WORKSHOPS 2015-2017
WORKSHOP: Dorothy Stringer School 7 July 2017
This day workshop took place on site at Cuckmere Haven, based in the Turkey Barn. Thirteen Pupil Premium students in KS3 spent the morning walking from Exceat to the beach at Cuckmere Haven with film-maker Cesca Eaton, shooting film on their cameras and thinking about music, film, landscape, and the sounds surrounding them. In the afternoon the students worked in two groups with OSL to create two new pieces to Cesca's film. The groups then performed their music to each other.
WORKSHOP: Ocklynge School 23 June 2017
This workshop targeted year 5 pupils studying Rivers as part of their coursework. OSL worked with 40 children, 33 of which were Pupil Premium, in four break-out groups to create new improvised scores to one of three short extracts from Cesca's film. The groups performed their new pieces to each other and enjoyed OSL's performance of 'Cuckmere'.
WORKSHOP: Hastings Academy 5 May 2017
WORKSHOP: Southover School 23 June 2017
All 55 year 5 children at Southover School took part in a workshop on Friday 23 June. The children enjoyed a live performance with film of 'Cuckmere' and Cesca and Ed introduced musical and filmic ideas with examples. The children then chose one of three short extracts from Cesca's film and worked in six groups of up to ten children on new, improvised scores. The children came together and performed their new scores to each other, then sat on the floor surrounding OSL for a final performance of 'Cuckmere'.
WORKSHOP: ESAM 16 June 2017
Twelve 'A' level music students at the East Sussex Academy of Music wrote pieces specially for OSL inspired by Cesca Eaton's 'Cuckmere' film. OSL performed Ed and Cesca's 'Cuckmere' and performed, recorded and commented on the twelve new pieces.
WORKSHOP: Hastings Academy 5 May 2017
RECORDING: University of Sussex 16 June 2017
OSL recorded Ed Hughes's 6' Cuckmere score to professional standard at the Meeting House, University of Sussex. The recording will be used to demonstrate the progress of the project in 2017 and for future funding applications.
WORKSHOP: Hastings Academy 19 May 2017
The Orchestra of Sound and Light spent the morning working with with groups of students in break-out rooms to finalise their new scores, interspersed with virtuoso performance demonstrations by each of the OSL players. In the afternoon, each group performed their new score in an informal concert. OSL performed Ed Hughes's 'Cuckmere' score again, with Cesca's latest film edit, and a specially produced graphic score which enabled all the students to perform sections of the piece with OSL.
WORKSHOP: Hastings Academy 19 May 2017
The Orchestra of Sound and Light spent the morning working with with groups of students in break-out rooms to finalise their new scores, interspersed with virtuoso performance demonstrations by each of the OSL players. In the afternoon, each group performed their new score in an informal concert. OSL performed Ed Hughes's 'Cuckmere' score again, with Cesca's latest film edit, and a specially produced graphic score which enabled all the students to perform sections of the piece with OSL.
WORKSHOP: Hastings Academy 5 May 2017
OSL worked with 40 year 9 and 10 GCSE Music Students and their teacher Liz Mason. International Emmy Award winning film maker Cesca Eaton talked to the students about setting film to music and vice versa. Working in groups, the students selected and edited 1' of film from Cesca and Fergus Kennedy's footage of Cuckmere Haven. Using keyboards, guitars, percussion and voice and working with the core OSL professional musicians, the students began developing musical material to accompany their own films. OSL performed Ed Hughes's newly written 6' score to Cesca's film.
WORKSHOP: Hastings Academy 5 May 2017
Brighton: Symphony of a City 7 October 2016
The Orchestra of Sound and Light opened the first season of events at the newly reopened Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts with the second performance of 'Brighton: Symphony of a City' with music by OSL artistic director Ed Hughes and a film by Lizzie Thynne. The core OSL members were joined by professional players to create an orchestra of 17 players.
WORKSHOPS AND CONCERTS: 16 and 17 June
The Orchestra of Sound and Light spent two days working with year 9 students at Dorothy Stringer School in Brighton to create works for mixed ensemble. OSL performed six new works based on the film 'Alice in Wonderland' (1902, Hepworth and Stow) with over 30 students at the Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts. The programme also included Ed Hughes's Voyage to the Moon with film 'Le Voyage dans la Lune' (1902, Melies); Light Cuts Through Dark Skies with film 'Regen' (Joris Ivens, 1929) and a world premiere by Peter Michael Davison. Watch the film here.
Brighton Festival Concert 11 May 2016
The Orchestra of Sound and Light gave the world premiere performance of Brighton: Symphony of a City: a major new work by composer Ed Hughes and film maker Lizzie Thynne at the Brighton Dome. The core members of OSL were joined by 15 top professional performers, many based locally, and outstanding local student performers of at least grade 8 standard, plus a rock band from BIMM, to create an orchestra of nearly 50 players. The event was featured on BBC Radio 3's In Tune (50') and BBC Radio 4's Front Row. Brighton Festival website here; further information here.
Brighton Fringe Concert 6 May 2016
This public recording session presented music exploring the theme of ‘Noah’s Zoo’ by 'A' level music students studying at the East Sussex Academy of Music. The Orchestra of Sound and Light have been working with student composers in a series of intensive workshops since October 2015; this event showcased the resulting 20 new works.
WORKSHOP: Ore Village Primary Academy 5 February
A workshop for 80 year 5 and 6 pupils at Ore Village Primary Academy in Hastings exploring Ed Hughes's arrangement of 'Mars' from Holst's 'The Planets'. The OSL players introduced their instruments, performed 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Mars', then three groups of children each joined OSL for a performance of 'Mars' using hand-held percusion.
WORKSHOP: Southover School 5 February
All 27 members of the Southover School Orchestra in Lewes performed Ed Hughes's 'Alice in Wonderland' and Ed Hughes's arrangement of 'Mars' from Holst's 'The Planets' using networked iPads.
WORKSHOP: ESAM 22 January
OSL's second visit to the East Sussex Academy of Music to perform Ed Hughes's 'Voyage to the Moon' with OSL plus all 22 'A' level students, followed by a workshop to perform and discuss expanded sketches of 'Noah's Zoo' by all 22 students.
WORKSHOP: BIMM 22 January 2016
Students at BIMM, Brighton (Brighton Institute of Modern Music) joined the OSL core players using networked iPads to perform Ed Hughes's 'Alice in Wonderland' using improvisation, electronics including delays, and extended techniques.
WORKSHOP: Western Road School 27 November '15
A 'Connected Communities' project in association with the University of Sussex and Collectress. OSL performed Ed Hughes's arrangement of 'Mars' from Holst's 'The Planets' then all 60 year 5 and year 6 students joined OSL, playing orchestral instruments and hand-held percussion. Followed by a sharing workshop with core OSL players and members of Collectress.
WORKSHOP: ESAM 23 October '15
OSL's first workshop at the East Sussex Academy of Music in Lewes, working with 'A' level music students. OSL performed Ed Hughes's 'Alice in Wonderland' and discussed instrumental and composition techniques, then performed initial sketches by students.
WORKSHOP: ACCA, University of Sussex 26 June '15
OSL worked together for the first time at the newly opened Attenborough Centre at the University of Sussex. OSL rehearsed Ed Hughes's 'Alice in Wonderland' then were joined by 'A' level students from the East Sussex Academy of Music for an expanded performance.