recent & past projects
The Tales Project - 2017
April 2017
McOpera successfully received funding from Waitrose Music Matters and East Dunbartonshire Arts Council to commission an outreach project and concert on April 21st 2017 at Cairns Church in Milngavie as part of the Milngavie Music Club 75th anniversary celebrations and concert series.
The project was based on ‘Cautionary Tales and Fables’, and at its heart was be a performance of Igor Stravinsky's ‘The Soldier’s Tale’ in its full septet version, conducted by Sian Edwards, narrated by Flora Munro, with a projected film by Roddy Simpson and local storyboard artist Derek Gray.
This was coupled with a commissioned piece by composer Peter Kemp for children’s chorus (East Dunbartonshire Children’s Chorus and Youth Choir) and instrumental ensemble. Drawing on the Visit Scotland 2017 theme of local history, heritage and archeology, the project explored local tales set to music (including the Bennie’s railplane, the madcap events of Charlie the elephant at Craigend Zoo, the folly of the Antonine Wall and Lunardi’s balloon flight). These were workshopped within the community in a variety of formats (with both adult and children’s community groups, using music, art, text and photography).
FEEDBACK
For the young people, having the opportunity to engage with musicians of this outstanding calibre is such a valuable experience- truly inspirational – both for pupils and teachers alike.
Jane Davidson: Director of Outreach and Education, Scottish Opera
The Tales project was undoubtedly one of the most ambitious and memorable that Milngavie Music Club has undertaken in its 75-year history. Combining a great 20th Century classic of music theatre (Stravinsky's 'The Soldier's Tale') with a witty and colourful new cycle of choral songs specially composed by Peter Kemp and rooted in our own community's history added up to a truly extraordinary event.
Hugh Macdonald, President, Milngavie Music Club
It just goes to show how little I know about Scotland and more specifically East Dunbartonshire and all the great things that have happened that prove just what we’re capable of in the future. I loved how well the music was written as the musical style went perfectly with the time we were singing about. It was a unique way of learning the area’s history and was a really fun way to show people what our choir can do.
EDYC 15 year old singer
I think that the combination of the local historical links, the creative process, singing with professional players, the connection to Stravinsky, being part of a professional concert with an international conductor to sing an extended piece which was commissioned and written especially for them have made this a fantastically unique and unforgettable experience for all the young people involved.
Parent
A Song for Haddo - 2017
October 2017
Haddo Arts Festival 2017
Performed at Haddo House
October 12th 2017
in conjunction with
Music Co-OPERAtive Scotland (McOpera Outreach) and Snape Maltings.
Based on the song cycle, Friday Afternoons by Benjamin Britten, A Song for Haddo was the exciting culmination of this year’s Haddo outreach programme.
Moira Morrison, McOpera composer and vocal animateur, worked with over 120 primary school pupils and their teachers from Aberdeenshire using Kodaly-inspired vocal techniques. The schools involved were Pitfour, New Deer, Barthol Chapel, Daviot, Pitmedden and Tarves Primary Schools.
Six of Benjamin Britten's Friday Afternoon songs were accompanied by a string ensemble formed of local high school string students from Meldrum Academy, Ellon Academy and Inverurie Academy, in an orchestration by Peter Kemp.
The young string players were mentored by 3 of our professional orchestral musicians, who played alongside the students, led by Katie Hull and assisted by local string specialists.