On 21st June 2024, New Note Orchestra once again graced the stage of London’s prestigious Royal Opera House, performing in the beautiful Paul Hamlyn Hall. This was a brand new piece of work called Inertia, created in partnership with our friends at Fallen Angels Dance Theatre to a sell-out crowd.
Like New Note Orchestra, Chester-based Fallen Angels Dance Theatre works to support individuals in recovery through the arts. Our latest in a long list of collaborations with them, this project came about through the Royal Opera House’s Creative Exchange programme, which brings Royal Opera House artists and external community performers together to create new works inspired by ballet or opera stories, sharing their different experiences and inspiring each other creatively.
An intense and rewarding process.
This project kicked off back in April 2024 with a creative brainstorming session involving Creative Director Paul Bayes-Kitcher and Claire Morris from Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, David Pickering and Ruby Wolk from the Royal Opera House’s Learning and Participation team, composer Chris Benstead, choreographer Hannah Wilson and New Note’s Founder Molly Mathieson, Musical Director Conall Gleeson and long-time performer Roger Brophy. Taking place just eight weeks before the performance, this project had the quickest turnaround of any we’ve undertaken!
Taking inspiration from the Royal Opera House ballet, Infra, which delves into the emotions beneath the surface of human interactions, together we began experimenting with different soundscapes and slowly shaping the piece. The central themes of trauma and healing resonated deeply with our recovery communities.
Embracing a new musical structure
One of the interesting challenges of this collaboration was adapting our musical style. Traditional dance class structures tend to use 8-count phrases, while our orchestra members typically compose and perform music which shifts between 7/8 and 5/8 time signatures. Composer Chris felt it necessary to keep the count structure clear and rhythmic for this piece. Embracing a more straightforward 4/4 time signature provided an interesting contrast for all of us, making it feel like a musical ‘holiday’ compared with the more complex structures we’re used to performing.
Chris’s composition skills were put to the test as he worked with our somewhat unique ensemble, which included four guitars, two bass players and hand chimes—an instrument he had never scored before. He also had to accommodate the fact that some of our performers do not read music, working closely with these members to develop their musical ear and celebrate their improvisational skills. As always, he rose to any and all challenges with enthusiasm; “To be presented with a fixed set of instruments, and an unusual combination at that, was indeed a challenge—but that’s what I love about my work! Observing and hearing how Conall works with the New Note Orchestra was immensely instructive. After that, it was simply a matter of creating music that blended the various sections of New Note Orchestra, allowed each section to have their presence felt, and encouraged a real feeling of ensemble.”
Show time!
The sun was shining down on London on the day of performance and as the lunchtime event drew closer, long queues started to form around the block of the Royal Opera House. Running as part of the Live at Lunch programme, the performance was free to attend and its popularity unfortunately meant that some people were turned away due to capacity constraints.
For many in the audience, it was their first time experiencing a performance by either New Note Orchestra or Fallen Angels, and they had little or no awareness of recovery arts. So this performance was an incredible platform for both organisations to engage with a whole new audience and spread awareness of what we do, and the positive role that the arts can play in the addiction recovery journey.
The performance was a massive success, and the audience, who were so energising and supportive, were rousing in their applause. Attendee feedback described it as ‘challenging, emotional, uplifting’, ‘empowering, amazing, thought-provoking’ and ‘a wonderful experience that touched my soul’. One audience member simply said; ‘Today made me feel something, not quite sure yet what it is. But I feel like I’ve grown as a person a bit today’.
For Annie, (Picture right with percussionist Peter) the orchestra’s newest member, this performance was her first time performing in public with New Note Orchestra. And it sounds like it was an experience she is unlikely to forget; ‘Performing with New Note Orchestra and Fallen Angels Dance Theatre at the Royal Opera House was invigorating. I felt truly integrated into a creative consciousness throughout the exchange of melody, movement, rhythm and reception. Playing within the musical architecture of the orchestra on such a scale was an honour and a privilege- certainly deepening my connection with the riches of recovery. I am grateful to all the people who attended and made this happen, and hope New Note continues to expand horizons for people in recovery. I am inspired, it is gold.’
Reflecting on the project after the performance, composer Chris also shared his thoughts; ‘I found each and every visit to Brighton to work with New Note Orchestra refreshing, rewarding, and enriching. These are people with big hearts, and their endless generosity and enthusiasm for what we were creating was very humbling.’
Breaking down barriers through art
This collaboration not only showcased the incredible talent and dedication of all involved, but also helped break down social stigmas surrounding addiction recovery, as we continue our work to highlight the transformative power of creativity and community support in recovery.
We are immensely proud of this project and grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such inspiring individuals and organisations. Here’s to many more such enriching collaborations in the future!