George Jackson to open Festival Présences

George Jackson will open the Festival Présences at Maison de la Radio et de la Musique in Paris on 6 February. This year's event is dedicated to Steve Reich, and Jackson will conduct Ensemble intercontemporain in the European premiere of Reich's Jacob's Ladder for large ensemble and choir, as well as his Reich/Richter. The concert also features world premieres of Joseph Stephenson's In Time Like Air and Héloïse Werner's close-ups.

Reich wrote Reich/Richter to accompany Moving Picture, a video by Gerhard Richter and Corinna Belz. Jackson made a recording of the work, released by Nonesuch in 2022, of which Gramophone wrote: 'The live performance by Ensemble Intercontemporain under George Jackson in Paris in March 2020 is particularly effective at balancing each individual line in relation to the overall musical result... Reich’s music has fundamentally altered the way we listen, and this latest recording provides further testimony of his ability to shape time in unique and fascinating ways.'

Jackson has previously conducted Ensemble intercontemporain at Festival Romaeuropa, Rainy Days Festival in Luxembourg and Festival D’Automne in Paris. He takes them to the Tokyo Spring Festival this year, conducting a programmes of 20th-century classics including by Varèse, Boulez, Xenakis, Ligeti and Webern (8 April) and of contemporary French composers such as Yan Maresz, Pascal Dusapin, Tristan Murail, Yann Robin and Betsy Jolas (9 April).

The Paris concert will be broadcast and recorded by France Musique and will also be available on Arte Concert.