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Whispering Woods

Whispering Woods Project Profile

A mass participation choral project for a promenade audience, Whispering Woods brought together singers from across West Sussex in September 2012 to create a public music performance after dark in specially-lit woodland at Bignor Park in the Sussex landscape.

Whispering Woods was inspired by Laulupidu, the largest amateur choral event in the world which takes place in a forest amphitheatre in Estonia. The 50 minute programme was devised by Creative Producer Paul Ackerley to be accessible for every type of singing and ability and to include new commissions and premieres. Sussex-born, award-winning composer Lynne Plowman’s piece White Stars, Green Leaves was specially written for, and had its world premiere at, Whispering Woods. Iconic Bulgarian composer, Kyril Todorov’s piece, Goro Le, was commissioned for a pilot event in 2011 and re-performed, together with Australian composer, Sarah Hopkin’s hugely popular Honour The Earth.

Whispering Woods’ Music Director, Dessi Stephanova said ‘The overall theme of our repertoire is ‘elemental’ - linking our songs to the landscape in which we are singing, and drawing from polyphonic singing traditions from around the world.’

Dessi, a BBC Open Choir of the Year winner, led a talented team of choral leaders including other award winning and nationally regarded directors: Emily Barden (Chichester area), Jo Cornell and Kaytie Harding (Crawley and Horsham areas), Rebecca Askew (Shoreham and Worthing areas) and Jan Winstone, University of Chichester. The performance was enhanced by light installations from the Brighton arts company Same Sky and dance by University of Chichester Musical Theatre students.

Whispering Woods was part of the Ahead of the Game Cultural Programme in West Sussex, led by West Sussex Arts Partnership, with funding from Arts Council England.

In partnership with the South Downs National Park, Creatives Across Sussex hopes to develop this successful project into a wider series of urban and rural outdoor mass participation singing events – ‘Singing Streets’ and the National Festival of Singing in the Landscape.

View my website http://www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com/page/culture/47/

My Location

Creatives Across Sussex

The Barn
Fordwater Lane
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 6PT

Telephone: 0843 289 5150
Email: enquiries@creativesacrosssussex.com
Website: http://www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com/page/culture/47/

Profile Details

My News

Whispering Woods Rescheduled - New Dates/Venue Announced! / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2012-08-22T00:00:00Z">Wed 22 Aug 2012</span>Whispering Woods Rescheduled - New Dates/Venue Announced! / Wed 22 Aug 2012

***NEW VENUE & DATES ANNOUNCED*** Whispering Woods has now been rescheduled to take place this September at Bignor Park, a privately owned estate s...

My Events

Whispering Woods 2012 - New Venue &amp; Dates Announced! / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2012-09-15T00:00:00Z">Sat 15</span> to <span  itemprop="endDate" content="2012-09-16T00:00:00Z">Sun 16 Sep 2012</span> <span>(2 days)</span>Whispering Woods 2012 - New Venue & Dates Announced! / Sat 15 to Sun 16 Sep 2012 (2 days)

***NEW VENUE & DATES ANNOUNCED*** Whispering Woods has now been rescheduled to take place this September at Bignor Park, a privately owned estate s...

Whispering Woods 2011 @ West Dean Arboretum / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2011-07-23T00:00:00Z">Sat 23 Jul 2011</span>Whispering Woods 2011 @ West Dean Arboretum / Sat 23 Jul 2011

If you go down to the woods tonight… Whispering Woods, the second of three annual events created to bring together hundreds of residents from all o...

My Opportunities

Volunteers Needed for Whispering Woods Event / <span itemprop="startDate" content="2011-07-18T00:00:00Z">Mon 18 Jul 2011</span>Volunteers Needed for Whispering Woods Event / Mon 18 Jul 2011

Volunteers needed to help with choral event at West Dean Arboretum on Saturday 23rd July 2011. Whispering Woods is a choral event for a promenade a...

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