Education ViVA

Footsteps in the Forest
Ivanhoe College, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
11 October 2011

Footsteps in the Forest was a creative music and photography project that took place in September and October 2011. The project began with an inspiration day at Snibston Discovery Park, a National Forest site and culminated in a combined music and visual performance alongside sinfonia ViVA at Ivanhoe College on 11 October 2011.

"I felt very proud and I would love to do it again." - (Participant, Castle Donington Choir)

On 15 September 2011 students from Ivanhoe College and Castle Donington Community College travelled to Snibston Discovery Park for a day full of activities to inspire and inform them about the National Forest in preparation for the creative music sessions with composer and workshop leader Jack Ross and sinfonia ViVA musicians Adam Mackenzie (bassoon) and Tim Gunnell (percussion).

"I learnt how to write music, make friends and have fun." - (Participant, Castle Donington Choir)

At the inspiration day the young people took part in three different activities. Photographer Paula Moss worked with the students in the woodland surrounding Snibston Discovery Park to capture images of the forest. Each group was given a brief by Paula to capture images of details, from an animal's point of view or taking photos of sound whilst wearing a blindfold. The participants also had a session with the ViVA team during which they learnt Process Man an English folk song written about working in a factory in the area and they also explored phasing through clapping rhythms.

"I enjoyed working with Jack, Tim and Adam." - (Participant, Castle Donington Orchestra)

Amanda Hanton, Volunteer Development Officer at Snibston told us about what the participants got up to at the fishing lakes in Snibston Country Park:

"The VIP project (Volunteering, Internships and Placements) based at Snibston Discovery Museum were proud to host the inspiration day. VIP is funded by Renaissance (an MLA project) and supports local people to get involved with cultural volunteering opportunities. Leicestershire County Council's Ranger team led volunteering sessions in Snibston Country Park with the young people building floating islands for the fishing lakes. This team building activity not only highlighted that volunteering can be fun and exciting but that the time and effort they put in has a lasting effect on the biodiversity of the local environment."

"I really enjoyed the trip out to Snibston because it was very fun and a lot of inspiration there for your music." - (Participant, Castle Donington Choir)

The visit to Snibston was a great start to the project and gave the participants lots of inspiration for their creative music workshops with the ViVA team. Jack, Adam and Tim worked with orchestra groups at Ivanhoe College and Castle Donington Community College as well as a choir group from Castle Donington. Through a series of workshops each group created original pieces of music inspired by both their visit to Snibston and the photos they captured there and the repertoire of the culmination concert, Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring and Paul Hindemith's Kammermusik No.1.

"I learned how you can just take a few notes and create a really good and exciting piece with them." - (Participant, Ivanhoe College)

On Monday 10 October all the participants gathered at Castle Donington Community College for a joint rehearsal with the ViVA team and conductor Stephen Wood. At this rehearsal the participants shared all the music they had created during the workshops with each other. Photographer Paula Moss rejoined the participants over the last two days of the project to hear the music they had created and to create the visuals that would accompany their pieces at the culmination concert.

"I most enjoyed being able to work with others and learning new skills." - (Participant, Castle Donington Orchestra)

The following day at Ivanhoe College all the participants were joined by 16 members of sinfonia ViVA prior to that evening's performance. The massed ensemble rehearsed together in the morning, bringing together all the music the participants had created which had been orchestra by Jack Ross so ViVA could play alongside the participants.

"I enjoyed performing with ViVA and it made me feel proud when they played with us." - (Participant, Castle Donington Orchestra)

That evening in front of an audience of family, friends and local dignitaries the participants gave the world premiere performance of Footsteps in the Forest alongside sinfonia ViVA. The programme included Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring and Paul Hindemith's Kammermusik No.1 interspersed with the new music created by the participants and a rendition of Process Man which the participants were first introduced to at the inspiration day. During the pieces by the participants their photographs from Snibston Country Park were projected above the performers onto a large screen. The combination of the music and the visuals created a mesmerizing atmosphere in which the audience were guided on their journey through the forest.

"I enjoyed the whole of the project because it was fun." - (Participant, Castle Donington Choir)

Footsteps in the Forest was generously supported by Rolls-Royce plc, North West Leicestershire District Council, Orchestras Live, Leicestershire County Council, TS Shipman Charitable Trust, The National Forest Company, The Maud Elkington Charitable Trust, Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland, Roberts Coaches, John Merison BMC Ltd, David Wilson Homes, sinfonia ViVA and Arts Council England.

If you are interested in volunteering with the Rangers team in Country Parks across Leicestershire then please contact Chris Conway on 0116 305 7937 or email chris.conway@leics.gov.uk

Images from the project...