Preview: BUMS in Harmony - Celebrating Black Composers

By Anastasia Baker, Music Subeditor

This Friday 17th October, Bristol University Music Society (BUMS) will take the stage in the SU's Anson Rooms (the Richmond Building). Dig out your formal attire (the event is black tie), and make sure to get there when doors open at 6.30pm for a complimentary glass of prosecco or sparkling elderflower: set the precedent for what promises to be a very special evening.

Black contributions to classical music remain a markedly under-represented area, and as such the programme is specifically curated to spotlight the breadth and depth of their value across the musical timeline - the concert will be a proper history lesson, spanning 280 years and featuring works by fifteen Black composers.

'Our society is hosting its largest ever concert', said Kennedy Byrne, President of the Music Society. This is no mean feat if we consider the ten separate societies BUMS encompasses as an 'umbrella' society; to get them all together in one room is undoubtedly an achievement in itself, and serves to foreground the reason they've done so even more: Byrne continued, 'We want to highlight the lack of representation in classical music, and hope that events such as this will help to break the longstanding traditions of exclusion.'

'A 2018 study showed that only 1.5% of composers whose works were performed by professional UK orchestras or broadcast on stations like Classic FM and BBC Radio 3 were Black.'

Byrne pointed out, too, that the event will not be a one-off. BUMS endeavour to continue centring their musical discovery and performance around those marginalised groups of the compositional world - this concert is hopefully just a taster of what's to come.

Inclusivity onstage, offstage and in the music itself seems the goal of this Bristol SU 'Special Events' performance. 'This concert is for everyone,' Bryne said, 'Whether you're an avid music fan or attending your first concert, please come along... it's not one to be missed.'

Grab a student ticket for only £12.50 on the SU website (it includes the free prosecco/elderflower!)