Lambeth town hall staged a musical and technical masterpiece on Saturday afternoon (8 March) as it hosted Orchitecture Brixton.
The event saw the Chineke! orchestra playing Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Othello suite, with its members “exploded” across the town hall and connected by digital technology as audiences promenaded around its corridors and chambers.
The members of Chineke! – which has been championing diversity and musical excellence for a decade – were joined by young members of the Lambeth Music Service.
The technology was provided by the Brixton-based company Orbital Sounds and the installation was produced by local arts company Aswarm in partnership with Lambeth council and Chineke!
Four fully booked free sessions enabled visitors to see the architecture of the town hall – restored as part of the New Town Hall scheme – and watch classical music being performed close-up.
They could also marvel at the technology that enabled each orchestra member to follow conductor Enyi Okpara on video screens as he led from the mayoral chair in the council chamber, and merged the work of dozens of musicians in different places and broadcast it live around the town hall.
As well as the music, there were thought-provoking talks – from Lambeth Archives’ Jon Newman on the pivotal role of Shakespeare’s play Othello and its musical spin-offs in the cultural history of Lambeth; from Thor McIntyre-Burnie of Aswarm on reimagining public spaces; and from local drama practitioner Tony Cealy leading interactive discussions on race.
Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth council cabinet member for stronger communities, said the event was “a powerful celebration of Lambeth’s diversity, creativity and community spirit”.
By transforming the historic town hall into a “living symphony” it honoured the council’s commitment to make public spaces more inclusive, accessible and vibrant.
“Music has the power to unite, inspire, and tell stories that reflect our shared history and future,” he said.
The choice of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Othello suite highlighted Lambeth’s history of activism and community resilience.
The composer, born in 1875, is best known for his Song of Hiawatha. He had a father from Sierra Leone and a white English mother. He grew up in Croydon, and his former home in South Norwood bears the first English Heritage blue plaque erected for a Black resident.
Lambeth council said the event not only celebrated the borough’s rich cultural diversity, but also began conversations about the importance of public spaces for creative expression and social interaction.
“By blending historical stories with modern performances, Orchitecture Brixton offers an immersive experience that challenges how we see things and encourages people to engage with the arts in new and meaningful ways,” the council said.
The event was supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
