red panel

‘red panel’ is a fluid collective of composers, multi-instrumentalists and sound-artists operating mainly between Germany and the UK. Founded in Berlin in 2018 by composer-performer duo Cara Dawson (Harp, Percussion, Electronics) and Eden Lonsdale (Composition, Cello, Harmonium, Electronics) the group sees itself less as an ensemble than an adaptable sonic entity whose rotating line-up is characterised by a highly collaborative approach.

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With members coming from stylistically highly varied backgrounds, red panel aims to create unique and holistic sensory experiences. The collective‘s signature events are characterised by specially tailored new works, immersive atmospheric environments and unconventional locations. The group‘s genre-defying performances reveal a wide range of aesthetic influences and a musical language that is situated somewhere between contemporary classical, ambient/drone and experimental dance music.

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Projects over 2019-20 have spanned a variety of formats, including a multi-media performance at the Barbican Cinema, a series of house concerts across Berlin, a series of church concerts in London, an electronic long duration installation work for the London Culture Mile and a recital in the Queen‘s House in Greenwich.

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Whilst event formats can range from solo recitals to immersive, evening-filling installations, the result is invariably an essential sense of intimacy that stems from the passionate composing and curating that permeates every level of red panel‘s artistry. Particularly in light of the age of over-commercialisation, the group lays great focus on maintaining a hand-crafted and personal aesthetic that begins with its entirely custom-built repertoire and trickles through to the smallest details such as the lovingly hand-painted posters and programmes. 

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Whilst red panel frequently performs conventional pre-fabricated works, a great emphasis also lies in the invention and exploration of alternative music making methods such as divisive collaboration, improvisation and installation. The group‘s highly inquisitive, laboratory-style approach comes with a sense of awareness and responsibility for the venues it installs itself in, resulting in site-responsive setups that embrace a symbiotic relationship between music and environment.