HANNAH KENDALL Verdala
“ It ’ s incredibly important that my music is direct and clear .” – Kendall
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Born 1984 in London , U . K .
• Kendall was born in London but grew up in Wembley . She was part of a creative family — her grandfather was a jazz musician .
• Kendall attended the University of Exeter , where she majored in composition and vocal studies . She later earned a master ’ s degree in advanced composition from the Royal College of Music .
• Kendall is inspired by and likes to collaborate with crossdiscipline artists . She has developed works with choreographers and poets and based works on the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat .
• In addition to being featured as BBC Radio ’ s Composer of the Week , Kendall has won the Women of the Future Award for Arts and Culture , and she has had her works performed by The London Philharmonic Orchestra , BBC Singers , and more .
• She is currently based in New York City and is a Doctoral Fellow in composition at Columbia University .
THE WORLD AT A GLANCE
2018
MUSIC Cardi B ’ s “ I Like It ”
FILM Black Panther
ABOUT THE PIECE
• This piece was written for and premiered by the London Sinfonietta at the BBC Proms in a concert commemorating the end of World War I .
• Verdala gets its name from one of the ships that brought the British West Indian Regiment ( BWIR ) from the Caribbean to Europe to fight in WWI .
• Kendall wished to show BWIR ’ s involvement in the war , highlighting those who are often omitted from history . She pulled from the writings of Guyanese poet and political activist Martin Carter who wrote , “ In the burnt earth of these years ... So near so near the rampart spiked with pain … The guilty heaven promising a star … Each day I ride a wild black horse of terror .”
LITERATURE Zadie Smith ’ s Feel Free
HISTORY The murder of Jamal Khashoggi
BSO SESSIONS | JANUARY 2021
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