Page 60 - FINAL_Guildhall Media Highlights 2019-2020 Coverage Book

18 July 2019

Guildhall School of Music & Drama to compose

new music for the Thames Bridges

Composers from Guildhall School of Music & Drama have been
commissioned by Illuminated River Foundation to compose and record
new music for the first phase of the public art commission that will

eventually see up to 15 bridges lit along the River Thames.

The Illuminated River Foundation has led a team consisting of artist Leo
Villareal and architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands to create Illuminated

River. The first four bridges – London, Cannon Street, Southwark and

Millennium – were illuminated last night (Wednesday 17 July) and once
complete, Illuminate River is expected to be the longest public art installation
in the world.

Composers from both the Composition and Electronic Music departments at

Guildhall have created original scores inspired by the context and architecture
of the first four bridges, as well as Villareal’s artwork. Professional musicians of

the Guildhall Session Orchestra have recorded the compositions, which can be
listened to and downloaded for free online.

On Wednesday 31 July 2019 in a free open area performance at The Scoop on

the banks of the Thames, the music will be performed. Later in the year the
compositions will also be showcased in concert at Guildhall School’s Milton

Court Concert Hall on Tuesday 24 September. A free display at the Guildhall
Art Gallery will feature the compositions alongside historic Thames paintings

and visualisations of the project until Sunday 1 September.

Illuminated River will produce audio descriptions of the artwork for each

bridge with the help of Vocal Eyes, available for free online in order to enable
those who are blind or partially sighted to experience the artwork in a different

way.