The Voice Project (music)

The Voice Project is an open-access singing project, based in Norwich, England. It is a Registered Charity and a Limited Company. It was created by singers Siân Croose and Jonathan Baker in 2008. In 2018, it established a choir in Brighton. It won a Norfolk Arts Award for Music in 2021 and the EDP People's Choice Award for Best Large Organisation in 2013

Musical Directors
Siân Croose is a singer, conductor and performance maker with over 30 years' experience creating and directing music projects in the UK. After an apprenticeship in bands and alternative theatre, she trained on the Community Music programme founded by John Stevens. She has run choirs, vocal ensembles, and workshops for singers since 1990, and performed with composer Helen Chadwick and a cappella ensemble Human Music in a wide range of UK festivals and performance projects. Composition projects include Harmonium, a wordless systems-based a cappella project for women's voices and The Dawn Chorus with American composer Brendan Taaffe. She runs Norwich-based choir Big Sky, regularly commissioning new music from award-winning songwriter Chris Wood and others, and performing with storyteller Hugh Lupton and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Lever.

Jon Baker is a singer, teacher and composer who has written extensively for TV, radio and theatre. He is a founder-member of The Neutrinos with whom he has toured throughout Europe and North America. He is a co-founder of The Voice Project and also a co-founder of KlangHaus.

Projects
In most years, two shows have been presented, across Norfolk, Sussex and Suffolk.

In Tsegihi
Commissioned from Jon Hassell by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, and performed in Norwich Cathedral in May 2008. Music performed by Jon Hassell (Trumpet, Keyboard), Peter Freeman (Bass, Laptop), Jan Bang (live sampling) and Pete Lockett (Drums). Sound and Sound Design by Arnaud Mercier.

=== I Prefer the Gorgeous Freedom === Commissioned from Gwilym Simcock by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and Sage Gateshead, and performed in Norwich Cathedral (May 2009), Sage Gateshead, and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The London concert was broadcast by BBC Radio 3. Music performed by Gwilym Simcock (Piano), Yuri Goloubev (Bass), Klaus Gesing (Sax) and James Maddren (Drums). Solo singers were Sianed Jones (Soprano), Rebecca Askew (Alto), Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass).

Winter Songs (2009)
Norwich Catholic Cathedral December. Solo singers: Bex Mather & Sharon Durant (Soprano), Katherine Zeserson & Siân Croose (Alto), Dave Camlin & Jonathan Baker (Bass).

Recording Angel
Commissioned from Arve Henriksen and Jan Bang by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and performed in Norwich Cathedral in May 2010. Music performed by Arve Henriksen (Trumpet) and Jan Bang (live sampling). Solo singers were Sianed Jones (Soprano), Rebecca Askew (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass).

Winter Songs (2010)
Norwich Catholic Cathedral December. Music performed by Lewis Wright (Vibraphone) and Adrian Lever (Piano). Solo singers: Sianed Jones & Helen Chadwick (Soprano), Katherine Zeserson & Siân Croose (Alto), Dave Camlin & Jonathan Baker (Bass).

=== Glossolalia === Commissioned from Andy Sheppard by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and performed as part of Jazz Sous Les Pommiers in Coutances, Normandy, Northern France in 2010, and also at Sage Gateshead as part of Gateshead International Jazz Festival in March 2007.

''Music performed by Andy Sheppard (Tenor and Soprano Saxophone), John Parricelli (Guitar), Kuljit Bamra (Tabla and Percussion). Solo singers were Sianed Jones (Soprano), Katherine Zeserson (Alto) and Jonathan Baker (Bass). The Coutances Choir with The Voice Project Choir was conducted by Siân Croose.''

The Proportions of the Temple
Commissioned from Nik Bärtsch by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and performed in Norwich Cathedral in May 2011. Music performed by Nik Bärtsch and Trio Zèphyr. Solo singers were Sianed Jones (Soprano), Rebecca Askew (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass).

Winter Songs (2011)
This piece was performed in Norwich (Catholic) Cathedral in December 2011.

