Community Choral Project
October 2005 – February 2007
The City Halls Community Choral Project was developed to explore and celebrate the rich cultural and industrial histories of City Halls, the Old Fruitmarket and Merchant City area through the creation of a specially commissioned community choral piece. Arts reminiscence work, local history research and adult and child creative writing material was given to Glasgow based composer Oliver Searle as inspiration for a brand new musical work. The project culminated with the world premier of Pride, Poverty and Pianos in the Grand Hall, City Halls in February 2007 performed by our very own community choir, The Merchant Voices and musicians from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Partners
Glasgow Concert Halls worked in partnership with Living Arts, the Workers Educational Association and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Outcomes/Impact
The project was truly intergenerational and successfully brought together people of all ages involving them in the creation of a brand new choral work in a variety of ways. Pride, Poverty and Pianos is a celebration of the exciting future of City Halls and Old Fruitmarket and a lasting legacy of the rich and diverse histories of such well loved Glasgow buildings.
One of the biggest successes for the project has been the continuation of the Merchant Voices community choir which now has over 100 members and who have gone on to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London and Glasgow Catherdral with forthcoming concerts scheduled at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery.
Quotes
Oliver Searle’s piece was brilliant, and the mix of sounds, voices and the orchestra echoes the streets of Glasgow very well. I felt proud to have made a small contribution to the whole piece
Phil Wong, participant, Adult Creative Writing group
