Mahogany Opera invites singers of all abilities to Leith Theatre on Sunday to join in a collaborative composing session. The result will be a new piece called The Great Learning.
Everyone will be involved in creating a new piece of music to be performed in July. There will be singing, improvisation and play.
The session will be led by Edinburgh artists writer Elspeth Murray and composer Stephen Deazley with Mahogany Opera’s Artistic Director Frederic Wake-Walker.
More than 50 years ago, avant-garde English composer Cornelius Cardew created an experimental and politically engaged choir composition called The Great Learning designed to be performed by people with no or little formal musical training. Cardew’s work uses texts by ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius as provocations for mindful living.
Frederic Wake-Walker, Artistic Director of Mahogany Opera Group said: “I’ve found the preliminary workshops that we’ve done already for The Great Learning beautifully creative, generous, and inspiring. It’s been a chance to reflect and connect with such sensitivity. I can’t wait for this next stage of the process where we’re going to start sticking together the different elements and make our own piece – to sing our vision into existence!”
Based on the work the company will use community singing and music with simple movement to imagine a different world to the one that currently exists. What will we salvage from our present? How will what we have learnt in recent years help us to build a better future?
The day is free and open to anyone over 18. Tea coffee and light refreshments will be provided by you are advised to bring a packed lunch.
Travel expenses may be available for those on low incomes. To find out more about the support available, or to discuss any other access requirements ahead of signing up, please contact Anne Timpson by email producer@mahoganyopera.co.uk
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