As part of Exeter Northcott’s The Time is Now commissions, composer Thomas Johnson is asking the South West’s locked-down community to consider what they are longing to do once lockdown is over and what they might miss which has been unexpectedly good about this time.
Thomas will turn people’s responses into a brand-new fully-formed song, complete with harmonies. With the help of backing tracks (and sheet music for anyone who’d find it useful), anyone can join in by learning the song and sending in a video of themselves singing. Thomas will then mix all entries together to create a virtual choir singing a digital anthem for our time.
“This will be a digital performance for now and for posterity, expressing our hopes and fears, as we live, together but apart, through this unsettling stutter in history.”
– Thomas Johnson
It’s so important we come together as a community and find creative ways to try to understand what’s happening in our lives and in our region. This is an invitation to anyone in the South West, no matter what level of singing experience you have, to take part.
We’re also making plans for the choir to sing together live at Exeter Northcott Theatre once it re-opens after lockdown. We can’t wait to see the Northcott back open and full of people from our community singing loud and proud!
Interested in taking part?
Follow the following steps:
Step 1
First of all, please consider your response to two questions:
What are you longing to do, once lockdown is completely over?
What do you think you’ll miss that has been surprisingly good about this time?
Please write just one sentence in response to each question. We’re looking for colourful and vivid responses!
Then send it to [email protected] by 11pm on Tuesday 19 May.
Step 2
On 29 May, we’ll email you and give you access to the song, sheet music (if you find that useful, if not – don’t worry) and your part. You will need to learn your part and take a video of yourself singing. A simple recording made with your phone is all that is needed – nothing too technical!
You’ll need to upload your recording by 11 June.
Thomas will then edit all your videos together to create a virtual choir. The song will be published on our website on 22 June.
FAQs
I don’t have any singing experience, can I join in?
Yes, absolutely. You don’t need any experience at all. We will provide sheet music only for those who might find it useful.
How many people can take part?
We want lots of people to take part but we can’t work with more than 50 videos. We will select on a first-come-first-served basis and will let everyone know when we’ve reached capacity.
Will I perform this live?
We would love When All This Is Over to be performed live once the Northcott re-opens. You are not obliged to do this if you take part in the digital choir but we’d like as many people as possible to participate in the staged performance.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Kelly Johnson, Marketing & Development Director at the Northcott: [email protected].
