Joan Armatrading’s first classical symphony to be performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall

‘Symphony No 1’ will be performed by the Chineke! Orchestra

Singer Joan Armatrading has written her first classical symphony.

The “Love and Affection” musician, who has worked as a singer-songwriter for more than 50 years, has now turned her attention to composition with a new classical work.

Symphony No 1 will have its world premiere at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre on 24 November.

It will be performed by the Chineke! Orchestra, who are the Southbank Centre’s resident orchestra. The group is “Europe’s first majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra”.

Speaking about her composition, Armatrading, 72, said: “I have always known that I would write a classical piece at some point in my life. One day, I was in my studio and out of the blue I decided that this was the day.

“I started with the melodic second movement – it felt to me like writing a song. I then wrote the first movement and, finally, I wrote the other three movements in 2022.

“All in all, to write the complete symphony took roughly five months. It has no themes as such but aims to be uplifting.”

Armatrading on stage in 2008 (Getty Images)

Armatrading said that she composed the symphony in the same way as her pop songs, adding: “I’m just myself. I didn’t write the symphony thinking I wanted it to be like anyone but Joan.”

Armatrading was born in St Kitts and moved to the UK aged seven, joining her parents in Birmingham. There, she taught herself to play piano and guitar, later working as a singer-songwriter.

She has produced and played every instrument on her records since 2003 and was the first female UK artist to be nominated for a Grammy in the Blues category.