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Major city-wide music project for-Wards culminates this June with performances of 6 world premieres of new music inspired by the second city in the final year of this project.
In just 2 years for-Wards has worked across 40 Wards, 10 Districts, with 10 Composers and 40 Community Groups and will have created 10 Local Performances premiering 10 new musical creations. Year 2 has seen a collaboration between professional composers from Birmingham and 100’s of residents across 6 Districts in the city working together to produce a musical anthem which celebrates the sounds and stories from their own communities.
The performances, open to all, feature the collaborative work of community groups from Erdington, Hall Green, Ladywood, Perry Barr, Yardley and Sutton Districts who have been out recording sounds from streets, parks, strange strings, homemade instruments, local butchers, hairdressers, cows and Pakistani fairy tales.
‘Truly a unique project for the city of Birmingham’
Professor Julian Lloyd Webber, Principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
The recorded sounds are currently being embedded into what will be six wonderful musical creations through the professional talents of composers from a range of music genres: Electroacoustic composer, sound artist, performer and music lecturer Annie Mahtani, songwriter and composer Grandmaster Gareth who runs an 8-piece band Misty’s Big Adventure, as well as releasing solo-albums; Dubstep guru Pøgman who is cementing his place in dubstep with tours in Canada, USA and Australia; Handsworth-born Jazz saxophonist Xhosa Cole, part of the established legacy of Birmingham Jazz saxophonists founded by Andy Hamilton; Scott Johannsson a Birmingham-based visual artist and musician and member of the group LARVA; producer and writer and Brit Award nominee Simon Duggal who has written in a variety of genres for artists including Shania Twain, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and The Beat.
for-Wards is the brainchild of proud Brummie Bobbie-Jane Gardner, a composer and musician who is currently studying at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Bobbie said “This has been an incredible journey for me. I have been blessed to have worked with such talented professional composers and over 500 residents across the city over the 2 years. We have been producing some amazing and thought-provoking music and I am so very proud of everyone involved.
Award-winning producer and Brit-Award nominee Simon Duggal who has been working with groups in the Perry Barr District said “Through my work on the for-Wards project with community groups in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham, I’ve seen first-hand how music really can change lives. I’m looking forward to showcasing the compositions in June”
Working in the Sutton District, Chris Eddowes, alias DJ Pøgman, who has recently been touring the USA with sold-out DJ sets added “Experiencing the sense of community in Sutton after working with such a diverse collection of people is very warming. I am very excited to capture the life and soul of Sutton through the sounds of a mixed generation.”
The live performances will take place across the city and will include performances at Concerts in the Park in Sutton Park, Old Yardley School Trust House to The Springfield Centre in B13 amongst others.
Featured image: Composer Scott Johannsson recording with residents in Erdington