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Marking 100 years of trailblazing composer Daphne Oram, nonclassical presents Vari/ations – An Ode to Oram at the Barbican this December.

A pioneer of electronic sound, Daphne Oram was far ahead of her time, co-founding the BBC Radiophonic workshop in the 1950s and becoming a towering figure in experimental music. In her centenary year, nonclassical celebrates her exploratory spirit with an evening of music from six of today’s most exciting sonic innovators, celebrating Daphne Oram through the work of these leading gender-marginalised electronic composers.

Musical direction for the evening comes from award-winning producer and musician Marta Salogni, weaving together performances alongside TAAHLIAH, Deena Abdelwahed, Félicia Atkinson, Nwando Ebizie and xname in a celebration of Oram’s legacy across electronic music. The six artists make use of samples from Oram’s own sound archive, with reel-to-reel tapes, self-built instruments, and the Mini Oramics machine originally conceived by Oram. Alongside these samples will be CDJs, sample pads and more as these artists channel Oram’s boundary-breaking ethos into forward-looking, genre-defying live performances, each on a living homage to her influence.

The performance takes place alongside the release of a new ten-track compilation album (nonclassical, 14 November 2025) featuring new commissions by the performing artists as well as trailblazing voices including Cosey Fanni Tutti, Arushi Jain, Lola de la Mata, afromerm + abi asisa, and Magz Hall + Mieko Shimizu. Ticket holders to the event will be able to pre-order a limited-edition vinyl to be collected on the night at a special price of £25 (RRP £30).

The evening will also include a free pre-concert talk, hosted by Jennifer Lucy Allan and featuring Cosey Fanni Tutti and Lola de la Mata at 6pm in the Barbican’s Fountain Room, alongside free performances in the Barbican foyer from Lola de la Mata and afromerm + abi asisa.

Generously supported by Trevor Fenwick and Jane Hindley

Nonclassical would like to thank the following people and partners for making this project possible: The Daphne Oram Trust, The Oram Awards; Sarah Angliss, Ian Stonehouse and everyone at Special Collections & Archives, Goldsmiths, University of London; Electronic Music Studios, Goldsmiths, University of London, National Lottery Awards Arts Council England and The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust.

Produced by the Barbican
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