Creative Cities – taking high quality music and dance performance to local communities
08 February 2012
From schools in inner London to a performance at the Royal
Festival Hall - that magical journey could be in store for Isle of
Dogs school children in March, after participating in music, dance
and film-making activities with Trinity Laban Conservatoire of
Music and Dance.
Trinity Laban is working with the Isle of Dogs and wider Tower
Hamlets community on a project called Creative
Cities, proudly supported by Canary Wharf Group plc. Four
schools, the Isle of Dogs Community Choir, Neighbours in Poplar and
Dance Fusion are collaborating with Trinity Laban's project leaders
and students to produce music, dance and film pieces about living
in an urban space for a special one off concert at the East
Wintergarden in Canary Wharf on 10 February.
The new works they have created are influenced by the music of
Surrogate Cities, an orchestral work by acclaimed
German composer Heiner Goebbels, which draws upon an eclectic mix
of musical influences, texts and sampled sounds. Surrogate
Cities is now, in Goebbels' 60th birthday year,
receiving its London premiere in as part of one of the trailblazer
projects for the Cultural Olympiad.
From 3pm on 3 March, many of these creative projects will
receive a second performance alongside work by Junior Trinity, the
Animate Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra's The
Bandin at the public spaces of the Royal Festival Hall as part of
Surrogate Cities Exploded!
Many of the children, young people and elders involved in the
project have spoken about the transformational nature of their
experiences in responding to Goebbels' work through music dance and
film: 7 and 8 year olds from Shapla Primary School in Shadwell, for
example, said:
- Tanjina, 7, Shapla Primary School: "When I dance I feel like
I'm the tallest person."
- Ismaeel, 8, Shapla Primary School: "I felt famous when I was
being filmed. We made shapes of the buildings and had to stay very
still. When I dance I feel like I am the building."
- Jakira, 13 George Green's School, wrote lyrics for her song,
Rate Me Later: "Every colour, every light that burns across the
night sky, reminds us all of where we are"
Howard Dawber from Canary Wharf Group plc, commented: "We have
been working with local residents since the very first days of
Canary Wharf, investing in projects that foster ambition and that
bring about social and economic development."
"A vital part of this community involvement is working with
world class education providers like Trinity Laban to give local
young people exciting and new experiences and training which could
guide them into a lifelong interest, and perhaps employment, in the
creative industries in Canary Wharf and beyond."
Professor Anthony Bowne, Principal of Trinity Laban, agreed:
"Trinity Laban has run a highly successful programme of activities
with our local communities for more than a decade; this kind of
work enriches lives and ensures that we are highly connected to all
those who live and work in this important part of London.
"We are delighted to be working with Canary Wharf Group plc,
through our partnership helping ensure that many more local people,
young and old, are able to participate in unique artistic
experiences."
For more information, pictures, quotes or a press pass to the
East Wintergarden performance, please contact Susie Haywood,
Trinity Laban Media Manager, on 07912 963 427 or email s.haywood@trinitylaban.ac.uk.
Children from Shapla Primary School, Shadwell, in
the Trinity Laban dance class
The Groups
- Cubitt Town Primary School, Isle of Dogs - two Year 5 music and
dance classes
- Shapla Primary School, Shadwell - one Year 3 class: dance, one
Year 5 class: music
- George Green Secondary School, Isle of Dogs (after school
composition and a long term rock band project called Get Your Act
Together
- Mulberry School for Girls, Tower Hamlets - Year 9 class:
dance
- Isle of Dogs Community Choir - intergenerational choir creating
new work
- Neighbours in Poplar - older adults music, dance and film
sessions
- Dance Fusion - Trinity Laban youth dance group
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is the UK's only
conservatoire of music and contemporary dance. Its innovative
course provision, exciting performances and groundbreaking
education, community and social inclusion work make Trinity Laban a
leader in the advancement of elite and creative artistic practice.
The unequalled expertise and experience of Trinity Laban staff and
world class facilities are housed in landmark buildings in
Greenwich and Deptford, enabling the organisation to foster the
musicians, dancers and artistic leaders of the future, enriching
Britain's vibrant cultural life and its creative industries which
are vital to a balanced, diverse economy.
As well as providing a world renowned platform for the
cultivation of artistic talent, Trinity Laban is dedicated to its
work in the wider community. The institution tailors specific music
and dance outreach programmes to deprived communities in Deptford,
Greenwich, Lewisham, the Isle of Dogs and beyond. Trinity Laban's
participatory arts projects engage socially excluded and hard to
reach young people and adults, build community relations and
develop participants' aspirations and skills for employment or
study.
Junior Trinity
Junior Trinity is a Saturday School for 3-19 year olds held in
Trinity Laban's Faculty of Music. Junior Trinity's aim is to
encourage a lifelong interest in music and to give our students the
opportunities to develop to their maximum potential. A current
Junior Trinity student is a finalist in the BBC's Young Musician of
the year 2012.
Animate Orchestra
Animate Orchestra is run by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music
and Dance, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Greenwich and
Lewisham Music Services for local young instrumentalists aged 10 -
13. It has just received funding to extend into Lambeth and
Southwark.
Animate is not a traditional orchestra, but welcomes a wide
range of instruments, from any cultural background, to reflect the
skills and interests of its members.
Music Nation
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is involved in
the BBC's Music Nation weekend (3-4 March 2012). The weekend is one
of a select group of `countdown' events for the London 2012
Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad, and is a key part of
the BBC's Cultural Olympiad programming. Built primarily around
classical music, but taking in jazz, folk and world music, Music
Nation aims to engage as many people as possible; whether it be
attending world-class performances or taking part in community
projects and workshops in venues and public places up and down the
country.
Surrogate Cities
For more information please see this news item:
Trinity Laban leads the London premiere of Heiner Goebbels'
Surrogate Cities to launch the Southbank's Cultural
Olympiad.
Canary Wharf Group plc
Canary Wharf Group plc is an integrated property development,
investment and management group of companies.
Canary Wharf has a working population of nearly 100,000 people
in a diverse range of sectors for some of the world's leading
companies. It has paved the way for the regeneration of London's
Docklands and one in five Canary Wharf workers now lives in a local
East London borough. It has helped London and the City consolidate
its position at the centre of the business world.
Following the recent announcement to build a new headquarters
for European Medicines Agency at 25 Churchill Place, the Group has
plans in place to continue to develop Canary Wharf in the coming
years. The Group is currently constructing the Canary Wharf
Crossrail station ahead of schedule and on budget, which is ready
to receive the Crossrail tunnel boring machines in Summer 2012.
Canary Wharf Group also has joint ventures outside Canary Wharf at
20 Fenchurch Street (with Land Securities) and the Shell Centre
(with Qatari Diar).
Canary Wharf Group is backing Tower Hamlets' bid to become the
UK's next city, as part of Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
celebrations in 2012
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