These Hills Are Ours – A Song For Clougha

With the support of Eden Project North, Lancaster Arts, and More Music, we are recruiting singers for a unique choral singing project.

On 15th March this year, a group of singers will make their way from the Morecambe coast to the top of Clougha Pike, singing an original song along the route. The song is being written in response to a series of workshops with members of the community. It’s a celebration of the relationship between Clougha Pike and the people of Lancaster-Morecambe, and an exploration of themes around land ownership, ecology and freedom.

The song, and the journey, will be documented as one of a series of four short films of similar projects across the country.

KEY DATES:
Thursday 20th February – 7-9pm rehearsal, More Music, Morecambe
Friday 6th March – rehearsal 7-9pm, More Music, Morecambe
Sunday 15th March – performance day – meet at 9am, More Music, Morecambe for a final rehearsal before we head to the stone jetty to start at 10.15am.


FAQS:

Do I need to be able to cover the whole route?
It’ll be around thirteen miles and we want the experience to be accessible to everyone, so no. We will develop a transport plan that responds to everyone’s needs so that you can join us for as much of the journey as possible, and meet us at points along the way. We would like as many people as possible to join us for the final ascent of Clougha from Rigg Lane car park. But we don’t want anyone’s individual needs to prevent them from participating in as much of the project as possible. Please get in touch if you have doubts or specific needs.

Is there a bad weather plan?
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. You will certainly need sturdy footwear and given that this is Lancashire in March, full body waterproof cover is worth seriously considering.

What if I can’t make all the dates?
So long as you can make the performance day and at least one of the rehearsals, you’re welcome.

Do I need to be an experienced singer?
 No. There’ll be people involved who are very experienced choral singers, and people involved for whom this is their debut at singing in public. All are welcome.

Do I need to be able to read music?
No. We can have the sheet music (“dots”) available for those who need it, but this isn’t how the songs will be taught. And we’ll have demo tracks available to download and/or listen to online, so that you can familiarise yourself with the material between rehearsals.

What should I wear? 
See “is there a bad weather plan”, above.

How long will the performance day take?
We’ll be back down in the warm well before dusk, and perhaps not long after lunch time. But we’ll travel at the speed of the slowest group member and want to ensure everyone who wants to can participate, so this isn’t going to be a race. It also means that we’re reluctant to give a precise time, but we expect to be finished somewhere between 3-5pm. Bring a packed lunch.

How do I get there and back?

More Music is here: https://goo.gl/maps/1GHs8Fci74SKBMyKA. It’s close to bus routes from the centre of Lancaster and Morecambe, and there’s fairly plentiful on-street parking nearby.

For the return journey on the day itself, we’ll do a mix of car-pooling and taxiing.

If you’re worried about being able to meet travel costs then we can help support your involvement. Just get in touch via the email address below.

I’m in! Or, I have more questions!​
Email me on danielbye1980@gmail.com to get your name on the list. If you have any other questions, however small, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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