In pictures: the award-nominated ‘We are Shadows’

As many of you may have heard, we’ve been fortunate enough to be shortlisted twice(!) for this year’s RPS Music Awards.

In the RPS Music Award for Learning & Participation category is last Summer’s fantastic We are Shadows - our opera project that was two years in the making and involved over 300 participants of all ages from Tower Hamlets.

It’s got us reminiscing about the project and so we thought we’d take the opportunity to share a selection of images captured from along the way. We hope you enjoy!

Composer John Barber and librettist Hazel Gould

Workshopping with The Sixteen at Village Underground

Rehearsal at Barbican Centre

Director Mia Theil Have in rehearsals a Barbican Centre

The City Chorus in rehearsal at Barbican Centre

Robert Anthony Gardiner as Toby

The City Chorus

Toby, his Shadow, Rattus Rattus and the Shadow Voice

Rattus Rattus and some of the young rats

Shoreditch Church dressed for We are Shadows

If you fancy a little bit more, have a look at the We are Shadows videos on our YouTube channel. There’s a great documentary from Andy Weir, and you can enjoy a short film below:

Images by Jez C Self.

We are Shadows – final rehearsals in full flow!

An intensive weekend of rehearsals and get-in for We are Shadows. Last week saw the first call for the ensemble on Thursday and now we’re in the final straight of rehearsals for our piece.

Listening to the adult chorus yesterday, as they were put through their paces by conductor Natalie Murray, Director Mia Theil Have and Chorus Leader Isabelle Adams, was really enjoyable. They have some wonderfully witty music as they depict a swarm of office workers following their daily routines – onto the tube, buy a coffee, security pass, lunchtime stroll…. The group, drawn from across Tower Hamlets, no doubt each bring their own experiences of these rituals to the rehearsal room and Director Mia is encouraging them each to develop their own story and characters. Soloist Robert Gardiner, who plays the main character – a man whose shadow is stolen – was joined for the first time by the dancer who will play his shadow. It was really great to see these scenes in action and in costume.  Meanwhile at Shoreditch Church our Production Manager spent the day rigging a ‘sky cloth’ – an amazing cityscape which will transform the venue as we have never seen it before.

Today rehearsals continue and tomorrow we have the Sitzprobe – a really exciting chance to hear the full extent of the sound of the piece as the singers and ensemble come together for the first time. Exciting moments for John and Hazel who, with input from the participants, have created the piece – a journey they began over two years ago.

For a sneak peak have a look at some of the footage taken to document the process of creating this Opera in Pieces (Filmed by Andy Weir):

Tickets (£10 or £5 restricted view) are selling quickly for the three performances: Friday 24^th June at 7.30pm and Saturday 25^th June at 3.30pm & 6.30pm at Shoreditch Church.

Box Office: 0207 377 1362/ Spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk

My first two weeks as an Intern: Stacey

Joining the vibrant team at Spitalfields Music during the month leading up to the Summer Festival is an experience like no other.  I have been able to observe, and participate in, the final yet critical stages of the work that goes into finalising this massive musical event.  Many of the projects that are happening at the festival have been going on for a long period of time and are finally coming to the pinnacle of performance, as is the case with the premiere of the opera We are Shadows, which has been in the making for two solid years.

Wednesday evenings and Thursday lunchtimes are the times for choirs to be tended to, and of course, also participate in as well.  Women sing East and Spitalfields Singers each have their own very distinct style, and both are wonderful examples of flourishing community choirs where the participants can create music whilst having a lot of fun.  My time in the office has been one of learning more about the ‘’ins and outs’’ of running various education projects, with all of them at different stages in their development.

While the days here at Spitalfields Music are underlined by the constant and almost inaudible hum ‘Festival, Festival, Festival, Festival’, I also find it very exciting that several of my projects focus on what happens after the Festival ends. Being involved in the work that allows the Festival the flourish, as well as the projects that are sustained throughout the year has been the highlight of my time so far at Spitalfields Music.  I can tell that each day gets more intense and exciting and I am eagerly anticipating my first Summer Festival; experiencing the events from the inside out.  I’ll see you there!

