Join in to sing the praises of our town

Singing the praises of our town

Residents of Hastings, St Leonards and Bexhill are invited to take part in a new music project inspired by our lives on the South Coast. Janet Hodgson explains why she wants you to join the throng and the song.

If you think that opera is not for you… think again! Singers, talkers, dog-walkers, people with a point-of-view or a story to tell… literally everyone is invited to take part in an ambitious new music project, inspired by our lives on the South Coast, here and now. It’s called, very simply, A TOWN.

‘Our whole creative team are spending March and April weaving in and out of choir rehearsals, discussion groups, pubs, dog walks, cafés, as well as free workshops that are open for anyone to join’, says Jenny Miller, founder of Barefoot Opera, who is leading the project. ‘We’re trying to meet and talk with as many people as possible across the area.’

With funding for research and development from the Arts Council and local funders Chalk Cliff Trust, The Magdalen and Lasher Charity, and a Comic Relief Community Grant, there are at least 25 workshops taking place in March and April 2018 with local choirs and other groups – which anyone can join – as well as several free vocal and discussion workshops in Hastings/St Leonards and at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.

The list of people involved is exciting – with internationally recognised names like the composer Orlando Gough, plus local heroes like Otti Albietz and Bridget Aphrodite.

‘It’s such an exciting project because all of the people we meet, sing with and talk with will inspire the writing of a brand new ‘People’s Opera’’. If all goes to plan, it will be performed at the De La Warr Pavilion in 2020.
Jenny Miller

Sign up for a free singing workshop

People who sing in a choir, in a band, or simply enjoy singing, are invited to sign up for a free vocal workshop, where you can learn how to tell stories with song. These workshops will be led by Jenny Miller, who is well-known for her open and energetic style of teaching, and will be taking place at The De La Warr Pavilion studio, or in St Leonards-on-Sea.

Share your stories about the town

Got a point of view about your town? Got a story to tell? Sign up for a free discussion workshop. The aim of these is to get a real sense of what it’s like to live in your town today, to uncover points of view and people’s stories about their town. These will be taking place in cafes or pubs, on dog-walks, or again at the De La Warr Pavilion studio. ‘The sessions will be fun and informal and will be a chance to meet the people who will be writing the new opera’, says Miller.

Find out more about the project, the workshops and how to reserve a place via the A Town website.

Also in: Community Arts