Choir Opportunity at Battle Festival

Battle Festival will mark the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings with a one-hour community opera commissioned from Howard Moody, produced in partnership with Glyndebourne and the De La Warr Pavilion, to be premiered as part the ROOT 1066 International Festival on 1 October 2016.

“Rather than take a heritage approach to the anniversary, we will take inspiration from the events that shaped our history and create our own unique response to this point when ‘cultures collided’,” they say.

“We are creating a new Battle Festival Community Choir for this unique event with up to 400 voices, both adults and children, with no prior experience necessary!”

What does it involve? 

There will be two fully staged performances at the De La Warr Pavilion on Saturday 1 October with a rehearsal (open to schools) on Friday 30 September. There will also be one site-specific performance in Battle on Saturday 8 October.

To find out more come along to the launch in Battle on Saturday 23 January from 10am-12.30pm. Please arrive from 9.45 at the Main Hall, Battle Memorial Halls, 81 High Street, Battle, if you’re 16+ and would like to take part. Howard Moody (composer) and Simon Iorio (director, Glyndebourne) will introduce the project.

The Battle Festival community choir will rehearse from late April to early July with workshops and rehearsal sessions to introduce and learn the music and work with Mssrs Iorio and Moody.

You will need to commit to attend the majority of these and the final rehearsals in September (approximately 10 sessions), as well as being available for the performance dates on 30 September (rehearsal), 1 October (two performances) and a site-specific version in Battle on 8 October.

No need to read music, although experienced singers are welcome. The piece will be created for a range of different voices from the most experienced to the novice.

Want to know more?

If you’d like to know more, have any questions or would like to register to attend on 23 January, please email project manager Beth Martin on <beth_artsprojects@hotmail.co.uk>.

Musician profiles

Howard Moody – February 2015
www.howardmoody.net

Howard Moody works in many different styles of music as conductor, composer and keyboard player. He is principal conductor and artistic director of La Folia and has also conducted London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony and Concert Orchestras, Hallé Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and London Mozart Players. He is a prolific composer and keyboard player and has worked extensively with saxophonist John Surman. Howard is especially committed to finding innovative ways of bringing live music-making of the highest calibre to people who may otherwise not have the opportunity to experience it.

Simon Iorio (director, Glyndebourne) has worked at Glyndebourne since 2012, most recently as staff director on two productions at the 2015 Glyndebourne Festival.

Caleb Madden (sound and production). Caleb lives and works in the south east of the UK. He is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses sculpture, video, sound and light to create highly experiential installations and performances. He has presented artworks at various institutions including Southbank Centre, Roundhouse and Tate Modern. He studied sound recording at BA level and is currently completing an MA in fine art at the University of Brighton. Alongside his own art practice he collaborates and performs in the live AV duo Madden/Dylewski, is a founder member of the sonic arts collective The Spirit of Gravity and works as a production manager/curator/programmer at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea.

A Battle Festival production in partnership with Glyndebourne and the De La Warr Pavilion for Root 1066 International Festival. The project is supported by Hastings Borough Council and Arts Council England.