The Culture Bar

Speed pod: Iceland

We talk to HarrisonParrott Artist and Project Manager Arna Jonsdottir to tell us more about the sounds of Iceland. Arna tells us what influences there are on Icelandic music, what we can expect when listening to Icelandic music, and introduces us to two Icelandic composers. As well as providing listeners with a wealth of musical insights, Arna also gives us her personal recommendations for an Icelandic book, album and film, so we can dive deeper into understanding Icelandic culture and its contribution to the world.

Arna was interviewed by HP’s Fiona Livingston.

Arna’s Recommendations:
Book: Independent People by Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness
Album: Önnur Mósesbók with Moses Hightower
Film: Woman at War by Benedikt Erlingsson
Rímur: Listen to Icelandic folk traditional singing
Traditional Icelandic langspil and fidla (fiðla) instruments: Find out more
Bathroom Dance, from the film Joker composed by Halldór Úlfarsson: Watch here

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts and all good podcatcher sites.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases

Afters Hours: Brass for Africa & Gender Inquality

In this International Women’s Day After Hours chat, we speak to Andrea Berbegal, Director of Development at Brass for Africa, and Sumayya, Music and Life-Skills Teacher based in Uganda. Our conversation focussed on the important work Brass for Africa do tackling gender inequality in communities in Uganda, Rwanda and Liberia. Not only educating young people to play brass instruments, but also using the power of music to bridge gender inequality divides, and to empower, inspire and give confidence to women in these communities to follow their dreams.

Interviewed and hosted by HP’s Fiona Livingston

Links and Resources

Brass for Africa is an award-winning charity that delivers music education with integrated life-skills training to over 1,000 disadvantaged children and young people in Uganda, Liberia and Rwanda.

Working in partnership with over 20 community-based organisations, our local team of teachers are all African and alumni of the programmes themselves. They teach music, and through an integrated life-skills curriculum, nurture transferable skills such as self-confidence, perseverance, concentration and communication.

Music is an incredibly powerful tool to engage and transform and Brass for Africa uses music to champion our four strategic goals of; workplace readiness, community empowerment, disability inclusion and gender equality.

We want to equip children, young people and their communities with the skills to fulfil their potential and thrive.

From 1 – 31 March, Brass for Africa is launching BreakTheBias Campaign aimed at raising enough to fund one entire year of music and life-skills education for 250 girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Visit the link to find out more about how you can get involved!

This is the fifth episode in our spin-off series of short After Hours chats discussing issues relating more broadly to the arts and culture sector.

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases.

A special thank you to Robert Cochrane as the composer of the theme tune music, and Merlyn Thomas our editor.

Photo credit: ©️Geoffroy Schied / MUSIC CONNECTS

Speed pod: Wales

In our ​‘speed pod’ mini-series of quick insights into music and culture from around the world, we talk to music industry professionals about the music of their homeland, to give us a view into different music, composers, sounds and instruments which make music both unique and universal. 

In this episode, we talked to HarrisonParrott Marketing Assistant Holly Gedge to tell us more about the sounds of Wales. Holly tells us what influences there are on Welsh music, what we can expect when listening to Welsh music, and introduces us to two Welsh composers. As well as providing listeners with a wealth of musical insights, Holly also gives us her personal recommendations for a Welsh book, album and film, so we can dive deeper into understanding Welsh culture and its contribution to the world.

Holly was interviewed by HP’s Fiona Livingston.

Holly’s Recommendations:
Book: Running for the Hills by Horatio Clare 
Album: Live at Treorchy with Max Boyce
Film: Dream Horse
YouTube: Wales singing National anthem before beating England 30 – 3 in Rugby

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts and all good podcatcher sites.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases

 

Speed pod: Poland

In this speed pod episode, we talked to HarrisonParrott Artist Coordinator Maja Rath to tell us more about the sounds of Poland. Maja tells us about what influences there are on Polish music, and introduces us to several highly influential Polish composers. As well as providing listeners with a wealth of musical insights, Maja also gives us her personal recommendations for a Polish novelist, album and film, so we can dive deeper into understanding Polish culture and its contribution to the world.

Maja was interviewed by HP’s Fiona Livingston.

Maja’s Recommendations:

• Book (novelist): Stanisław Lem — sci-fi author of Solaris.
• Album: Zakopower’s Boso
• Film: The Pianist, director Roman Polanski. Watch the trailer here.

Listen to Maja’s Spotify playlist of Polish music recommendations here. 

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts and all good podcatcher sites.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases

Speed Pod: Festive Favourites

In this special Festive speed podcast, we talk to five HarrisonParrott colleagues about the festive music from their homeland including UK, Japan, China and Norway, and the music that brings them a sense of nostalgia at this time of year.

