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Hello. Who are you?
Stuart Hancock.

Describe your role in the project.
Lead Composer on Snapshot Songs.

What brought you to Snapshot Songs?
The SHM Foundation took me on as their first Composer-in-Residence following my work for the Holst Singers at the Voices Now Festival at the Roundhouse in 2011.  They proposed the idea of creating this new British “song-cycle” based around the zeitgeist. They passed me the ball, and I’ve been running with it ever since!

What else do you do with your time?
Most recently, I’ve composed the orchestral score for a two-part TV movie called “Unknown Heart” (starring Jane Seymour, Greg Wise and James Fox), the new arrangement of the theme music to “This Morning” on ITV, and music for a number of adverts, including Carling, 3 Mobile (“pug”), and the deliciously sarcastic Harvey Nichols Christmas ad.

If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If I had to pick one awesome song that gets me every time I listen to it, it would be “The Flood” by Katie Melua.  It’s just a brilliant piece of song-writing in every respect – great melody, beautiful arrangement/production, interesting/mysterious lyrics, and a good dose of darkness and exoticism.

Hello. Who are you?
Olivia Preye Bradbury.

Describe your role in the project.
Choir Leader and Artistic Associate.

What brought you to Snapshot Songs?
I was invited by Barbican-Guildhall Creative Learning and agreed to get involved as I think it’s a unique and important project and really relevant to what we should be thinking about and addressing at this time, in this ever growing city. I feel excited to be involved in something progressive and inclusive.

What else do you do with your time?
I have just finished the second run of my solo show “Finding Frank”, a multi media devised theatre piece based on a true story about music, mental health and the effects of funding cuts in the arts therapies. I run the trio Goodbye Leopold performing and recording regularly with them and I work part time as a music facilitator/therapist, mainly in mental health.

If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
That would make me really ill, but I love: the Beatles, Bjork, Radiohead, Wayne Shorter, Benjamin Britten, most bands from Bristol, Erykah Badu, and a lot of underground U.K. Hip Hop.

Hello. Who are you?
Peter Ash: Conductor and Composer: Artistic Director of the London Schools Symphony Orchestra.

Describe your role in the project.
I am conducting the final rehearsals and the two performances.

What brought you to Snapshot Songs?
I was asked to be involved by Stuart Hancock, our wonderful composer.

What else do you do with your time?
I am preparing the next LSSO concert at the Barbican Concert Hall in January. I am also writing a song cycle called Survival of the Fittest for tenor and piano, based on English animal poems.

If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Bach’s ‘Goldberg Variations’, an hour long ‘song’ arranged for string trio by the great violinist Dmitri Sitkovetsky and recorded by him with Gerard Causse and Misha Maisky.

Hello. Who are you?
Luke Crookes: bassoonist and workshop facilitator.

Describe your role in the project:
Workshop leading and being a member of the team to help it come together.

What brought you to Snapshot Songs?
I stepped in one day to lead the choir.

What else do you do with your time?
I make music in the Royal Free Hospital, Evelina Children’s Hospital, and the St Thomas’ Hospital choir. I also lead the workshop and collaborative student elective at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
‘In Paradisum’ by Gabriel Faure.

The post “Hello. Who are you?” Meet the Snapshot Songs team. appeared first on Snapshot Songs Blog.

A very big thank you to all who came along to the taster workshops, and auditioned for Snapshot Songs.

We are proud to announce that the Snapshot Songs choir is now assembled!

In the process of putting together the choir we have discovered that there are many other singing opportunities to take part in, all across London.

Here are some organisations that we’ve recently come across: East London Chorus, Hackney Singers, Hackney Voices, Highgate Choral Society, Hoxton Singers, Singing in London, and Stratford East Singers.

Also below are more brilliant organisations currently looking for singers to join them!

Voicelab’s Winter Big Sing, South Bank

This free day of singing is for everyone regardless of experience or ability. To book a place on the Songs of Giving Workshop contact voicelab@southbankcentre.co.uk before Mon 9 December.

http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/voicelabs-winter-big-sing-79452

Force Majeure, Dalston

A London choral project with an interest in singing, creative collaboration and performance. Rehearsals on Mon evenings at 7pm in Dalston. Contact Mary Cork marycork@yahoo.com.

Force Majeure’s Facebook page.

Crowd Out, Shoreditch

An extraordinary event exploring the beauty of crowds through sound. Culminates in June 2014, no singing experience required. Contact laura.fensom@spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk or 020 7377 0287.

http://www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk/get-involved/make-music/crowd-out/

London Symphony Chorus (LSC), EC1

The LSC has a worldwide reputation and is recognised as one of the finest choruses in the country. Contact andra.east@lso.co.uk or 020 7382 2518.

www.lsc.org.uk

LSO Community Choir, EC1

If you live in EC1 and want to sing in an informal relaxed environment, the LSO Community Choir rehearses at LSO St Luke’s every Mon. Contact andra.east@lso.co.uk or 020 7382 2518.

http://lso.co.uk/

LSO Youth Choir, EC1 

For children aged 7–18, the LSO Youth Choirs offer fantastic opportunities for young people to be part of something bigger. Contact andra.east@lso.co.uk or 020 7382 2518.

http://lso.co.uk/

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