From jazz beginnings to making history in the classical music charts

Sir Karl Jenkins chats with KEVIN COOPER about his 80th Anniversary Tour, his leap from jazz to classical music, what he does in his down time and performing at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall on April 6.

Are you looking forward to your 80th Anniversary Tour?

Yes, I am, and we are currently trying to finalise the programme. It should be good. We have six dates around the UK, including Nottingham of course. We are going to be performing in Manchester, Cardiff, Nottingham, Glasgow, Birmingham, and The Royal Albert Hall.

Are you currently in rehearsals?

Rehearsals usually take place on the day of the performance (laughter). Various choirs who are engaging in these performances are already rehearsing on their own, as choirs do with a piano. The Manchester Concert Orchestra, who will be joining us for the Nottingham performance, will have already played a lot of the programme in the past, whilst they will pick-up the other pieces quite quickly. They will already be reading the music.

You will be conducting your 1999 Mass The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace. Why that particular piece?

The audiences seem to like it and it is one of my most prestigious pieces. It has now been sung over 3,000 times since the Millennium. We play in some of the largest halls, but we don’t get government subsidies like some people, like the BBC for example, so we have to make sure that people come out to see the performance. We will also play some popular works, plus I have a new work, One World, which was The Unesco Concert for Peace which had its World Premiere in November 2023 in Brucknerhaus, Linz, Austria with more than 1,000 choral singers and orchestral players from more than 50 countries, but you won’t have heard that here in the UK yet. So, the tour features a balanced programme; it’s all appealing, and we know people want to hear The Armed Man so, that is what we give them.

You are here in Nottingham once again on Saturday April 6. Do you enjoy your time spent here with us?

Yes, I really do. The last time I was up in Nottingham was two years ago now, and I really did enjoy it. Having said that, I have to be honest with you and say that Nottingham is a city

I don’t know that well. But no, we really did have a good time up there.

The performance here in Nottingham commences at 3pm. Why the early start?

Most of the weekend dates are the best dates to have a matinee because people will travel from further afield, and they can then make it home on the day after the performance.

How did it feel when The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted Britain’s favourite piece of contemporary classical music?

The piece has been in the classical charts for a long time now, up and down, in different years. For example last year it was in the top group of the highest piece by a living composer which really is very commendable. You have to realise that it is a popularity vote in a way because there are some great composers from the past who are not even in the list. It is an honour that I really do appreciate. I especially like the fact that people out there do like the music.

You have briefly mentioned that the piece has spent 1,000 weeks in the UK Classical album charts; that really is phenomenal.

(Laughter) I don’t know why they don’t mention that in years because 20 years seems like a lot longer period of time to me (laughter).

From your jazz beginnings to where you are now, was it a big leap or was it a natural progression?

I have to say that it came naturally to me. I had gone into jazz as a teenager. I always say this, “in the West we always use the same 12 notes” (laughter). Whatever you are playing, whatever style it is, you will always be playing those same 12 notes in different octaves obviously. I have always resisted categorisation; there is great music in all genres, and all styles, so I am very open, in fact the whole family is; we all have different tastes. Having said that, we all cross over to the same thing. For me, that’s the only way to be.

Whenever I hear that, it always reminds me of the late Eric Morecambe and André Previn.

Yes, me too, I know exactly what you mean (laughter). What did he say, ‘I am playing the right notes but just in a different order’ (laughter).

How many people will be on stage with you here in Nottingham at the Royal Concert Hall?

Well there will be 70 in the orchestra and up to 100 in the choir. The choir will all be mic’d up. It won’t be like a pop concert, but it just helps to lift them up a little bit. Don’t worry; they will all look decent on stage on the day (laughter).

Are you always working or do you ever mange to get some downtime for yourself?

Yes, I do, I write a lot especially in the early morning, then late in the afternoon for a couple of hours and then I will take the evenings off. The whole family is involved in music so we all really do appreciate just what it’s like really. My wife is also a composer, my daughter is a member of the London Symphony Orchestra, and the two grandchildren have also started playing but despite all of that I do manage to get myself some downtime (laughter). I follow sport, rugby in particular. I also follow football and a bit of cricket so I do have hobbies and interests.