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A SOMERSET JOURNEY

- SOUNDING OUT SOMERSET

May 21st - June  24th 2012

A Somerset Journey is a search for the sounds and winds of Somerset. It is a month long performance looking for the song of the wind, seeking out songs and stories, and special sounding places in Somerset. We are also asking people to listen to the county and tell us about their favourite sounds

They are seeking out the wind, trying to catch it in nets and bottles, forever searching. It slips through their fingers, stokes their skin, ruffles their hair. On high hills they prepare wind fields and sound farms, places for the wind to play. They love wild weather and sudden silences, the whirl of playgrounds and hubbub of crowds

In the journey a troupe of ‘Wind Gatherers travel around the county creating a series of special events for people to join in with; exchanging and sharing sounds, songs and stories, creating landscape jams and big sings, story telling picnics, campfire feasts, illuminated journeys, and noisy processions.

Theirs is a world of jingle jangle journeys, where giant horns float down rivers and sound out over hills, of the myths of now and then, where ancient and modern get all mixed up, where machines tell stories and songs are written on the wind

The journey begins in Taunton on the 21st of May on the evening of the Olympic Torch ceremony and will then visit schools, children centres, hilltops, beaches, coves, pubs, town centres and village greens, anywhere where the wind takes them. The Wind Gatherers will have with them a panoply of special machines and devices, a beautiful wind gathering vehicle, giant horns, wind harps and wind chimes and a mobile archive, into which they pour sounds, stories and songs and winds

Their carts jingle jangle across hills and down lanes, full of nets and charms and sound recorders, chimes at each corner, horns and rattle bags. Through side streets and bye ways they call out for scraps of tales and songs, bits of sound, to refashion into new stories and symphonies.

A Somerset Journey- Sounding Out Somerset is also asking us all to listen to this special place and tell us about their favourite sounds, about places where the wind plays or that sound special. We will be collecting these sounds and be putting the best on the ‘Soundcloud’ website and on the sound map website www.aporee.org. Contact us at somersetjourney@yahoo.co.uk
This is also a celebration of the wind, of ‘heavens breath’, that remarkable power that regulates the temperature of the planet which can be soft and gentle or tear up trees and make the seas roar. A force with no sound of its own, but one that makes the world come alive with noise and create the ‘soft floating witchery of sound’ of the wind harp

As well as gathering this rich collection of Somerset sounds the troupe will be creating new stories and songs to share with who they meet on their journey. The ensemble and a specially built processional vehicle will then travel down to Weymouth, bringing the winds, sounds, songs and stories of Somerset as its contribution to ‘The Battle for the Winds’, a spectacular show on Weymouth Beach celebrating the South West and opening the London 2012 Olympic Games, Weymouth and Portland Sailing Events. http://battleforthewinds.com/

The ensemble includes storyteller Michael Loader, performer, maker Tarn Aitken, artist Francesca Dunford and musician Tim Hill. Together they have worked with No Fit State Circus, Horse and Bamboo theatre, Welfare State International, Cirque Bijou, Bristol Old Vic and many more

How can you get involved
-          Perhaps you know a song that is local to your area? Past or present.
-          A local story that you want to share with us? No tale is too tall or too small
-          A sound that you think is beautiful or perhaps unusual in some way?
-          A place that you know where sounds are amplified or sound different?
-          A place where the wind sings or makes a great sound

You could send us your sound, comer along to one of our public events and share a song or story, tell us about where the wind plays, or create your own songs, tales or piece of music.

If any of the above strikes a chord, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch with our route navigator, Natalie Parsley on somersetjourney@yahoo.co.uk

Who has seen the wind
Neither you or I
But when the leaves hang trembling
The wind is passing through

Who has seen the wind
Neither you or I
But the trees bow down their heads
The wind is passing by

Who Has Seen the Wind. Christina Rossetti

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