Now You See It: An Orchestra of Words

Many months ago, composer Lola Perrin and sound recordist Christian Dymond got in touch with me about this project. They wanted voices to speak about climate change and asked if I would participate. (News of my work and writing had found its way to a contact of theirs in Norway.)

I said yes which led to a fascinating conversation with Christian about change, loneliness, beauty and the emotion of plans that fall through. I pulled up memories from the most beautiful places I’ve been and described them to Christian. He recorded it all.

The result is a mix of voices and music being debuted this month in the U.K.

Responses from participants (listed below) range widely and fall into the themes of Cruelty, Dilemma, Isolation, Reports, The Difficulty, Possibilities, Beauty, and (the most mysterious) That May Not Be Happening Now.

It’s a collage of ideas, and you can listen to a preview here:

NOW YOU SEE IT
For piano and an orchestra of words
Featuring the voices of 23 activists and innovators at the frontline of climate justice
Core 13 voices researched & interviewed by Christian Dymond
Music: Lola Perrin
Produced by Lola Perrin
Dedicated to Nelly Brooke 1930 – 2014

Voices are: Marjan van Aubel (Design alchemist, sustainable future aesthetics), Ben Ayliffe (Greenpeace Arctic campaigner), Guy Battle (Sustainable Business developer), Dr Helen Caldicott (Physician, author, anti-nuclear advocate), Charlotte Du Cann (writer, editor, community activist),  Dr Seamus Garvey (Engineer at Nottingham University, Inventor), Natasha Geiling (Sustainability journalist, currently for Smithsonian), Dr Peter Gleick (Scientist, world expert on water and climate), David Helvarg (Founder Blue Frontier Campaign), Jennifer Kingsley (Writer, radio producer, naturalist), Dr Andreas Mershin (Physicist at MIT, Inventor), Katiana Murillo (Journalist and climate change adaptation media campaigner, Latin America), Meena Nallainathan (Writer, editor, activist), Jeff Orlowski (Filmmaker and advocate), Dr Daniel Pauly (Marine biologist, world expert on human impact on global fisheries), Margo Perin (Writer, editor, activist), Dr Kate Rawles (Environmental philosopher), Dr Carl Safina (Prominent marine conservationist, creator of TV series Saving the Ocean), Bert Schouwenburg, (GMB International Officer), Joao Talocchi (Greenpeace Palm Oil campaigner), Abdel Karim Traoré (Climate change adaptation and mitigation expert, Africa), Will Travers (Animal welfare and conservationist, founder Born Free foundation), Greg Valerio (Fair Trade gold pioneer).  Amelia & Gemma.

“We must all work for Mother Earth right now, it is obvious.” (Nelly Brooke age 84, December 2014)
“We have to stop pressing buttons and expecting things to happen, it’s ridiculous.”
(Margaret Chalmers age approx. 80, January 2015)

Acknowledgements and thanks to; the interviewees who kindly agreed to be recorded, the Brooke family, Elliot, Julius, Roland & Rachel, Sarah Perkins.