Fragments update

Fragments of Red is less than 2 weeks away.

The final details of the performance schedule are being ironed out. Today I sat on the grass at Melrose Abbey - a surprise in itself - with artist Jane Gaze, Gordon Turnbull of The Flow and Tim Fitzpatrick of The Red Field. The poetry that the writing Fragments team have worked on will form part of the event once we get to Melrose Parish Church. And we have been thinking of ways to do this. Maybe with me reading over music. It will be an interesting challenge and I want to use the poems in a slightly non-conventional way.

The audience will also be able to experience the Hawick Missal itself presented alongside our responses in poetry and art. And then into the night.

Today however thoughts were also on the will it/will it not be here question of the scaffolding.

A beautiful day today in the Borders. This project has been a real pleasure to work on and I can't wait until the performance itself now. More here http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/events/event_detail.htm?eventid=42074#.UzCRhvl_vtI.

...enjoy an evening of song and a procession of music, text and imagery along a path of shimmering red light.

Call for poetry: Fragments and the Hawick Missal

Fragments: music, movement, and memory in a Borders landscape is a two year arts and music project based in the Scottish Borders and inspired by the discovery of the Hawick Missal fragment, a 12th century medieval manuscript. The Project aims to reconnect with the fragment’s original aspiration and explore the very simple but compelling idea of the expression of the divine in the 21st century.

The project is seeking writers interested in contributing responses to the story of the Missal fragment, its music and the object itself. The resulting work will be published on the Fragments website and a selection chosen for an illustrated book that will be displayed and archived with the Missal fragment itself in the Heritage Hub in Hawick.

The creative writing project kicks off with a workshop on 30th November 2013 in Hawick and Melrose learning more from experts about the Missal fragment and Abbey life; a further workshop in mid-January will allow writers to refine plans and meet the illustrators of their work. A third meeting will review and finalise work received. It is considered essential that participating writers attend workshops. (Transport will be provided between Hawick and Melrose at the November meeting; but bring a packed lunch.)

The deadline for completed work is the end of February 2014.

If you are interested in taking part in this unique project, contact Bridget Khursheed on bk [at] khursheed.co.uk

More information is available here: http://www.fragmentsproject.co.uk/

About the Project
The project is creating new art and music through a network of composers, musicians, singers, community groups and other collaborators and individuals throughout the Scottish Borders.

Central to the project is a series of three public events, which each feature a newly commissioned piece of music, all directly inspired by the original music of the Missal fragment.  The first two events in the trilogy took place at Jedburgh and Kelso Abbeys over the summer of 2013 and featured music from a young composer Sean Doherty and the award winning international composer Michael Nyman.  The project will reach its conclusion with the final event in the trilogy, entitled Fragments of Red: the last song, at Melrose Abbey in April 2014.

The project is a partnership between Historic Scotland and the Heritage Hub in Hawick supported with funding from Creative Scotland.