Making Music from a Distance

UPDATE MAKING MUSIC FROM A DISTANCE

In usual times, the Homerton College Music Society provides regular opportunities for musicians to polish their performance skills, and for students and staff to enjoy lunchtime musical respite.

Eager to ensure that this valuable aspect of College life was not lost in the hiatus of lockdown, HCMS arranged a remote performance competition.

“We had no idea how many people were likely to engage with it when everyone’s scattered, so we were delighted to get 13 entries,” says Director of Studies in Engineering Dr Miles Stopher, who co-ordinated the competition, edited the videos, and participated with his band, Nigel from Slough.

Submitted from home, the eclectic selection of performances ranged from Chopin to Ed Sheeran and provided a wonderful opportunity to feel connected to the Homerton community through music.

“Music has the ability to bring people together, even when they’re separated in time or space,” says Research Fellow in Music Dr Ross Cole, who judged the competition. “Performance and listening are therefore especially important at a time like this. I was looking for performers committed to their chosen idiom, bringing something new to these repertoires or traditions.”

Georgie Deri, (Second Year, Education) won joint first prize for her original song, Wannabe, which she sang while accompanying herself on the guitar.

“Wannabe was inspired by the shifting role social media has had in our lives since lockdown,” she says. “The song touches on a few things; firstly the now unspoken expectation to remain constantly in touch and always online and how this has blurred the lines, maybe even changed, our perception of who we are in the ‘real’ world. Secondly, the simultaneous pressure to “be what you want to be” but also present yourself in a perfect and idealised way, feeling like a ‘wannabe’. I would like to thank HCMS for running this competition, allowing both performers and audience alike to enjoy and engage with a diverse range of music in these times when we need it most.”

Joint first prize winner was First Year Music student Lizzie Robbings, who demonstrated both musical and technical wizardry by playing the violin, viola and vocal parts of Bach’s Jauchzet Gottin allen Landen.

“My choice of this particular cantata lies in the significant role it has played on

Lizzie Robbings

Swathi Nachlar Manivannan

my musical journey,” Lizzie explains. “On first hearing this work sung on the radio by Emma Kirkby many years ago, I was greatly inspired to begin exploring other works by Bach, as well as other composers. This led to an increasing fascination in listening to and learning about music, contributing to my present studying of Music at Homerton. In this particular movement, Bach beautifully sets a chorale with a simple melody against the contrasting energetic activity of the strings; the soprano’s serenely confident declaration ‘Sei Lob und Preis mit Ehren Gott Vater, Sohn, Heiligem Geist!’ is heard above the string’s joyful dance.”

Second year Natural Scientist Swathi Nachiar Manivannan was the winner of the third place prize, for his improvisation of the Indian Carnatic Raga Sri.

“Improvisation is a huge part of Indian Classical music, and is something that I’ve been working on more in the past few years,” he says. “With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, I haven’t really had the will to learn any new pieces or songs, and so when I’ve been practicing, I’ve been doing a lot more improvisation instead. This improvisation is loosely based on one of my favourite Carnatic pieces, the Pancharatna Kriti “Endaro Mahanubavulu” set to the Raga Sri.”

Homerton Director of Studies in Music, Dr Daniel Trocmé-Latter, commented:

“I’m delighted that, with the usual Homerton performance competition having to be cancelled, HCMS was so willing to jump in to fill the vacuum. It was inspiring to see such a variety of styles among the entries, too.”

The Charter Choir coming together for a virtual Evensong

HIGHLY-COMMENDED Ollie Carr/Olivia Miller/Noah Poulson – Cherry Wine Amelia Calladine – Allegro and Minuet for Two Flutes Nadya Miryanova – Fantasie Impromptu

THIRD PLACE Swathi Nachiar Manivannan – improvisation of the Carnatic Raga Sri

JOINT FIRST PRIZE Georgie Deri – Wannabe Lizzie Robbings – Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen

With no chapel on-site, Homerton enjoys a unique relationship with its neighbouring church, St John the Evangelist, Hills Road. Under normal circumstances, the Charter Choir sings a weekly Evensong at the church during term-time, while the organ scholars have access to the church instrument for practice and recitals.

Sadly, with College and church both closed during lockdown, there has been little opportunity since March either for collective worship or for the choir to sing together. However, to mark the end of the academic year, a remote Evensong took place over YouTube. Choir members sang separately from their homes, their voices woven together by the Director of Music, Dr Daniel Trocmé-Latter. The Principal and Fellow Emerita Trish Maude contributed to the service from the church itself, which had just reopened, while students offered prayers and readings from a distance. Conducted by the Priestin-Charge, the Revd James Shakespeare, the service enabled students, Fellows, staff and alumni to mark the end of a unique academic year, in true 2020 fashion, separately and yet together.

Georgie Deri