Rhythmic layers and shifting patterns, blooming guitar textures, and airy vocal lines merge as acclaimed Danish composer and drummer Anja Jacobsen presents the newly commissioned work Variations for Percussion, Guitar and Voice at ALICE during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival this July. Positioned in the middle of the room, Jacobsen – joined by Lars Bech Pilgaard (guitar), Anders Bach (percussion), and Irene Bianco (percussion) – invites the audience into a rare, immersive concert experience. Mija Milovic & Ned Ferm open the evening.

Anja Jacobsen works at the intersection of the experimental, the intuitive, and the deeply present. She is known for her work with Selvhenter, Valby Vokalgruppe, and her solo project a, and her practice spans concert works as well as music for film and performance. With Selvhenter, she has previously delivered powerful performances at ALICE, and this summer she returns to the festival with a new work created specifically for the occasion. Together with Lars Bech Pilgaard, Anders Bach, and Irene Bianco, she performs from the centre of the audience, creating an intense, embodied listening experience in which the boundary between stage and auditorium dissolves.

Over the course of several years, Anja Jacobsen has developed her own compositional method. Her so-called “diamond rhythms” are visual, intuitive structures made up of coloured dots arranged in patterns that can be interpreted from multiple directions. The result is music in constant motion, where repetitions shift, fracture, and re-emerge. At times, her voice comes to the fore—light, flute-like, and floating—offering brief poetic glimpses of something elusive and deeply sensory. We look forward to welcoming Anja Jacobsen back to ALICE this summer for another unforgettable concert experience.

Lineup:
Lars Bech Pilgaard – guitar
Anders Bach – percussion, objects
Irene Bianco – percussion, objects
Anja Jacobsen – percussion, objects, voice

Mija Milovic & Ned Ferm

Danish-Montenegrin musician, composer, and producer Mija Milovic opens the evening together with Copenhagen-based jazz musician Ned Ferm. Rooted in alternative notation and improvisational music-making, Milovic moves effortlessly between experimental composition and intuitive sonic landscapes. As a duo, synthesizer and piano unfold alongside saxophone, flute, and clarinet, creating a captivating and open musical space. Milovic has released several works under her own name and is also a member of the acclaimed rock band SLIM0. Join us for a sensory, intimate concert experience as the duo opens the evening for Anja Jacobsen.

The concert is part of Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2026, taking place from July 3 to July 12 across more than 120 venues throughout the city. See the full program at www.jazz.dk.