Seth Parker Woods

Hailed by The Guardian as ‘a cellist of power and grace’ who possesses ‘mature artistry and willingness to go to the brink’, two-time GRAMMY nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods has established his reputation as a versatile artist and innovator across multiple genres.

Thus Spoke Their Verse melds three centuries of music with themes of identity, storytelling, and the unique polyphonic capacities of a single instrument. Anchoring the programme are three Sarabandes from Johann Sebastian Bach’s first, second, and fifth cello suites. Woods uses these pieces as familiar yet fertile ground from which he expands into uncharted territory with works by Carlos Simon, Nathalie Joachim, and Giacinto Scelsi, among others.

The Sarabandes act as sonic markers, guiding listeners from the well-trod paths of classical music into more experimental and modern realms, presenting a bridge between past and future.

Our Inspirational Artists series is graciously supported by The Haworth Trust.