THE WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA

Transcription

1 THE WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA Report by - JODIE WILLIAMS Churchill Fellow To research sound heritage, compile recordings and study contemporary audio storytelling methods in the United Kingdom. I understand that the Churchill Trust may publish this Report, either in hard copy or on the internet or both, and consent to such publication. I indemnify the Churchill Trust against any loss, costs or damages it may suffer arising out of any claim or proceedings made against the Trust in respect of or arising out of the publication of any Report submitted to the Trust and which the Trust places on a website for access over the internet. I also warrant that my Final Report is original and does not infringe the copyright of any person, or contain anything which is, or the incorporation of which into the Final Report is, actionable for defamation, a breach of any privacy law or obligation, breach of confidence, contempt of court, passing-off or contravention of any other private right or of any law. Signed Dated: 23 January

2 INDEX Introduction 3 Executive Summary 4 Programme 5 Main Body 6 Conclusion 16 2

3 INTRODUCTION My Churchill scholarship intent was to research sound heritage recordings linking the origin of Norfolk Island s historical thread to the United Kingdom. By meetings and discussions with collaborative artistic networks, heritage researchers and strategic partner organisations, my aim was to build upon my professional and personal set of skills and experience. I sought to gather new ideas and concepts, to enable me to creatively express my research in storytelling genres using various multimedia formats. To share this sound heritage research has the expressed intent to evoke and inspire, whilst highlighting our values and a further understanding of our own community stories whilst preserving them and sharing them in creative and artistic film productions. The extremely generous financial assistance from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust that has enabled me to achieve my aims to research the historical links which have given me a memorable new beginning as a foundation for a creative turning point in my career. It is with gratitude that I especially acknowledge the generosity and wonderful receptions received throughout my journey. 3

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Jodie Williams PO Box 534 Norfolk Island 2899 Sound & multimedia artist, writer & publisher Tel: (Int+6723) Project description: Trace the lineage of Norfolk Island s sound heritage to its very beginnings in the United Kingdom. Discover new and innovative ways to express audio storytelling and heritage preservation through sound art. Explore contemporary creative expressions of historical presentations in film, multimedia, community arts activities, and sound installations for educational purposes. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Clare Christian and Pam Kerruish, who had visited Norfolk Island in June When I contacted them to advise that I would be visiting the Isle of Man on a Churchill Scholarship, they instantly offered their assistance in organising my itinerary. Without their support, recommendations, contacts and warm welcome, my journey to the Isle of Man would not have had the humbling impact that I experienced. The chance to personally discuss my aims with a variety of renowned individuals within the field of music and sound heritage was an ongoing memorable experience. I would also like to acknowledge the support of Dr Fenella Bazin, Yvonne Cresswell, Emma Christian, Keith Kerruish, Dollin Kelly, Dr Breesha Maddrell, Dr Chloe Woolley, Charles Guard, Nicola Tooms, Ruth Blindell, Olive Dobsen, Marion & Keith Watterson, Sue Wolley (Isle of Man) and Dr Rob Light (University of Huddersfield) and Hannah Klewin (Bristol). The locations and places visited, coupled with the diversity of people I met, ensured that I was able to experience profound insights into the importance of sound heritage for a nation and for a community. Regarding the locations visited, a real highlight was the Isle of Man. Here, I found the common ground of genealogical links, particularly relating to the Mutiny on the Bounty story, as a firm platform in which to discuss and reflect upon the heritage threads that link our islands. In the United Kingdom, it was also truly inspiring to attend the choir performances at the Bristol Festival of Song. The venue choice of performances held in various church venues and halls, provided wonderful historical ambience and depth to each choir group. It was an awareness of not only enjoying the repertoires but also sensing the resounding accoustics in a historical space that has honoured sound heritage for many, many years. This awareness was also emotionally experienced at St Paul s Cathedral in London, and at The Musee de la Musique in Paris. I further developed a sensitivity to express stories in a community, anchored in truth and integrity of historical research as well as interweaving the personal and emotional impacts within the use of sound recordings as linked with visual historical footage. As a result of these experiences I am now creating new multimedia productions and presentations, with confidence. To raise awareness of the importance of preserving and protecting sound heritage for future generations in our community, is a profound and positive responsibility which would not have been possible without the honour of receiving a Churchill Scholarship in

5 PROGRAMME London: September 2013 (4 days) Isle of Man: 22 September - 8 October 2013 (16 days) Leeds: 8-11 October 2013 (3 days) Bristol: October 2013 (10 days) Paris: October 2013 (4 days) Bristol: October 2013 (8 days) 5

