Modern music: London’s Barbican sways to the tune of mountains and waves
London’s Barbican will swell and sway to the sound of modern American music this weekend, hosting a six-session marathon tagged ’Mountains and Waves’ and curated by The National guitarist Bryce Dessner.
It includes the European premier of ‘Round-Up’, a musical and cinematic take on the rodeo tradition, conceived by alternative-folk hero Sufjan Stevens and cinematographers Aaron and Alex Craig and performed by percussion/piano quarter Yarn/Wire and concludes with ‘Wave Movements’, a new orchestral work by Dessner and Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry and backed by a video work by Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto.
Also on the bill is the European premier of Black Mountain Songs, a song cycle performed by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus and dedicated to the radical Black Mountain College in North Carolina (which once included Josef and Ani Albers, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Walter Gropius, Willem de Kooning and Buckminster Fuller on its teaching staff, though not all at the same time.) There will also be performances of key pieces by the big boys of minimalism and post-minimalism, including Steve Reich’s ‘Drumming’, and Terry Riley’s ‘In C’, as well as the work of younger American composers such as John Luther Adams , Nico Muhly and Caroline Shaw.
ADDRESS
Barbican Hall, Milton Court Concert Hall and St Giles, Cripplegate
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
A new Korean garden reimagines tradition for the 21st centuryThe new Médongaule Korean Gardens in Gyeonggi Province explore the country’s rich tradition; within it, the Seongok Academy Building provides a layered spatial experience drawing on heritage and a connection with nature
-
Ten out-of-this-world design exhibitions to see in 2026From contemporary grandes dames to legends past, and ‘non-human’ design: here are ten design exhibitions we’re looking forward to seeing in 2026
-
Apple Music’s new space for radio, live music and events sits in the heart of creative LAApple Music’s Rachel Newman and global head of workplace design John De Maio talk about the shaping of the company’s new Los Angeles Studio
-
The Barbican is undergoing a huge revamp. Here’s what we knowThe Barbican Centre is set to close in June 2028 for a year as part of a huge restoration plan to future-proof the brutalist Grade II-listed site
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s wet, windy and wintry and, this week, the Wallpaper* team craved moments of escape. We found it in memories of the Mediterranean, flavours of Mexico, and immersions in the worlds of music and art
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThe clocks have gone back in the UK and evenings are officially cloaked in darkness. Cue nights spent tucked away in London’s cosy corners – this week, the Wallpaper* team opted for a Latin-inspired listening bar, an underground arts space, and a brand new hotel in Shoreditch
-
Doc’n Roll Festival returns with a new season of underground music filmsNow in its twelfth year, the grassroots festival continues to platform subcultural stories and independent filmmakers outside the mainstream
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThis week, our editors have been privy to the latest restaurants, art, music, wellness treatments and car shows. Highlights include a germinating artwork and a cruise along the Pacific Coast Highway…
-
Pantone’s new public art installation is a tribute to Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’, 25 years after its releaseThe colour company has created a – you guessed it – yellow colour swatch on some steps in Wembley Park, London, where the band will play ten shows this month
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThe Wallpaper* team immersed themselves in culture this week, attending theatre, music and art performances and exhibitions at some of London’s most esteemed establishments. Along the way, we may have discovered the city's best salad…
-
Be transported to an illegal Acid House rave by the Barbican's new immersive experienceVirtual reality, DJ sets, record label takeovers – it's all at the Barbican through to August. Craig McLean gets out his glowsticks