Bristol Reggae Orchestra and Windrush Choir has been invited to play a special performance on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury 2023. The Bristol-based community orchestra and choir will celebrate the Black British contribution to the UK, conveying Windrush stories through a medley of original and classic reggae music in a 35-minute set.
The ensemble will be opening the Pyramid stage on the final day of Glastonbury Festival just three days after the UK marks the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain. The Bristol performers - some of whom are part of the Windrush generation - will be sharing the stage with Sir Elton John, Lizzo, Arctic Monkeys, Guns N' Roses and more across the weekend (June 21-25).
Around 50 members of the orchestra and choir gathered in the historic Malcolm X Centre on Monday (June 12) for their first rehearsal since the news of the performance broke. The members will rehearse at their St Pauls home just once more as a group before the big day on Sunday, June 25 at 11am.
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The group was invited to perform by the Eavis family and Rebecca Scott, orchestra leader, received the email around April Fool's Day. "Because it was the day before April Fool's Day I looked at it and thought 'oh I'm not sure this is real," she said.
"When we realised it was real it was absolutely amazing and we announced it to all of our members on an away day and we had stunned silence for about three minutes."
Speaking ahead of the performance, choir director Orgena Rose said: "It's astounding, really. Being a brand new gathering of people to sing and having such a massive opportunity come so early is just really beyond anyone's imagination. We're over the moon, excited, exhilarated and as I like to say 'scarcited', but we're really looking forward to it."
The set will see original songs written by Rebecca and Orgena blended into an arrangement of popular reggae music the Glastonbury crowd will know and love. The orchestra's music director Ben Jenkins will be conducting the Pyramid stage performance.
Bristol Reggae Orchestra is a community group that was first founded in 2010 but the vocal ensemble is just one year old, forming last summer after it received funding from the Windrush Day Grant Scheme. The multicultural secular choir is led by the award-winning choirmaster Orgena to perform songs reflecting the African Caribbean diaspora. The choir and orchestra’s first performance together was a sell-out show at Bristol Beacon in October 2022, later playing at St George's.
“In an age of division, harmony is the gift our choir wants to share, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain this year,” it says on its website.
All Pyramid stage performances are being recorded and interpreted live in British Sign Language as part of the extension of the BBC's Glastonbury coverage. Those watching at home will be able to tune in to Bristol Reggae Orchestra and Windrush Choir's special set on BBC iPlayer.
Bristol Reggae Orchestra and Windrush Choir will play the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, June 25 at 11am.
www.bristolreggaeorchestra.com
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