Part of ASMF’s longstanding work with people experiencing homelessness involves creating performances and recordings with participants for sharing with wider audiences. In 2024, as part of Marriner 100 and marking 25 years of the orchestra’s work with this community, we created A City Full of Stories. The piece is a culmination of two projects at The Connection and additional writing sessions with The Outside Project.
Gabrielle Painter, ASMF violinist, was one of the musicians involved in the workshops and recordings for this project. In this article, she reflects on her involvement.
It has been a privilege and joy to be a part of the most recent ASMF project with The Connection. Led by the inimitable Jackie Walduck, this was the latest collaboration between clients of the centre, some of the wonderful staff members of The Connection, ASMF musicians, and students and Fellows from the Royal Academy of Music’s Open Academy department.
Sessions comprise of introductions of people and instruments (there was particular excitement to see the bass clarinet!) and rhythmic and latterly vocal warm ups, which became more complicated each week challenging the increasing skills and progress of participants and us ASMF musicians alike! Improvisation forms a significant part of the session and can stem from a chord progression in a song, or rhythmic grooves established in the group. Some of the most uplifting and energised music-making I have experienced has come from the sessions at The Connection – a release of spirit and emotion. We communicate with each other through our music. There is pleased acknowledgment when someone hears you have noticed their idea – a rhythmic cell or melodic motif and are sending it back, extending it, turning it upside down, and are now waiting for their answer to continue the dialogue.
It is only in the last few years that I have started to work on projects like this and to improvise, as a classically trained musician I found it incredibly daunting to turn up with just my instrument and no printed notes! Now I find it to be amongst the most stimulating and rewarding work I do. I have been very impressed by the students and Fellows from the Royal Academy of Music, who have shown themselves to be responsive, caring, versatile musicians and are very lucky to have this training and experience led by Jackie – we all learn so much from her.
“I am truly inspired by how the musician team created a strong connection with the participants through music making and provide a safe space for creative music-making. I got paired up with one participant to do a short melodic line for the recording. It is very fascinating to see his determination and improvement throughout the project. The confidence he gained and the joy on his face after the recording session is invaluable. This project is very rewarding and also reminds me how music can connect with people and music is not just an entertainment but also a tool to support and motivate individuals.”
Hugo Lau, Royal Academy of Music Open Academy Fellow
Jackie Walduck is the most enabling person. She holds the space with great calm, respectfulness and creativity. It can be a difficult balance to achieve when there are regular participants who come to build on their work and then those who come in for the first time. Each person’s energy is so different and can vary according to difficulties they have faced during the week. It can take some newcomers a while to settle in to the session but Jackie makes everyone feel welcome and heard. Every contribution is valued and there is always a joint sense of purpose and community in the music making.
The other major part of this project was to create and record the Fountain Song for the SoundWalk project. In contrast to the energetic rhythmic improvisations this was to be a gentle song about a fountain in a tranquil churchyard tucked away in Covent Garden. One of my favourite moments working on the project was when we went on the route of the SoundWalk together to help us prepare in the last sessions before the recording. Most of us had never seen the fountain we were creating music about. I walked with Victoria, one of our most loyal and enthusiastic participants, who plays the glockenspiel. It was a lovely opportunity to chat and to get to know her a bit better, she has the most positive and beautiful energy. At the end of the walk Mukhtar (one of our solo singers) encouraged us to stand in a circle, put our hands together and raise them up to the sky in celebration! It was a euphoric moment! Another highlight for me was the opportunity to collaborate with Mukhtar on the verses of the Fountain Song. He has a soulful voice and I really enjoyed improvising around his melodies.
Working on the Fountain Song over those eight weeks gave the group a palpable sense of purpose. The work became increasingly serious and
committed as we got closer to the recording and we all arrived at St Anne’s Church on the day with nervous anticipation and excitement. Knowing that this was to be a significant part of the SoundWalk gave us all enormous pride, and the song was beautiful, hypnotic and calming. Everyone put their heart and soul into it and was completely absorbed in the music-making. It was a wonderful, moving and joyful project to be part of and I can’t wait for the next one.
A City Full of Stories is available to experience until 15 October 2024. Simply visit the church of St-Martin-in-the-Fields and pick up a leaflet to begin. If you’re unable to do the SoundWalk, you can listen to the tracks here.
Our recording session was illustrated live by Ruby Wright. See more of Ruby’s work here: http://www.rubywright.com/
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