ideas
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During the past 20 or so years Edward Lambert has given numerous workshops around much of the country, usually resulting in performances of compositions devised with the students. Intead of projects based on famous works which would typically culminate in the children attending a performance of the 'real thing', Ed devised a process from first principles and built music up from the most fragmentary ideas - for example, numerical patterns which became melodies, instruments or structure. Chords were usually absent and instead there were drones, counter-melodies and percussive accompaniments. Without pre-conceptions, the children could relate to all the elements of the composition which were created in this way - with interesting and sometimes complex results.
In these projects, the children were centre-stage and when professionals were involved it was to perform challenges alongside them. The avoidance of clichés in the musical style (however simple) meant that the music was often quite original, and the same went for the text written in a corresponding method.
Ed was invited to participate in the Metropolitan Opera's outreach programme as well as working frequently for the Royal Opera's Education Department.
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Some of these workshops blossomed into large-scale projects in which young people created their own 'operas'. Most integrated with the curriculum and infiltrated many subject areas besides music. The students had a large hand in composing, research, story-writing, set and costume design - and, of course, acting, singing and playing. This pioneering work led to a series of simple operas suitable for schools, amateurs and communities.
The Dream That Hath No Bottom is a full-length piece, which evolved out of curriculum work at Key Stage 2, weaving together strands from Shakespeare and the history of Elizabethan England.
There are works based on the Iron Age (The Triumph of Lugh), the Victorians (The Paupers' Revenge), The Anglo-Saxons (The Treasure and a Tale), modern European history (The Fall of the Wall), and the Medieval Mystery Plays (The News from the World & The Crucifixion).
All these pieces
- have an accessible musical style - but do not attempt to promote a particular view of what music should be; the sound world is not predictable and patronising, but instead aims to challenge participants and audiences alike.
- have vocal parts which are well-suited to young performers
- have instrumental parts often based on patterns designed to be learnt by heart, particularly by players of percussion instruments of the kind commonly found in schools. Orchestration, however, is left to individual requirements.
There are also two youth operas: The Button Moulder is a full-length work for large forces and mixed abilities, a re-working of Ibsen's Peer Gynt which was enthusiastically received when first performed in Northamptonshire in 1990.
In 2005, Edward Lambert was commissioned to write All in the Mind for W11 Opera in London. With a professional 'band' and a large cast of talented teenagers, the result is a more sophisticated piece of musical theatre.
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simple operas
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projects
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1984 onwards - education work in Northamptonshire; joins outreach team of Royal Opera's education department
1987 & 1988 education projects in Bromley
1989 schools project for National Trust at Claydon House in Buckinghamshire
1991 -1992 school opera project for British Museum in Suffolk - The Treasure and a Tale performed at Snape Maltings
1994 opera project on Egypt in Wandsworth & Greenford; performed at Bloomsbury Theatre: featured in Channel 4's education series Eureka!
1996 - 98 school projects in Basingstoke; project for Andover Museum on the Victorian workhouse performed in Cricklade Theatre: The Paupers' Revenge
1999 Christmas project for Smannell School: The News From The World
2000 Arts for Everyone project in Andover: The Triumph of Lugh
2001 Millennium Festuval Awards for All project in Andover: The Dream That Hath No Bottom given three performances in Vernham Dean and Cricklade Theatre
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