6 It was with great appreciation prior to my departure upon this journey, to receive a handout from the Churchill Trust to assist with the preparation for my Scholarship. I found this document to be invaluable in organising my trip and preparing for interviews, meetings and discussions, so that I was able to make the most of the time allocated to each place I visited. I initiated correspondence with people I was hoping to meet and this allowed me to send an outline of my research aims and to schedule appointment times prior to my arrival. To assist with documenting my meetings, I asked permission to record discussions. My engagement in the discussions were then more focussed and active, rather than being conscious intermittently of needing to write notes and document points discussed. Knowing it was being recorded, I could just relax and at a later date transcribe the recordings of meetings in my research compilation. My Scholarship journey was an opportunity to deeply understand the importance of sound recordings and written musical scores as a living heritage, which must be preserved and enhanced because of its fragility. My itinerary enhanced the respect for cultural and linguistic diversity with a common goal of promoting a common cultural heritage: a sound heritage. It was inspiring to form effective international collaborations with a common goal to preserve the sound cultural legacy of a community. As a composer who has been both informed and influenced by sound recordings, I feel passionately that they are a heritage too easily lost, and one which requires all due diligence to preserve, composer Stephen Sondheim said in a statement. It is important to remember that not only do recordings capture individual performances and arrangements but also a great deal of music which was never written down. Once the recordings are lost, the work itself disappears forever. Songs and music are one of the greatest expressions of a nation s culture, said singer and songwriter Paul Williams, who is also President of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the performance rights organization. Preserving them through sound recordings, which capture the spirit of a time, is important work. London: September 2013 (4 days) Stepping into the British Library building was initially overwhelming by the sheer size of the extensive collections housed there. Following the securing of my Library Card to access the Library s online database collections I began searching music and sound recordings from the era of s in the United Kingdom. I uncovered a few threads, but all in all, found the extensiveness too much to be able to fully explore on a limited timeframe. Having verified my Library card, gave me peace of mind, to know I could readily re-access online this database following my Churchill trip. My visit to the British Museum left me with a rich appreciation of the way in which vast historical information had been protected, stored and then shared in creatively different exhibition layouts. This was an impressive example of how a nation places importance upon valuing and preserving their history, heritage and stories. The elaborate rooms and displays within the Museum were stunning. Synchronicity began my stepping stones, from the moment I arrived in London. Not only did I visit the places I had intended to on my proposed intinerary, but I also had the privilege to find myself after wanderings, at St Paul s Cathedral. A Church of England Cathedral, St Paul s is the seat of the Bishop of London and mother church of the Diocese of London. The Cathedral s dome structure is one of the most recognisable sights in London s skyline and the impact is even more acute when you enter the building. Standing within the central dome space, I began listening to the multimedia ipod tour and looking skyward to the stunning paintings and mosaics whilst hearing the choir singing, brought tears to my eyes. It was an emotional experience even though I was only listening through the headphones of an ipod tour. I can only imagine the impact of an actual service within the Cathedral! Further listening to the tour guided an understanding of historical events and services that were held here over the years such as; the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria; peace services marking the end of the First 6

