The flutist and composer Lucas Jordan is recognised for his commitment towards innovative projects that aim to reconnect music with society such as “The Invisible Cities Project (with support from Mazzini Garibaldi and Golsoncott Foundations)”, “dsharpgents | re:staging music” and “Wenn heute sich mit gestern vermischt” (2009 – 2011; with support awarded by the “momento stiftung”). He is the artistic director of “das kurze festival” in Zurich, Switzerland and co-founder of the Guainumbi Ensemble in London, UK.
As a flutist he has performed throughout Europe and the Americas working closely with international musicians, dancers, poets, actors, directors, costume designers and important composers of our time as well as many emerging young composers. As a composer his music has been commissioned and performed in many countries in Europe, South America and Asia and has recently started composing for film. He is very passionate about teaching, giving lessons at all levels in flute, composition and music theory.
Born in Brazil and having lived in the USA, Brazil, Switzerland and England, Lucas Jordan studied at the Zurich University of Arts, Switzerland with Matthias Ziegler, Philippe Racine (flute), Pamela Stahel (piccolo) and Isabel Mundry, Andreas Nick (composition) and the Royal Academy of Music, London with William Bennett, Emily Beynon, Samuel Coles (flute) and Patricia Morris (piccolo). He is grateful to have been awarded generous scholarships from the LYRA Stiftung and Alfred und Isle Stammer-Mayer Stiftung (Switzerland) and Guildhall School of Music and Drama Scholarship.
As a flutist he has performed throughout Europe and the Americas working closely with international musicians, dancers, poets and important composers of our time such as Helmut Lachenmann, Jörg Widmann, Rhian Samuel, Mario Ferraro, Klaus Huber, Isabel Mundry as well as many emerging young composers.
This has lead to performances at the the Resolution dance festival at the Place in London, Dance On All Floors Festival in Rotterdam, the Tanzfabrik in Berlin, Central Saint Martins of the University of Arts London, at the Kings College London, Cheltenham Lunchtime concert series in UK, International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordão in Brazil, the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, the National Flute Association’s Convention in Washington D. C. and Orlando FL, the International Chamber Music Festival of Cali in Colombia, the ‘Surprise’ concert series of the Tonhalle Zurich, La Côte Flute Festival and "Zürich liest" Festival in Switzerland. He was a founding member of the Dialoge Company Berlin/Zurich working with them between 2008 - 2012.
He also works as a freelance flutist performing with several orchestras in prestigious concert halls in UK, such as the Barbican, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elisabeth Hall and St. Johns Smith Square. He is member of “Music Unites” an initiative created by Pamela Stahel to explore music for flute ensemble. Regular collaborations include performances with guitarist Fabricio Mattos, poet Audrey Ardern-Jones (as part of the Poetry and Music Ensemble) as well as with theatre director Irene Ros, with whom he created “God Save the Tea” and cellist Elena Cappelletti, co-creator of "The Invisible Cities Project".
As a composer he won the “Audience’s Choice Prize” of the Composition Competition of the Camerata Zurich for his “three questions for string orchestra and conductor” at a young age. He has since been commissioned several new works, which have been performed throughout Europe and Asia including in festivals such as “Flimsklang ’06”, Switzerland, “Klever Reihenkonzerte”, Germany and “recreate” in Austria.
Most recent performances of his work include “preludiofuga n. II” by WGC Heritage, “maybe later…” by the United Instruments of Lucilin, “Song after Sacro Monte di Ossuccio” by the Offenburger Ensemble and “Platform Four” by the “Colours of Eden”.
In 2018 he concluded his first soundtrack composed for the documentary film “One Girl” directed by Rosa Russo, which has been gaining recognition in film festivals worldwide.
Current projects aim to explore how to express non-musical concepts through music. This has resulted in the opera “God Save the Tea” in collaboration with theatre director Irene Ros (premiered at the Tête-à-Tête Festival in London, 2019), short films for his “three miniatures” and the prelude from "preludiofuga n. I", a piece on procrastination "maybe later..." and a violin concerto (currently in developement) that explores contemporary human psychology. Most recently he explored the experiences of 2020 in a piece for flute and guitar composed for TANGRAM called "Three Scenes At The Edge Of...", which had its premiere online in April 2021.
TEACHER
Teaching plays an equally important role in his career. He worked as assistant to Matthias Ziegler at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Switzerland (2010 - 2011) and was Teaching Assistant and Premier Flautist at “William Bennett’s International Flute Summer School” (2013). He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Performance Teaching from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2018 - 2019).
Since then he has given workshops and masterclasses at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, 2o Encontro de Flauta Transversal at Escola Superior de Música Lisboa, Portugal, Accademia Musicale “Il Seminario” in Norma and Accademia Musicale "il Torrione", Italy, Escola de Música Movimento in São Paulo and Casa da Cultura in Paraty, Brazil and most recently at the “Hands On Research” Conference at the Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal, at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Switzerland and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London UK.
His workshops centres around topics of flute playing and music:
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Flute Basics
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Contemporary Techniques and special fingerings
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Developing expressive playing with Moyse' 24 Melodic Studies
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'Speaking musician' developing expression through language and composition
He currently teaches at the London Youth Conservatoire and gives private lessons in Zurich and London. He teaches Flute, Composition and Music Theory at all levels and ages.
© 2020 by Lucas F. Jordan - Zürich / London
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