THE INCREDIBLE ARCHITECTURAL MUSICAL PICNIC
A family picnic with specially commissioned music, Sunday 29 June at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum
Visitors to England’s leading museum of historic buildings and traditional rural life will be able to enjoy a special musical picnic on Sunday 29 June, as part of the region’s architecture08 event. Families and individuals are invited to bring a picnic to the Museum’s spectacular Downland Gridshell conservation workshop, and enjoy two performances of ‘Gridshell Symphonies’, a specially commissioned piece of music by composer Peter Copley that emulates the building’s grandeur and innovative use of traditional techniques
Architecture08 is an exciting celebration of the art of architecture in the South East of England. The Project is supported by the Arts Council England South East, and West Sussex County Council. From 24 May until 28 June 2008, architecture08 offers nearly 100 building tours, workshops, exhibitions, competitions and much more throughout the region. The Incredible Architectural Musical Picnic in the Museum's Jerwood Gridshell Space celebrates the award-winning design of this stunning oak structure. It was the first timber gridshell in the UK and its cathedral-like interior has the additional benefit of outstanding acoustics, making it an ideal venue for a performance such as this.
The day will include two performances of ‘Gridshell Symphonies’ at 2.30pm and 4pm during the afternoon. The musical intention of Peter Copley is that the construction and nature of the composition – written for string quartet and trombone quartet – reflects the construction, character and usage of the building. The arrangement of the space will provide a subtly theatrical setting for the music.
In addition, the day will include entertainment for younger and older children (who will also have plenty of space to run around), a performance of Indian tabla playing and a guided tour of the Downland Gridshell and its archive of rural artefacts. The fun starts with the picnic at 12.30pm, and picnickers are recommended to bring with them cushions, rugs or low chairs. The Museum café will also be open, serving tasty homemade light lunches, snacks and refreshments.
The Incredible Architectural Musical Picnic will be held on Sunday 29 June, and the cost is included in the usual Museum admission price of £8.50 for adults, over 60s £7.50, children £4.50, family £23.30, and under 5’s free. The Museum is open daily until December 23 from 10.30am - 6pm during British Summer Time, and 4pm for the rest of the year.
Background information
The award-winning Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building exhibits and is designated by the Government for the outstanding importance of its collections. Exhibits include a medieval farmstead; a working watermill producing wholemeal stoneground flour; exhibitions focusing on traditional building techniques and agriculture; historic gardens, farm livestock and a working Tudor kitchen. The Museum runs a well-established schools programme, and an adult learning programme of courses in building conservation and rural crafts. There is a café which uses the Museum’s own flour and a shop with gifts and books on countryside and buildings themes. The modern Downland Gridshell houses the Museum’s building conservation centre and artefact collection; there is a daily tour at 1.30pm when the Museum is open, and an appointments system for visits to the collections for research purposes.
The Incredible Architectural Musical Picnic is organised by Mark Hewitt of Blank Productions, email enquiries@blankproductions.org.uk, mchblank@yahoo.co.uk. Telephone number 0796 836 7739.
12.06.08