7 and Second World Wars; the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer, the launch of the Festival of Britain and Thanksgiving services for the Golden Jubilee, the 80th Birthday and the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Here I was, embarking upon my Churchill journey and standing in the space which honoured Sir Winston Churchill with the largest state funeral in world history up to that point in time (30 January 1965), with representatives from 112 nations. That same year, the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in Australia instigated what became known as the Churchill Fellowships, with the principle aim of perpetuating and honouring the memory of Sir Winston Churchill. And now in 2013, I have been so very fortunate to receive one of those scholarships and I am standing in this place of honour as I begin my Churchill journey. Isle of Man: 22 September - 8 October 2013 (16 days) The Isle of Man is situated between the coastlines of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, in the middle of the Irish Sea. My expressed intent to visit here, was to research and explore my genealogical family link to Fletcher Christian and to find examples of sound heritage recordings of this era. As background, Fletcher Christian came from old gentry, a landed family with estates both on the Isle of Man and in Cumberland on the west coast of England. He was born to Charles and Ann (nee Dixon) Christian on September 25, 1764, at Moorland Close near Cockermouth in Cumberland on the north-west coast of England. When Fletcher was only three and a half years old his father died. Ann Christian was a dedicated mother and, despite financial difficulties, saw to it that all her children got an excellent education. In 1780, having lost the family home in Cumbria, Ann took her daughter and her two youngest sons, Fletcher and Humphrey, and moved to Douglas on the Isle of Man. Fletcher may well have been proud of his Manx background, because in that year a popular ballad was published extolling the bravery of his great-great-grandfather, Illiam Dhone, who had led a mutiny against English rule over the island and had been executed in My days began on the island exploring an amazing umbrella of ways in which historical records and sound heritage of the Isle of Man have been retained, protected and shared. My itinerary here was intermixed with relevant site visits, interviews and discussions, accessing research material, participating in local activities and events. My meetings and discussions on the island interwove my growing research collection in an expanded and awe-inspired way. I didn t fully imagine the magnitude of assistance I was given and I solely credit that to the wonderful people I met during my stay on the Isle of Man, in sharing their thoughts, research, ideas, concepts and recommendations. I found it was particularly important to have a specific timetable itinerary which I ed regularly to my main contacts, as changes and additions were made so that they were aware of my availability and able to further slot in meeting times on my behalf with their own networks and connections. The generosity and kindness of the people I met, as they shared book publications, papers, CDs, musical scores, DVDs, was truly overwhelming and humbling. I was so excited about receiving all these amazing documents and sound recordings that I wanted to read and explore them straight away, but this would have impeded my availability to be flexible and continue with meetings and discussions. I found the most sensible option was to post these home to Norfolk Island, and to know that I would have more time on my return from this journey to reflect, research, and explore the papers. One of my first site visits was to the Manx Museum. This museum is a rich central resource of information on all aspects of Manx heritage, history, landholding, law, folklore, government, international trade and relations, language and genealogy. The role of the Manx Museum was identified as leading the Island s community in recognising, understanding, valuing and promoting its cultural heritage and identity to a worldwide audience. I was fortunate to be introduced to a number of people responsible for different areas within the Museum and they generously shared their thoughts, angles and suggestions on my research. My appreciation is extended to Paul Weatherall, Nicola Tooms and Cathy Clucas. 7

8 I shared a deeply inspiring discussion with Yvonne Cresswell, Curator of Social History at the Manx Museum. We discussed her research for a 1989 exhibition, Mutiny on the Bounty - film, fact and fiction, to commemorate the bicentennial celebrations of the Mutiny on the Bounty event on the Isle of Man. Yvonne s research resulted in a view she now held that the Bounty story had become its own myth. The historical event wasn t really what was of interest, it was the fact that it was a perfect media story from the very beginning, fully inclusive of heroes, villians, a cast and a plot. It was ready-made for Hollywood. Yvonne s research involved the full collection of the various film and representations of the Bounty story. Following this research she had a strong view, that had the protaganists of Fletcher Christian, Peter Heywood and William Bligh not met on the Isle of Man prior to the Bounty voyage, there may not have been a mutiny. She explained the perfect storm and circumstances of the era in which they all met. This was an angle I hadn t considered in my own research and henceforth, this became another fascinating thread to further research and explore, and link with my own knowledge of the Bounty story. Our discussion left me with many more questions and yet a renewed and inspired appreciation for my own geneaological link to this infamous story of the Mutiny on the Bounty. Yvonne also kindly followed up with ing historical documents relevant to our discussion which was most appreciated. A highlight and an honour, during my stay on the Isle of Man was my captivating and extensive discussion at the Manx Heritage Foundation with Dr Breesha Maddrell, Dr Chloë Woolley and Charles Guard. Dr Breesha Maddrell comes from the south of the Island, and has a BA in Music and Germanic Studies from the University of Sheffield and PhD in sociolinguistics and Manx Studies from the University of Liverpool, her thesis looking at aspects of cultural revival in the Isle of Man. She started playing traditional music at school, learning Manx Gaelic on her return to the Island in After graduating, Breesha worked for a number of years as a lecturer at the Centre for Manx Studies. Her role as Manx Music Development Officer is to promote Manx music within and without the Island, developing resources, supporting festivals and maintaining the Manx Music Database. Breesha plays flute and whistles and sings with Caarjyn Cooidjagh, Moot, Skeeal and Sheear. She has been a member of the Cooish Manx Language Festival committee since 1998 and joined the Yn Chruinnaght committee at the end of Breesha is also a government elected member of Bing Ymskealley Gaelgagh (Gaelic Broadcasting Committee) and the IOM Arts Council. Dr Chloë Woolley was brought up in Maughold and has a BMus in Composition and Performance from the University of Huddersfield and an MMus in Composition and Ethnomusicology from the University of Edinburgh. She went on to study for a PhD at the School of Scottish Studies in Edinburgh and graduated in 2004 with her thesis, The Revival of Manx Traditional Music: From the 1970s to the Present Day. Chloë returned to the Isle of Man in November 2004 to take up the position of Manx Music Specialist for the Manx Heritage Foundation. As part of the Manx Music Policy, her role is to promote Manx music within the Island s schools by providing information and resources. She will be working with classroom teachers, peripatetic instrumental teachers, extra-curricular groups, the Youth Service and the general public to encourage a greater awareness of Manx music and culture within the Island and beyond. Chloë plays violin with the Ny Fennee dance team in Ramsey and is a member of the Yn Chruinnaght committee. Charles Guard was born and educated in the Isle of Man. He studied music at the Royal College of Music in London, and after a time living in Ireland playing the Irish Harp, he returned to the Isle of Man to take up a position at Manx Radio. During this period he became news editor and pioneered the station s first live stereo broadcasts in the early 80s and a number of other programmes including dramas and music programmes. Since leaving Manx Radio, Charles has composed music for television, made many videos, recorded and produced numerous CDs and DVDs, and is currently working as the Administrator of the Manx Heritage Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the support and promotion of Manx culture. The Manx Heritage Foundation has an over-arching music policy acknowledging that music is a cornerstone of the cultural life in the Isle of Man. The Foundation recognises music as one of the most important and farreaching aspects of all cultural activities in past and present times. The Manx Heritage Foundation supports and 8

