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South Downs Songbook

Project Overview

By commissioning contemporary songs and compositions we are celebrating the South Downs as a place that inspires world leading writing, painting and photography

 

What we did: 

 

  • live tour of newly commissioned songs and compositions by leading UK composers and student composers 20-30 June 2022 

  • live composition workshops and performances Feb-June 2022

  • FREE digital resources pack including downloadable sound samples, photos, poems, paintings & prints, all inspired by the South Downs

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ORDER FREE DIGITAL RESOURCES PACK HERE

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Site photographs copyright Sam Moore

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Navigating this website

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Whether you are a composer, teacher, student or just interested in music, we think you will find the resources and information here interesting. You will probably start by listening to the pieces but there are a number of ways to work through the website, depending on your role and interest:

 

Teachers, students composing in school/college and individuals composing at home - download the resource pack as this includes teacher notes, a composer brief, a PowerPoint covering various parts of the process and ‘how to’ guides on choosing your stimuli and getting started composing, structuring and developing your ideas, and a considerable number of samples that you may use in your Digital Audio Workstation (there’s also a guide to using samples). If there is one composition you like more than the rest, watch the interview with that composer first but all the composers talk about how they got started, overcame problems etc. and there are also transcriptions and summaries of the interviews. The composition brief is flexible enough to work as a composing component for the main exam boards and music qualifications but might also be adapted for use with younger students in class.

 

Listeners – Why not start by listening to one of the four compositions and then watch the full interview with its composer. You might then explore some of the South Downs inspired photos, artwork and poetry and listen to the samples recorded on location on the Downs in the free digital resource pack. 

How we did it: 

Meet the Project Team
 

Meet the Project Team
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Composer interviews

 

Duncan Mackrill interviewed the four professional composers

commissioned by the South Downs Songbook. 

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He asked them all the same questions: 

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  1. Composer backgrounds, influences and setting the scene for their piece

  2. Getting started and choosing a stimulus

  3. Particular music techniques and ideas (including how technology is used)

  4. Structure in the compositions

  5. a) Developing b) Finishing c) Getting unstuck! 

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Watch the videos below or use these links to watch in Youtube with live hyperlinks to each topic: 

Evelyn Ficarra - Ed Hughes - Rowland Sutherland - Shirley J Thompson 

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Composer Interviews
Ed Hughes - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview
37:11
Ed Hughes

Ed Hughes - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview

00:00 Ed Hughes composer interview for South Downs Songbook 00:30 Composer background, influences and setting the scene for 'Sky Rhythms' 12:17 Getting started and choosing a stimulus 24:30 Particular music techniques and ideas (including how technology is used) 17:02 Structure in compositions 19:45 Developing the composition 32:33 Finishing the composition 13:14 Getting 'unstuck' Part of resources created by the Orchestra of Sound and Light's South Downs Songbook project Further information: https://www.orchsoundlight.org/southdownssongbook By commissioning contemporary songs and compositions Orchestra of Sound and Light are celebrating the South Downs as a place that inspires world leading writing, painting and photography What we did: live tour of newly commissioned songs and compositions by leading UK composers and student composers 20-30 June 2022 live composition workshops and performances Feb-June 2022 FREE digital resources pack including downloadable sound samples, photos, poems, paintings & prints, all inspired by the South Downs workshops in schools and colleges across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove four new five-minute songs for the Orchestra of Sound and Light by four established UK composers inspired by the South Downs: Evelyn Ficarra, Ed Hughes, Rowland Sutherland, Shirley J Thompson online composer interviews and how tos (coming soon) live performances of new works by GCSE and A level music students an expanding online songbook Site photographs by Sam Moore http://sussexdronefilming.co.uk/ Project producer: Liz Webb for Liz Webb Management https://www.lizwebb.org.uk/ Education consultant: Duncan Mackrill Our Partners and Funders Project funding from Arts Council England Partner Schools and Colleges: BHASVIC, Brighton East Sussex Academy of Music, Lewes Hastings Academy, Hastings Partner Organisations: South Downs National Park Authority
Evelyn Ficarra - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview
46:13
Ed Hughes

