Countdown to Songbook of the Earth

Posted on April 2, 2010

Just days to go now till the climax of the Songbook of the Earth project.

Songbook of the Earth is an exciting collaboration between Manchester Camerata and the Bridgewater Hall Community Education Trust.

The project was inspired by Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, and has been working with 14 primary schools across Greater Manchester, The Wirral and Chester to create a brand new song cycle inspired by the Earth, its environments and communities, which will then be performed live on The Bridgewater Hall stage, accompanied by Manchester Camerata, on April 19 2010. All the songs will then be published in a Songbook at the end of the project.

Working with poet Terry Caffrey, composer Kate Pearson, and musicians from Manchester Camerata, each school has been involved in a series of workshops over the year, where they devised lyrics, and composed the music to go along with them.

The result will be a brand new piece of music that is diverse, topical, and electrifying!

As part of the project there was a special concert for schools to help kids get to know the orchestra on January 27 2010.  Hear a podcast by Terry and Kate here.

  Kate Pearson and Terry Caffrey

Almost 2500 pupils came together at The Bridgewater Hall to learn about the orchestra and be introduced to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony by conductor Douglas Boyd and presenters Terry Caffrey and Kate Pearson. Read more about this fantastic day here.

The Songbook of the Earth project has created a wealth of learning resources to help music teachers with their own lessons in schools.

This project has been supported by:

Support Camerata - Bank of America Foundation