9 promotes Manx culture, through underwriting for festivals, grants for equipment for groups and individuals, and loans for publications and recordings. Recent research through the Centre for Manx Studies has shown that music is able to give a vivid and unique insight into the social, religious and political lives of Manx men and women, as well as demonstrating how they feel about non-manx influences on these same issues. For many years now there has been detailed work in the area of collection, analysis and transcription of this music. This research has received international recognition through conferences, entries in prestigious volumes, and the publication of papers and articles in Britain, Ireland and North America. It was a privilege to discuss extensively with Breesha, Chloe and Charles, the impact of church music within the era of Fletcher Christian s life on the Isle of Man as well as the political and cultural happenings of the time. For many working men and women on the Isle of Man in the 19th century, music was the main outlet for their creativity. They joined church and chapel choirs and bands. Our meeting ended with the unplanned and inpromptu arrival of Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau who had written the book publication Illiam Dhone - Patriot or Traitor? The Life, Death and Legacy of William Christian. It was a synchronistic opportunity to meet Dr Draskau, considering my Christian family descendancy. I would like to express again my immense gratitude for the research resources I was gifted from The Manx Heritage Foundation: Research reports: Bazin, F. (2006) The Everlasting Hills: Hymns from the Isle of Man (Musica Manniae 3, Centre for Manx Studies, The University of Liverpool) 262 pages Bazin, F. (2000) The Promised Land : Edward Quayle s anthems from mid-nineteenth-century Castletown, Isle of Man A performance edition with appendices including sources and a list of 200 hymns from the same manuscript (Centre for Manx Studies, Isle of Man) 185pp CD sound recordings: A collection of recent Heritage Foundation CDs of Manx carvals, psalms, anthems, West Gallery Music and Manx Gaelic Traditional songs. Outside Nunnery Chapel (St Bridgets) The University Centre Manx Heritage Foundation (MHF) Centre for Manx Studies (CMS) (Left to right) James Cameron (CMS) Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau (CMS) Kate Chapman (CMS) Gill Wilson (CMS) Dr Breesha Maddrell (MHF) Charles Guard (MHF) Fenella Logan (CMS) Dr Chloe Woolley (MHF) Following earlier correspondence I was fortunate to arrange a time to meet Emma Christian, a beautiful singer/songwriter artist whose love of ancient Manx customs and lore has found perfect musical expression with her stunning lyrics in Manx Gaelic as she performs on the clarsach (Celtic harp) and recorder with lyrics. It was an absolute pleasure to meet Emma as she shared her thoughts on the music of the Isle of Man, and upon listening to my research aims, gave recommendations to contact specific universities and archives which she felt would be of assistance. I greatly appreciated her gift of a copy of her CD, Beneath the Twilight ~ a beautiful resonating album which I will treasure. 9

