Illuminated River (2018 & 2020)
Conducted by Peter Longworth and performed by Guildhall Session Orchestra
During my time at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, I was commissioned to write two pieces for the illuminated River foundation - the first cohesive lighting vision for the Thames bridges in central London, celebrating the structures as architectural, social and historical landmarks.
The new lighting for the Thames’ bridges was designed by Leo Villareal and the environmentally conscious illuminations are unique to each bridge. Each one has been created to form a ribbon of subtly shifting colour and light, showcasing the architecture and celebrating the history of the bridges.
My first commission for this project came in 2018 with an orchestral piece entitled Blade of Light (An Ode to the Millennium Bridge). I was compelled to write for the Millennium Bridge as for me it represents the blazing optimism and momentum of the beginning of the 21st century. When you come to walk across the bridge at present you can get a quick, sharp glimpse of the vibrant chaos of London. These are all things that I wanted to embody within my high-octane, jet-fuelled piece:
For my second commission from the Illuminated River foundation, I wrote a piece for Westminster Bridge. I wanted to do something entirely different with this piece, instead focussing on our personal ties we attach to architecture.:
‘My first piece for the Illuminated river project was for the Millennium Bridge, entitled Blade of Light. The piece is a big bombastic fanfare, a celebration of the sharp contemporary architecture of the bridge which embodies the optimism of the millennium.’
‘This year, as a celebration of Westminster Bridge I have written something more intimate and vulnerable. All This History is an ethereal ballad which reflects upon the year we have had, and considers the personal stories we bring to architecture. Bridges have a deeply symbolistic value as they are the threshold between one location and another. Within the song I consider the bridge to be a gateway between the past and the present, and the crossing of the bridge resembles leaving something behind but whilst also forsaking any pre-conception of what the future may hold. The piece was inspired by seeing people walking across Westminster Bridge throughout last year, the bridge became a purifying and replenishing space for those facing the stress of our current circumstances. This highlights how important architecture is.’
In order to listen to the other pieces for this project, go to the Illuminated River Soundcloud Page.