Evelyn Ficarra - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview

00:00 Evelyn Ficarra South Downs Songbook Composer Interview 00:19 Composer backgrounds, influences and setting the scene for their piece 11:55 Getting started and choosing a stimulus 18:31 Getting started and choosing a stimulus 23:39 Particular music techniques and ideas (including how technology is used) 16:22 Structure in the compositions 37:26 Developing 33:48 finishing the composition 15:09 getting ‘unstuck’ Part of resources created by the Orchestra of Sound and Light's South Downs Songbook project Further information: https://www.orchsoundlight.org/southdownssongbook By commissioning contemporary songs and compositions Orchestra of Sound and Light are celebrating the South Downs as a place that inspires world leading writing, painting and photography What we did: live tour of newly commissioned songs and compositions by leading UK composers and student composers 20-30 June 2022 live composition workshops and performances Feb-June 2022 FREE digital resources pack including downloadable sound samples, photos, poems, paintings & prints, all inspired by the South Downs ORDER FREE DIGITAL RESOURCES PACK HERE workshops in schools and colleges across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove four new five-minute songs for the Orchestra of Sound and Light by four established UK composers inspired by the South Downs: Evelyn Ficarra, Ed Hughes, Rowland Sutherland, Shirley J Thompson online composer interviews and how tos (coming soon) live performances of new works by GCSE and A level music students an expanding online songbook Site photographs by Sam Moore http://sussexdronefilming.co.uk/ Project producer: Liz Webb for Liz Webb Management https://www.lizwebb.org.uk/ Education consultant: Duncan Mackrill Our Partners and Funders: Project funding from Arts Council England Partner Schools and Colleges: BHASVIC, Brighton East Sussex Academy of Music, Lewes Hastings Academy, Hastings Partner Organisations: South Downs National Park Authority
Rowland Sutherland - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview
46:33
Ed Hughes

Rowland Sutherland - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview

00:00 Rowland Sutherland South Downs Songbook Composer Interview 00:13 Composer backgrounds, influences and setting the scene for their piece 11:58 Getting started and choosing a stimulus 20:33 Particular music techniques and ideas (including how technology is used) 16:26 Structure in the compositions 30:07 Developing 35:29 finishing the composition 38:35 getting ‘unstuck’ Part of resources created by the Orchestra of Sound and Light's South Downs Songbook project Further information: https://www.orchsoundlight.org/southdownssongbook By commissioning contemporary songs and compositions Orchestra of Sound and Light are celebrating the South Downs as a place that inspires world leading writing, painting and photography What we did: live tour of newly commissioned songs and compositions by leading UK composers and student composers 20-30 June 2022 live composition workshops and performances Feb-June 2022 FREE digital resources pack including downloadable sound samples, photos, poems, paintings & prints, all inspired by the South Downs workshops in schools and colleges across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove four new five-minute songs for the Orchestra of Sound and Light by four established UK composers inspired by the South Downs: Evelyn Ficarra, Ed Hughes, Rowland Sutherland, Shirley J Thompson online composer interviews and how tos (coming soon) live performances of new works by GCSE and A level music students an expanding online songbook Site photographs by Sam Moore http://sussexdronefilming.co.uk/ Project producer: Liz Webb for Liz Webb Management https://www.lizwebb.org.uk/ Education consultant: Duncan Mackrill Our Partners and Funders Project funding from Arts Council England Partner Schools and Colleges: BHASVIC, Brighton East Sussex Academy of Music, Lewes Hastings Academy, Hastings Partner Organisations: South Downs National Park Authority
Shirley Thompson OBE - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview
34:33
Ed Hughes

Shirley Thompson OBE - South Downs Songbook - Composer Interview

00:00 Shirley Thompson South Downs Songbook Composer Interview 00:19 Composer backgrounds, influences and setting the scene for their piece 03:37 Getting started and choosing a stimulus 16:25 Particular music techniques and ideas (including how technology is used) 14:06 Structure in the compositions 26:05 Developing 31:04 finishing the composition 07:23 getting ‘unstuck’ Part of resources created by the Orchestra of Sound and Light's South Downs Songbook project Further information: https://www.orchsoundlight.org/southdownssongbook By commissioning contemporary songs and compositions Orchestra of Sound and Light are celebrating the South Downs as a place that inspires world leading writing, painting and photography What we did: live tour of newly commissioned songs and compositions by leading UK composers and student composers 20-30 June 2022 live composition workshops and performances Feb-June 2022 FREE digital resources pack including downloadable sound samples, photos, poems, paintings & prints, all inspired by the South Downs workshops in schools and colleges across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove four new five-minute songs for the Orchestra of Sound and Light by four established UK composers inspired by the South Downs: Evelyn Ficarra, Ed Hughes, Rowland Sutherland, Shirley J Thompson online composer interviews and how tos (coming soon) live performances of new works by GCSE and A level music students an expanding online songbook Site photographs by Sam Moore http://sussexdronefilming.co.uk/ Project producer: Liz Webb for Liz Webb Management https://www.lizwebb.org.uk/ Education consultant: Duncan Mackrill Our Partners and Funders Project funding from Arts Council England Partner Schools and Colleges: BHASVIC, Brighton East Sussex Academy of Music, Lewes Hastings Academy, Hastings Partner Organisations: South Downs National Park Authority
Meet the Musicians

