Monday, September 11, 2023
Welcome Here, Kind Stranger
Owen Spafford gathers an all-star cast for his forthcoming multi-media celebration of the traditional music ‘session’
In the cosy corner of a rollicking old-school tavern, songs, stories and dances are shared in an informal free cultural exchange, fuelled by exuberant myth-making, forgotten yarns and nut brown ale, untarnished by commercial concerns. There’s a special magic in the air, as musicians and audience gather to celebrate memory, culture and community during neighbourly powwows where history breathes and becomes a cross-generational balm for contemporary woes. Give it up for the intimate, extraordinary world of ‘the session.’
The simple yet profound power of these provincial musical meetings is harnessed by composer and fiddle player Owen Spafford (pictured), as he bring his multimedia performance-installation, Welcome Here, Kind Stranger, to the Royal Academy of Music, London (September 26) and Festival Rainy Days in Luxembourg (November 16-19).
Consisting of three elements – a free-flowing performance led by a superb ensemble boasting Sam Amidon, Brìghde Chaimbeul, Mikey Kenney, Méabh Begley and Louis Campbell; a multi-media sound design digging deep into the marginalised stories present in folk culture; and a specially-commissioned artwork by Annabelle Blott illustrating the spontaneous musical conversations taking place – Welcome Here, Kind Stranger honours a wonderful ritual form and pushes it towards a freer, more explorative, space.
Welcome Here, Kind Stranger will be performed at the Angela Burgess Recital Hall, Royal Academy of Music, London (September 26) and Festival Rainy Days in Luxembourg (November 16-19)
