Connecting our Local Community in a Collaborative Musical Woodland Journey
An Andover Trees United community project celebrating woodlands, through shared memories and music, is taking place from April to July 2022.
Andover Trees United is inviting everyone to get involved and collectively enjoy making music. Local residents are invited to form an intergenerational choir and take part in a celebratory performance in Harmony Woods on Saturday, 16th July 2022.
Funded by the Co-op, Scops Arts Trust, Test Valley Arts Foundation, Sarah Morgan Foundation and HDH Wills, the project was conceived in conjunction with musician Paul Sartin and sound artist Justin Wiggan.
A series of workshops, guided by Justin Wiggan, will capture the bio-metric signals of trees and, through sensors and midi signals, make them audible as “music” for all to hear. Justin’s final community workshop takes place on Monday, 25th April 2022 in Harmony Woods, between 10am - 2pm and is open to everyone. This would particularly suit those looking for a calm, therapeutic and harmonious experience.
The workshops will also collect stories and memories. In collaboration with Paul Sartin, the collected words will be combined with the voices of the trees to create a new ‘Tree Shanty’ composition, which will be performed alongside traditional and reimagined folk songs in Harmony Woods, the charity’s 12-acre community-planted woodland.
This project aims to produce a collection of works that will seed future community and school choral workshops and an annual performance in Harmony Woods. A series of school- and community-based choral workshops, under the creative stewardship of accomplished musicians Paul Sartin, supported by Jackie Oates, will prepare participants for the concert.
Since 2012, Andover Trees United has orchestrated planting 10,000 trees collectively with 10,000 local school children and community volunteers. These arboreal soundscapes will be part of Andover Trees United’s 10 year anniversary - celebrating success in sustainable community conservation.
Artist Justin Wiggan said: “As time goes on engaging with nature is becoming a vital aspect towards establishing resilient renewed mental health. Voices In Harmony places community inside nature, an exchange of memory and emotions as an immersive art performance bridging person and plant consciousness using emerging technology and nature to experience the ecological sounds and wellbeing of Harmony Woods.”
Musician Paul Sartin said: “Like so many things, choirs and music groups had to come to a sharp halt when lockdowns began and people are understandably feeling nervous about returning to group singing. It is hoped this project will give people the opportunity to come together, flex their vocal muscles and find their voice in the wonderful setting of Harmony Woods”
Wendy Davis, ATU Founder & Leader said: “We are delighted to be working with Justin, Paul and Jackie on this musical and inclusive social experience of the woodland. This is a great opportunity for local residents to enjoy their local environment, work with some of the country’s best folk musicians and get involved with one of our 10th year celebratory projects.”
Andover Trees United is celebrating a decade of tree planting at Harmony Woods. The community woodland was initiated in the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee back in 2012, and was completed in 2022, the year of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Throughout the remainder of the year, our organisation is delivering various projects that align with the 10 year celebrations including an exhibition at Chapel Art Studios (25 June - 23 July 2022) of their One Ash project which focuses on sustainable forestry, pays homage to the Ash tree and draws attention to the devastating effect of Ash dieback disease on the UK’s Ash tree population.
Participants wishing to get involved - whether as participants or behind the scenes - are invited to find more information on the events page of the charity’s website https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/events-calendar or volunteers@andovertrees.org.uk