Gavin Bryars
Upcoming Events
The Sinking of the Titanic, special performances
When
Thursday, 10 September 2026
Where
La Biennale di Venezia, Portuguese Pavilion, Fondaco Marcello, Calle del traghetto o Ca’ Garzoni, Venezia, San Marco 3415
Event Website
The Sinking of the Titanic - Cinema galleggiante
When
Friday, 11 September 2026
7:30 pm
Where
Cinema Galeggiante (Floating Cinema), Sacca Fisola, Venezia
Event Website
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet - Cinema galleggiante
When
Sunday, 13 September 2026
7:30 pm
Where
Cinema Galeggiante (Floating Cinema), Sacca Fisola, Venezia
Event Website
Recent Journal Posts
Playing bridge with John Cage – almost
August 20, 2026
I met John Cage for the first time in 1966 when, at the instigation of a friend, Ron Geesin, and in spite of my inherent shyness, I went backstage after a performance by the Merce Cunningham Company at the Saville Theatre, London. We spoke for a while, and he expressed interest in seeing some of my work. I brought two pieces with me the next time I visited the theatre, and he included them in his Notations project. We were in touch briefly by mail the following year, but we were to meet next (unexpectedly) in January 1968 when I was travelling to Illinois to work on some dance projects and stayed for two weeks in New York on the way. While I was there, I went to a chamber music concert that included work by Cage and bumped into him in the lobby. I was pleasantly surprised that he remembered me. We spoke for a while and at one point he asked if I played bridge as he was due to play that evening. He told me, however, that his partner couldn’t make it and wondered if I could join him instead? Well, I did know the rules, albeit vaguely. Bridge had been one of ‘occupational therapies’ when I had been an outpatient in a mental hospital for a few months the previous year (touch-typing was another…). But I couldn’t say with any confidence that I fully understood the bidding process in the game and so I politely declined the invitation. He told me that, had we gone ahead with the game, we would have been playing against Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray… For a brief moment I thought how fantastic that would have been, and what great photos. But on reflection I knew that to have gone ahead, in spite of the photo opportunity, how inadequate I would have been. And I couldn’t bear the thought of losing face in such company. …and, in the end, my not going makes for a better story…
Four Songs from Northern Seas
May 27, 2026
Leeds Lieder+, The Venue, Leeds I had been commissioned to write four songs for the Leeds biennial lieder festival, Leeds Lieder+, and I set four poems by the Scottish poet George Bruce, whose work I have now set a number of times.
Philip Jeck
March 31, 2022
Philip Jeck died peacefully on Friday, March 25th. He was a good friend, an unclassifiable artist who produced the most poetic music imaginable (and yet to be imagined). He was without doubt a genius and a very lovely man.
