SUPREME
Performed by Lambeth Music Service Senior String Ensemble
Composer: Emma-Jean Thackray
Workshop Leader: Catherine Burgis
Education Director: Becky Dixon
Within a culture obsessed with beats electronic loops, this piece explores the idea of remixing in a different setting and delves into a sound world generated from a single sample, seeking a visceral connection with new music which is reverting to tribal and ritualist ideals.
This exciting new piece has been developed over a series of workshops with young musicians from Lambeth Music Service’s Senior String Ensemble. The project has introduced the participants to a collaborative compositional approach exploring musical spontaneity and decision making. The participants have been given the opportunity to work with composer Emma-Jean Thackray, who worked with the young people, giving ideas and inspiration throughout the workshop process. Led by workshop leader Catherine Burgis, with education director Becky Dixon, the workshop process was part of a new partnership with Lambeth Music Service.
Becky Dixon is a musician, workshop leader and experienced arts project manager, with four years experience running and managing high profile education and outreach projects for the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She also specialises in teaching early years music with a cross-arts approach, and has a particular interest in playing experimental and folk styles. Becky has a Masters in Contemporary Music from Goldsmiths College, and a two-year certificate in workshop leading skills. She is co-director of Nimble Arts, and has previously run music summer schools, presented pre-concert talks for families at the Barbican, and led projects in primary schools which have performed on BBC Radio 3.
Catherine Burgis is a musician, teacher and workshop leader with a degree in Music from Oxford University. She is a experienced performer and songwriter and works with a number of bands as a keys player, guitarist, drummer and backing vocalist. As Head of Music at Sydenham Girls School and Music Advisor to local primary schools, she was involved in a number of cross-borough initiatives including the Music Transitions project designed to help young people moving from primary to secondary school continue to learn an instrument. In 2010 Catherine joined the BBC to temporarily cover as Learning Manager for the BBC Proms and Symphony Orchestra. She developed, managed and delivered a wide range of events including presenting Music Intro talks at the Barbican, designing a junk percussion installation for the Barbican Weekender, and being part of the creative team who developed the Horrible Histories Prom which featured 150 hard-to-reach young people in a brand new choir in Summer 2011. Her work has featured on Radio 3 and BBC websites. Having built up a wide range of contacts across the Creative Arts Sector, Catherine is now Specialist Music Teacher for Heber School, East Dulwich, and continues to develop and deliver workshops with Nimble Arts, the BBC and for other music organisations.