10 It was with great honour that I shared comprehensive and inspiring discussions with Dr Fenella Bazin, who has spent a lifetime contributing to the research and preservation of the Manx culture and specifically music and education. As Director of Postgraduate Studies at the Centre for Manx Studies, Fenella pioneered academic research into Manx music, with her doctoral thesis on Manx music up to Her invaluable work has ensured and shared knowledge of the development of traditional music on the Isle of Man, West Gallery and the Island s National Anthem. Fenella is an internationally recognised figure in her chosen sphere, representing the Island at conferences and workshops and contributing to leading publications on the topic of music. She has consistently promoted the Isle of Man and its culture: cultivating important links between the Island and Norway and representing the Isle of Man at festivals throughout Europe. Her innate enthusiasm for Manx music, however, has not been constricted by the bounds of academia. Known to be an excellent musician (pianist, fiddle player, singer, arranger and composer) Fenella has also devoted her time to promoting Manx culture through the Manx Music Festival and Yn Chruinnaght Inter-Celtic Festival. Fenella kindly shared with me a specific focus upon her knowledge of the vernacular church music of the 19th and early 20th centuries. This era was the timeframe of my research aims. It was through her gentle manner of explanations and examples along with the generosity of time spent with me, that my understanding of the music heritage on the Isle of Man began to grow stronger and more defined. I became aware that even though I had chosen a particular era in which to research, this understanding could not happen in isolation of the events and circumstances which came before and after in the chronological historical timeline of the Isle of Man. It was all connected and intertwined. This heightened my sensitivity to be aware of the many threads in sound heritage of a particular place as it is tied to the way of life, the customs, the beliefs, the language, the political happenings of the time and the impact upon creative expressions in music. We discussed the quality of Manx congregational singing which was recognized as far back as 1781 when it was mentioned in the diary of John Wesley. Manx music continued to flourish on the island with the steady growth of Methodism, although the state of singing in the Anglican Church appeared to decline following the introduction of the organ. Fenella explained to me, the differences between the established church, which continued to use the Manx language in worship, and the Methodists, who abandoned Manx, on Wesley s advice, and employed music as a means of learning English. We also discussed the music manuscripts from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, along with published Manx hymn books such as Mona Melodist, Spirit of Delight, and Mylcraine s Hymns, as well as the standard collections which were used by congregations. I am particularly interested in weaving these sound collections into our Norfolk Island storyline, along with our own synchronistic beginnings of Methodism worship within our Norfolk Island community. Again, the genre of church music clearly marks our sound heritage connection with the Isle of Man. I am indebted to Keith Kerruish for accompanying me to a Sunday hymn-singing service at Abbeylands Chapel. It was here that I had the privilege to meet the organist, Olive Dobson and members of the Abbeylands Chapel congregation. The afternoon was immensely enjoyable as I found I knew most of the hymns that were being requested and sung during the service. Partway through the service, I was asked directly if we had a particularly favourite hymn which we sing on Norfolk Island that they may know and would sing for me. I requested Let the Lower Lights be Burning and within ten minutes, Olive had remembered the basic tune structure, and began to play the hymn. She then recalled that the hymn words were in an old Sankey hymn book which was brought out of the cupboard, shared amongst the congregation and everyone began singing my hymn request. This was a moment that brought shivers to me as I acknowledged here I am, 12,000 miles from home, in a beautiful old chapel with a delightful congregation, singing one of our favourite hymns from Norfolk Island! What a humbling experience. 10

11 The reason Keith had suggested I would enjoy this serivce is because Olive Dobson has been playing the Abbeylands Chapel organ for over 70 years! Born in 1930, Olive had started attending Sunday School at three years old sang Yes, Jesus loves me at a Christmas concert. Her talent for singing beautifully in performances, had begun. Following piano lessons at eight years of age, she realised that she could play by ear and three years later, her parents were asked by Abbeylands Chapel stewards if she would be allowed to play the Chapel organ. Consent was duly given and Olive became the new organist at Abbeylands Chapel in July People came from many other parts of the Island to see this young girl play at the Sunday services. An arrangement was established whereby the Preacher for a Service would send by post the hymn numbers in advance to Olive who would then take them along to her music teacher to practice and make sure the timing was correct. Her music teacher taught her how to accompany soloists and how to listen to the singer. Abbeylands Chapel is very much a country Chapel but is only a short 10 minutes drive from the Isle of Man s capital of Douglas. Abbeylands Chapel was once one of a few rural Chapels in the Parish of Onchan but today is the last one remaining in the rural parts of the parish although there is a flourishing Methodist Church in the middle of Onchan village. It was an honour and a privilege to attend this service, and an experience that could not be researched on paper, but only physically experienced by being a part of the congregation and being submerged in the wonderful resonating voices and sound of the organ accompaniment. It was an afternoon which I will always remember and appreciate for the warm welcome I was given. My time on the Isle of Man, was highlighted by the personal networks of Pam Kerruish, Clare Christian and Keith Kerruish. At an informal luncheon I was introduced to Dollin Kelly and his wife, Jean. Dollin had written a wonderful book publication on the anthology of the National Poet, Thomas Edward Brown. Little did I know that this meeting would establish the beginnings of a wonderful friendship and on-going correspondence as we shared discussions on my research aims. It was a privilege to hear Dollin recite a selection of the poetry collection on cows and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the Manx dialect in such a warm resonating rendition. That was a privilege. Another recommendation was for me to contact Sue Woolley, a storyteller on the Isle of Man with a passion for the Manx Fairy Tales. This assisted my understanding of folklore unique to the Isle of Man and to hear of the ways in which Sue presents her stories and the myths for children of all ages. Her gentle nature and passionate knowledge was inspiring to understand the many ways in which stories of a place can be shared. A site visit to Milntown Estate & Gardens, was an insight to how a historical house has been preserved and is now shared by house tours for visitors as well as garden displays and a magnificent venue of restaurant and surrounds for weddings and other celebratory events. The significance of visiting Milntown was suggested to me as the Christian family had lived at Milntown since at least the early 16th century and parts of the house dated from that period. During the seventeenth century extensive alterations and additions were made. After this period the Christians moved to Cumberland and let the house out to tenants, but in 1830 Deemster John Christian returned to live in Milntown after having the mansion house redesigned to the condition in which it 11

