NICHOLAS GARBETT

Seascapes (2010)

Music for 8 Laptops Nicholas Garbett

Seascapes is a sound installation for 8 laptops. This composition is based upon the poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (1797) by Samuel Coleridge Taylor.

Overview

This composition is a sound installation that utilises 8 networked laptops. The laptop performers are positioned in a none specific manor around the installation room. It is designed for public listening as the audience can wander freely throughout the installation as the performance is occurring. This is a public listening experience, however I believe that this should also be a personal listening experience as the audience should be able to listen closely to the story as they move, collecting and hoovering up the ambient sounds heard in the background. This ambient sound will give a sense of context and meaning as the sounds of the sea and other linking audio samples linked to keywords in the poem are gently passed across the room. This project is about retelling a story using found audio, retelling the story through the use of technology.

The Poem

The poem tells of ‘the Ancient Mariner’ who recounts his journey to a bridegroom bound to be married. Although, he can hear the wedding bells tolling the bridegroom is drawn in by the Ancient Mariner.

His tale spells woe and misery of a ship laden with crew as it is driven off course by a storm. This forces them to the land of ice. An Albatross leads the crew safely away from this desolate place.

Despite the good fortunes that the bird had brought, the Mariner shoots it dead. The crew members are angry and hang this bird around the Mariners neck as a punishment. The Mariner and crew members encounter a spirit who play with a dice for the souls of the men on board the ship. One by one each crew member dies, but the Ancient Mariner is spared.

As the Mariner is the only living crew member he is forced to pray as he realises the natural beauty of the sea creatures, once referring to them as ‘Slimy things’. The Albatross was lifted from around his neck. The souls of the crew members rose and lead the ship back home. The ship sinks in a whirlpool. The Mariner is thought to be dead, he is rescued from the water; his life spared. As a penance for his crimes he must retell this story for the rest of his life.

BIO

Nicholas completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Salford University in the summer of 2009, majoring in Conducting and Composition. He has had the opportunity to work with some of the finest Brass musicians and teachers over the past three years including Dr. Howard Evans, Dr, Roy Newsome, Prof. David King and Prof. Peter Graham. Nicholas is continuing his education and development in the area of Composition as he is studying full time to achieve his Master of Arts degree, completion 2011.

Nicholas has performed with the University of Salford Brass Band and Adelphi Brass Band for the past 4 years on various instruments including Eb Tenor Horn, Eb & Bb Bass. He has played numerous concerts and events over the years including visits to the Salvation Army’s Regent Hall Corps Oxford Street London.

Nicholas is one of the founding members of the Adelphi Contemporary Music Group formed by Joe Duddell and Craig Vear in 2008.

Since winning the “Salford City Reds” competition in April 2009, he has featured on both BBC Greater Manchester radio and has also taken part in a TV Interview that featured on Sky Sports News.

As well as composition Nicholas also enjoys arranging for Brass Bands. In summer 2010, Nicholas had the opportunity to arrange a collection of well known show-stopping melodies for the world famous Black Dyke Brass Band, who performed in collaboration with the Halifax Choral Society at the Summer Transatlantic Proms Concert held at the Halifax Victoria Theatre.

Some of my previous Wind Band commissions have included a massed band fanfare for 60+ performers, commissioned by the 150th (Yorkshire) Transport Reigment, Royal Logistics Corps (Volunteers) of the Territorial Army 2009.