Thom Yorke writes his first concert-hall piece, for the Labèque sisters

Thom Yorke has written his first work for classical performers, Don't Fear the Light, for the French piano duo Katia and Marielle Labèque. He announced it on Twitter today; he thinks the four April concerts are mostly sold out, and he will be in the hall. i'll be there pretending i can read the music on the paper. which i can't.²

The piece is for two pianos, electronics and modular synthesiser. The four halls commissioned it together, and it is dedicated to the sisters. It comes after his first film score, for Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria.

Don't Fear the Light fills the second half of the Labèques' Minimalist Dream House programme. In the first half the sisters play minimalist works by composers such as Max Richter and Caroline Shaw, with Bryce Dessner of The National and David Chalmin on guitars. The duo's website says Yorke will close each night by playing a new song with them.

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