Folk music star Sam Lee is no stranger to offering unique musical experiences, as witnessed by his own projects at that of London’s Nest Collective. His latest series of musical events is sure to be a unique experience for all those that partake.
He will be hosting a series of after-dark events in woods near Ashford in Kent, Colchester (Essex), Huntingdon (Cambs.) and Lewes (East Sussex) this Spring, offering a campfire feast with songs and stories about one of Britain’s rarest birds – the nightingale – and a night walk to hear the famously-beautiful singing of the birds and listen in on a unique duet between them and some very special human musicians.
The SINGING WITH NIGHTINGALES series started on Thursday 13 April, to coincide with when nightingales arrive in southern England from their wintering grounds in tropical Africa, and then continues on selected nights throughout their mate-seeking season.
The series expands on a joyously-received, sell-out, programme of similar events trialled in Sussex during Spring 2015 which was, in turn, inspired by listener reactions to Sam Lee’s ‘Pick of the Year’ radio programme marking the 90th anniversary of the BBC’s first ever outside broadcast: a nightingale and cello duet.
Sam Lee says: “The song of the nightingale has been captivating human hearts and imaginations since ancient times and our SINGING WITH NIGHTINGALES events give guests the chance to experience this same timeless magic in ear-tingling proximity with the unique addition of listening in on the rarest of concerts – a varied cast of superbly talented human musicians dueting with one of the very finest voices in Nature.”
Each event will feature a different cast of guest performers, among them Sam Lee (a Mercury Prize nominee and BBC Folk Awards winner, soon to be heard on the soundtrack of the new Guy Ritchie movie KING ARTHUR: THE LEGEND OF THE SWORD), and other stars of the UK’s folk, classical, world and jazz music scenes, including the multiple award-winning fiddler Aidan O’Rourke, of Lau; the acclaimed cellist/violinist, singer and actor Matthew Sharp and song theatre creator Helen Chadwick whose many credits include work for the Royal Opera, English Touring Opera, BBC, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre and 10 successful albums.
Also, on May 16th Sam Lee and friends will perform in the beautiful surroundings of Battersea Arts Centre’s Council Chamber together with a live-streamed soundtrack from one of Britain’s rarest birds – the nightingale – streamed directly from a secret woodland location near Lewes, Sussex. (see more below).
Below is a video playlist of some of the artists performing Singing with Nightingales concerts:
Singing with Nightingales 2017 sites & dates
Battersea Arts Centre – Nightingale Live Stream
16th May – Sam Lee and friends will perform in the beautiful surroundings of Battersea Arts Centre’s Council Chamber together with a live-streamed soundtrack from one of Britain’s rarest birds – the nightingale – streamed directly from a secret woodland location near Lewes, Sussex.
This unique experience brings together the famously-beautiful singing of the birds from the wilds of Sussex and some very special human musicians. A technician in the woods will seek out the finest voiced nightingales and transmit a high fidelity live performance directly into the venue to which Sam and special guest musicians will improvise.
Tickets & Details: http://therestisnoise.co.uk/borderless-add-new-shows-to-the-2017-series/
▪ Grafham Water, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
A wildlife-rich reserve, lying on the western edge of a 1,550 acre Anglia Water reservoir and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
April
13th Sam Lee and Clive Bell
14th Sam Lee and Juliet Fraser
22nd Matthew Sharp
28th Malcolm Green
29th Misha Mullov-Abbado
May
5th Alice Zawadzki
6th Alice Zawadzki
12th Sam Lee and Helen Chadwick
13th Sam Lee and Anna & Elizabeth
▪ Fingringhoe Wick, near Colchester, Essex
An Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserve overlooking the spectacular Colne estuary.
April
15th Sam Lee & Preetha Narayanan
16th Sam Lee
21st Oli Langford
29th Gabby Young
May
5th Aidan O’Rourke and Sam Lee
6th Sam Lee
▪ Green Farm, near Ashford, Kent
A small farm estate, managed for wildlife conservation and set amid the idyllic Shadoxhurst conservation area.
April
20th Sam Lee
22nd Gwyneth Herbert
28th Sam Lee
29th Sam Lee and Nessi Gomes
May
5th Laura Moody
6th Clara Sanabras
19th Sam Lee and Cosmo Sheldrake
20th Sam Lee
▪ Private woodlands, near Lewes, East Sussex
A secret location in private hands and open to visitors by invitation only.
April
21st Sam Lee & John Bailey
22nd Sam Lee
28th Bird Radio
29th Abraham Brody
May
5th Clive Bell
6th Clive Bell
12th Eugenia Georgieva
13th Kerry Andrew
18th Sam Lee
26th Sam Lee
28th Sam Lee
Places are £80 each, including a campfire gathering with music, story-telling, wildlife lore, a 2-course backwoods feast, drink and booking fees and are strictly limited to 25 people a night. For more details or to book, please see: www.singingwithnightingales.com