Scottish-born guitarist Sean Shibe is set to join forces with celebrated ensemble Manchester Collective at London’s Southbank Centre in its 75th anniversary year to reimagine the sound and spirit of the sea shanty.
The newly-announced performance, titled Sea Shanties, is a striking new collaboration that blends Scottish folk tradition with contemporary classical music. The performance forms part of the Southbank Centre’s 2026 Spring/Summer Classical Music Season and its forward-looking Contemporary Edit strand, which brings together artists who are redefining the sound of classical music for today.
Sea Shanties unites one of Scotland’s most acclaimed young musicians, Edinburgh-born Sean Shibe, widely celebrated for his genre-defying guitar work, and Manchester Collective, an ensemble known for reshaping classical music through radically different ways of performing classical works.
For the performance, Shibe and Manchester Collective dive into the shared musical language of seafaring songs — reframing the rhythmic power and human stories of traditional Scottish and Northern folk music through the lens of contemporary composition and performance. The result is a raw and lyrical journey across centuries and genres, exploring the meeting point between community tradition and individual voice.
The Contemporary Edit showcases artists redefining classical music for today, connecting historic masterpieces with visionary new works, imaginative collaborations and inventive presentations. From bold reinterpretations of operas and symphonies to experimental ensembles at the cutting-edge of the art form, the Contemporary Edit celebrates the evolving story of classical music and its capacity to surprise, challenge, and inspire.
Of the season, Toks Dada, the Southbank Centre’s Head of Classical Music, said: “In our 75th year, we are building on the Southbank Centre’s proud legacy as one of the UK’s leading destinations for classical music. At the heart of this Spring/Summer programme are our outstanding Resident Orchestras and Resident Artists — exceptional musicians whose work continues to define and expand the possibilities of classical music. The work of our six Resident Orchestras, celebrates classical music at its most visceral, giving audiences the opportunity to experience its full emotive power. In addition to our unrivalled orchestral offer, and our Resident Orchestras featuring in the second iteration of our critically acclaimed Multitudes, our Resident Artists bring bold vision and creative flair to the programme. Collectively, they are commissioning new work into the body of classical music and drawing on musical influences from beyond the art form; connecting audiences with the music at its most dynamic and curious.”
Sea Shanties will be performed Saturday 28 March 2026 at the Southbank Centre, London, as part of its Spring/Summer 2026 Classical Music Season, which celebrates 75 years of musical innovation since the Festival of Britain.