''Music performed by Adrian Lever (Piano). The Voice Project Quintet were Sianed Jones & Helen Chadwick (Soprano), Katherine Zeserson & Siân Croose (Alto) and Dave Camlin & Jonathan Baker (Bass).''

Singing the City (From Dawn to Dusk)
This piece was commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and performed in various locations around Norwich in May 2012.

''Composed by Orlando Gough, Helen Chadwick, Jonathan Baker and Jeremy Avis. The Voice Project Quartet were Sianed Jones (Soprano), Rebecca Askew (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass).''

City of Strangers
This piece was performed in the Friends Meeting House, Norwich on 15 December 2012.

''Composed by Karen Wimhurst, Jonathan Baker, Orlando Gough. The Voice Project Quintet were Sianed Jones (Soprano); Rebecca Askew, Siân Croose, Katherine Zeserson (Alto); Dave Camlin & Jonathan Baker (Bass).''

Nocturne
This piece was performed in Norwich (Anglican) Cathedral on 14 December 2013.

''Musicians: Derek Scurll (Percussion) and Adrian Lever (Chamber Organ). The Voice Project Quintet were Sharon Durant (Soprano), Katherine Zeserson & Siân Croose (Alto), Dave Camlin & Jonathan Baker (Bass).''

=== Souvenir === This piece was commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival and performed on Holkham Hall estate on 17 May 2014.

''Music composed by Orlando Gough, Helen Chadwick, Karen Wimhurst and Jonathan Baker. Music performed by Bold as Brass Quartet and Derek Scurll (Percussion). Solo singers were Sianed Jones (Soprano), Rebecca Askew & Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass).''

Lost and Found
This piece was performed in Norwich City Hall on 6 December 2014.

''Music composed by Orlando Gough, Helen Chadwick, Karen Wimhurst, Jonathan Baker and Dave Camlin, Music performed by Adrian Lever (Piano). Sound Design was by Bill Vine, Lighting Design by Tim Tracey, and Lighting by Pip Cotterell. Human Music were Sharon Durant (Soprano), Helen Chadwick (Soprano), Katherine Zeserson & Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor), Dave Camlin & Jonathan Baker (Bass).''

I Reach Right Up to the Sun
This piece was performed on 6 July 2019 at Houghton Hall. It was a promenade performance in the grounds of the Palladian house built in the 1720s for Britain's first Prime Minister, at a time when they were hosting a year-long exhibition (Nature and Inspiration) of works by Henry Moore, James Turrell (the Skyspace), Richard Long (the Earth Sky pieces) and Rachel Whiteread.

''Music composed by Helen Chadwick, Jonathan Baker, Karen Wimhurst and Jonathan Baker. The Voice Project Quartet were Lisa Cassidy & Sianed Jones (Soprano), Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor), Jonathan Baker (Bass). The Voice Project Choir was conducted by Siân Croose.''

And is This a Dream?
This is the first project to be developed with both the Norwich and Brighton choirs concurrently, in Autumn 2019. It was performed on 16 November 2019 at All Saints Church in Hove and 30 November 2019 at St. Mary's Works in Norwich. The two venues were quite different in nature - All Saints being a late Victorian gothic revival building that had been the parish church of Hove since 1892 and St. Mary's Works being a former shoe factory which has been empty since 1972 but is the subject of ambitious development plans.

There were sixteen songs, each one of which depicted a dreamscape. The audience were taken on a journey through buildings that have been inhabited by others for over a century, evoking the half-lit, liminal world of dreaming. The title ‘…And is This a Dream?’ is inspired by The Birds of East London by the poet Stephen Watts, a long-term Voice Project collaborator.

''Music composed by Helen Chadwick, Orlando Gough and Jonathan Baker. Music performed by Adrian Lever (Piano, Hammered Dulcimer) and Steve Morgan (Vibraphone - only in Hove). The Voice Project Quintet were Lisa Cassidy & Sianed Jones (Soprano), Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass). Lighting design was done by Nathan Clarke.''

