Anna Lapwood
(Picture: Jude Edgington)A musician bringing classical music to the social media generation is one of four new associate artists appointed by the Royal Albert Hall in a bid to reach a younger audience.
Anna Lapwood, dubbed the TikTok organist for her success on the video-sharing site, is joined by choreographer Corey Baker, saxophonist Jess Gillam and performance poet LionHeart to put on shows and commission new work at the legendary venue.
She said: “The Royal Albert Hall organ is literally the most iconic instrument in the country, and it’s been a privilege to play it – but it shouldn’t just be for the privileged few. This instrument, this space, and classical music itself, is for everyone.”
Baker, whose lockdown version of Swan Lake featured 27 dancers around the world filmed on smart phones performing in their baths, said: “Dance can be a really stuffy world, somewhere that’s for the supposed ‘elite’, and the Royal Albert Hall can be seen in the same way. I respect the Hall, I love it, but I’m excited by the chance to bring in a younger audience – and to make the place a bit dirtier.”
The project is part of a wider push to make the venue more innovative and diverse as the performing arts continue to recover from the effects of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
Planned events include a performance by Gillam and a poetry symposium led by LionHeart next Autumn while Lapwood will perform at the Hall’s 150th anniversary organ gala next summer.
Lucy Noble, Artistic Director at the Hall, said: “This programme is about shining a light on this historic space – enabling old friends and new audiences to see it in a different way. We’re opening up the stage to these four fantastic artists, making it a place where we can challenge preconceptions, spotlight crucial contemporary issues, and inspire the next generation of creatives.”
