The Glastonbury Festival is to honour David Bowie with an orchestral tribute on The Park Stage this Saturday (25.06.16).
The world renowned music extravaganza held at Worthy Farm in Somerset, South West England, will celebrate the music of the legendary musician – who in passed away in January at the age of 69, after a secret battle with cancer – with a headline performance featuring musical conductor Charles Hazelwood, who will control Army of Generals and members of the British Paraorchestra performing Philip Glass’s ‘Heroes Symphony’.
American Composer Philip Glass said of the plans: "When Charles Hazlewood told me of his plan to take my Heroes Symphony to Glastonbury, I was delighted.
"It’s very exciting to think of it playing – at the midnight hour – out across the parkland, a true celebration of Bowie. I am so very pleased members of the British Paraorchestra and Chris Levine’s epic iy_project light performance will be part of it – what a spectacular collaboration. This is sound and vision Bowie-style!!"
Philip created ‘Heroes Symphony’ in 1995 paying homage to Bowie’s 1977 album ‘Heroes’, the second LP in his acclaimed Berlin series.
And the admiration was mutual as the ‘Starman’ hitmaker also cited Glass as a huge influence.
Charles said of the project: "Bowie was a huge fan of Glass, citing him as a primary influence. If Bowie had any interest in what might be played by all of us after he’d gone, then I reckon a world class orchestra breathing fire into Glass’s Heroes Symphony would make him very happy indeed. And with the added genius of laser virtuoso Chris Levine creating a visual counterpoint to Glass’s luminescent textures, this will be the most extraordinary sound and vision ever witnessed at Glastonbury."
The spectacle will be complimented by a sensory light performance by Chris Levine.
On what to expect, Chris said: "The cyclic music of Philip Glass is utterly trance inducing and combined with my iy_project laser waveforms takes us into a meditative space – a spiritual dimension where the star man now resides."
Bowie last played the festival in 2000.
Festival co-organiser Emily Eavis said: "We are delighted that David Bowie’s life will be celebrated by Glastonbury’s first ever classical music headliner. Bowie’s performance of ‘Heroes’ in his 2000 Pyramid set was one of the all-time (greatest) moments in our history and it just feels so right that we will relive it again on Saturday night through the brilliance of Philip Glass’ symphony."
Glastonbury to honour David Bowie with orchestral tribute
