Marsh Sounds (Didier Rochard)

Three early-career composers spent time within the Romney Marsh landscape, to research and learn about the rich heritage, wildlife and culture of this area, guided by Cultural Heritage Officer Didier Rochard. The process resulted in three very different compositions, which were performed at the medieval church of St Nicholas in New Romney, by musicians from The 12 Ensemble and London Contemporary Voices, conducted by Alex Palmer.

This exciting work was made possible by The Leche Trust (compositions) and The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation (performance), with the event further supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

 We wanted to use contemporary classical music to portray what is unique and distinctive about Romney Marsh; a place that has captivated the likes of author E. Nesbit, artist Paul Nash and film maker Derek Jarman. New compositions, inspired by this striking, ancient and at-risk landscape, sought to capture the imaginations of local people, connecting them to their natural and cultural heritage. 

Funding from The Leche Trust helped to support three early-career composers to write musical work inspired by the landscape, heritage and folklore of Romney Marsh. The composers were selected by open competition. The three composers selected had previous public performance credits but had not previously received external grant funding; thus the activity adds significantly to their professional portfolios, helping to build a funding track record through an exciting public project involving prestigious ensembles.

Each composer spent at least two days experiencing the landscape of Romney Marsh and learning about the area’s unique natural and cultural heritage, supported by the Fifth Continent Scheme. The ensembles and the Cultural Heritage Officer provided feedback on the draft compositions during the writing process.

The work was performed with the support of the Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, who contributed to performer fees. A write-up, explaining the inspiration for the work, was included in the event programme and the composers were also available to answer questions. The work was also presented online after the event.