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News

Choir sings Emily Peasgood song on Sittingbourne to Sheerness train

By: John Nurden jnurden@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 17:35, 14 November 2018

Updated: 17:39, 14 November 2018

You might have heard of moving music. But how many times have you seen music on the move?

That was the sight and sound which greeted passengers on Southeastern's 1.34pm train service from Sittingbourne to Sheerness on Sunday.

Composer Emily Peasgood had created a 20-minute choral work to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War using archive sound clips.

Tania Holland-Williams, left, and Emily Peasgood with Kevin Grist and Lucy Medhurst and the 55-plus choir at Queenborough train station on Sunday performing Never Again. Picture: John Nurden (5337045)

Tania Holland-Willliams conducted the choir, all aged 55 and over and from Swale, Medway and Gravesend, both on the train and standing on the pedestrian bridge spanning the railway tracks at Queenborough railway station.

With them were Lucy Medhurst, director of Sittingbourne-based Ideas Test which commissioned the piece, and producer Kevin Grist from Sparked Echo.

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Emily from Ramsgate admitted: "It was called Never Again and is part of the two-year Sea Folk Sing project.

Bridge over troubled waters: Tania Holland-Williams, left, and Emily Peasgood and the 55-plus choir at Queenborough train station on Sunday performing Never Again. Picture: John Nurden (5337051)

"I hope people weren't too shocked but war is a horrible thing. This piece pulled no punches."

Emily has also created "sound sculptures" for lifts at Margate’s Turner Contemporary gallery, London’s South Bank Centre and at Hastings.

She said: “For 13 days I worked 17 hours straight with only my cat and dog for company. I stared at the computer for hours. But now it’s done.

On the right track: Tania Holland-Williams and Emily Peasgood and choir at Queenborough train station on Sunday performing Never Again. Picture: John Nurden (5337047)

“The original theme was reconciliation but war is a horrible thing.

"As nations, we can forget. As we start taking our comfortable lives for granted, history has a tendency to repeat itself.”

She used sound archives to add authenticity to the performances.

Tania Holland-Williams conducts the 55-plus choir at Queenborough train station on Sunday performing Never Again. Picture: John Nurden (5337053)

Artistic director Tania Holland-Williams said: "Over the past five months, people across north Kent from Gravesham through Medway to Sittingbourne and Sheerness have been on a journey.

"Their voyage has taken them into new musical terrain, unearthed personal histories and exposed new approaches to resolving discord.

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The performances were in association with the Kent Community Rail Partnership which wants residents to get to know their stations better.

Composer Emily Peasgood listens to the 55-plus choir at Queenborough train station on Sunday performing Never Again. Picture: John Nurden (5337055)

There will be further shows this Friday at Chatham Historic Dockyard at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Call 07713 865955 to book or visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/seafolksing.

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