DVD now available ~ Contact Fran
Clips and pictures
Please give B Sharp feedback on the Coastal Voices Project ↓
Please give the Lighthouse feedback on the Coastal Voices Project
http://www.coastalvoices.co.uk/feedback
See word of thanks from Elspeth Mc Bain CEO Lighthouse, Poole
http://www.coastalvoices.co.uk/dear-coastal-voices-olympian-singers
Coastal Voices as part of Maritime Mix is a large scale participatory choral project which will see hundreds of singers come together to perform four sensational pieces of music along the Jurassic Coast in 2012. Produced by Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts and international music producers Serious, with support from Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, National Lottery funds through the Olympic Lottery Distributor and Paul Hamlyn Foundation (Nick Cave arrangements) and SoundStorm.
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- B Sharp Coastal Voices with Billy BRagg and John K MIles
B Sharp Coastal Voices with Billy BRagg and John K MIles
Partcipating schools:
Primary: Mrs Ethelston’s Clare Rinaldi, St Michael’s Annabelle Grose,
Secondary: Woodroffe Jon Culimore & Colyton Grammar David House.
Performance dates:
July 8th Poole Lighthouse
July 27th Weymouth Beach Live Site Opening of the Olympics 2012
John K Miles has been commissioned by B Sharp to write ‘On Golden Cap’.a vocal piece for mass choir with youth groups and choirs across West Dorset & East Devon, as part of the Cultural Olympiad Maritime Mix 2012.
The catalyst for ‘On Golden Cap’ was a song-writing project Hear Here with young people aged 10-18, with the inspirational youth arts organisation B Sharp in Lyme Regis. The participants were drawn from the The Woodroffe Secondary School, St Michaels Primary School and a ‘core group’ of B Sharpers. I provided some initial musical starting points and early on legendary songwriter Billy Bragg worked with each group for a session, giving inspiration and encouragement with an emphasis on writing personal lyrics with meaning and depth. We subsequently developed and added to the material over six weeks of intense collaborative work, painting a picture of what it feels like to live in Lyme Regis, which ended in an emotive and poignant performance in October 2011 ‘Songs of Lyme’. I wrote ‘On Golden Cap’ in direct response to this performance, moving from ‘east to west’ on the Jurassic Coast to Lyme Regis and culminating in an ascension of Golden Cap, the highest point on the southern coast of England.” John K Miles
Download ready for rehearsals:
On Golden Cap – Full Score with Credits.
Vocal Score – Download and Print for rehearsal.
Mp3 files of On Golden Cap one by one:
Instructions: Download the .zip file. Unzip. And play in your favourite MP3 player.
1. Full band and choir
2. Treble voices and band (not applicable for Woodroffe)
3. Soprano voices and band
4. Alto voices and band
5. Tenor voices and band
6. Bass voices and band
7. Band only
- You Tube (01) – Coastal Voices – B Sharp JKMiles & Billy Bragg songwriting workshop
- You Tube (02) – Coastal Voices – B Sharp JKMiles & Billy Bragg songwriting workshop
B Sharp Coastal Voices with Billy Bragg and John K Miles
Produced by Lighthouse, Poole and Serious with support from the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and National Lottery funds through the Olympic Lottery Distributor (Nick Cave arrangements), Coastal Voices gives a new voice to the coastline that forms a stunning backdrop to the sailing events at London 2012.
Photos available from Maisie Hill – 07597 932 385.
Coastal Voices Aims:
- To undertake cross art form exploration of the ‘voice’ of the World Heritage Site
- To invite communities along the Jurassic Coast and beyond to develop a sense of ‘place’ by creatively exploring the global context of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site
- To contribute to the development of a sustainable infrastructure for vocal music in Dorset, East Devon, Bournemouth and Poole which provides continuity of opportunity for all children and adults to develop their skills in singing, leading, composing and performing world class vocal music.
Coastal Voices is an umbrella project linking the arts and earth sciences through the concept of ‘the voice’. It aspires to encourage and stimulate coastal communities in the South West to connect to their ‘place’, to examine and ‘voice’ the unique relationship with the geology and forces which shape our environment, and also to explore the ‘voice’ of the coast. It will actively promote international exchange and dialogue, and connect communities, amateurs and arts professionals, leading to a shared outcome for 2012 and beyond. Hundreds of people will be given the opportunity to perform and work with professional and international artists through an 18 month process of ongoing engagement (March 2011 – August 2012).