Thank you to Yukiko Shishikura, Lissy Kelleher Clarke, Henry Southern, Karoline Meltstveit, and Kerry Chen. Their recommendations include:

Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 — Bach Collegium Japan conducted by Maasaki Suzuki
Godnattsang for Nissunger — Amalie
Lonely Christmas — Eason Chen
Now That’s What I Call Christmas 1984 — assorted artists

Listen to the Spotify playlist here.

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts and all good podcatcher sites.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases.

COP26 reflections - the future of dialogue & cultural exchange

In this episode of The Culture Bar, we reflect on the learnings and outcomes of the COP26 conference in Glasgow and how these can be integrated into delivering global creative projects whilst still conserving the planet. Our discussion also considers the merits (or not!) of digital and virtual experiences vs in-person interactions, as well as discussing what future methods are out there to ensure that cultural exchange still takes place.

We are joined by four expert panellists to share in these reflections:

• Brandon Ferderer – Director of Global Community, Shared_Studios
• Samantha McShane – Head of Artistic Planning, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• Rosanna Lewis – Creative Commissions and Culture & Development Lead, British Council
• Lauren Livesey – Partnerships Manager, Curatours

Hosted by HP’s Henry Southern

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer and all good podcatcher sites.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases

A special thank you to Robert Cochrane as the composer of the theme tune music, and Merlyn Thomas our editor.

Speed Pod: China c-pop

In our ​‘speed pod’ mini-series of quick insights into music and culture from around the world, we talk to music industry professionals about the music of their homeland, to give us a view into different music, composers, sounds and instruments which make music both unique and universal. 

In this episode, we will be talking to HarrisonParrott Marketing Intern Kerry Chen to tell us more about the sounds of c‑pop music in China. Kerry tells us about what influences there are on Chinese pop music, the musical sounds and influences that are associated with this genre, and introduces us to several leading figures in the c‑pop world. As well as providing listeners with a wealth of musical insights, Kerry also gives us her personal recommendations for two books, album and film, so we can dive deeper into understanding Chinese culture and its contribution to the world.

Kerry was interviewed by HP’s Fiona Livingston.

Kerry’s Recommendations:

Books: Frog, by Moyan, and Tiny Times, by Guo Jingming
Album: Fantasy from Jay Chou
Film: You are the Apple of my Eye, director: Giddens Ko 

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts and all good podcatcher sites.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases.

Speed Pod - What is music publishing?

In this Speed Pod mini-series episode, we talk to Birdsong Publishing Manager Milly Paine to tell us more about, and demystify, the world of music publishing.

As well as telling us what music publishing is, Milly also enlightens us as to what a publishing manager does, what happens to composers’ music, how they get paid, creative outlets for their music, and how a publishing manager can help a composer’s career to grow.

Resources:

• Birdsong
• Music Publishers Association
• Musicians Union

Speed pod: Switzerland

In our ​‘speed pod’ mini-series of quick insights into music and culture from around the world, we talk to music industry professionals about the music of their homeland, to give us a view into different music, composers, sounds and instruments which make music both unique and universal.

Today, we will be talking to HarrisonParrott Artist Coordinator Theodor Küng to tell us more about the sounds of Switzerland. Theo tells us about what influences there are on Swiss music, the musical sounds that are associated with the country, unique musical instruments, and introduces us to several Swiss composers. As well as providing listeners with a wealth of musical insights, Theo also gives us his personal recommendations for a Swiss book, album and film, so we can dive deeper into understanding Swiss culture and its contribution to the world.

Theo was interviewed by HP’s Fiona Livingston.

Race and the Civic Responsibility of the Arts

A special podcast episode for Black History Month, we delve into race and the civic responsibility of the arts. 

In this insightful and inspiring conversation, we are thrilled to be joined by these wonderful panellists:

• Michael ​‘Mikey J’ Asante – producer, composer, musician, dancer and DJ; co-founder and co-artistic director of the hip-hop dance company, Boy Blue
• Kaya Brown – Artist Coordinator at Polyarts and Creative Access alumnus
• Cliff Fluet – Joint Head of Media & Entertainment at Lewis Silkin, Chair of the Ivors Academy Trust, and Help Musicians Trustee
• Samir Savant – CEO of St George’s Bristol and trustee for the HarrisonParrott Foundation

Hosted by HP's Henry Southern

This episode is part of our ​‘Under the Spotlight’ podcast series where we shine a light on ​‘challenging’ topics in the arts, and focus on guests living these experiences and who are working to create change in the sector.

The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts.

Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases

A special thank you to Robert Cochrane as the composer of the theme tune music, and Merlyn Thomas our editor.