Education
The Clerks are developing educational links in many areas of the United Kingdom including Tower Hamlets (London), Milton Keynes, Manchester, York, Cardiff and Cambridge. Working in association with THAMES (the Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service) and with the National Centre for Early Music, The Clerks are building sustainable relationships with a number of schools, which will soon be supported by online educational resources for teachers.
The Clerks and Edward Wickham can offer singing coaching sessions and choral sessions for all age groups. We are also offering sessions specifically associated with our Raising Voices projects.
The Clerks' education work is generously supported by The Wingate Foundation and The Golsoncott Foundation.
1. The Clerks Songbook
A collection of chart-busting Renaissance songs and motets, as chosen by The Clerks and their audiences will be combined with devised works by young people and a recently commissioned work in concerts in the City of London and Milton Keynes. The Clerks Songbook will be a chance for audiences to hear and vote on pieces which were breaking new ground in the Renaissance. In a new twist, modern ‘contrafacta’ (new texts set to old-established melodies) will be commissioned from ten of the UK’s leading poets (including Ian MacMillan and Ian Duhig), enabling audiences to appreciate the humour, pathos and romance of these songs in a fresh light.
Working with The Clerks and a poet, young people will learn about writing song lyrics and will create their own new lyrics to Renaissance songs, and their own songs.
Bow Boys School
- Hear the anonymous 15th century Fortuna Zibaldone as re-invented by pupils of Bow Boys School
- View score with new texts
“This really made me want to go and compose a madrigal.”
Michael - GSCE
student at Bow Boys school, Tower Hamlets.
Netherhall School, Cambridge
- Listen to the anonymous 15th century Fortuna Zibaldone as re-invented by pupils of Netherhall
- View score with new texts
Buckingham School
- Listen to the anonymous 15th century Fortuna Zibaldone as re-invented by pupils of Buckingham
- View score with new texts
2. Qudduson
Qudduson interweaves and occasionally fuses complementary repertoires of East and West. The Clerks will be joined by three leading Syrian singers from different musical traditions for concerts in Cambridge, Cardiff and York. A special commission will combine the various vocal forces. Eastern music will include chant from the ancient Syriac liturgy of Aleppo, music from the Islamic Sufi tradition and songs from the Armenian community based in Syria.
Young people will learn about and experience Middle Eastern music, instruments and chant traditions. They will take part in singing activities, improvise their own songs and try out the Arabic oud instrument.
3. The Hours
Educational work linked to The Hours can include workshops in which schoolchildren or adults can make their own contributions to the sound collage.
There are two areas in which school children can make a contribution to The Hours ...
Music Technology/Content Production
This element would be suited to older pupils with GSCE or A level experience of music technology. Pupils will be invited to produce a ‘panel’ for inclusion in The Hours. In an initial half-day visit, they will be encouraged to think of appropriate content for a sound sequence of approximately 10 minutes, drawn from a wide variety of sources, including the natural environment and their own lives. In between visits, pupils will be expected to record these elements and structure them into a coherent sequence. In the second visit, we will review the work and suggest changes which will then be made during the visit or shortly afterwards. The panel(s) will be included in the final version of The Hours and possibly drawn upon to create further content.
Live Performance
Schools with an active choir and/or instrumental ensemble may give a short performance (approx. 15-30 mins) as part of the collage. The music should reflect the themes of the project, but need not be classical. For example, soul or gospel music would be welcome, as well as purely instrumental work. A programme would be devised in the course of one to two half-day sessions with Edward Wickham and Jonathan Green. It is hoped that elements of the live performance will be recorded and become part of the collage itself.
Bow Boys School
Netherhall School, Cambridge
Bishop Challoner
