March — June 2019
Women singers and singing enthusiasts who enjoy the great outdoors
Braemar and Aviemore
Calling all singers and singing enthusiasts in Braemar, Aviemore and the surrounding areas. We are bringing together a new choir and want to invite you to get involved. Forming a key part of artist Simone Kenyon’s project, Into The Mountain, the choir will learn and perform new vocal compositions by artist and composer Hanna Tuulikki. The compositions are inspired by Nan Shepherd’s book, The Living Mountain and are part of a unique performance taking place in the Cairngorms in June 2019.
We have a series of weekend workshops planned for you to attend, taking place every other weekend from March to June 2019. The workshops will be facilitated by Lucy Duncombe, a vocalist and composer who collaborates closely with Hanna. These are open to all women (for clarity this includes cis women, trans women and intersex women) interested in singing and walking together, and in Nan Shepherd’s unique approach to being in the Cairngorms. If you would like to find out more before signing up, we are running taster sessions in Aviemore on Saturday 16 February and in Braemar on Sunday 17 February.
These rehearsals will lead to the new choir, supported by Hanna and Lucy, performing alongside dancers for a live audience from 30 May — 2 June as part of Into the Mountain in the Cairngorms.
If you would like to come along
Please email us on info@intothemountain.co.uk or phone us on 01464 861372. We will need to know which group you will be coming along to. This helps give us some idea of numbers and how many cups of tea to make!
More about the choir and composition
The Into The Mountain composition and performance are inspired by Nan Shepherd’s 1974 book, The Living Mountain and respond directly to the landscape featured within its pages. The vocal composition draws from the sonic descriptions created by Shepherd as well as traditional Aberdeenshire song. The choir will accompany a team of performers who will move within a selected site in the Cairngorms to a live audience in June 2019.
We will create 2 choirs (in Braemar and Aviemore) who will then come together over a series of rehearsals on site to perform with Into The Mountain performers.
Requirements
If you are interested in being a key part of this exciting and unique project we ask that you commit to:
• 4 x workshops from March to May
• 2 x on site rehearsals
• Performing in some or all of final performances from the 30 May – 2 June 2019.
What we offer
All workshops are free and open to women aged 18 and over. All workshops are free to attend. Expenses for the performances will be covered (within the Cairngorm region) and we will provide sustenance and refreshments throughout. We will also share documentation with all participants and credit names of all involved in the choir.
More about Into The Mountain
Developed over 5 years by Simone Kenyon, Into the Mountain explores and celebrates women’s relationships with mountainous places to address current and historical perspectives of gender in relation to the Scottish landscape. All aspects of the project are delivered by women, and the project is produced by the Scottish Sculpture Workshop in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire. If you would like to find out more about Into The Mountain, visit the about section of this website.
Following the performances, there may be further opportunity to be included in a short film about this performance by Lucy Cash and Simone Kenyon developed in collaboration with National Theatre Scotland which will be shared through their digital outlets.
Workshop Schedule
Aviemore workshops at Aviemore Community and Leisure Centre, the Studio, 2 —4pm
Taster Session — Saturday 16 February
Workshop 1 — Saturday 30 March
Workshop 2 — Saturday 13 April
Workshop 3 — Saturday 27 April
Rehearsal 1 (on site) — Saturday 11 May
Workshop 4 — Saturday 18 May
Rehearsal 2 (dress) — Tuesday 28 May
Performance 1 (press) — Thursday 30 May
Performance 2 — Friday 31 May
Performance 3 — Saturday 1 June
Performance 4 — Sunday 2 June
Braemar workshops at St Margaret’s Braemar, 11 — 1pm
Taster Session — Sunday 17 February
Workshop 1 — Sunday 31 March
Workshop 2 — Sunday 14 April
Workshop 3 — Sunday 28 April
Rehearsal 1 (on site) — Saturday 11 May
Workshop 4 — Sunday 19 May
Rehearsal 2 (dress) — Tuesday 28 May
Performance 1 (press) — Thursday 30 May
Performance 2 — Friday 31 May
Performance 3 — Saturday 1 June
Performance 4 — Sunday 2 June
For more information
If you have any questions or would like further information, get in touch by emailing info@intothemountain.co.uk or phoning the Scottish Sculpture Workshop on 01464 861372.
Photo by Lucy Cash.