Art and war

Arts and Culture – Pod Academy

This podcast, exploring composer Graham Fitkin‘s musical response to the Iraq War and Guantanamo Bay, was prompted by the project Art and War: Responses to Iraq conducted by Dr. Alan Ingram of University College London. Dr Ingram’s study looks at the responses of artists and art spaces in the UK to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent occupation. Like many artists Graham Fitkin has been profoundly affected by the war, and has sought to reflect this in 2 of his works – Chain of Command and No Doubt.

The composer draws on many influences from indie pop, jazz, African, Indian and European classical music to mathematics. He often writes for multiple groups of the same instrument (6 pianos or 4 clarinets, for example) as well as concert orchestral and chamber music.

He is clear that ‘everything I do has a political slant’, and says that Chain of Command and No Doubt, are ‘Me getting involved in issues that are important to me.’

This podcast was produced by Lucy Bradley.

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