'Moving into the Light' with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra

MONDAY, 10 MAY 2021

LINK TO YOU TUBE https://youtu.be/5hcV5BbI9Sc

‘Moving into the Light’ with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra

A new musical composition created by participants from Tap and Talk and Headway Dundee and Angus was launched online today (Monday, 10 May).

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) and Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust’s ST/ART project worked together to create new musical compositions.

Participants from the University of Dundee’s Tap and Talk group and from Headway Dundee and Angus group collaborated with composer Matilda Brown and RSNO musicians Jacquie Speirs and Ursula Heidecker Allen in an online programme of musical composition which explores the participants’ ideas about the journey out of lockdown.

Over the last four months, participants worked with Matilda, Jacquie and Ursula to create a musical composition. The final composition launched on You Tube today so that friends and family can enjoy and share with others. The project was supported by ST/ART project co-ordinator, Chris Kelly and lecturer Rolf Black from the University of Dundee.

Orchestrated through a series of 10 weekly Zoom meetings, Matilda encouraged participants to work in a variety of ways, from simple rhythm and note selection exercises to poetic writing and keyboard compositions.

The concept of a journey out of lockdown emerged from the creative process and developed into a metaphorical train trip through different landscapes and stations, each inspired by individuals within the group.

Jacquie and Ursula were able to respond to different ideas during the sessions illustrating how changes in pace or key could alter a piece of music and help the participants decide how the work should develop.

At the end of the programme, Matilda took all the elements that had been created and refined them into the finished composition named ‘Moving into the Light’.

Composer and programme lead, Matilda said, “This was an exciting and challenging way to work remotely with a group of participants with communication and physical impairments. We built a strong bond through the programme that allowed us to overcome any difficulties and share a musical vision that represented all of us. Working with people both as a group and individually ensured we carried everyone along on the journey.”

RSNO’s head of learning and engagement, Samantha Campbell said, “Matilda took the group through a number of planned musical exercises and techniques that evolved into this remarkable composition. 

“It’s been particularly satisfying to see the participants’ confidence increase and realise the pleasure there is in shared music making. What was exciting for all of us was exploring ways to build work at a distance and overcoming the limitations that online sessions entail.”

THAT project co-ordinator Chris Kelly said, “This is a new development in our partnership with RSNO and working with a smaller group of participants enabled them to give much more to the experience. Participants returned to musical instruments they hadn’t played in years, composed element themselves for the very first time, wrote poetry and recorded their own readings and narrations.

“Participants felt empowerment being an equal partner with musicians from the RSNO. This gave individuals a boost to their self esteem and wellbeing by having their work professionally recorded and publicly available for sharing with their family and friends online.”

The creative engagement project is for people in Tayside who have had a stroke or acquired brain injury. It is a ST/ART project initiative supported by NHS Tayside and the RSNO’s Learning and Engagement programme in Dundee, which is supported by Northwood Charitable Trust. The University of Dundee School of Science and Engineering also provides support and technical expertise.

The RSNO programme is one of a range of art programmes for people with long term conditions currently being delivered by Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust, which promotes creative engagement with the arts to enhance participant’s health and well being.

For further information please contact Chris Kelly on 01382 835507 or email ckelly3@nhs.net

Contact:

Lyndsey Daun

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138

10 May 2021