This page shares three examples of site-specific ‘walking songbook’ projects: Word on the Street (2019), On the Move (204) and Moving Song (2013).
In each of these projects, I composed a series of songs for participatory audience performances on urban walking tours. The songs are directly tied to specific locations at points along the walking route, inviting a musical reflection on local contemporary and historical issues.
Word on the Street
In 2019 I was commissioned by Belfast City Council to produce Word on the Street – an interactive walking tour performance for HIVE Choir, exploring Belfast City Centre. The group invited participants to join in improvised singing with an original songbook composed of cut-up texts found in the City’s recent draft cultural strategy and archival reports on the city’s cultural economy and community arts.
On the Move
On the Move took place as part of Open University’s Luminous Curious Journey Festival in November 2014. The audience was led on a walking tour through Belfast’s city centre for a series of site-specific improvisations. [Score]
Moving Song
Performed at Culture Night Belfast 24 September 2013, Moving Song was a promenade performance of local literature and oral histories using a songbook of verbal scores and games. [Songbook]