12 appears today. Following the death of William Bell Christian in 1886, the house was run first as a private school and then as a hotel. It reverted to being a family home when Charles Peel Yates bought it in The interior of the house is decorated and furnished by Lady Edwards and her son Sir Clive prior to his death in 1999 but there are still many features dating from Deemster Christian s 1830 refurbishment and earlier periods. The front of the house includes the coats of arms of The Christian Family and that of Sir Clive Edwards and is in the Gothic Revival style and dates from the early 1830s. It was a wonderful experience to walk the grounds and to have a private house tour of Milntown. I was also invited to attend a combined school performace at the Gaiety Theatre. Steeped in history and tradition, the Gaiety is one of the finest remaining examples of work from the legendary theatre architect, Frank Matcham. First opened in 1900, the Gaiety Theatre underwent extensive restoration for 30 years to return it to its current magnificent condition. The Gaiety Theatre was a stunning setting to enjoy the school musical and to appreciate the ambience and setting of this beautiful building. In another synchronistic happening, I met Ruth Blindell, a teacher at the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh in St John s, who had recently published her first book in celebration of the Manx language, culture and mythical legends. As well as a fairy story, the book also incorporates song, music, local culture and Gaelic language, which is no surprise as Ruth plays the flute in a traditional style, has danced with local dance team Perree Bane for 11 years, sings with Gaelic choir Cliogaree Twoaie and is a speaker of Manx Gaelic. Ruth kindly gave me a copy of her book publication and we have been corresponding since my return to Norfolk Island. It is lovely to continue this connection of creative interests and expressions shared. A final enthralling and unexpected outcome on the Isle of Man was the delight in sharing and the crossreferencing of research and information. Knowledge of my own Norfolk Island genealogical history was of great interest to those I spoke to on the Isle of Man. They shared their understanding of our heritage story. A common ground of research parallels was firmly established. A new support network for me has now begun. I completed interviews with Manx Radio and the Isle of Man News MTV. It was a pleasure to be asked to compile a 2-page article in Manx Life Magazine. Leeds: 8-11 October (3 days) My visit to Leeds was specifically to attend an informal seminar at the University of Huddersfield. Following a number of s to and fro with Dr Rob Light, he generously arranged for me to meet with a small group of academic professionals which he felt would be able to assist with my research aims. It was with appreciation that Simon Bradley CVOH, Dr Heather Norris Nicholson (Centre for Visual & Oral History), Dr Lindsey Dodd (Modern European History / Oral History), Professor Richard Morris and Dr Rob Light listened to my short presentation outlining my Scholarship intent and then we began discussing the broader context overview of oral history and preservation of community stories. I had enquired about the University s recent community heritage project, Sound, Craft, Vision, Place where open days and events were held to share expertise and welcome support in use of digital media for community heritage, how to publish, and how to set up and successfully run a community heritage group. The context was that the surrounding areas to the University were rich in historical societies, community museums and site-based projects, and therefore existing research skills were accordingly high. WYAAS, the Battlefields Trust, Huddersfield Local History Society, Rugby League Archive, Britain from Above and National Coal Mining Museum all contributed stands, displays and staff to the Huddersfield open day. Britain from Above was a catalyst for the exploration of community and personal histories, the images of places as they were in the 1920s and 1930s which stirred detailed, and in many cases, highly informative responses. The National Coal Mining Museum and Huddersfield Local History Archive both ran autumn workshops, which included tours of their archives, preceded by presentations by staff on the scope and character of their holdings, with opportunities for discussion and detailed questions. It was a strong project example of how to share storytelling in a community. 12

