The Victorian Carousel “Standard 54” organ located on Brighton Beach is the finest of its kind in the country, if not the world, and yet not one original piece of music has ever been composed for this unique instrument.
Acclaimed musicians Eliza Carthy, David Thomas and Adam Bushell propose to collaborate together for the first time to create a new score, hand cut on cardboard books, to be performed by this organ as part of a large ensemble featuring internationally acclaimed performers, trained musicians and a local school orchestra as part of a public performance on the Brighton seafront.
An innovative reinvigoration of antiquated technology, this commission will also result in a new grammar book for the Standard 54 organ to be written, enabling composers worldwide with the tools to create a repertoire for this undiscovered musical resource.
Eliza Carthy is an internationally acclaimed performer, known for her interpretation, and extension, of the English folk tradition. David Thomas was raised in Cleveland, Ohio and lives in Hove, just along the beach from the Carousel. His international reputation rests on his role as founder of the rock band Pere Ubu, heralded as ‘inventors of the new wave’ in 1977. Adam Bushell is the Director of the new music ensemble Tacet Ensemble, based in Brighton. The project was conceived by Ed Baxter, Programme Director of Resonance104.4FM, and is to be produced by London Musicians' Collective.
“The idea of a new work for the carousel at Brighton beach captured our imagination, alongside the involvement of musicians from many different disciplines.” New Music Award panel
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