Warning – this is not virtual! Become immersed in a musical journey to other worlds where you are part of how you reach your destination.
We all love to hear fantastic stories, be immersed in play and journey to new and exciting destinations. The IMMERSE concert experience takes you there – for real.
IMMERSE was born out of Absolute Classics’ work in mentoring young people from Dumfries & Galloway in the creation of original compositions and video games soundscapes. Their music and audio will transport you through lingering atmospheres, echoes of other times and mysterious places. We invite you to join us in a real-world, live performance of this journey as we all reveal where it might lead…
Absolute Classics presents the IMMERSE concert experience, which also provided these young composers with an opportunity to shadow and be mentored by our team of creative professionals in the production of an event on a world-class stage. In particular with composer, arranger, sound artist and conductor – Luci Holland whose interactive audio-visual installation Refraction was featured as one of Cryptic Nights’ events at the CCA earlier this year. Luci leads a line-up of young musicians who will be your IMMERSE tour guides.
IMMERSE programme – folded as a map and shows the terrain of the audience’s journey
The IMMERSE concert took place on November 11th 2018 at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow and was an amazing experience for all involved!
Narelle would like to especially thank all of the young participants for their enthusiasm and commitment which created such a unique and exciting production.
The following quotes are from some of the young participants:
“This was my 1st experience performing so exposed (even more than a chamber music setting at times because of the space) and I have evolved in both confidence & hopefully playing. I have done video game music before but never in a live professional setting to an interactive game & partaking audience on BEAN BAGS in such lovely close, comfy, level quarters. There was not 1 person I talked to about this gig that didn’t react with ‘that sounds really cool’. And the way it was so cleverly pitched meant that in the end, it wasn’t just the game mechanics appreciated in a loud room of gamers with musicians in the background, but all arts & media involved in the project somehow equally & deeply appreciated. Also how incredibly humbling it was to have our bangin’ repertoire composed by folk far younger than all of us. Props to them who inspire even those older like me to write more music!”
“I am so thankful for the opportunity you gave me to arrange half of the music for this incredible event. It was such a great learning experience for me, especially working alongside an accomplished arranger, composer and conductor in Luci. I will definitely take a lot away from this experience, and feel that while being trusted with such a large part of the event boosted my confidence as an arranger, it also opened my eyes to things I can improve on. Cheers for a gig that was like no other!”
“It was a total privilege to play a unique concert like that with great music and an interesting change in the dynamic between the audience and the musicians. It made me think a lot about the role that the audience play in influencing any performance without realising it, even when they don’t have lovely shiny buttons to play with… As a guitarist I always feel incredibly lucky any time I get to sit and play with talented orchestral musicians and be part of something that is very rare for my instrument.”
“I have genuinely loved working on this project. I composed a piece of music at my old school Annan Academy this year. And working with Absolute Classics, Narelle and Luci was such an amazing experience. So much so that when Narelle emailed me about the concert and said they were looking for someone to be the narrator I jumped at the chance, with out really even knowing what the concert would be about. I’m very grateful I got to be so hands on in this process, Narelle invited me to help figure out the concept of the concert and spend time with herself, Luci and Jane to think about what we could do to make it different, entertaining and special. And even after that, I was able to help out so much with the script and involve my ideas. But also, as I composed one of the pieces used in the performance, it was seriously cool to hear it used for something like this, to have it expanded and used in something I’ve never heard being done before. I sincerely love working with Narelle and Absolute Classics. Every time my experience has been positive and welcoming. And I would jump at the chance to work with them again.”
The following video is of the first 2 pieces played at the concert from a viewpoint beside the musicians.