13 University of Huddersfield Simon Bradley CVOH Dr Heather Norris Nicholson (Centre for Visual & Oral History) Dr Rob Light Dr Lindsey Dodd (Modern European History / Oral HIstory) Professor Richard Morris I contacted the British Music Collection via prior to my arrival and discovered that the research I had been seeking to obtain copies of relevant archival recordings were of an historical period earlier than what was available. The BMC encompassed largely published works by British composers chiefly of the 20th and 21st centuries, and this was available as an online catalogue which could be accessed at any time for copies of some scores and recordings as linked from their individual catalogue records. Their recommendation was the Manx Heritage Foundation, which I had visited during my Isle of Man stay. Bristol: October (10 days), October (8 days) Bristol Festival of Song The Festival of Song began in 2009 to highlight and celebrate Bristol s growing vocal community. This city is proud of the ever increasing number of people joining choirs and singing and the Festival of Song gives an opportunity for a diverse range of individual singers, small groups, large community choirs and ensembles singing regularly across a range of genres, to perform. The ten day Festival of Song is now firmly established as a vital element of the city s cultural calendar. The intent of the current organisers is to expand the range and depth of the event by inviting regional, national and international performers to participate. However, the beating heart of the festival will always be the city s own talented, committed and diverse singing community who have made Bristol the UK s finest City of Song. It was a pleasure to meet Hannah Klewin, Director of Gathering Voices, who is responsible for the vision and management of the Bristol Festival of Song. She is a passionate advocate for singing and choirs, being devoted and generous with her time to establishing youth choirs within her Soundworks organisation. She shared her ideas for creating the Festival of Song and the focus upon bringing together the diverse array of choir groups to conduct performances within the creative venue choice of Bristol s churches, halls and historical buildings. I thoroughly enjoyed attending performances held as such venues as: St James Priory, is the oldest building in Bristol and a monument of immense historical and architectural importance. Robert Fitzroy, (Earl of Gloucester and illegitimate grandson of William the Conqueror) founded the Priory of St James in It has been used as a place of worship for almost 900 years. The ambience and accoustic space in this beautiful church was a fitting backdrop for the performances held at lunchtime within the Festival of Song s program. Colston Hall is Bristol s largest concert hall, where concerts and entertainment by major performers in rock, pop, jazz, folk, world and classical music, stand up comedy and light entertainment are held, as well as local choirs, orchestras and school performances. Audiences have enjoyed music in this space, since 1867 and the building remains at the heart of cultural life in the city. Colston Hall is run by Bristol Music Trust, an independent organisation created to develop the Hall s artistic programme and promote music and music making in Bristol. The Bristol Music Trust was launched in May 2011 and is an exciting independent venture with two distinct 13

14 aims. The first is to manage the operations of Colston Hall by developing a diverse musical programme, leading a major capital refurbishment programme and securing its commercial success. The Hall presents a wonderful opportunity to build a diverse Music and Arts Centre for the region. The second aim is to drive forward music across Bristol; working in partnership with city wide organisations; leading musical education, commissioning new works, supporting local musicians, and promoting music across all communities to build on the vibrant talent already in the city. It was a fitting venue for the choir performances at the Bristol Festival of Song. St Georges Bristol has been a concert hall for the past 30 years. It was a Commissioners Church - the only one in Bristol to receive government money from the first grant under the Church Building Act of It was built between and was the city s first building in the Greek Revival style. In 1976, risking closure due to lack of church worship and commitment, it was rescued by a group of local music enthusiasts, who saw its potential as a centre for fine music. It has been restored and provided a wonderful ambience to watch the choir performances throughout the full day performances as the finale of the Festival of Song. I also visited the Watershed, a cultural cinema and digital creativity centre in Bristol. It is a cross-artform venue which focussed upon producing, sharing, developing and showcasing exemplary cultural ideas and talent of the area. The Watershed curates ideas, spaces and talent to support artistic visions and allow for strong creative collaborations to flourish. The work produced at the Watershed cuts across film, music, theatre, design, visual art, and the creative and technology sectors. The building itself houses three cinemas, a large, light and airy Café/Bar, flexible conference and events spaces and the Pervasive Media Studio as research space which brings together a network of over 100 artists, technologists and academics to explore the future of mobile and wireless media. With a focus upon audiences and participation at the heart of the organisation, the Watershed delivers a diverse cultural programme of films, events, festivals, artist commissions, tours and conferences. In all of its work Watershed, seeks to produce open collaborations and create opportunities which bridge expertise, imaginations and boundaries to promote new ideas and enjoyable experiences. During my time in Bristol and I explored the M Shed. This establishment is part of the Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives (BMGA) with the expressed mission to: inspire people to enjoy and learn from the city s collections and the stories they tell about Bristol and the world. It represents a core part of Bristol s overall cultural infrastructure with facilities catering to all local people and those who visit the city. The M Shed site is located at the historic dockside which now plays a major role as a residential location and favourite place to spend leisure time for many Bristolians and visitors. M Shed is an example of a new type of museum. It is not just a city history museum. What it seeks to do is to reflect people s experiences of living or visiting the city across time. It aims to tell people s stories of what they have seen and done, in the first person if 14

