In the House… with a flute

In our final stop on the tour of last Winter’s In the House project, which saw student composers and performers from the Royal Academy of Music collaborate on brand-new site specific works, we reach 10 Folgate Street. The building has had a colourful history of inhabitants and the compact upstairs sitting room, along with the unusual nature of the In the House performance, was inspiration for Adam Dickson’s Focusing on Intimacy performed by flautist Jonathan Slade.

In the House take intimate solo performances in the ancient drawing rooms of Spitalfields residents.

Enjoy listening to the track below along with Adam’s programme notes about the work.

‘This piece for solo flute is influenced by the idea of voyeurism. As you tour around this house, you are entering and enjoying a stranger’s home. Looking around, curiosity builds and you wonder why a single object features in one room and, perhaps, not another. This unfamiliar object becomes the main focus of your attention. You become drawn to its existence. Its inanimate quality allows you to take hold of this object, to possess it. Those other surrounding objects, which were more familiar, fade into the background. What was once irrational and, perhaps, distasteful, is now beautiful and natural.’

Gettin’ to know you: Cathy

This time it’s the turn of our swashbuckling Programme Manager: Learning & Participation, Cathy to bare her soul for the blog!

What was the first gramophone cylinder you bought? *
Sadly my penchant for a nice charity shop bargain hasn’t yet stretched to a phonograph, though I did once have a tinkle on a player piano.

Do you have a favourite composer? If so, who?
Enduringly Shostakovich, though I’ve been known to veer into the Hindemith camp from time to time over the years. I think there’s a starkness in both that appeals to me, but also a great deal of wit and inventiveness in texture and harmony that keeps you on your toes.

Almost a dancer, now an L&P Programme Manager

What was the last concert/gig you went to?
Not sure if it quite counts but I went to the semi final of the Musical Comedy Awards recently which was brilliant. Really good to see also that those through to the final are “musicians that are really very funny” rather than “comedians who throw in some music as something a bit different”.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
As a small child a ballet dancer, despite the best efforts of my formidable teacher to dissuade me. I believe the exact words she used to my 6-year-old self were, “You’ll never be a dancer, you’re too tall and your feet are too big. The only good thing about you are your shoulder blades”, before vigorously impaling hair pins into my bun and – I maintain – head. Luckily the lady who played piano for our class was more on the relaxed side and took me under her wing as a piano pupil. Probably worked out for the best as she was right, I do have pretty big feet.

What were you doing before coming to work with Spitalfields Music?
Before coming to Spitalfields Music I spent a year as Orchestral Assistant at the Royal Academy of Music, busily trying to ensure that the right music and the right students were in the right place at the right time. Not always an easy task!

Prior to that I did my master’s with research focused on an impossible (literally!) piece of Ferneyhough, Cassandra’s Dream Song, which I also attempted to play. Luckily for me the score comes with lengthy instructions including that “a ‘beautiful’, cultivated performance is not to be aimed at”. Phew!

Red or white wine?
Ooo, yes please. That would be lovely.

What excites you most about working with Spitalfields Music?
My role in L&P means that I’m out and about lots of the time making music with different groups from all over our community. When every day is different they’re mostly pretty exciting.

Who inspires you?
I’ve always found explorers and travellers inspiring. Not just for heading out into the unknown, but for having the even greater courage to up sticks and leave the comfortable behind.

And finally, would you share an interesting fact about yourself with us?
I am a pirate. No, not really. Though I do live on a sailing boat that looks like this…

 

Cathy’s boat, the Mooi Maisga (Friesian for Beautiful Girl)

*We should point out that this was a reaction to Cathy complaining that she was too old for her first recording to have been a CD.

A sneak-peak at the Midsummer Street Party

The Midsummer Street Party is this Summer Festival’s fantastic final day. Programme Manager, Ellie tells us more about what’s in store!

Although there will be plenty of bunting, this won’t be your typical street party. With it falling on the midsummer weekend, we thought we’d take this as a starting point and bring together the community to celebrate Spitalfields using music and dance as a focal point. What could be more midsummer than gathering everyone up at the end of the day for a good old dance around the maypole?

There’ll be lots going on throughout the day, with exhibitions and workshops from various local organisations including Crisis and Stitches in Time, musical storytelling for youngsters in the beautiful yurt, New Esperance Morris Dancers getting you moving, animals from the Spitalfields City Farm, a special selection of market stalls organised by the Spitalfields Community Group… the list goes on.

“this won’t be your typical street party”

Don’t miss the Spitalfields Speaks hut where you can pick up an mp3 and explore the area through the ears of someone who lives here, and with the help of sound artist Duncan Chapman and the Toynbee Hall Inspire group, you can even contribute your own story or favourite memory of the area and see it included in a live performance at the Water Poet’s Underground Cinema.

Throughout the afternoon there will also be a treasure hunt of mini music and dance performances – Hidden Gems – to seek out. Over the past few months composers from the Royal Academy of Music have been working with choreographers from East London Dance to create site specific dance and music pieces, responding to specially selected locations across Spitalfields. Pick up a map and be inspired to look at your surroundings in a different light!

Ellie Folkes
Programme Manager: Festivals 

You can help make this extraordinary day happen by supporting with a small donation. Head over to justgiving.com/midsummer to find out more. 

In the House… with a violin

We have another track from our In the House project to share with you! For those of you unfamiliar with In the House, last year we invited student composers and instrumentalists from the Royal Academy of Music to create new music inspired by specific Georgian houses of Spitalfields, which would then be the venues for the performances, for an evening that was both a walking-tour and collection of mini-recitals.

Today we have Nikki Franklin’s Ru’ach Rafa’im written for and inspired by 19 Elder Street, a house that has stood in this area since around 1730. Performed by violinist Katie Littlemore, the piece hints at Spitalfields’s long past, particularly its prominence in London’s Jewish community.

Hear Ru’ach Rafa’im below along with Nikki Franklin’s programme note.

I can’t see you, but I know you are there.
I can’t feel you, but I know you are there.
I can’t touch you, can you touch me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Hear more of the In the House works!

In pictures: Schools at the Academy

Last week some of the pupils from our Neighbourhood Schools travelled to the Royal Academy of Music for the performance of Nelson, a new piece by John Webb, with student players and tenor Richard Dowling in full 18th century dress. We captured some of the rehearsal and performance, so thought we’d share them with you!

Images: Ruxandra Mateiu

Blogger Jon Jacob from Thoroughly Good also came along, you can read his review here.

Read more about the Neighbourhood Schools project, and how Nelson came together from Programme Manager: Learning & Participation, Cathy here.