Undergraduate students from the Trinity Laban conservatoire visit Twyford High School recently to perform for students from Twyford, Ada Lovelace and Ealing Fields. The Trinity Laban Big Band presented a concert followed by a Q&A session for students with the Trinity Laban students in the band and Tony Kofi.
The concert comprised of music by iconic jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) and the band are conducted by eminent saxophonist Tony Kofi and Head of Jazz Hans Koller. Trinity Laban’s senior jazz students know Monk’s music from their personal practice and listening, and this is their new platform to explore Monk’s music in depth and in the collective setting. The result is accessible music with a joyful, soulful and big sound – even featuring tuba, French horn and a vocalist in the line-up – with spontaneity and excitement added by on the spot improvisations in the unique harmonic-rhythmic milieu of Monk. As Monk said himself: When you are swinging, swing some more!
