Singing in the Rain

CLARE GEE rediscovers her vocal chords amid the manifold excitements of the Orkney arts scene.

I AM BUZZING. Last Sunday evening (18 June 2006) I had the honour of sharing a stage with 130 other Orkney residents who have been rehearsing since February to sing Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, professional soloists, and conductor Martyn Brabbins. An annual part of the St Magnus Festival since 1980, the Festival Chorus was probably at its biggest this year and for me as a first timer it was an amazing experience.

Since being in Orkney I have re-discovered singing (something I’ve not done since school) and have had a fantastic year – as a member of the Mayfield Singers I sang Bach’s ‘St Matthew Passion’ in St Magnus Cathedral here, and St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh in March, followed up with the Festival Chorus. All to packed houses, and very appreciative audiences.

None of this has anything to do with my job as Arts Development Officer, or my own ‘professional’ artform which is visual arts, but it is an example of the very special opportunity that exists in Orkney to participate in really exceptional quality arts events.

Looking back on what I wrote for Art Folk a year ago, I guessed that this year would be busier than my first in post. At the time I thought this would be daunting but exciting, and it has certainly proved to be busier, more challenging, and definitely exciting!

Having completed the public art and arts capital strategies for Orkney, which I mentioned in the Arts Folk piece a year ago, I am now attempting to get my head around how we deliver the priorities and recommendations. This is a huge task and one I am very glad that I am sharing with committed individuals and organisations.

A number of projects have successfully been awarded funding through the Highland 2007 Orkney Community Programme – and work will be starting on these celebratory projects very soon

Talking of capital developments, the Pier Arts Centre’s extension and refurbishment – a major £4.5 million capital project – is getting tantalisingly close to completion. The new building looks stunning, and having had the privilege of seeing inside on several site visits, I am getting really excited about the final exhibition spaces and scale of the centre.

The architecture works amazingly well – a contemporary building in amongst the old traditional houses and piers of Stromness – and is definitely going to benefit the collection and temporary exhibitions with the beautiful light and airiness of the new building. I don’t think we realise how lucky we are. The Pier Arts Centre should open early in 2007.

For me and the members of the Orkney Arts Forum, this year’s big strategic task is to update the Orkney Arts Strategy – which is being completely re-written as Orkney’s Arts Development Plan. As part of the process, the artform and arts organisation representatives on the Orkney Arts Forum have been giving a series of presentations all about where they see their artform/organisation currently, and the main priorities for future development.

These have been incredibly thought-provoking, and have been the catalyst for some great and vibrant debate, ensuring that the new Orkney Arts Development Plan is a reflection of genuine, on the ground knowledge of what needs to happen into the future.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with some fantastic people this year – in February I worked with Alistair Peebles (Chair and Literature Rep on the Orkney Arts Forum and regular contributor to this journal) and Alex Cluness (Literature Development Officer for Shetland) on the Northern Isles Writing Weekend. Alex came south with Jen Hadfield, then Writer in Residence in Shetland. The details of the weekend have already been reported on Northings and no doubt are available to read in the archive section so I won’t repeat it all here, but it was an incredible opportunity.

Alex and Alistair have since ventured west to pursue the potential for the three island groups to work together more closely and cohesively, and we hope we can reciprocate the writing weekend with Shetland at least, if the (currently in development) George Mackay Brown Writing Fellowship takes place in 2007.

The Orkney weather – gales and rain at the summer solstice – put paid to one of the most exciting events of the year. Resonant Spaces – a Scottish Arts Council funded Tune Up Tour organised by Barry Esson of Arika, and featuring John Butcher and Akio Suzuki, was supposed to hold it’s first gig of the tour at the Ring of Brodgar on 20 June, but the weather had the last laugh and unfortunately the show – a fringe event of the St Magnus Festival – had to be cancelled.

This was a real shame, especially after the months of planning and organising both within and out with Orkney. Undeterred however, Barry and the musicians were to be seen at the Standing Stones of Stenness that morning, before the rain and gales picked up, recording incredible sounds and improvised wind-made saxophone music.

Luckily, their second Orkney gig, on solstice night in the disused oil tank at Lyness, Hoy – part of the Scapa Flow Visitors Centre – went incredibly well. I managed to cadge a lift on a friend’s boat to get to Hoy, coming back late, but in true solstice fashion, the sky was still light. I’ll never forget the evening – and I’m hoping the organisers were pleased enough with it to want to come back.

I’ll finish with things to look forward to – and there’s plenty, so apologies if I miss things out.

A number of projects have successfully been awarded funding through the Highland 2007 Orkney Community Programme – and work will be starting on these celebratory projects very soon, to take place next year. Orkney Traditional Dance Association will be undertaking their most ambitious project yet – the Orkney Ceilidh Weekend, and there are to be several public art commissions from Orkney Arts Society, and, more unusually, the Orkney Fossil and Vintage Centre – who want to kick start a South Isles sculpture trail from their vantage point high up in Burray.

Also as part of Highland 2007, The Pier Arts Centre will be undertaking a tour of Orkney with new prints of films by the wonderful Orcadian filmmaker Margaret Tait, and Orkney Camerata will be developing a concert with a programme of works by Orkney composers or with Orkney connections.

Soulisquoy Printmakers are to refurbish their Columbrian press, and, using the press, will run workshops in the use of letter type and bookbinding, leading to a series of hand printed limited edition publications.

Last but certainly not least, the Festivals are also getting in on the Highland 2007 celebrations – both the Folk and St Magnus Festivals will be taking part. The Folk Festival will ensure that every inhabited Orkney island is visited for workshops, school visits and ceilidhs as a pre-festival tour, and the St Magnus Festival will be working in partnership with the Pickaquoy Centre for a project that will explore sport, music and dance.

I can’t wait!!!

Clare Gee is the Arts Development Officer for Orkney

© Clare Gee, 2006