The current situation (without wanting to dwell) has, doubtless, presented significant challenges to the work of everyone, artists included. Through an extended period of almost complete isolation myself I saw gigs and projects cancelled and/or postponed and was left with a considerable feeling of uncertainty.
I became a student of nature’s goings on through the window and the world’s, through the screen. My Codi Buddies collaboration with South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus was one of the things on hold, or so I thought!
A few weeks into lockdown I was pleasantly surprised to discover the choir were continuing weekly meetings online, with a more social/cabaret focus, the technicalities of lag issues presenting serious impracticalities for large group rehearsal. This seemed (to me) to present an acceptable R n D opportunity.
I checked into one of their online evenings and, (when asked about the piece), a plan developed. The choir’s MD put together a draft recording of my work so far, layering himself performing all the parts.
This was distributed to the membership and a Zoom (a term I had previously only associated with frozen confectionary) followed where we work-shopped and developed the piece’s text and textural content.
Having just completed a third set of developmental revisions to the piece I find myself excited to see where it goes and what, ultimately, comes out of our work.