Over the months of September and October the project has been gradually gaining momentum and signing up more participants. On September 10th we had an introduction day in the open-air at the Meadow Barns, which was filmed. The next week we began training ‘ambassadors’ – people who can go out and explain, demonstrate and recruit others to take part in the tapestry activities. Following on from those days, we edited films and began a regular posting to our YouTube channel, find the link to these below. (Introduction, Design of Physical Tapestry, Cutting out your Hero in Felt)
NEW for OCTOBER HALF TERM Book a Music/Sound Session on Monday 26th October or a Cutting out and Sewing Session on Tuesday 27th, at the Meadow Barns (Free for PL24 residents, donations requested from others). Times to suit participants. Email cjs@betterways2learn.co.uk to
The images below demonstrate what a final tapestry could look like. One shows the physical tapestry, the other a possible structure for the sound. As we pool ideas for the end products it might even be possible to make the 2 tapestries match more closely. They will evolve over the winter and burst forth in a finished form next spring … hopefully on Clap to Carers Day March 25th 2021.
Click to enlarge
All the decisions about design of the physical tapestry are being taken by participants. Please put forward your ideas!
In a similar fashion, the structure and content of the sound tapestry is shaped by each new voice or music track we receive.
Structure of the Sound. There are 5 parts. The 1st is built around Verse 1 and Chorus 1, with a calm and gentle mood as we say thank you for family, friends and carers. That’s the purple end of the rainbow. The 2nd (blue and green for NHS and nature) starts out very sad and dark, but begins to pick up energy. The 3rd has an element of anger/frustration within the percussion beat patterns (yellow and red for communication, online, Royal Mail etc). 4th come the basics of life (the sky blue shops & food industry, with orange services & construction). And last but not least is a section about the divisions caused by Covid and the ways we in Par are working to be stronger and more cohesive. This ends with a final chorus plus big drums and cymbals – a grand finale. But none of the above is set in stone.
Every time spoken tributes or music come in they are mixed down and influence the final result. Why not use your imagination to arrange chords and tune fragments, compose & perform new interludes? In the event of any disagreements, the final artistic decisions will be taken by Caroline and Kate. Please send in your recordings, if possible using the free App Hi-Q (MP3 format) on your phone. Send to the dedicated project number 07767 687421. Alternatively send by email to cjs@betterways2learn.co.uk
The purpose of this page is to keep sharing and developing our designs and sounds ’til the result is done and we perform ‘the world is well again’. Play the music of PART 1 below. Visit the films here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnEQ1-QR-Y0
‘Til the world is well again & music for heroes
(c) C. Stephenson, Benjamin Larham and K. Thomson 2020
Music Tracks
Lyrics:
PART 1 When life defied our expectations and daily patterns began to fragment, ’twas a time to think what really matters and an opportunity that we were sent. CHORUS 1 So would we pull together for the future of mankind? Think of all the ways to send our love to those of troubled mind? The thousands who were lonely in panic or in pain, needing simple acts of kindness ’til the world is well again.
Intro + CLAPPING
FAMILY & FRIENDS
Lyrics:
VERSE 2 Though many of us were lucky and had somebody by our side, there were those who suffered the sickness and who was beside them as they died? CHORUS 2 In darkness throughout the worst time the nurses held their hand and doctors worked around the clock and tried to understand the virus, that took many from their families and friends; the medics working wonders until we reach the end.
Lyrics:
VERSE 3 Each day there were so many messages – from work, from school and the news. But did we know what the truth was, or even how to choose? CHORUS 3 The teachers who kept working across the internet; they tried their best to help ensure that learning goals were met. With endless online meetings, so we could communicate; yet no one knew the answers … it was all up for debate.