What's On

Edmund de Waal: Fragments, Music and Poetry

Presented by the Ashmolean Museum and Cultural Programme at Oxford University

Book Tickets

Wednesday 4 June

Performance

Opening Times

6-8pm

Randolph Sculpture Gallery and throughout the Museum

Venue

Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH

Tickets

Tickets are £35 for this onsite event

Booking is required – book tickets here.

Accessibility

Wheelchair Access

Performances

Merton College Choir – repertoire

Judith Weir My Guardian Angel

John Taverner Dum transisset

John Tavener Mother of God, here I stand

Eriks Esenvalds O salutaris hostia

Michael Zev Gordon I carry my heart

Orlando Gibbons O clap your hands

Benjamin Britten A Boy was Born

Benjamin Britten The Three Kings

Benjamin Britten A Hymn to the Virgin

Thomas Tallis Loquebantur variis linguis

Bette Zhaoyi Yan and Yuchen Zhang – Longing and Belonging Programme (Gallery 11):

江城子·乙卯正月二十日夜记梦 A Dream, to the Tune of Jiang Cheng Zi

Changqun Ao 敖昌群（1950-）

Based on the poem of SU Shi (1037-1101) from the Song Dynasty

青玉案·元夕 The Lantern Festival

Yan Li 李砚

Based on the poem of XIN Qiji (1140-1207) from the Song Dynasty.

在水一方 By the Waterside

Jiaging Lin 林家庆（1934-）

Texts by Yao Qiong Fat (1938-2024)

Based on the poem from the early Western Zhou period to the mid-Spring and Autumn period (c. 11th century to 6th century BCE)

小河淌水 Flowing Stream

Yigong Yin尹宜公（1924-2005）

Based on the folk song from Naxi ethnic group in Southwestern China

敕勒歌 Song of the Chi Le

Zhou Liu 刘洲（1981-）

Texts by Baoqin Xue 薛保勤（1955-2024）

Based on the poem in the Northern Dynasty period (around the 5th to 6th century AD)

别君叹 Farewell, My Friend

Xuanbin Cao 曹轩宾（1980-）

Texts by Qi Li (1955-2024)

Based on the poem of WANG Wei (699-761) from the Tang Dynasty.

白鸥引 Farewell on the Yellow Crane Tower

Yuchen Zhang & Bette Yan

Based on the poem of LI Bai (701-762) in the Tang Dynasty

钗头凤Phoenix Hairpin

Yi Zhou 周易 (1943–)

Based on the poem of LU You 陆游 (1125–1210) from the Song Dynasty.

鸟儿在风中歌唱 The Bird Singing in the Wind

Cong Liu 刘聪 (1956–)

Texts by Xiaobin Fan 樊孝斌 (1962–).

Join Edmund de Waal for an evening exploring transformation through fragments, institutions, poetry, and music, featuring local performers.

Experience a captivating evening with acclaimed artist Edmund de Waal as he explores the theme of “Create and Transform” through fragments and brokenness. Bookended by musical performance, de Waal will deliver an inspiring 40-minute talk, reflecting on the creative power of pot shards, poetry, and the beauty of incompleteness in his work. He will examine how broken fragments spark transformation, shaping museum spaces and personal meaning. The event concludes with performances that respond to the theme, filling the museum with soundscapes of creation, transformation, and cultural resonance.

Edmund de Waal is author of the bestselling memoir, ‘The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance,’ and his most recent book ‘Letters to Camondo’.

Edmund de Waal is a Visiting Fellow at Harris Manchester College with the Cultural Programme at Oxford University. Find out more

Plan your visit

Address

Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH

Core Visitor Information

Entry is FREE, but pre-booking is recommended to guarantee entry.

Opening Times

The Museum is open every day, 10am–5pm.

Accessibility

There are nine designated Blue Badge parking spaces within easy reach of the Museum: three spaces directly outside the Museum, three more opposite the Museum close to the Randolph Hotel, two spaces on St Giles’ and one space on St John’s Street. These are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

There is a level access route from the pavement outside the Museum to the front door.

There are lifts to all floors and level access to all public spaces, including galleries, shop, café, restaurant and to most of the study rooms.

Full information is available here: https://www.ashmolean.org/access