Verity Watts: PEACE
What does peace sound like in 2025? Verity Watts unites world-class artists from contrasting musical, cultural and spiritual lives to hazard a guess.
Does music about peace have to be peaceful? In the gloriously diverse city of Bradford, where the first Peace Studies department was inaugurated and the Peace Museum now lives, PEACE finds musical commonality in the cracks and creates something beautiful by joining together contrasts.
Drawing on her creative catalogue, producer Verity Watts presents a radical and ambitious commission that brings together four artists to create a work featuring electronic sounds, rap, scratching, spoken word and bassline improvisation. It’s also fused with historic archive audio samples.
Collaborators include the world-champion turntablist DJ Woody; legendary jazz bassist Dave Kane; Bradford-born singer, rapper and songwriter Kenzo Jae and poet and spoken word artist Scout Tzofiya Bolton. Archive producer Anna Rhodes curates audio samples from Bradford that also feature in the music. The lighting designer is Rachel E Cleary.
Part of New Music Biennial, this event includes two performances of the same work and a short interview with the creative team in between the two, enabling audiences to experience the second performance with greater insight into the creative process.
Performers
Kenzo Jae vocals, rap
Dave Kane bass
Lee Woodvine (DJ Woody) turntables
Kate Cox dancer
Tzofiya Bolton spoken word
Repertoire
Tzofiya Bolton: This where it begins; Seizure (London premiere)
Kenzo Jae: Welcome to the jungle; The hunt (London premiere)
Dave Kane: War and conflict; Will there ever be peace? (London premiere)
Verity Watts: Opening breath; Messed up (London premiere)
Lee Woodvine (DJ Woody): The clapping protest song (London premiere)
Need to know
This event is free, but ticketed. Seating is unallocated and tickets don’t guarantee entry: admission is on a first-come, first-served basis for those with tickets. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets may be available on the day on a first-come, first-served basis from the venue.
Flashing lights and haze are used during this performance.
Access
This event is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
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For your visit
This event is held at the Purcell Room Southbank Centre
The Purcell Room is located in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
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The Purcell Room is an auditorium located within our Queen Elizabeth Hall.
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