=== Arc of the Sky (Film) === Plans to develop a new show for Spring/Summer 2020, inspired by the idea of a bird's-eye view of Holy Trinity Church in Blythburgh, had to be adapted as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The original intention had been to perform in the Church (known as the Cathedral of the Marshes) in July 2020. Since singing together in person was impossible, the project was re-designed as a film that was premiered on 2 October at St. Mary's Works in Norwich. The film explores themes of flight, perspective, scale, solitude and connection; and was made by filmmaker Nathan Clarke, with Art Direction from Sal Pittman, including footage contributed by choir members over the course of the project. A prologue to the film was also produced, consisting of images contributed by the choir and instrumental versions of some of the songs.

''Music composed by Jon Baker, Orlando Gough and Sian Croose. Based on texts written by British and American poets including Esther Morgan, Emily Dickson, Steven Watts, Wendell Berry, Jane Draycott and George Szirtes. The Voice Project Quintet were Lisa Cassidy & Sianed Jones (Soprano), Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass). Music performed by Adrian Lever (Piano, Hammered Dulcimer) and Caroline Bishop (Violin).''

=== The Distance Between Us (Film)  === With Covid-19 restrictions still in place in Autumn / Winter 2020, a fully-online project called 'The Distance Between Us' was conceived. This was the second instalment of the trilogy that started with Arc of the Sky. As with Arc of the Sky, a film was made by Nathan Clarke, with art direction from Sal Pittman. Esther Morgan ran creative writing sessions and dancer and choreographer Dane Hurst ran movement sessions. The film was premiered at Norwich Arts Centre on 27 October 2021, before being made available on YouTube.

Music composed by Jonathan Baker, Sian Croose and Orlando Gough.

The film won the 'Best Experimental Music Short' aware at the 2022 Richmond International Film Festival and was selected as a January 2022 finalist in the Extra Long Short category of the New York Flash Film Festival.

The Recording Choir (CD)
In Autumn 2021, it was still not appropriate for choirs to rehearse in person. Instead, the choir continued to meet online, and a CD was created of some of the highlights of recent years.

=== Arc of the Sky (Live) === With the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions in Spring 2022, it was possible to plan to perform Arc of the Sky, as per the original intent. It was performed on 11 June 2022 at St. Andrew's Church, Alfriston (Sussex) and 2 July 2022 at Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh (Suffolk).

''Music composed by Jonathan Baker, Orlando Gough and Sian Croose. Based on texts written by British and American poets including Esther Morgan, Emily Dickson, Steven Watts, Wendell Berry, Jane Draycott and George Szirtes. The Voice Project Quintet were Lisa Cassidy & Sharon Dunant (Soprano), Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass). Music performed by Adrian Lever (Piano, Hammered Dulcimer) and Rowland Sutherland (Flute, Piccolo).''

The Distance Between Us (Live)
Performed on 28 January 2023 at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich and 11 February 2023 at St. George’s Church, Kemptown (Brighton).

''Music composed by Jonathan Baker, Orlando Gough and Sian Croose. The Voice Project quintet were Lisa Cassidy (Soprano), Sharon Dunant (Soprano), Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass). Music performed by Adrian Lever (piano, hammered dulcimer), Rowland Sutherland (Flute, Piccolo) and Owen Gunnell (percussionist).''

=== Arc of the Sun === Performed on 15 July 2023 at St. Peter and St. Paul church, Salle.

''Music composed by Jonathan Baker, Sian Croose, Orlando Gough. The Voice Project quintet were Lisa Cassidy (Soprano), Sharon Dunant (Soprano), Siân Croose (Alto), Jeremy Avis (Tenor) and Jonathan Baker (Bass). Music performed by Adrian Lever (piano, hammered dulcimer) and Rowland Sutherland (Flute, Piccolo).''

Future Project
Preparations are underway for performances at Houghton Hall in July 2024 (to be called 'The Lie of the Land') to complement Antony Gormley's Time Horizon installation.

Arts Council support
The Voice Project received two grants from Arts Council England's Cultural Recovery Fund during the Covid-19 pandemic to enable it to carry on running projects and courses.