BBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus 2026-27 Barbican Season Total Immersion: The World of Tove Jansson - Free Jazz on the Foyer

Jazz accompanied Tove Jansson throughout her life. Benny Goodman’s 'Sing, Sing, Sing' came out when she was 23, and remained a life-long favourite, and New Orleans jazz was even played at her funeral in Helsinki in 2001. Her famed record collection spanned everything from swing and big band to 1960s hard bop and cool jazz.

Inspired by her creative world, this set will celebrate the improvisation, curiosity and playfulness that shaped Tove Jansson’s art.