Stacey Kurtz
Learning & Participation Intern

Image credit: Women sing East by Suke Driver

What makes you think that you can sing?

Arlene Adair shares her experiences of being a singer, performing in Women sing East and rehearsing for the world premiere of our community opera We are Shadows:

“Do you honestly think that you can sing?” The words of my eldest, my first born, daughter pierced my brain bringing what I believed to be the “song of a nightingale” to an abrupt and premature end!  Children can be so cruel and, some may say, truthful!

I had always considered my singing voice to be, at least, worthy of airing at home.  Perhaps I was just a bit rusty!  Perhaps, on the other hand, my parents had been very loving, tolerant and tone-deaf!

“Join a choir, a women’s choir, Women sing East,” the kind words of a concerned colleague rang happily in my ears.  She knew that I had observed with nostalgic jealousy my youngest daughter, my fourth and last born, singing like an angel with the Hackney Borough Youth Choir.  Could it be that simple for me to join Women sing East?  What about my voice?

So, in September 2010 “stepping gaily arm-in-arm” with a fellow Scot (a bonnie wee lassie with blonde curls and an awfully good voice!) I tentatively approached the assembled throng of women confidently waiting in the foyer of the Brady Arts Centre.   We were “the new girls”.  Were there any other “new girls”?  Who knows?

The arrival of the director Laka D brought with it a big warm cosy welcome like a soft tartan blanket (not a horrible old scratchy one!).  “New girls” or not we were part of a 40-strong smiling, laughing, rocking, popping, madrigal women’s choir.   This all happened within two hours of leaving my six strong family at the kitchen table.  This was heaven!  Within eight months, we had performed two public performances and were feeling very happy.

Today, as I rehearse with the chorus of We are Shadows, an opera in pieces, I am reminded of a time when I could only dream of singing opera.   Twenty eight years ago, I was a costume maker in the wardrobe department of Scottish Opera. With a mouth full of dressmakers’ pins I could only hum along  as I listened  in awe to singers rehearsing pieces by Mozart, Puccini, Bizet and many other wonderful composers.

So, as I strive to reach the high notes of this world premiere opera, the words of my daughter haunt me “Do you honestly think you can sing?”  The simple answer is, “I really do not know but, so far, nobody has asked me to mime!”

Arlene Adair

Always wanted to sing? Why not join one of our community choirs! For more information click here. We are also looking for local people to perform as part of We are Shadows. Email cathy.birch@spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk or give us a call on 020 7377 0287 for more information.

All smiles!

One of our newest staff members, Camille shares her first experiences of a Learning & Participation workshop!

Having only very recently joined the Spitalfields Music family, I am honoured to write my first blurb for the blog!

This week I visited a singing and composition workshop at a primary school, with students between 6 and 10 years old. I saw the kids of St. Anne’s School and Thomas Buxton School as they met for the first time and merged two pieces of music they helped to write and compose. During the next few months, there will be a lot more alliances, as schools, community singers and professional musicians work towards their unified big performance at the Summer Festival, titled We are Shadows.

As part of the Development team, the workshops mainly live on our computer screens. We read and write about the projects, but no words come close to experiencing the real thing. I was tremendously impressed by the skills, enthusiasm and dedication of the kids. They sang beautifully and at the top of their voices. They remembered details about the story and the people they are working with, paying attention from start to finish. With every question, fingers were shooting in the air. And at the end of it, I got a big smile and a warm “Byyeee!” from one of the kids.

“We read and write about the projects, but no words come close to experiencing the real thing”.

We also have to give great credit to the workshop leaders, who engage with the kids and make this all happen. After five minutes in there, you know that they are fabulous.

So really, it was smiles all around, from the kids, the teachers, the workshop leaders, the Spitalfields Music colleagues, and me!

I can’t wait for the Summer Festival. I highly recommend that you come and experience the real thing with us, I assure you it’s even better than what you are reading on this screen now!

Camille de Groote
Development Administrator

Image: Thomas Buxton School credit Alys Tomlinson