looking out the window

Through getting to know the choir, it became very clear that the theme of community, reconnection and togetherness was really important to the group and should be the main focus of the piece. I spent a great deal of time looking for text that related to the theme before thinking, who better to write text about coming together as a choir, than The Edinburgh Singers themselves! So, I invited the choir to send me as many quotes as they liked from their favourite poems and songs as well as writing lines themselves which I could then collage into the one piece of text, written by the choir collectively. I was overwhelmed with so many amazing suggestions from such a wide variety of influences, but I finally managed to narrow the quotes down and compile the different snippets of text into poem below.

When…							
When all this is over -					
I will sit quietly; surrounded by friends,		
and just watch them, listen to them,
happy just to see them smile.			
How I wish you were here,					
in this uncertain hour.						
This hard year’s winter, froze our voices,	 		
but now, the singing will never be over.         				
Enveloped by voices, reunited by harmony;						 
in the company of other souls,	             			
we’ll feel our voices blend. 				
We will no longer sing into the silence.

We Will No Longer Sing into the Silence

The Turn - Live With dancer Colin Dunne, Irish Chamber Orchestra

The Turn - Dance in Your Blood

Meditation for Four Human Hands - for Prepared Piano & EBow

String Trio - Chambered Cairn
Based on the ancient Orkney site of Maeshowe, an ancient burial cairn that aligns with the setting sun on the eve of the Winter solstice.

Chambered Cairn - String Trio

Paddy's Leather Breeches : Scarce O' Tatties

Here is a beautifully written and touching review done by Various Small Flames:
https://varioussmallflames.co.uk/2021/01/21/darlene-zarabozo-cheap-emotions/

the inevitable withdrawal (text by Phoebe McGowan)

Performed by Nevis Ensemble, conducted by Jon Hargreaves.

commissioned by Nevis Ensemble for their inaugural tour of Scotland in August 2018.
​
The starting point for Attach was ‘Circles in a Circle’ (1923), a work by the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky. Referring to this composition, Kandinsky wrote, “The circle is the synthesis of the greatest oppositions. It combines the concentric and the excentric in a single form, and in balance." I started to think about how the communities that we all belong to are in some ways exponents of “the greatest oppositions” that Kandinsky refers to. On the one hand these small communities and their comprised individuals tend to strive for independence and may espouse a collective set of opinions, beliefs or a sense of pride. In summary, there is a desire to have their unique voices heard. On the other hand, these communities may also aspire to feel like a microcosm of society in broader terms. They may want to feel connected to neighbouring communities and ultimately feel like their voices can be aligned, strengthened and united with the voices of surrounding communities. The ebb and flow of these opposing states heavily impacted the way I thought about organising the orchestra and eventually manifested into four distinct groups of musicians. The physical spatialisation of the groups was loosely informed by ‘Circles in a Circle’, and organised to situate three chamber-sized groups within a large circle of string players. I was interested in the resultant interactions between each group’s musical material and whether they try to have their individual voices heard or contribute towards the voice of one larger entity.

Attach (for orchestra) - 2 excerpts [2018]

Commissioned by Drake Music Scotland and Hebrides Ensemble for 'Diversions' in the Queen's Hall Edinburgh. 

The work tries to create a platform where accessible music technology can simply play alongside 'traditional' orchestral instruments and stand shoulder to shoulder with the past. 

The nod to Stravinsky highlights the sentiment - a group of instruments playing together. 

The work is four movements long

I - Searching
II - Hoquetus
III - Chorale
IV - Finale

Performed by the Hebrides Ensemble and Digital Orchestra, conducted by Ben Lunn

Symphonies Of Instruments (2019)

Composer | Arranger | RCS Graduate | aileensweeney.com

We Will No Longer Sing into the Silence

Aileen Sweeney

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