15 possible, and to illustrate those stories with 3D objects from across the museums service along with 2D archives from the Bristol Record Office. As well as the historic stories, the museum seeks to reflect contemporary issues and to encourage visitors to contribute their own experiences through the use of computer kiosks (and remotely via the website). The three main galleries are complemented by more in depth material held on databases and also by a dynamic programme of events and activities aimed at bringing the museum to life. The museum should act as a physical and virtual gateway to exploring all things Bristolian and reflect how very one of us contributes something to the society we inhabit. I planned to visit the Accoustics Arts Centre, but unfortunately the owner was unavailable, so we corresponded via and I was sent image examples of sound art sculpture and educational designs for workshops with children. Paris, France: October (4 days) During my stay in Bristol, a bonus opportunity arose for a short trip to Paris to visit The Musee de la Musique. This was unplanned and unexpected, but the experience was absolutely fascinating and became another memorable highlight expanding upon my Scholarship research and intent. Housed within the Cite de la Musique in the heart of the Parc de la Villette, the museum covered an area of more than 2,000 m 2, where you could view over 1,000 musical instruments and art objects. My experience in this stunning museum, was a chronological journey through Western musical forms from the 17th century to the present day, as a geographical trail through different cultures all over the world. I saw such rare and extraordinary pieces as a tortoise guitar, an octobass and a crystal flute. Some of the items on display formerly belonged to musical celebrities such as Frederic Chopin, Django Reinhardt and Frank Zappa. My exploration of the museum was a self-guided ipod tour which introduced each display case and gave information on the context and the history of the instruments as could be heard by a sample of music being played. The Musee de la Musique is an exquisite place where sound heritage preservation of musical instruments is in dialogue with repertoire and shows where the historical relevance of the instruments meets economic and cultural transformations and the upholding of traditional musical practice as linked to technological changes common to all cultures of the world. A memorable, serendipidous experience. 15

16 CONCLUSION This Churchill Scholarship opportunity has profoundly changed my life. The research gathered, the friendships made, the networks established have built a firm foundation in my creative world. All that I hoped for, when I initially applied for the Scholarship, were truly exceeded by the generosity and support of the people I met and the places I visited along the way. With the worldwide emphasis upon availability of almost everything you can imagine online, it is even more important not to lose sight of the immense value of actually meeting people in their own communities in the world. On a creative level it is wonderful to have at your fingertips a whole array of generic loops and sound effects within creative programs such as Final Cut Pro for film creation. But I strongly believe that the authentic sounds of a particular period in history, even if they are creatively re-composed and presented, gives an anchor of truth and integrity to any creative endeavour using sound. The possibilities of dissimilating creative expressions in film are endless and worldwide. This gives a sense of freedom but with the utmost respect to the power of the medium of film as an impressive storytelling vehicle. My next steps are to produce a set of short films which can be presented locally. I have begun to compile a mix of multimedia presentations using visual footage, listening to sound recordings and specific aspects of my research findings with the local school and various community groups, so that it is an interactive and educational experience. My sound heritage website has the capabilities to include my research papers and various sound recordings as audio files for downloads. I hope this will inspire other artists and creative individuals to build upon their own collections and to see examples to stimulate further ideas and cross-collaborations. These projects have been the culmination of a lifelong dream for me to re-interpret Norfolk Island s heritage using its song and syllable. The convergence of visual, verbal and aural dimensions have the capabilities of sharing our community s stories with greater appreciation and understanding. It is with sincere gratitude to the Winston Churchill Trust for their support to allow me to now set upon achieving new creative endeavours with confidence and empowerment. 16