Open participation music workshop with CoMA

Coma

Join CoMA London and CoMA Singers for a day of rehearsals, workshops and an informal performance, open to singers and players of any acoustic instruments, of any ability. There is no need to have taken part in CoMA events before.

We will be playing music written especially for the event by Robert Crehan and leon clowes.

This is a chance to explore exciting, thought-provoking contemporary orchestral music in an open, supportive environment.

About the music

GUIDE TO SURVIVAL IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS, VOL.1 by Robert Crehan offers a visceral exploration of urban life that is largely based on my experiences of growing up and living in post-industrial towns and cities. Stylised as an album, this large-scale single-movement work navigates through the gritty aspects of working-class life. Starting from a place of fear and anger, the work gradually reveals the hidden compassion and hope found beneath the rough, hard surface. Each section, akin to tracks in an album, is titled poetically, reflecting thematic shifts in perspective; where initial darkness gives way to unexpected beauty, all while maintaining the dissonant, unpredictable rhythm that characterises the world it seeks to portray.

(Please not that part of this piece involves text from news reports about violent crime)

Taking the words from an internet list of 11 things not to say to someone with mental health issues, what not to say has been written for the CoMA singers by leon clowes from what he calls his 'head' melodies. These are tunes that appear in his head in the middle of the night or when taking a walk. leon sings these 'head' melodies into his phone, squirreling them away for use one day - this day, the CoMA open workshop day. what not to say is an insight of what it's like in leon's head, each singer breathing a multi-layered life into these hidden 'head' melodies.