ru Gabriel Prokofiev: Concerto for Turntable rocks the RSNO

The grandson of one of the 20th century’s eminent composers, Sergei Prokofiev, is due to take classical music into the next millenium. On June 19th, Gabriel Prokofiev will team up with DJ Beni G and Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) for an evening of classical music and hiphop: Gabriel Prokofiev has written the “Concerto for Turntables and orchestra+” especially for the occasion. The “Soloist” will be globetrotter Beni G. A founding member of the Mixologists DJ crew. Beni will enter a musical dialogue with the RSNO on the night, creating his scratches and breaks from prerecorded orchestral samples, with the full orchestra supporting him. Further highlights of the program are New York composer Todd Levin's “Blur”, which is said to be “an eight minute fusion of orchestral and techno influences” as well as the ominously titled “Iron Foundry”, a ballet score by Alexander Mossolov' dating back to 1928. The “Concerto for Turntables” is part of the RSNO’s “concerto+” special, which sees the classical orchestra dive headlong into contemporay repertoire and cross-genre experimentation.

In contrast to many other pieces of 21st century music, the “Concerto for Turntables” has already proven its worth in the past: Its premiere took place with soloist DJ Yoda & conductor Andrew Morley at Blackheath Halls on April 6th 2006 (in front of a completely packed hall, by the way). Thanks to its demonstrative character, the work helped sharpen the profile of Gabriel Prokofiev as a contemporary composer worthy of wide attention in classical circles. After winning a composers residency in Seattle at the Bourges International Concours of Electroacoustic Music, after all, Prokofiev had mainly made a name for himself as a dance producer. With the founding of his own label, “Nonclassical Records” in 2007, his career has now taken yet another important step forward.

Next to the  “Concerto for Turntables” by Gabriel Prokofiev, the “concerto+” series is set to feature a program called “Video Games Live”, as well as musical encounter between Elvis Costello and the RSNO.

Homepage: Gabriel Prokofiev
Homepage: Beni G
Homepage: RSNO
By Tobias Fischer, published 2008-06-04

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