Meet the Musicians and their instruments: 
5-minute how-to guides

Helen Whitaker - flute - Orchestra of Sound and Light
06:10

Helen Whitaker - flute - Orchestra of Sound and Light

Helen Whitaker (flute/piccolo) is a critically acclaimed flautist who enjoys an exciting and varied freelance career. Currently splitting her time between the UK and Iceland, Helen works as a performer and recording artist, and has made many appearances on TV and radio. Recent performances include those with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Caput, and the Colin Currie Group. Upcoming highlights include tours to Japan and American to premiere a new work by Steve Reich with the Colin Currie Group, performances of the opera Music and the Brain in Sweden and Iceland, and a series of new commissions and performances with Helen’s experimental performance group Personal Clutter. Helen studied at the University of Sussex and then held a scholarship at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
Alison Hughes, clarinet, South Downs Songbook
03:32

Alison Hughes, clarinet, South Downs Songbook

Alison Hughes, clarinet and bass clarinet, is a member of the Orchestra of Sound and Light's June 2022 project: South Downs Songbook https://www.orchsoundlight.org/southdownssongbook Theme: through contemporary songs and compositions, celebrate the South Downs as a place that inspires world leading music-making, writing, painting and photography. In this video, Alison introduces her instrument and gives guidance on how to write well for it, as well as some thoughts on creative approaches to our theme. This video is aimed at young people in full time education taking part in or taking an interest in this project and its associated resources.
Alison Hughes, bass clarinet, Orchestra of Sound and Light
04:06

Alison Hughes, bass clarinet, Orchestra of Sound and Light

Alison Hughes (clarinet and bass clarinet) studied music at Leeds University and at the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar, Germany. She furthered her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and was awarded a PGDip in clarinet performance and a Professional Performance Diploma with distinction in chamber music. She was a founder member of the Manchester-based Fell Clarinet Quartet, which won awards from the Tunnell Trust and Live Music Now. Alison has held positions as Principal Clarinet with the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and Principal E flat and Bass Clarinet with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. She is a member of the Mayflower Ensemble and is the Director of Performing Arts Collaboration South. Alison also works as a teacher, music therapist and workshop facilitator. Alison Hughes - https://www.alison-hughes.com Mayflower Ensemble - https://www.mayflower-ensemble.com PACS - https://www.artspacs.com
Rachel Fryer - piano - Orchestra of Sound and Light
05:53

Rachel Fryer - piano - Orchestra of Sound and Light

Rachel Fryer (piano) is in demand as a pianist, chamber musician and accompanist in the South East. She is a visiting piano teacher and accompanist at the East Sussex Academy of Music and Founder and Concert Director of Music and Wine at St. Luke's, a concert series in Queen’s Park, Brighton. Rachel has performed for the Brighton Philharmonic Chamber music series and Illuminate Composers’ Collective. In addition to Orchestra of Sound and Light, Rachel also works with education projects including Glyndebourne Youth Opera, Opera Brava and Kidenza.
Joe Giddey - cello - Orchestra of Sound and Light
08:20

Joe Giddey - cello - Orchestra of Sound and Light

Joe Giddey (cello) is a freelance cellist who plays with many varied ensembles, working with orchestras, quartets, string ensembles, bands and recording sessions for film and television. Orchestral work includes Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Opera Holland Park, and New English Concert Orchestra and St Martin in the Fields Consort Orchestra. Joe has recorded for film and theatre, including 'Gospel of Us' with the National Theatre, 'Backbeat' West End show, string quartet music for Warner Bros and recently recorded computer game music for Sony Playstation. Joe is also involved with many chamber ensembles, including the Montpellier Cello Quartet. They have recently embarked on a partnership with jazz vocalist Claire Martin OBE in a sound fusion of jazz-chamber music written for the ensemble by internationally renowned musicians and composers, including Richard Rodney Bennett, Mark Anthony Turnage, Joe Stilgoe and Django Bates.
Lee Westwood, electric guitar, Orchestra of Sound and Light
24:41

