PRS for Music Foundation support!

SparkedEcho are excited to announce we have been awarded funding from PRS for Music Foundation to support the writing of a new musical work for our upcoming production Beacons.

Composed by Emily Peasgood, Beacons is an outdoor choral performance for 5 singers, involving choreography, acapella singing and responsive technologies to inspire and immerse audiences.

Through sea gooseberry 'treasure hunt' engagement activities in the weeks before, audiences will be led to a magical performance on Folkestone beach in late 2021. The electronic sea gooseberries contain sensors and will light up when near the performance date, reminding audiences that it is time to return them to the sea.

Emily says:
“Beacons is an innovative project that challenges me to create a live performance work in ways I haven’t explored before. The composition I create will respond flexibly to different outdoor locations, and the way performers move as they sing it. This is my first collaborative work, and the first work I’ve created that considers space and movement in this way and is performed live. I will really enjoy the creative process this funding will support and can’t wait for people to experience the final piece.”

The performance will address the climate crisis and our need to connect with nature and each other, and sits perfectly as a response to the isolation and reflection Covid-19 has brought our communities. Ancient language and sounds offer a moment of ritualistic deep connection, working in tandem with visual and interactive digital elements led by Artistic Director Alison Neighbour.

Alison says:
I’m excited by the chance to work closely with composer Emily Peasgood to create a spectacular sound and light event for Folkestone. The music is a huge part of supporting the audience to engage with the themes of the work, and we’re creating an innovative and exciting solution to enable the singers to move through the audience on the beach for an experience that is both intimate and epic. I’m very grateful to PRSF for believing in this project and enabling us to bring it to the community of Folkestone.”

Emily Peasgood is an Ivor Novello Composer’s Award winning composer, sound artist and visual artist based in Ramsgate. She creates research-led and site specific interactive artworks for galleries and outdoor public spaces, ranging from large-scale community events to intimate sound installations.

Alison Neighbour is a Folkestone-based artist and scenographer working in theatre, dance, installation and site responsive practice, locally and internationally. She enjoys working closely with communities and found spaces or outdoor environments, and her focus is always on connection and empathy. As a year-round sea swimmer, much of her work is inspired by our relationship with water and our natural environment.

Beacons is produced by Kent-based music organisation SparkedEcho in partnership with Creative Folkestone. We gratefully acknowledge funding from Arts Council England, PRS for Music Foundation, Folkestone Town Council, South East Creatives and private donations.

Beacons project
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