Slow Change: Phaedra Ensemble Present the Music of Steve Reich
Patterns of Memory, from Coltrane to Thorvaldsdottir
Memory Unwrapped
| Steve Reich | WTC 9/11 (2010) |
|---|---|
| Anna Thorvaldsdottir | Enigma (2018) |
| Steve Reich | Violin Phase (1967) |
| Steve Reich | Triple Quartet (1988) |
| John Coltrane (arranged Jamie Hamilton) | Africa (1961) |
As part of Memory Unwrapped and Kings Place’s celebration of Steve Reich at 90, Phaedra Ensemble’s Slow Change explores memory and transformation through Reich’s pulsing minimalism, Coltrane’s newly arranged Africa, and Thorvaldsdottir’s expansive Enigma, a UK premiere, where patterns and echoes unfold into shifting landscapes of sound.
Slow Change explores landscapes of memory in the music of Steve Reich and his wider musical world. The programme is built largely around the string quartet, tracing how repetition, transformation, and memory continue to resonate in contemporary music.
His early experiments with phasing created hypnotic ways of listening, where subtle shifts in repetition gradually transformed the musical surface. Violin Phase offers a glimpse of that groundbreaking period, while later works reveal other facets of his voice. WTC 9/11 confronts memory directly, weaving the recorded voices of New Yorkers into a vivid reflection on collective trauma. Triple Quartet channels the rhythmic intensity of Bartók and the intonations of Hebrew singing into a work of relentless drive and energy, pushing the string quartet into thrilling new territory.
One of Reich’s deepest inspirations was John Coltrane, whose modal improvisations showed how repetition and intensity could open new spiritual and emotional spaces. His landmark work Africa, heard here in a new arrangement by Phaedra Co-director Jamie Hamilton, highlights this influence, linking the rhythmic vitality of jazz with the evolving processes of minimalism. And in the UK premiere of Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Enigma, sound itself seems to breathe and expand, creating vast landscapes of resonance.
This event will last approximately 100 minutes, including an interval.
Concessions & Under 30s tickets
Kings Place Concessions Tickets
We want to ensure that people who may be struggling financially to purchase a ticket can still enjoy visiting Kings Place. A limited number of tickets are allocated for certain events (if the ticket type does not show in the booking pathway, it means they are not available for this event or have all been sold). Concessions tickets are accessible for people on the following criteria (for more information visit our FAQs)
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Disability Benefit
- Income Support or Job Seekers allowance
- Students
£10 ‘Under 30s’ tickets
A limited number of £10 tickets for attendees aged under 30 are available for certain shows. To purchase an ‘Under 30s’ ticket, please choose the ‘Under 30s’ price type when selecting your ticket(s). If the option does not appear, this means all ‘Under 30s’ tickets have sold out or are not available for this performance. Please note that proof of age may be requested at the venue. The £10 offer does not apply to premium price categories.
Plan your visit
Getting here
Kings Place is situated just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, one of the most connected locations in London and now the biggest transport hub in Europe.
Our address is:
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.
The Venue
Our performance spaces are situated on the lower ground floor. Hall One, Hall Two and St Pancras are located in level -2, reached by stairs, escalator and lift from the ground floor entrance level.
Event Times
Door times indicate auditorium entrance times only. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the Kings Place seating areas, gallery-level art, canal-side terrace, café, restaurant and bar throughout the day and evening.
- Our events begin promptly at the advertised start time. Typically, there is no support unless otherwise stated.
- We recommend arriving in good time before the performance. The Hall doors will open 30 minutes before the performance to allow time to take your seats, or to choose a space for standing shows.
- Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance where possible
Access
We aim to make your visit to Kings Place as comfortable as possible. For more information about the accessibility of Kings Place, including details about our Access Scheme, please visit this page.
If you would like to discuss your access requirements with a member of our team, please get in touch with the Box Office team at info@kingsplace.co.uk.
Food & Drink
Rotunda Bar & Restaurant
Rotunda, situated on the ground floor of Kings Place, offers a unique dining and drinking experience alongside Regent’s Canal. The concert bar in the venue foyer will also be open for select events.
Green & Fortune Café
Recently re-furbished and now open with a new look, the Green & Fortune Café is open for selected concerts. Serving hot and cold food and drinks, including sandwiches, salads, soup, stew and a pie of the day, alongside a choice of cakes made by the on-site bakery team. See here for selected concert dates and standard opening hours.
About Phaedra Ensemble
Phaedra Ensemble is a London-based collective pushing the boundaries of contemporary chamber music in bold and imaginative ways. Known for innovative performances, they curate cutting-edge new works alongside modern classics from the last hundred years. Collaboration is central to their identity: current projects include work with Meredith Monk and composer Ed Jesson, while past collaborators include Caroline Shaw, Masayoshi Fujita, Mira Calix, Love Ssega, and Susheela Raman. In 2023, their UK tour, Gavin Bryars at 80, featured jazz sensation Laura Jurd, with new commissions and reinterpretations of iconic works.
Review
‘Cross-genre collective Phaedra are part of a new breed of ensembles tearing up the rules of classical and creating a trailblazing hotpot of sounds in their wake.’ M Magazine