Some of the lyrics written with Billy & John:
Woodroffe yr 9′s & B Sharp trainees:
Step after step
Feeling the breeze
On Golden Cap
Up here I feel at ease.I feel so free
Touching the clouds
The beach below
Far from the madding crowd
St Michael’s year 5′s:
It’s not all about fossils fossils fossils
It’s not all about fossils fossils fossils
it’s all about ice cream
it’s all about its all about the beaches
it’s all about rainbows it’s all about dolphins
Billy Bragg’s Top Tips on writing good songs:
- Enjoy the sunset
- Believe in yourself and what you have to say
- Say it with meaning through your music
BE AN OLYMPIC SINGER: COASTAL VOICES NEEDS YOU!
Four new commissions, hundreds of singers, and performances in Dorset and Devon as part of London 2012. If you sing – in school, in a community choir, a choral society or just in the bath – Coastal Voices needs you. Led by Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts and international music producers Serious, the Coastal Voices project is building up to the London 2012 Olympics by looking to recruit hundreds of voices to join in professional workshops and rehearsals in locations up and down the Jurassic Coast from September 2011, with four vocal ‘hubs’ set-up in Poole, Weymouth, West Dorset and East Devon. As part of the Cultural Olympiad, Coastal Voices will link to Australia and is connected by World Heritage Sites and also by the commonality of Sydney and Poole having the 2 largest natural harbours of the world. Communities right across the coastal region of Dorset and East Devon will be unified through ‘voice’ and ‘place’ and 25 people from Dorset will perform in London on 21st and 22nd July 2012 as part of the River of Music Festival. Working with composers from rock, jazz and contemporary music, the commissions range from new arrangements of cult classics by Nick Cave and B sharp’s stories of Lyme Regis from John K Miles and Billy Bragg, to John Surman’s Brazilian infused Wind Samba and Marc Yeats’ new geological sound world. Each offers choirs the chance to explore new music and the magnificent World Heritage Site coastline which will form the backdrop to the Olympic sailing and windsurfing events in 2012. Performances are planned in Poole, Weymouth and Greenwich in 2012.
Coastal Voices Project Manager Kate Burrough. 07967 622680 kate@kateburrough.co.uk
Supported by:
Coastal Voices is part of an ongoing participation programe and linked to River of Music – the Cultural Olympiad programe supported by National Lottery funds through the Olympic Lottery Distributor and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Commissioning funding has been supported by the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site through Creative Coast.
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August 14th, 2012
Weymouth Beach Live was everything I expected it to be and more….. Olympian singers WOW! The young people of Coastal Voices sang their hearts out with enthusiasm, dedication and joy. John Miles has a wonderful way with youngsters and gets the best out of them, making them feel proud to belong to the group and determined to do their best. As an ex primary headteacher with years of music specialism experience, I can appreciate the hard work that went onto the project to get such a high standard. Well done everyone!!
August 7th, 2012
It was quite an emotional experience watching the B Sharp choir singing On Golden Cap – knowing all the hours of rehearsal and hard work that have gone into it and then hearing the whole thing in all its glory. What a triumph! All the singers looked so engaged and purposeful and sounded fantastic too. I am delighted that my daughter has had the chance to be part of this music-making; to witness and participate in a work being created and one with a national importance as well. I felt both privileged and proud. Thank you to you and everyone who has made it possible.
Jules Adair
August 7th, 2012
Congratulations again – what a great performance! ‘On Golden Cap’ is a striking and powerful piece of music. The standard is high, the ownership and enjoyment of the piece by young performers evident, and the bond between young performers and John K Miles a delight to watch. A real tribute to B Sharp and the young people of Lyme Regis.
Nadine Wood | Learning Manager
August 7th, 2012
‘Shine, Shine, Shine, set yourself free”. What a wonderfully optimistic and vibrant message for such a large group of young people to express through music. Their sense of ownership of this new piece was tangible at the Poole Lighthouse performance of the Coastal Voices project. They had devised the texts and melodies themselves and then taken to new heights through the brilliant crafting by John Miles.
This process is precious indeed. Thanks to Fran Williams and B sharp for their ongoing mission to develop this work. They deserve every ounce of support. What an incredible way of binding a community together without competition or prescribed boundaries. Through John’s music they became one voice.
