Imagine a fisherman. Alone at sea. But not just an old sea. A musical sea. Where the waves are soundscapes that ebb and flow, bob and swell around him. Sometimes calm, sometimes boisterous and playful, or at times poignant. Glistening and glinting in the sunlight, the songs make a beautiful, colourful ocean.
Over the past two terms, more than 250 children from seven schools across Weymouth, Portland and the villages around Abbotsbury have been working with Tree of Strings Education Lead, Ellen Marsden, and percussionist, Felix Gibbons, to create this Sea of Songs.
During almost 90 workshops, they have been crafting music inspired by the landscapes and stories around them — from the sweep of Chesil Beach to the working lives of Portland’s quarrymen and the Tithe Barn in Abbotsbury.
And they will come together to perform a joyful finale ahead of the festival launch.
Taking inspiration from Dorset, the pupils’ pieces are rooted in the coastline – drawing on the landscape, smuggling histories and local working life, from fishing traditions to quarrying and farming rhythms.
The musical traditions of Abbotsbury’s Benedictine monks, sea shanties and Dorset folk songs sit alongside influences from Latin America and Brazil, captured in the Samba drumming and percussion rhythms learnt in workshops.
“We’re creating a musical narrative,” explains Marsden, “relating everything to local heritage – Chesil Beach, Portland, Weymouth and Abbotsbury. These are short musical scenes, linked atmospherically, moving like waves through the piece.
“We’ve mainly been working with Year 5 pupils. It’s a great age – they’re curious, full of energy and a spirit of adventure,” she adds. “The project is about empowerment and place – connecting young people with the history, landscape and stories of the Dorset coast – and bringing those voices together.”
Ellen began her own musical journey at the age of six playing the piano. She caught the orchestral bug playing cymbals in an orchestra project where she heard the oboe for the first time “I remember hearing the oboist and thinking what a beautiful sound.”
She went on to become a professional oboist, performing with all the major London orchestras for over 30 years and latterly Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, before moving into music education.
The Sea of Songs project sits at the centre of Tree of Strings’ belief that music should belong to everyone – breaking down barriers, supporting young artists, and connecting world-class performance with communities. In schools, that means pupils learning how to make music together.
Sea of Songs will also include a number of festival artists, allowing students to share the stage with professional musicians including Khanh Nhi Luong, Gareth Lubbe, Adriano Adewale, Nigel Eaton, and Artistic Director, Adrian Brendel.
Adrian sums up: “Supporting musical talent at every stage is at the heart of Tree of Strings, and that begins by working with schools and young people. Music gives us a way to be creative and to express ourselves, and it’s been incredibly exciting to see Sea of Songs grow into something on this scale. We can’t wait to raise the roof of the Tithe Barn.”
