Nu Civilisation Orchestra: The Queen’s Suite
Nu Civilisation Orchestra performs a selection of Duke Ellington’s jazz compositions, including The Queen’s Suite, inspired by his meeting with Her Majesty The Queen.
The show is presented by Tomorrow’s Warriors, and led by gifted pianist, composer and musical director Peter Edwards. The orchestra also plays Edwards' original piece Above and Beyond the Horizon.
On 18 October 1958, acclaimed American composer and musician Duke Ellington was presented to Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at a private reception to mark the centenary of Leeds Festival. So inspired was Ellington by this meeting that he promised to compose a suite in honour of The Queen.
For 40 years, The Queen’s Suite, one of Ellington’s greatest and most beautiful jazz works, was shrouded in mystery, with the composer insisting only one copy of the recording be pressed and handed directly to the Royal Household.
The piece remained hidden from the public until after Ellington’s death, before finally being premiered by the Bob Wilmer Orchestra in 1998.
Nu Civilisation Orchestra now reprise their 2009 performance of The Queen’s Suite as part of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, with Gary Crosby OBE, recipient of The Queen’s Medal for Music and co-founder of Tomorrow’s Warriors, joining the orchestra on double bass.
Performers
- Nu Civilisation Orchestra
- Peter Edwards conductor
- Gary Crosby double bass
Repertoire
- Ellington: The Tattooed Bride
- Peter Edwards: Above and Beyond the Horizon
- Interval
- Ellington: Royal Ancestry from Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald; The Queen's Suite
Need to know
For ages 7+
Dates & times
Price
- Standard entryFrom £25*
- Concessions25%**
* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
** Limited availability. Read about concessions.
Tickets can only be sold through the Southbank Centre and our authorised agents, and can't be resold. You can return your tickets to the Southbank Centre for a credit voucher up to 48 hours before the event. Tickets resold on any third-party platforms will become invalid.
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Venue
Queen Elizabeth Hall
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More information
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Get an overview of the seating layout of Queen Elizabeth Hall by downloading our seating plan.
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An accessible toilet is located in the foyer.
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Please bear with us while we update our access map to reflect the refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall’s Level 2 foyer spaces. The step-free routes remain the same.
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