Jazz meets poetry in Three Teasdale Songs: A premiere with a twist

An Interview with composer Harry Baker

by Sinem, TPC Head of Marketing & Comms

At Thames Philharmonic Choir, we’ve always prided ourselves on embracing the old and the new - from the timeless beauty of Handel’s Messiah to the poignant modernity of James MacMillan. But few projects have excited us as much as our upcoming June concert, where we’ll premiere Three Teasdale Songs - a bold and beautiful new commission by the remarkable Harry Baker.

Harry’s name may already be familiar to those in both jazz and classical circles. With collaborations spanning Fatma Said, Jamie Cullum, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and performances at venues like Wigmore Hall and Ronnie Scott’s, Harry brings a unique voice to the choral world - one equally rooted in jazz improvisation and classical structure. As we delve into his new work, set to the poetry of Sara Teasdale, we caught up with him to discuss his process, inspiration, and what this commission has meant for him - and for us.

Sinem: This piece was commissioned especially for our choir - how did you approach writing music that reflects our sound and musical identity?

Harry Baker: TPC have tackled a wide variety of the choral repertoire, from the Messiah to Macmillan. I therefore wanted to compose a work that would play into the choral strengths of the choir, whilst also perhaps providing fun challenges in incorporating jazzy elements such as swing, syncopation and ‘scrunchy’ harmony!

Sinem: What drew you to Sara Teasdale’s poetry, and why did it feel like the right foundation for this commission?

Harry Baker: I was drawn to Sara Teasdale’s through the text-setting of composer Eriks Esenvalds, who regularly uses her work. Much of her poetry is melancholy, yet it reveals a gamut of insights about the human condition. I have structured the piece in three movements: from Teasdale’s ‘April’ – full of cautious optimism – to ‘Afterwards’ – a beautiful yet mournful tale – and finishing with ‘Spirit’s House’ – an ode to personal resilience.

Sinem: Were there particular lines or moods in the poems that naturally inspired musical ideas - or that you imagined our choir bringing to life in a distinctive way?

Harry Baker: The first movement, ‘April’, contains evocative imagery commonly found in choral works (‘the sparrows tritter as they fly…’), and thus set this text more classically. On the other hand, ‘Spirit’s House’ (the third movement) has a more direct, motivational bent (‘I will build a house for me…stone by stone’), and so I drew on the harmonic tradition of gospel music as inspiration.

Sinem: As this is the premiere of a newly commissioned work, how do you see the audience’s role in the experience? Why do you think it matters to hear new choral music live - and what do you hope listeners will take away from Three Teasdale Songs?

Harry Baker: I hope that listeners will feel moved by the emotional journey of Three Teasdale Songs, and enlivened by the interplay between jazz trio and choir! Choral music, an age-old tradition, has its foundations in live performance, and little beats hearing voices working together in harmony. I experience the premieres of choral works as a heightened version of this togetherness – a first performance can generate a tangible buzz!

Sinem: You’ve worked across jazz, classical, and choral music - how does Three Teasdale Songs fit into your wider compositional journey, and what other projects are you currently working on?

Harry Baker: It has been so rewarding to be given this cross-genre opportunity to compose for TPC, as it has helped me bring together my various musical interests – which so often feel worlds apart! My other projects also look to bridge these divides: I am performing my jazzy arrangements of Renaissance music with ORA Singers at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 17 June, and will collaborate with Sheku Kanneh-Mason on a set of Bach and with Bill Evans and Laura Mvula at the Verbier Festival in late July.

Sinem: As I explored Harry’s brilliant website and learnt more about his past work, I couldn’t help thinking how incredibly lucky we are to be bringing his music to life - his Three Teasdale Songs, written especially for our choir, will form the centrepiece of what promises to be a vibrant, summery and soul-stirring concert.

At the moment, we’re deep in rehearsals - exploring harmonic twists, swing rhythms, and poetic nuance - with the help of wonderfully prepared learning tracks. We’re not just learning the notes; we’re stepping into Sara Teasdale’s world and letting Harry’s music guide us through it.

We can't wait to share this extraordinary new work with you - so join us in June, and be part of the very first audience to hear Three Teasdale Songs live!

🎫 Book Your Tickets now on our website

🔗 Explore more of Harry Baker’s work at www.harrybaker.co.uk