New Music 20 x 12 - Congratulations to Julian Joseph and Jason Yarde

PRS for Music Foundation is managing a project of twenty new composition commissions as part of the 2012 Olympic Games Cultural Programme under the banner New Music 20 x 12. The winners have just been announced, and the two musicians from the jazz world to receive commissions are Julian Joseph and Jason Yarde.

Here are details of their successful bids:


"Julian Joseph and Hackney Music Development Trust have won funding for jazz proposal, ‘The Brown Bomber’, based on the famous boxing battle between American Joe Louis and German Max Schmeling in 1938. The piece will bring to life the relationship between the two athletes, who were adversaries in sport, but became great friends despite the ideological opposition that surrounded them.

Composer, producer and saxophonist Jason Yarde and community band Wonderbrass, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2012, are working on ‘Skip, Dash. Flow’ that will explore new world rhythms. "

PRS for Music is partnered up for this project with the BBC, LOCOG (the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) and Sound and Music, and the UK's Arts Councils are also funding it.

(Fantastic for Jason and Julian who are thoroughly deserving...I just regret that nobody thought of knocking Kenny Wheeler's door, a world-class composer in the heart of an Olympic borough.)

FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE PARTNERS , JUDGES, PROCESS, WINNERS SEE HERE

Harriet Gedge

Julian and James Joseph write:

Publisher, chorister and music enthusiast Harriet Gedge lost her battle with breast cancer on November 30th 2010. Daughter of David and Hazel Gedge she and brother Nick grew up surrounded by music and her father’s work training youngsters in choral music, offering stability, comradery and consistency to those who really needed it. She had a deep intelligence and knowledge that drove her to support music in all it’s styles from the vocal work of American composer Eric Whitacre to Japanese piano sensation Hiromi and everything in between. Harriet believed in and knew first hand the good music could do in society and lived her life in the spirit of that generosity.

She worked for publishing company Music Sales which for many years kept her commuting between Britain, Europe and the Far East. Our friendship blossomed as I (Julian) became involved in opera, frequented Brecon and did more in education. I called her "Harri" and she had the most magnificent way of enthusing about a concert and speaking about the music she'd heard. She was immensely supportive to me at important times in spite of her mammoth struggle with breast cancer. She fought all the way with dignity, style and courage and kept her kind and generous personality intact which is how I will remember her. We were blessed to have called her our friend and offer condolences to her loving family. Our family, the Jazz community and music will miss her deeply. God Bless You Harri.

Julian and James Joseph