A unique sound wave sculpture designed by Bristol installation artist Luke Jerram and based on music by Philip Glass will spearhead the final stage of concert venue St George’s Bristol £5.5m fundraising appeal.
St George’s has secured the support of the two world-leading artists to create the stunning sculpture as the focus of attention for its Building a Sound Future capital development project.
Titled Apollo – the Greek god of music – it will consist of 100 glass roundels, each associated with an individual donor to the appeal, and will hang as the centrepiece of the concert hall’s new extension. 
World-leading contemporary composer Philip Glass has given St George’s permission to use the opening section of his 2nd Etude from Etudes for Piano, Vol. I – which he played at St George’s in 2013 – as the source material for Apollo.
Luke Jerram is using the sound file to create a 3-D musical wave form sculpture. A fitting symbol of the transformation of St George’s, the 3metre tall piece will be suspended in the foyer of St George’s new extension when it opens in the autumn of 2017.
Apollo’s 100 hand-blown glass roundels will represent the musical score, with individuals and companies invited to sponsor each roundel. Funding to design and produce the sculpture has already been secured, and the individual roundel sponsors will together contribute £500,000 to St George’s Building a Sound Future appeal.
As members of the ‘Apollo Club’ donors will also enjoy an enduring association with St George’s and this unique artistic collaboration.
Glass has performed at St George’s – a world-class concert hall which celebrates music in all its forms – a number of times and was the first choice as a collaborative partner. He said: “I am delighted to provide the musical source for the sound wave. I have great affection for St George’s – its intimacy, acoustics and the special relationship it allows performers to have with their audience leave abiding memories for me. It is especially fitting that the chosen piece is my 2nd Etude which I played on my first visit to St George’s in 2013. I am happy to be able to play a part in St George’s exciting plans and look forward to seeing the finished piece.”
While Luke Jerram’s art takes him around the world, his home is in Bristol and he is a long-time supporter of St George’s. He said: “From street pianos project Play Me, I’m Yours to the Sky Orchestra, many of my art projects involve music, sound and performance. These temporary works contrast my glass sculptures which appear in many museums around the world from the Metropolitan Museum in NYC to the Bristol City Museum.
“Working with St George’s allows me to combine my passion for glass and acoustics, to work in a new exciting and invigorating creative partnership. However this is the first time I have created an artwork to support a fundraising campaign. I cannot wait to get started.”
St George’s CEO Suzanne Rolt added: “We are now just two years away from realising our vision of Building a Sound Future for St George’s, and in October 2017 we will be unveiling our new two-storey extension. As we look to secure the remaining funding, we are now turning to our warmest supporters – our audience members – to help us reach our target of £5.5m.
“I’m genuinely thrilled that two artists of international repute are working together to create a unique artwork that will be at the heart of this fundraising campaign. Apollo will hang in the double height space of our new extension as an inspiring and lasting testament not only to the value of music itself but to the many people who have come together because they love St George’s and want to join us in securing its long term future.”
The roundels will be created by Wiltshire-based glass team James Devereux Studios.
Bristol film firm Icon has produced a promotional film to mark the launch of the Apollo Club, which it has donated in support of the Building a Sound Future Appeal. Bristol-based design and innovation specialist Kinneir Dufort has designed the Apollo logo free of charge.
For further information on sponsoring a roundel and supporting the Building a Sound Future Appeal visit buildingasoundfuture.co.uk.
