Build an Organ Project

Inspired by the restoration of St Michael's Cornhill's magnificent instrument through 2009 and 2010 they created a performance that used visual representations of sound as an animated score and combined with live music. The new work was presented in St Michael's Cornhill in a lunchtime concert within the 2010 Festival.

Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund

Biodiversity Matters

Groups visited one of the areas beautiful gardens accompanied by artist Victoria Turnbull, beekeeper Brian McCallum and two City Gardeners, exploring the space’s characteristics with particular focus on plants and flowers and the interdependent relationship that will be developed between them and our Festival bees. A bee-themed sculptural outcome displayed at 99 Bishopsgate through the course of the 2010 Festival, and displayed at Honey Ceremonies, brought together thoughts about and impressions of each space visited.

Supported by the Wax Chandlers' Company

Your Turn

In the preceding weeks, young pianists from Islington, Hackney and Tower Hamlets worked with the Guildhall School musicians, Helen Reid, Michael Goodey and Luke Crookes to explore elements of Chopin’s Nocturnes before creating their own musical response. A high-profile outdoor performance at 6.30pm, at the beginning of the 21 June event saw the première of the new works, played on some of the 21 pianos that featured in the later commission.

Each piece developed used several pianos simultaneously; a rare chance for young people to consider the possibilities of multiple piano composition and performance.

Following the 21 June event, the 21 pianos will move in to the City’s streets becoming 'Street Pianos' for all to enjoy during the Festival. Transcribed versions of the Your Turn compositions were included in a songbook left at each piano for all to discover.

With thanks to The Guildhall School, The Learning Trust Music Service (Hackney), Tower Hamlets Arts & Music Education Service and CEA@Islington

Moment and Monument

This evolving contemporary dance work unfurls in three stages in three iconic City locations, The Tower of London, Monument and The Royal Exchange Building, with the audience either witnessing individual stages or following the work from start to finish as it moves from the edge to the heart of the City.

As the performance builds in size, from a quartet of dancers outside the Tower of London to a final large ensemble at the Royal Exchange, so too does its influence and the audience will witness a series of intriguing interplays and power struggles between ensemble and architecture.

Suported by the Mayor of London

Soundtrack

Using recycled materials collected from the Square Mile students turned what might otherwise appear as waste into musical instruments in a series of workshops led by renowned Brazilian percussionist Adriano Adewale. Students were led through a compositional process by Adriano. Alongside the music, a movement element will embellish and complete the performance.

In collaboration with the City’s Street Cleansing and Waste Collection teams

Supported by the City Bridge Trust

Celebrating Biodiversity

Through in-school workshops led by Alice Lodge, Caroline Jones, Fiona Edwards and Katie Barton, tonnes of the City’s recyclable waste was transformed into sculpture, puppetry and costume inspired by features of the natural world.

Movement sessions added the finishing touches to presentations before participants joined hundreds of young people from across London for the Festival Procession.

Following the Procession, some of the work produced was exhibited at St Mary le Bow from Tuesday 29 June to Friday 09 July, by kind permission of the Rector.

The Festival Procession in 2010 took place on Friday 25 June, 12.45 - 1.30 concluding with a spectacular musical finale by Adriano Adewale & Umpatacum at 1.30pm on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral.

In collaboration with the City’s Street Cleansing and Waste Collection teams. With thanks to Artis Education Supported by the City Bridge Trust