Displaced
Another Music Festival
Artistic Director and violinist Roman Mints brings the first annual Another Music Festival to St John’s Waterloo, with three concerts in January 2026, celebrating the Displaced.
From Handel and J. C. Bach (son of Johann Sebastian) in the Georgian era through to Freddie Mercury, who, as a teenager, sought refuge in London from the Zanzibar Revolution, émigré musicians have left an indelible mark on British music. Today the UK, and London particularly, remains a vibrant centre for international musicians, welcoming composers, performers and conductors from around the world.
Another Music Festival brings together an extraordinary ensemble of international artists – many of them migrants – to celebrate the rich legacy of composers who have lived or continue to live in exile. From historical giants – Chopin, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Enescu, Bartók to neglected composers including Ukrainian composer Theodore Akimenko, the three-day festival offers a journey through music shaped by migration.
Importantly, the programme features works composed both before and after emigration, highlighting the continuity and evolution of the composer’s artistic voice. Highlights will include premieres of Alexey Kurbatov’s Quartet, Boris Filanovsky’s Supremus 3 and two UK premieres: Stephania Turkevych’s Sonata for Violin and Piano and Leonid Desyatnikov’s Leaden Echo.
Another Music Festival will feature artists including Katya Apekisheva (piano), Maxym Artemenko (piano), Kristina Blaumane (cello), Meghan Cassidy (viola), Hilary Cronin (soprano), Sasha Grynyuk (piano), Richard Gowers (harpsichord), Francis Gush (countertenor), Vadym Kholodenko (piano), Ashok Klauda (cello), Natalia Lomeiko (violin), Ewan Millar (oboe), Julia Morneweg (cello), Iryna Marchuk (violin), Mikhail Rudoy (viola), Sasha Raikhlina (violin), Patrick Savage (violin), Elly Su (violin) and Yuri Zhislin (viola).
Ukrainian musicologist Mariia Romanets says,
“Migration and human mobility create a fabric of contrasts – rich with new horizons, meanings, and dialogues, yet shadowed by the profound struggle of belonging. To step into another society is to learn its rhythms, embrace its customs and still carry within an irrepressible ache for the lost homeland. This “in-betweenness” holds the soul between what is already gone and what is still out of reach – no longer fully at home, not yet fully embraced – a space of longing where identity is tested, reshaped, and renewed. Separated from their homelands, some émigré musicians, especially composers, remained spiritual exiles, struggling to bridge the cultural gap between their past and present. But history equally speaks of others who, though strangers at first, found belonging and left a lasting mark on the cultural landscape of their adopted nations.”
“We’re delighted to partner with Another Music Festival to present such a thoughtful and wide-ranging programme,” says Euchar Gravina, Artistic Director at St John’s Waterloo. “The theme of displacement and migration feels especially timely, not only in the context of today’s political discourse, but also as we approach the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain in 2026. St John’s was rebuilt after the Blitz as part of that national celebration, which also highlighted significant contributions from artists who had made Britain their home after years of turmoil in Europe. This programme honours that same resilience and creativity, offering a beacon of hope and reflection for our own unsettled times.”
St John’s Waterloo, the church on the IMAX roundabout at Waterloo, is a historic Grade II* church that reopened in October 2022 after a major restoration by Eric Parry Architects.
There has been music at St John’s since we first opened in 1824. When we were rebuilt as the church of the Festival of Britain in 1951, the newly restored nave was adorned with murals by German Jewish refugee artist Hans Feibusch and served as host to many choirs who travelled from across the country to perform in the Festival.
Today, we host a year-round programme of concerts, exhibitions and events including the Waterloo Festival. Increasingly, our focus is on bringing artists and arts organisations together with local people to co-produce projects that reflect our diverse neighbourhood. The creative process strengthens the bonds of our community and our beautiful historic church and churchyard garden.
Artistic Director: Euchar Gravina
Outreach and Engagement Officer: Abigail Tripp