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. 1 in 6 people will currently be experiencing problems with their mental health. That means that even if you haven't experienced a mental health problem yourself, you almost certainly know many people who have. ..
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Background to the ProjectThe City Wakes has its roots in Adoreus: A Cambridge Cantata. Produced by Escape Artists in September 2005 in King's College Chapel, Cambridge, the Cantata brought together the Choir of King's College Chapel with professional musicians and community groups from Sue Ryder Care, Fulbourn Hospital and The Cambridge Day Centre (now Cambridge Social Inclusion Team, based at the Cambridge Resource Centre). Directed by Escape Artists’ and The City Wakes’ Musical Director, Simon Gunton, the Cantata received outstanding reviews, both in the press, and amongst those who attended:
'It is the morning after the Cantata at King’s and my feet still have not touched the ground! Like everyone else who was privileged to be present, I found your work profoundly moving, entertaining and inspiring. Thank you for a wonderful evening.' Councillor John Hipkin. Former Mayor of Cambridge "An absolute triumph... It is the first time I have seen a standing ovation at King's! Uplifting, and overwhelming." Audience Member
After the CantataThe Pink Floyd link began with the Cantata – it included fresh interpretations of the Floyd songs Granchester Meadows and Brain Damage – and following an introduction to Syd Barrett’s sister, Rosemary Breen, it was decided that the next project undertaken by Escape Artists would focus on celebrating the life and brilliant creativity of Syd Barrett – the group’s original front-man and songwriter.
The workshops - the heart of The City WakesWorkshops are at the very heart of Escape Artists’ work and therefore of The City Wakes. The music for the Cantata was developed through workshops with clients from Sue Ryder Care, Fulbourn Hospital and The Cambridge Day Centre. The creative process for The City Wakes concert performances has taken place in two sets of workshops, one with clients from CAMEO, the other with clients from Cambridge Resource Centre. Under the expert guidance of The City Wakes’ Musical Director, Simon Gunton, each set of workshops has been taking place weekly since early 2007. Clients range from skilled musicians to comparative beginners. However, what they all have is an exceptional ability to interpret music in a highly original and evocative way. Simon Gunton has found the workshops inspiring: ‘Syd was an unbelievably talented musician and to be able to work with his songs is a real honour. It seems to me that one of the great things about Syd was that he never played a song quite the same way twice. It’s amazing to be able to carry on that tradition; the insight and creative input of the mental health care service users with whom I’m working has been just incredible and has given me a whole new perspective on Syd’s music.’
Work in Progress Performance - December 5 2007The first public performance of the City Wakes project took place at the Centre St Paul's on December 5th 2007. It was a short informal presentation of the work in progress and included new versions of Bike, See Emily Play, Arnold Layne and Dominoes. You can see pictures from the rehearsals and the performance at The Centre at St Paul's website.
What happened next?As The City Wakes concert performances developed, the potential to be able to celebrate not just Syd’s music, but also his art and the special atmosphere that prevailed in 1960s Cambridge, became clear. With contributions from many of Syd’s friends, it has been possible to create an extensive programme of events that all involved fervently hope will provide a fitting celebration of the life and work of an exceptionally talented and truly unique individual.
In the video you can watch a fascinating Tomorrow's World archive clip, that includes footage of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, and which focuses on Mike Leonard's lighting effects machine – a device used by the group in some of their early performances.
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