Weymouth Concert Elevates ‘Portland Herbal’
BBE’s Elevate programme recently saw its second round of band and artist collaborations come to fruition in an outdoor performance of a new work, ‘Portland Herbal’, created by composer and analogue synth artist Rebecca Denniff.
The place-based composition, reflecting the herbs and plants of the Isle of Portland just south of Weymouth, premiered at the annual Weymouth Concert Brass Band in the Park event in Weymouth's Radipole Gardens on Sunday 14 July as part of national Brass Band Week.
BBE’s COO Sarah Baumann said, “The performance as part of Brass Band Week was a fantastic opportunity to see the collaborative work between Rebecca and Weymouth Concert Brass in action! Audience members on the day were really excited about the prospect of hearing a brand new piece, and band members have been challenged and invigorated by the process. I can't wait to see what the next steps are for this pairing.”
Andrew Cowling, band member and practising herbalist, said,“'I found the composition and performance very moving as it really captured the essence of the Portland landscape. I am really looking forward to being part of the development of Rebecca's work and to giving the general public another chance to hear this wonderful piece. My thanks go to BBE, Rebecca and the rest of the band for honouring Portland and its healing herbs in such a wonderful way.”
Laura Caddy, band member and band secretary, said, “We have really enjoyed working with Rebecca on this project. Being creative and pushing the boundaries of our performance has been an interesting experience. We are looking forward to the September finale and performing 'Portland Herbal' at the b-side Festival.”
Applications for Round 4 of Elevate will open on Monday 9 September via the Elevate page on the Brass Bands England website: https://bbe.org.uk/elevate Following Round 4, Elevate will run for two remaining rounds of the programme.
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