Luke Abbott & Jack Wyllie | Britten Pears Arts

During his Residency, Luke will be working with a quadraphonic speaker set-up using electronic sounds based on synthesis and sampled instruments. He will be joined by multi-instrumentalist Jack Wyllie (live saxophone, flute, electronics) and Australian mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean. Through semi-improvised playing and singing, they will explore moments of harmony alongside chaotic dissonance, with the idea of loosely following each other’s shifts and movements.

This Open Session will be ‘in the round’ with the audience sitting within the sounds of the quadrophonic speakers. There will be balcony seats available for those who’d prefer to experience the performance from above. Lotte Betts-Dean will not be joining Luke and Jack for this event on Saturday.

Snape Residencies provide time and space for creators at all stages of their careers; a supportive environment to create, be curious, and try out new ideas. Open Sessions offer a unique chance to go behind the scenes and experience work-in-progress created during the Residency.

We are so grateful to our supporters, without whom none of our work would be possible. Visit Support Us to find out how you can help.

Supporters contributing towards Residencies include:
PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund.

About Luke

Luke Abbott is a composer, performer and music producer based in Norwich UK. His primary interest is in improvised electronic music. He has been releasing music to critical acclaim since 2006 on labels including Output Recordings, Border Community and The Leaf Label. He has performed extensively worldwide: The Barbican, Oval Space, Berghain Berlin, Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, Razzmatazz Barcelona, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Hammersmith Apollo, Womad Festival and Mutek Mexico. In a production/remix capacity he has worked with artists Nils Frahm, Jon Hopkins, Gruff Rhys and Gold Panda. He was the first musician in residence at Wysing Arts Centre and scored two feature films, including The Goob, (winning Best Music at Stockholm International Film Festival 2014). In 2016 he started the improvised music project Szun Waves with saxophonist Jack Wyllie (Portico Quartet) and drummer Laurence Pike (PVT, Liars). Szun waves have released 3 albums to critical acclaim, most recently ‘Earth Pattens’.

About Jack

Jack Wyllie is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. He has released on labels such as Babel, Realworld, Ninja Tune, Leaf and Gondwana Records, and released albums with Portico Quartet, Szun Waves and Forgiveness as well his collaborative project based in Senegal, Paradise Cinema. Jack plays saxophone and flute, sometimes augmenting his sound using guitar pedals and electronics.

About Lotte

Praised by The Guardian for her “irrepressible sense of drama and unmissable, urgent musicality”, Australian mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean is passionate about curation and programming, with a broad repertoire that encompasses contemporary music, art song, chamber music, early music, opera, oratorio and non-classical collaborations. A versatile and sought-after artist, Lotte has established herself as a leading interpreter of new music, having given the world premieres of over 30 works and performed at many of the major festivals and venues around the UK, in Australia and internationally.

Explore their work

Luke Abbott's website

Lotte Betts-Dean website