Lee Westwood, electric guitar, Orchestra of Sound and Light

Lee Westwood (electric guitar, pedalboard) Described by the Musician's Union as "one of the UK's most exciting and versatile musicians", Lee Westwood is a guitarist and composer whose output is extremely diverse. With a background as a touring and recording fingerstyle guitarist, his current compositional research explores the notions of 'blur' and 'focus' in contemporary instrumental music. Recent projects include collaborations with Magnum photographer Olivia Arthur ('Stranger', 'TiChan', 'Stopgame'); multimedia exhibitions of the music/geometry crossover 'A Hidden Order' (Saatchi Gallery, Athr, SCOPE); the soundtrack to the BBC documentary 'The Windermere Children' (Nimzo Studio); international tours with prog-folk group Moulettes; and commissions from some of the UK's leading ensembles and choirs (LSO, Riot Ensemble, Joby Burgess). Lee currently lives in Brighton, and lectures at the University of Sussex. www.lee-westwood.com
Rachel Farago - voice - Orchestra of Sound and Light
05:10

Rachel Farago - voice - Orchestra of Sound and Light

Rachel Farago (mezzo soprano voice) is a freelance Singer, Voice Actor and Actor living and working in London. After graduation from Sussex University in 2015, she went on to complete her Masters in Vocal Studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire leading her to operatic work with companies such as Aylesbury Opera (2019) Longborough Festival Opera (2018, 2020), Winslow Hall Opera (2017) and Grimeborn Opera (2017). As an actress, Rachel has appeared in several television and online campaigns such as ITV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ advertisement (where she also sang for the soundtrack), ‘Angrybirds: Piggy Island 2’ Television and online campaign (U.S.A), and Haribo’s ‘Color-Rado’ Television commercial (Germany). In 2019, Rachel appeared in "Il Forza del Destino” at the Royal Opera House, performing alongside Jonas Kaufmann, Anna Netrebko and Ludovic Tezier. Rachel is also a front-woman for the Transatlantic Ensemble performing Fleetwood Mac’s songbook in venues in London and across the country. Rachel is incredibly passionate about performing across a wide range of genres and is always looking forward to turning her hand to the next project.
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Be Inspired! 

The South Downs has inspired artists of all kinds for centuries

including the four professional composers featured here.

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Click here for more photos, artwork and poetry.

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Free Digital Resources Pack

for students and teachers

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We hope to inspire student composers to write their own songs and compositions for the South Downs Songbook. Duncan Mackrill, our Education Consultant, has created an amazing FREE pack to inspire students to make their own songs. Register here and you’ll be sent a link to a Zip file containing multiple resources. 

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What's in the Pack? 

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1. Downloadable Sound Samples for students to use in their compositions. 

Recorded live in the South Downs National Park. 

Sound Samples created and curated by film/games composer Peter Michael Davison. 

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2. How to guides: 

  • Using Samples and Teacher Notes 

  • Getting Started (including questions to consider, coming up with ideas and selecting stimuli) 

  • Structuring your composition and making it musical

  • Developing your ideas, getting ‘unstuck’

  • Finishing your piece 

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3. Interviews with our four composers: 

Composer advice - Quick Summary 

Interviews by our composers arranged by topic: text only (videos here):

  • Composer backgrounds, influences and setting the scene for their piece

  • Getting started and choosing a stimulus

  • Particular music techniques and ideas (including how technology is used)

  • Structure in the compositions

  • Developing and finishing the composition and getting ‘unstuck’

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4. PDF scores and composing sketches by Evelyn Ficarra, Ed Hughes & Rowland Sutherland


5. South Downs photos and artwork 
Poems by Val Whittington
Stills by Sam Moore
South Downs-inspired drawings, paintings and objects from Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft

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Our Partners and Funders
 
Project funding from Arts Council England


Partner Schools and Colleges:


BHASVIC, Brighton
East Sussex Academy of Music, Lewes
Hastings Academy, Hastings


Partner Organisations:
South Downs National Park Authority

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