I was delighted to hear I had been awarded an a-n Professional Development Bursary as I had already started on my project “Sound Scape” a collaboration between myself and Julia Harding, musician and composer for this work and this will provide the wherewithal to achieve it.
I am a sculptor and environmental artist whose main interest is in Art in Public Places. I have worked throughout the U.K. as well as overseas in both urban and rural landscapes, indoors and outdoors and have made sculptures which have been both permanent and temporary. My sculpture is site specific in that it relates totally to the site taking into consideration the architecture, the landscape, the history, economy, ecology or mythology of the area. I use a wide variety of materials relevant to the project – wood, stone, bricks, steel, brass, bronze, planting, rope, sand, water, glass, light, plastics, even feathers, silk flowers, drinks cans, hay, snow, etc. and enjoy working on both large and small scale. See www.lornagreen.com
Ten years ago I picked up a trumpet by accident, blew it, and fell completely in love. Now I play with a concert band, a Big Band and recently, a light orchestra. Within KEMS (King Edward Music Society) Concert Band based in Macclesfield – Julia is the Musical Director – there have been a two- monthly meetings for over two years devoted to playing Minimalist music which felt very sculptural to me from the start – and I have finally realised that it is because the music, painting and sculpture of that period are all linked by the grid system.
This idea was born – relating to art in nature and Minimalist music. There will be an installation in grid form of natural materials, Julia is composing music for each object and the musicians will play the sounds moving from object to object following the grid with directions. It will be an interactive piece and I am planning to have the sounds recorded and hopefully have them able to play as people walk round the objects triggering the sounds when the musicians are not there. “Sound Scape” can work in either an art space or a music venue – and this is all for the future. The first play through will be on April 3rd – so watch this space.
On Sunday 7th October 2018, “Sound Scape” was performed at The Lowry in Salford, a theatre and exhibitions venue, in the Promenade Gallery with photos and information about L. S. Lowry, 1887-1976, RBA RA, who drew and painted in the area where he lived. It was extremely well received by visitors to the galleries and the theatre as well as those who came specially to hear it. This was the fifth performance and it was once again, completely different to the previous performances.
Having lain dormant since our Nomination for an Award at The Buxton Festival Fringe last year, “Sound Scape” is to have another performance at The Lowry, Salford, on Sunday 7th October at 1pm in the Promenade Gallery. It will be a completely different performance to those already achieved and we are looking forward to it very much.
See www.thelowry.com/exhibitions/sound-scape for information and a trailer. Free admission
This is probably the last blog for a while as there will be a lull before the next performance of Sound Scape.
This summer we performed “Sound Scape“ in July within the Buxton Festival Fringe in the Devonshire Dome in Buxton – a huge dome with incredible acoustics. The sound was very variable depending where the musicians were and also where the audience, who moved around during the performance also were. In the centre, it was possible to hear your own sound coming back and from upstairs the sound was completely different. It was a great success – so much so we were nominated for an Award in the category of Music Large Ensemble. Unfortunately we didn’t win but was good to be nominated. The audience enjoyed it very much especially as it sounded so different from each angle of viewing.
In August, as part of the Workers Music Association Annual Summer Music Course, this year at Ingestre Hall, Staffordshire, Julia and I ran a workshop with the various music students who were available, culminating in a performance. This, too, was very well received and the comments from the students were extremely favourable which was very gratifying.
We have had four performances of “Sound Scape” – in the historic Charles Rose House in Macclesfield, the atrium of Manchester Art Gallery, the Devonshire Dome in Buxton and Ingestre Hall, the former home of the Earl of Shrewsbury – a truly varied set of venues. We are working on possibilities for next year – this is still at the discussion stage. I will keep you updated.
On Wednesday July 19th at 8.15 pm “Sound Scape” will be performed in The Devonshire Dome in Buxton, part of the Buxton Fringe Festival which runs with the Buxton International Festival. The Dome is massive, the acoustics are very interesting and we are looking forward very much to this performance which, yet again, will be very different to what has happened previously. The wonder of “Sound Scape” is that each performance is unique due to the structure which provides an element of choice for the musicians within it.
On Wednesday, Julia and I recorded an interview for High Peak Radio which broadcasts to the area and will be played on Monday June 12th and on Saturday we will be attending the launch of the Fringe party where we pick up the brochures and the publicity. The next few weeks promise to be very interesting and exciting.
On February 23rd “Sound Scape“ was performed in the atrium at Manchester Art Gallery, one of the events for their series of Thursday Lates. Unfortunately Storm Doris prevented those who were planning to attend by train, but there was still a good audience both in the atrium and in the collections throughout the gallery. Ten musicians took part and it was a truly magic performance. The sound soared throughout the galleries and the audience was fascinated. Julia and I answered questions following the performance and the interest was very obvious. It was a very gratifying evening,
The next performance will be on Wed July 19th in The University of Derby’s Dome in Buxton where “Sound Scape will be included in the Buxton Fringe Festival in conjunction with the Buxton International Festival. We are planning for young musicians from a high school in Buxton to join us in the afternoon for a workshop. A formal performance will take place at 8pm. The Dome is massive and the acoustics quite challenging but this should add yet another dimension to “Sound Scape”.
