Listen and Watch

“The hit of the evening…a poignant and powerful reminder of less supine times”

4* review Stephen Pritchard, The Guardian

In 1982 30,000 women held hands and formed a human chain around the US nuclear missile base, Greenham Common. Over a 10-year period there was a camp of women activists who bore witness and protested the weapons stored on the site by the NATO forces.

Created for Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival 2024 in response to my personal history with Greenham (my grandmother was an activist), interviews with women who were there and the co-created with of a group of four singers; Emily Beech, Hestor Dart, Juliet Wallace and Amy Kearsley.

Joy is both a universal experience and at the same time highly personal to every human alive. This piece takes this idea as its starting point. It explores moments where the ensemble is in absolute unison, and it also examines joyous images from members of the ensemble. The ultimate aim is to create a work which celebrates human joy, in all its facets.

Written as part the Making Music, Sound and Music and PRS Foundation’s Adopt a Music Creator Scheme.

Performed by Orchestra of the City and conducted by Chris Hopkins

No Comment

Am I being detained or am I free to leave?

Based on the Informed Dissent advice regarding what to do if you are stopped and searched at a protest.

Performed by Delia Stephens as part of the final Psappha Ensemble’s Composing For… Scheme.

The piece is inspired by a photo I take every day in the same location on the Isle of Dogs. I thought of the phrase ‘There is always light...’as I noticed that whilst my eyes couldn’t perceive any light in the early morning sky, my camera still registered the dawn.

Written for members of the Riot Ensemble as part of a project with Trinity Laban

Performed by: Sarah Parkin (soprano), Rosie Middleton (mezzo soprano), Stephen Upshaw (viola) and Louise McMonagle (cello)

There is always light even if we cannot see it