Howard Moody
Musical Director Coastal Voices
August 7th, 2012
‘After two years of planning, commissioning, creating and rehearsing , the performance of coastal Voices on Sunday delivered far more than was ever dared hoped.
B Sharp, and the young people of Lyme Regis, dispelled an image that choral music was mainly for older people when they lifted the roof, our heart rates, and our pride when they performed John K Miles sublime new work ‘On Golden Cap’.
The younger part of the Coastal Voices collaboration showed us all that not only can they sing brilliantly – but that music making in their region is alive and kicking – and of exceptional quality.
The music commissioned by Creative Coast to reflect the geology of the Jurrasic Coast World Heritage Site was inspired by the young people, and they in turn inspired me and the rest of the audience at Lighthouse with their performance. Not only for the their magnificent voices, but with the beauty of the score, the aptness of the libretto created by the words of the participants about the place they live, the professional delivery of the performance and the joy of the singers. It was a very special treat for this world premiere to also be conducted by the composer.
Lyme Regis and particularly B Sharp – you certainly showed us all!’
Elspeth McBain
CEO
Lighthouse, Poole
elspethm@lighthousepoole.co.uk
tel 01202 781 310
http://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
July 27th, 2012
I am so proud that my little girl is part of such an amazing sound… what an opportunity this has been for her. Thank you, and good luck for today at Weymouth Olympic live
July 12th, 2012
poole was amazing,cant wait to do it again:)
July 10th, 2012
Hi to all who took part at the Lighthouse Centre in Poole.
What a fabulous concert! I have really enjoyed the experience of singing John’s fabulous On Golden Cap, knowing some of you wrote those lyrics with Billy Bragg last year, how lovely to have such a personal contribution.
I feel priviledged to be singing with such a dedicated, talented and enthusistic bunch of youngsters. Where are the journalists and reporters when you want them to see such splendid examples of our young people today?
Look forward to seeing you all again when we rehearse for Weymouth.
Love to you all.
Sally
July 9th, 2012
Bsharp at the lighthouse- fun, out of this world and great to perform with my friends.
July 9th, 2012
Wow, yesterday was amazing,all the hard work came together and sounded fantastic so proud to be part of such an wonderful project !!
July 9th, 2012
Coastal Voices at Poole lighthouse was amazing thank you so much to john and fran I can’t wait until Weymouth
July 8th, 2012
Coastal Voices was fantastic, it has been the most incredible and rewarding project I’ve ever had the chance of being a part of !!! I have enjoyed everything especially meeting up with other people from other year groups, other schools and most importantly Billy Bragg who without we wouldn’t have these powerful words !!! I honestly can’t wait for B sharps next big project and BRING ON WEYMOUTH !!!!
xxx
October 25th, 2011
As parents of one of the drummers we went to see Coastal Voices at the Hear Here concert and thought it both beautiful and fascinating. Billy Bragg, John Miles and the teenagers were amazing.
October 18th, 2011
Hello everyone, Harvey speaking! well i have done 2 b sharp events before and this one definately doesnt dissapoint. it is just as good, (if not better!) than the ones i have done before. cant wait to perform ‘here here’ with everyone else.( st michaels and the b sharp group!) its going to be awsome! although i didnt work with him myself, Billy Brag has made a huge difference to our songs, so thank you to him for helping us out with the song writing! and of course a huge thankyou to john and fran for making this happen! i have really enjoyed the experience!!!;)
October 1st, 2011
I felt really priveleged to work with Billy. I was lucky to be in the group that he worked with and it was great to have his undivided attention. He really inspired us all. Thanks to Billy and all concerned.
September 26th, 2011
Working with Billy Bragg was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really got a lot out of it. I haven’t really done a lot of song writing and after working with Billy it has really inspired me about working in groups and making awesome music!
September 25th, 2011
Hi, The workshop with Billy was amazing and really inspiring. It made me think about songwriting in a different way to what i normally do and made me write in a different genre which was different but i embraced the challenge. It was a really fun four hours and i hope to see him and work with him again.
September 23rd, 2011
Hi, B sharp was awsome, especially as we got to play and write music with Billy Brag!
September 20th, 2011
Hello! Just been to a B Sharp project with Billy Bragg, one of the best ones I’ve been too, he tought us song writing which I don’t normally like but this one was great (unlike billys jokes!). Thanks allot to fran, john, Dom (our bands leader!) and of course Billy!!