Union Chapel will be transformed by sounds and rhythms echoing the seasonal shift of the Highland year
A free installation featuring the wind, weather and animals of Scotland recorded in some of the wildest parts of the country. This installation by Chris Watson and Claire M Singer will feature field recordings, which will interact with the organ at key moments.
Graphic scores based on the recording location’s ordinance surveys will be interpreted by James McVinnie, Katherine Tinker and Jacob Lekkerkerker.
The installation runs continuously from 13.30 -16.00 with the organ featuring at:
Spring to Summer - 13.45 – 14.15
Summer to Autumn – 14.30 – 15.00
Autumn to Winter - 15.15 – 15.45
Chris Watson is best known for his work with David Attenborough. He has recorded sound for the Bafta award winning The Life of Birds and Frozen Planet. His passion for recording the sounds of animals and their habitats has led him to travel the world and for this new installation he will draw on his library of sounds recorded in the Cairngorms, Caledonian forest, Flow country and the sea cliffs of Cape Wrath.
Watson’s spatial sound installations feature a strong sense and spirit of place. He has been widely commissioned by the likes of The National Gallery, London, The Louvre Paris and the Aichi Triennial in Japan. His 2003 release Weather Report was voted as one of the 100 best albums to hear before you die by The Guardian.
For this installation Chris Watson will be working in collaboration with artist Claire M Singer. Claire was born in Scotland and the landscape of her home country heavily influences her work. Claire is the founder of Organ Reframed and known for her experimental approach to the organ with her critically acclaimed releases on the prolific experimental label Touch. Awards include the Oram Award in 2017 for her innovation in sound and music and the Festival Castell de Peralada Award for best film score in 2019 (Tell It To The Bees) and in 2020 her work Gleann Ciùin was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award. The Guardian wrote ‘Claire M Singer really knows how to wring the best out of this magnificent instrument, creating moments of sustained rapture’. Most recently, in December 2021, her solo organ work, The Molendinar, featured in The New York Times '5 Minutes That Will Make You Love the Organ'.
James McVinnie’s work as a performer encompasses music from the 16th century to the present day. He has collaborated with many leading figures in new music including Philip Glass, Tom Jenkinson/Squarepusher, Angelique Kidjo, Nico Muhly, Martin Creed, Richard Reed Parry, Bryce Dessner, Darkstar, Hildur Guðnadóttir.
Katherine Tinker is a concert pianist. She recently made her solo debut at the BBC Proms, playing in Prom 70 alongside Jonny Greenwood. She’ll be bringing a fresh perspective to the organ.
Jacob Lekkerkerker is one of the most innovative organists of his generation, performing internationally, organist and curator of music at Oude Kerk Amsterdam.
*Please note: If you would like to purchase the festival pass you must add all three Organ Reframed paid events for the discount to be applied at the checkout*
Additional Events:
Claire M Singer and Chris Watson premiere their new work Voci del Vento with the London Contemporary Orchestra. The work will incorporate the soundscapes of habitats northwards from Antarctica to the Arctic captured by Watson processed and diffused live over a multi channel set up brought in specially for the event. These field recordings will be combined with organ, brass, strings, voice and electronics located around the chapel echoing a musical response from Singer to the sound and spirit of each location. Together the music and field recordings interweave taking the listener on an immersive aural journey from Pole to Pole.
Derek Walmsley, editor of the Wire Magazine will lead Chris Watson and Claire M Singer in conversation. Together they will explore the creative processes that lead to Voci del Vento, an immersive aural journey from Pole to Pole composed by Chris Watson and Claire M Singer.
Organ Reframed 2022 is brought to you by Union Chapel Project in partnership with the London Contemporary Orchestra with generous support from Arts Council England, PRS for Music Foundation, The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and the Three Monkies Trust.
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