Vocalist and songwriter Irene Serra brings ISQ to Royal Holloway, with an evening of jazz and alternative pop shaped by music making.

For over two decades, vocalist and songwriter Irene Serra (ITA/UK) has been quietly carving out a singular space within the UK’s contemporary music landscape. Often spoken about with insider reverence, ISQ is her original compositional project - a moniker under which she writes and shapes music that remains something of a word-of-mouth discovery. It is a body of work whose full depth is only truly experienced in intimate music clubs, jazz venues and concert halls, where the emotional intensity, collective virtuosity and Serra’s deeply felt stage presence reveals its true power.

Following critical acclaim for her second release Too (Time Out London Critics’ Choice) and a 22-date UK tour for the third album Requiem For The Faithful, praised by Clash Magazine for honing “the soulful possibilities of improvisatory music”, ISQ returns in October 2026 with her fifth studio album, The Silence is Deafening. This release unveils a darker, guitar-driven sound described as “noir jazz meets Massive Attack,” placing ISQ at the crossroads of progressive vocal jazz and alternative art-pop.

This event is presented as part of the International Concert Series 2026-27 - The Sounding World (https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and-education/subjects/music/studying-here/music-performance-at-royal-holloway/the-sounding-world-international-concert-series-2026-27/) - at Royal Holloway.

Track list

On Shoulders of Giants (Irene Maria Piga Serra)

Faded (Irene Maria Piga Serra/Richard Sadler)

No Time At All (Irene Maria Piga Serra/Richard Sadler)

Kindred Spirit (Irene Maria Piga Serra)

Animal (Irene Maria Piga Serra)

Lady Death (Irene Maria Piga Serra)

Angela (Irene Maria Piga Serra)

This Bird Has Flown (Irene Maria Piga Serra)

Stone (Irene Maria Piga Serra/Richard Sadler)

About the performers

ISQ blends sophisticated jazz musicianship with alternative pop sensibility and atmospheric textures. The current line-up - Richard Sadler (bass), Chris Nickolls (drums/electronics) and Luca Boscagin (guitar) - brings together players whose credits span Neil Cowley Trio, Andy Sheppard, Cinematic Orchestra and beyond, grounding ISQ’s sound in both improvisational depth and contemporary edge.

Car parking

When you arrive for a College event at our Egham campus, please park in car parks 12 or 4.

Car park 12 can be accessed by turning right as you enter the main College gates and is located next to the tennis courts. If this car park is full, please drive further onto our campus to car park 4, which can be accessed by turning left at the mini-roundabout behind the Students’ Union. We would advise that you bring the College map to campus with you and give yourself plenty of time to park.

Blue Badge holders can find designated parking spaces in Car park 1W, as well as between Gardeners Lodge and the Williams Annexe. You can find these locations by looking at our campus map opposite. If you require any assistance on arrival, please contact our premises team in advance of your visit by emailing: premisesadmin@royalholloway.ac.uk and they will be happy to help.

Please note that we operate an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system on certain parts of our campus, however if you are here for an organised event, parking is unrestricted for event guests in car parks 12, 4 or 14 (or display your blue badge permit if parking in a disabled bay). If you have any questions about parking, please email: premisesadmin@royalholloway.ac.uk

Description supplied by the event organiser.