Riot Ensemble Delivers a Thrilling Night of New Music at Milton Court
The Riot Ensemble, a group renowned for its bold approach to contemporary classical music, took to the stage at Milton Court in London with a programme that promised to defy expectations. With over a decade of experience and hundreds of premieres under their belt, this ensemble treats new compositions as a high-stakes adventure, and their latest performance was no exception.
A Journey Through Maximal Differences
Conductor Aaron Holloway-Nahum described the evening as a showcase of music of maximal difference, a carefully curated playlist designed to take the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. The concert aimed to build from polite midweek intensity to club-like frenzy before cooling down with more reflective pieces, leaving listeners both dazed and inspired by the end.
The programme kicked off with the UK premiere of Corie Rose Soumah's Limpidités IV for violin, performed by Marie Schreer. Emerging from darkness, Schreer's interpretation distilled a solo Bach suite into essential gestures—finger motions, bow movements, and breath—creating a speculative and introspective soundscape that often bordered on silence. This subtle opening set the stage for a stark contrast to follow.
From Sonic Assaults to Musical Sweeps
Without pause, the ensemble plunged into Anna Meredith's 2015 piece, Brisk Widow, an ecstatic assault featuring electronics, spotlights, and two drum kits manned by Sam Wilson and Jack Ross. This no-holds-barred sonic battle transformed the audience into pinballs in an arcade game of quickfire pulses and hammering beats, showcasing the group's ability to ramp up energy levels dramatically.
Upping the ante further, Alex Paxton's Shrimp BIT Babyface offered a swirling big-band fantasy that felt like a musical supermarket sweep. With cartoonish and candy-bright elements, it mashed together mariachi, swing, Christmas carols, and more into a heap of vibrant sounds. Holloway-Nahum and the musicians delivered this with swagger and groove, inviting listeners to pick through the eclectic mix at their leisure.
Closing with Reflective Elegance
The concert concluded with another UK premiere, Eden Lonsdale's Tränen und Ozeane, which calmed the pulse with glassy skeins of sound from harpsichord, strings, and accordion. This piece created horizontal chordscapes and slow-motion counterpoint, dissolving into smudgy microtones for a meditation in greys and silvers. After the blinding lights of previous works, it brought the evening full circle, transforming earlier whispers into something concrete and meaningful.
Overall, the Riot Ensemble's performance at Milton Court was a testament to their commitment to pushing boundaries in new music, offering a diverse and engaging experience that moved from the swaggering to the subtle with masterful precision.
