 took the opportunity that International Women's Day presents to celebrate and showcase female composers, though it is sad that an event such as this is needed... it seems that every other day is dedicated to the work of male composers. I hope that the BBC Radio 3's listeners enjoyed listening to the performance and start insisting upon hearing more women composers' work.
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After the event, Amy and I grabbed lunch at the nearest Wagamamas, in Soho. We sat with our green tea (which is free!) for hours, reading lines for Amy's upcoming role in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, and just having a proper chinwag. As we left, we both noticed the most wonderfully lit little nook in the wall of the restaurant. Luckily I had my camera with me and I am so, so pleased to have caught this lighting on film. So lovely.
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