Whilst the wind has blown wild this winter, the HNC Music class at Shetland College / Mareel has been busy composing original music in response to the theme of weather and the impact it has on us.
An eclectic mix of compositions has emerged inspired by various stimuli, including a visit to the Met Office. Student Lewis Murray explained: “After visiting the Observatory we experimented with using weather codes from a balloon launch to generate musical themes - it was really worthwhile experiencing a new compositional technique.”
On the Wednesday and Thursday next week (5 & 6 March) at Mareel, the students will perform their compositions live as an ‘Element Trail’ - a guided trip through different moods, styles and weather condition and through different spaces in Mareel. Amanda Shearer, who is studying on the HNC Music course said: “We’re looking forward to taking the audience into areas of Mareel that they might never have seen before.”
The image accompanying Amanda Shearer's piece entitled 20 Degrees Below
The Element Trail marks the launch of the Weather Stations exhibition as a whole, which will run until the end of March. As part of the exhibition, recordings of the students’ work can be heard on various listening stations around Mareel. People can listen to these pieces at their leisure and learn about the students' work, the inspiration behind their pieces and take time to contemplate their own relationship with the weather.There should be something to suit everyone, from Shona Fraser’s impressionistic solo piano piece Raindrops On My Window to Joe Watt’s intense and dramatic Tornado Torment. As student James Dade says: “Our pieces reflect the diversity of Shetland’s weather.”
Tickets for the live performances on the 5th and 6th of March are bookable online here. There will be two chances each night to join the Element Trail, assembling in the foyer at 7:30pm and then again at 8:30pm. Tickets for each tour are limited so please book in advance.
Current music courses delivered in Mareel in partnership with Shetland College range from a secondary school level Vocational Pathways course in Sound Engineering through to a Degree course and Masters level modules.
