News release – 21st September 2008 - for immediate release
City of Bristol Choir at Cabot Circus,
October 2007
CABOT CIRCUS OPENS WITH THE SONGS OF NATIONS
Cabot Circus will open in style on 25th September, with a launch event that will include a musical
celebration of the unique global community of workers that created the
new development.
A choir of over 150 voices will perform at the opening, including singers
from City of Bristol Choir and school children from Merchant’s Academy
in Withywood and St Mary Redcliffe & Temple School.
The choir will sing songs that were originally heard being sung by
the workers at the site, and which have been arranged into a full-scale
piece for choir, soloists and brass ensemble.
The unique project, Cabot Circus Cantata, is the result of a collaboration between Bristol Alliance’s
Artist-in-Residence Neville Gabie, and composer and conductor David Ogden.
The project was inspired by the diversity of the construction workforce, which represented some 60
nationalities. Keen to explore this theme further, Neville joined forces with David Ogden and in May 2007
the pair spent several days persuading workers – including builders, secretaries, foremen, concreters,
security guards and canteen staff – to perform traditional songs from their native countries which they
recorded on site.
The Cantata, which includes songs in 13 different languages, was first performed in October 2007 when
City of Bristol Choir recorded it in the empty shell of the House of Fraser anchor store, dressed in hard
hats and yellow high visibility jackets. The singers then walked in a colourful procession Bristol’s oldest
building, St James Priory, to give a public concert there. The piece was also performed by Bristol school
children at the High Sheriff’s Concert in Bristol Cathedral in June 2008, and a book and DVD of the
project has been published.
David Ogden explains, “Many of the songs sung by the workers came from the heart. They are reminders
of their homeland, of their families and friends back home and so were sung with great feeling and
nostalgia. It has been a true sharing of cultures, with the songs being learned by local singers - children
and adults - and the songs stay with us even though the workers have left.”
The performance will take place at 7.45pm on Thursday 25th September outside the completed House
of Fraser store in Cabot Circus, and is open to the public free of charge.
City of Bristol Choir’s next project is a Remembrance Sunday concert in Bristol’s Colston Hall on 9th
November. More than 300 musicians will take part in the performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem,
for which the choir will be joined by singers from St Mary Redcliffe & Temple School, Red Maids’ School
Chamber Choir, Westbury-on-Trym Parish Church Girls’ Choir and the 80-strong Cheltenham Symphony
Orchestra. Tickets for the concert are on sale now from the Colston Hall Box Office.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
• City of Bristol Choir is a well-established adult choir of around 80 singers who perform a varied repertoire at
venues around the South West. It was founded in 1991 and David Ogden was appointed Music Director in 2000. They
perform regularly in concerts and have appeared on BBC1 television’s Songs of Praise. Forthcoming events include a
performance of Britten’s War Requiem at Colston Hall on Remembrance Sunday. �www.cityofbristolchoir.org.uk
• With an established national and international reputation, NevILLE GABIE has been Bristol Alliance’s Artist-inResidence at Cabot Circus for three years. Working at Cabot Circus, Neville’s central concern is to consider and
explore the changing fabric of the city centre through projects which range from working with choirs, chefs, and
fetching stone from China. Neville’s previous projects include Up In The Air (2000-2005), Coast (2003-2005), and Posts
(1998-ongoing). www.nevillegabie.com
• David Ogden is a Bristol-based professional conductor and composer. He is much in demand as a conductor
and director of choral and church music workshops, courses and festivals in the UK and abroad. As well as City of
Bristol Choir, he conducts the accomplished Bristol-based chamber choir Exultate Singers, the RSCM Millennium
Youth Choir, Midlands and South West Cathedral Singers, and the youth choir, South Bristol Voices. He was recently
appointed Director of the Bristol Schools Choral Centre. He is Director of Music at Westbury-on-Trym Parish Church,
Bristol and makes frequent appearances on BBC radio and television. www.davidogden.co.uk
• CABOT CIRCUS ART PROGRAMME As artist in residence, Neville Gabie is developing a wide programme of
temporary/performance and permanent works for the Cabot Circus development. This event forms one element of a
wider commitment to public art by the Bristol Alliance. For more information please contact Sam Wilkinson or Sarah
Collicott of InSite Arts on 07917 153555 or by email to [email protected].
For further information or to arrange photography or an interview with Neville Gabie, please contact Helen Bell or
Peter Stilwell at Trimedia on 0117 929 2311 or 07880 560233 or email [email protected]
For further information or to arrange photography or an interview with David Ogden, please contact Judith Ogden,
City of Bristol Choir Publicity Manager, on 01275 373981 or 07753 742553 or email [email protected].
HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES
Available to download by clicking on the thumbnails below, or by visiting www.cityofbristolchoir.org.uk/media
Images can also be emailed to you: please call Judith Ogden on 01275 373981 or 07753 742553.
City of Bristol Choir
Image must be credited
© Mark Simmons
Cabot Circus
development
David Ogden
Conductor of
City of Bristol Choir
City of Bristol Choir
Performing Cabot Circus
Cantata in Cabot Circus,
October 2007
Neville Gabie
Artist-in-residence,
Bristol Alliance