At the end of 2019, I was crying out for more of it – time and space. Juggling work, life…and then more work, it never seemed to end. Then, the world handed us more space than we’d ever bargained for. Now we live in a world where ‘space’ feels like a daunting and divisive void, restrictive, separating us from one another; but more positively and maybe controversially, it also feels like a blank canvas, full of potential and space for renewal (and there are many aspects of our society that should look to do just this).

Tracey Emin said of her 2020 online ‘lockdown’ exhibition, I Thrive on Solitude:

'I thrive on solitude. I am an artist, I see the world in a very singular way. The more isolation, the more clarity I have. It may be warped and unreal, but it’s mine. I don’t want the world to suffer but I want to stay in my bubble of happiness and well being. I want to take this feeling with me, a clear slow positive energy. I want to live.'

I’m not sure I can completely relate to Emin’s statement, as an artist who thrives off movement, people and kinetic energy to help me navigate time and therefore musical creation. But this statement reminded me that we need the arts, especially in times of crisis, to articulate the struggles but also hopes that lay ahead of us.

As we continue to acclimatise to our mid-pandemic reality, the sheer creative ingenuity and determination of artists and people has inspired me as much as some of the darkest moments have shaken me. Whilst larger organisations and venues strategise on how to weather the storm, I see many artists tackle distance and separation head on. From focus on sustainability, smaller-scale local gigs and virtual concerts, to Instagram plays and binaural audio walks – where there’s a will, there’s always a way!

This is precisely what musicians Héloïse Werner, Kit Downes and Colin Alexander are shouting loud and clear with their upcoming concert at St John’s Smith Square on Saturday July 3.

Embracing distance and separation in an exciting display of musical architecture, the trio (soprano, organ, cello) will be spaced at the extreme ends of the concert hall. In wonderful contrast to the physical separation of the performers and their own solo works, the remainder of the programme seeks to do just the opposite, bringing together voices from all corners of the music world: from leading composers Errollyn Wallen and Jonathan Cole, to composer-turntablist Shiva Feshareki and experimental pop artist Love Ssega. I have the honour of completing this eclectic line up, each commissioned to write a short text piece for the occasion, and I cannot wait to see/hear how our individual experiences of distance, time and space shape these new works.

Yes, the pandemic has decimated many aspects of our lives, and the arts face a threat unlike any before it. We do not know what lies around the corner but I do know that, whatever comes next, we will be saved by enjoying and making music and art such as this. If we cannot bring people together physically, we must make sure we continue to do so creatively.

Héloïse Werner, Kit Downes and Colin Alexander perform new works, accompanied by specially written text pieces by Errollyn Wallen, Shiva Feshareki, Jasmin Kent Rodgman, Jonathan Cole and Love Ssega, at St John's Smith Square on July 3 - click for details

Jasmin Kent Rodgman’s recent works include ‘Harm’ for BBC Lights Up; music film ‘send back the echo’, inspired by Beethoven’s hearing loss; and Instagram opera ‘nineteen ways of looking’, an anti-racist production looking at the rising prejudice towards the British East/Southeast Asian diaspora and themes of isolation, media and human connection.