Following
government measures to slow the spread of Coronavirus, we have now closed our
beautiful building until further notice. This year's Wilton's Music 4all Festival has been cancelled. All bookers will be contacted. More information here.
The oldest grand music hall in the world is putting the music very firmly back into the Hall with the world premiere of the Wilton’s Music 4all Festival. Wilton’s is a hub of inspiration for new talent and this year we are focusing on emerging musical talent.
The oldest grand music hall in the world is putting the music very firmly back into the Hall with the world premiere of the Wilton’s Music 4all Festival. Wilton’s is a hub of inspiration for new talent and this year we are focusing on emerging musical talent.
We have selected the best emerging artists in each of the following categories:
Opera
Contemporary & Jazz
Rock, Pop & Indie
Cabaret & Alternative
Urban, Electronic & DJ
They are being mentored by a professional individual or organisation and rehearsing at Wilton’s, ready to perform live as part of the Festival in May. Mentors include: English National Opera, Dan Gillespie Sells, Tim Whitehead, Bengi Ünsal and DJ Yoda.
The artists performing in the Contemporary & Jazz category are:
Gabrielle Chudi
Hailing from East London, Gabrielle Chudi is a 22 year-old with heartwarming, soulful vocals beyond her years. Whether it be through her early days in musical theatre or learning piano as a child, Gabrielle is deeply-rooted in the art of music. College and church have been pivotal in Gabrielle’s development as a vocalist, alongside vocal inspirations such as Lianne La Havas and Lalah Hathaway. Gabrielle also used open-mics as her training ground, then went on to inspire hundreds at Southbank’s Women of the World Festival in 2018. Gabrielle has been developing her own blend of contemporary Soul, with Jazz flavours, so join her on the journey as she explores the world through song.
JOLYN
JOLYN is a Dutch/English keyboard player and singer-songwriter based in South London. Training as a jazz pianist in the Netherlands she was inspired by women like Nina Simone, Shirley Horn and Joni Mitchell. She moved to London where she released her debut EP DREAM in 2018: an eclectic blend of old school harmonies with electronic production. Currently she is working on her new EP which will feature the diverse talents of London's vibrant jazz and soul scene. Opening up about her existential insecurities, she explores themes like social media pressure, disposable love, karma, and not feeling ambitious enough.
JOLYN
JOLYN is a Dutch/English keyboard player and singer-songwriter based in South London. Training as a jazz pianist in the Netherlands she was inspired by women like Nina Simone, Shirley Horn and Joni Mitchell. She moved to London where she released her debut EP DREAM in 2018: an eclectic blend of old school harmonies with electronic production. Currently she is working on her new EP which will feature the diverse talents of London's vibrant jazz and soul scene. Opening up about her existential insecurities, she explores themes like social media pressure, disposable love, karma, and not feeling ambitious enough.
Julian James
Julian started learning to play the piano at age 11. He feels blessed to have had the opportunity at secondary school to become part of such a fantastic music department, with support from passionate and encouraging teachers, and a vibrant community of fellow musicians to share his love of music with. At 18, the South London boy went on to study Jazz piano at Leeds College of Music, where he engrossed himself in the Leeds music scene. Since graduating, Julian has developed an appetite for songwriting, composing and producing. Now, he enjoys cultivating the fruits of his labour: his own sound.
With thanks to Bengi Ünsal for mentoring the Contemporary & Jazz category.
Bengi Ünsal is Head of Contemporary Music at Southbank Centre, the UK’s largest arts centre, on the south bank of the River Thames, where she is responsible for a year-round programme of more than 200 gigs and contemporary music performances across its iconic venues - Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. She manages the award-winning Meltdown, the longest-running artist curated festival in the world, securing luminaries M.I.A (2017), Robert Smith (2018) and Nile Rodgers (2019) as curators. Robert Smith’s 2018 festival was the highest-grossing Meltdown ever, nominated for Music Week Awards’ Festival of the Year and winner of the AIM Independent Music Awards 'Act of Independence'. In 2018 Bengi launched Southbank Centre’s first ever regular club night, Concrete Lates, providing a platform for international electronic artists. Before the move to London, Bengi was the founding director of Salon IKSV (part of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts). From 2007-2009 she was the Managing Director of Doublemoon Records in Istanbul, managing a catalogue of more than 50 albums and overseeing its digital distribution rights agreements. Other past experiences include running her own events company, launching a festival and working for radio and music TV channels, Universal Music and BMG. Bengi is a DJ with a particular love of house music. She is on the boards of Music Venues Trust and Sound UK, and in April 2018 was included in She Said So's Alternative Power Music 100 list.