EBNE Blog- Less noise, More Volume: Adam Cogdon and Fred Phethean at NBYP

North Benwell Youth Project’s boy’s music crew are loud. They laugh loudly, tease each other loudly, stamp their feet loudly and switch from Czech to English and back in loud conversations throughout their workshops.

Conducting the rhythmic chaos is Adam Cogdon and Fred Phethean- music leaders shaping the chaos into raucous covers of Eye of the Tiger, Czech songs and original lyrics from the boys.

Fred grew up on Makina- the North East’s unique blend of euro house and hip hop, as well as learning to play instruments like trombone and guitar. That means that no matter what a young person brings with them to East by North East- Fred can find a way to help.

Whether they want to learn a skill, hone a talent or write their own tracks his enthusiasm and capable pair of hands can help. As he counts the boys in, playing along on an electric guitar you get a sense of how much he loves making music, and how keen he is for these lads to find that passion themselves. He drags chatting musicians back to the task in hand, not needing to raise his voice- just an eyebrow.  

With years of experience working in music production and DJing, DJ Ads space is quieter, putting together beats, talking about music inspiration and writing raps. It’s here that one (loud) voice pipes up to let us know that he’d like to MC for the upcoming celebration showcase. Adam takes the request seriously, talking through what it would look like and how our budding MC could prepare.

With less creative music leaders this informality would collapse in on itself, leading to unengaged young people getting frustrated. But the duo of Fred and Adam are calm and focussed, and note by note, the sound becomes a melody.

East by North East provides high quality weekly music making opportunities for more than 270 young people from the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic, refugee, asylum seeker and wider communities, based in the West and East end of Newcastle and Gateshead. The project seeks to provide diverse music making opportunities and holds youth voice at the heart of the project. As well as developing participant skills, East by North East also focuses on further developing the skills of local music leaders to meet the demands of culturally diverse communities, as well as using music as a creative intervention to address issues. To find out more of get involved email info@gemarts.org

Meet the Musicians: four seasons with Anna Hughes and Martha Hill at North Benwell Youth Project

If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting North Benwell Youth Project we feel really sorry for you. Set in an old shopfront this space serves the community with wild activities designed by their Young People’s Advisory Committee. From glow-in-the-dark parties to craft markets and trips for other young people: there’s a buzz of excitement and activity as soon as you step inside. Climb up the back staircase and you’ll find a rehearsal studio where North Benwell’s young people can make music.

On a quiet, rainy afternoon music leaders Martha and Anna are getting ready to take young people on an inspiration walk. They’ve designed their workshops to reflect the four seasons, and we join them for Autumn Night. In the twilight our band of young musicians and music leaders explore the neighbourhood, chatting about the recent aurora borealis siting in Northumberland and our memories of autumns gone by. 

At the head of our parade of music makers is Anna, with a background in folk music it’s not surprising that Anna teaches by doing. Earlier in the term she and Martha gathered up unused instruments and distributed them amongst the girls, a ukulele has came back for the walk and is gently strumming as we look at artwork around the estate, listen closely and you can hear Anna accompanying them with bells. A question of whether the young musicians would like to do street performances is floated and gently buffed back, while they’re all more confident performing in public, perhaps that’s a bit too public!

Young musicians take photographs and chat while we walk, sharing stories from the neighbourhood and pointing out things they hadn’t noticed before: a massive tangle of phone wires, incredibly loud raindrops against a windchime in someone’s window. We’re walking on wet, sluggish leaves so there’s none of the crisp crunch of a stereotypical autumn evening but they’re leaning in close to hear raindrops and squelches. Both music leaders are being led, they’re letting the experts guide them and snap photos like enthusiastic tourists whenever someone points out a landmark. 

As we reach an empty playground, Martha produces a thermos of hot chocolate and a little dish of marshmallows and a hush descends as we cradle mugs and look at the pink washed sunset. Like many of our music leaders, music is only one string of Martha’s bow, in addition to her work as a musician, Martha is also a committed activist and coordinator. Complimenting Anna’s approach to collaborative community music with songwriting chops and a dash of punk. 

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Before the climax of the evening (sparklers!) a young musician mentions that this is why she loves coming, she’s not being forced to do something by a teacher, she’s being listened to and learning new things. 

“I choose music!” she declares after finishing her hot chocolate. 

After a robust health and safety warning the darkening sky is filled with the sound of giggles and sparkler hisses while we make light paintings with our hand-held fireworks. We tidy up and head back to the space- full of ideas and chat about making our own autumn tunes.

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East by North East provides high quality weekly music making opportunities for more than 270 young people from the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic, refugee, asylum seeker and wider communities, based in the West and East end of Newcastle and Gateshead. The project seeks to provide diverse music making opportunities and holds youth voice at the heart of the project. As well as developing participant skills, East by North East also focuses on further developing the skills of local music leaders to meet the demands of culturally diverse communities, as well as using music as a creative intervention to address issues. To find out more of get involved email info@gemarts.org

GemArts East by North East – BLOG BY MUSIC LEADER – George Otigbah (July 2023)

Here is a blog by George Otigbah, who is one of our music leaders on GemArts’ Youth Music funded East by North East music project.  George started on the project in May 2022, and he gives a valuable look into working with The Soundroom’s community. George discusses how sharing music is often the foundations for building a community and how his own artistic development has been encouraged through this role.

Music has long been one of the most treasured forms of expression, and it continues to bring people together. GemArts’ East By North East project is a prime example of this, and it certainly shows through the content in which it delivers. This is achieved by using music in the community which focuses on how young people are developing musical, personal, and social skills by working with mentors and each other, for experience and personal development.

“East by North East is a Youth Music funded project led by GemArts and working in partnership with the Sage Gateshead, The Soundroom, Excelsior Academy, Life Transformation Church, North Benwell Youth Project, Benfield School and Gateshead Council. Established in 2013, this project has gone from strength to strength and now offers music making opportunities for over 270 young people across Newcastle and Gateshead each week.”

Music plays an essential role in developing the musical, personal and social skills of young people. Through music, young people are able to develop their creative expression and learn about rhythm and tone – vital components for any aspiring musician or artist. But beyond simply playing an instrument, music also helps facilitate emotional intelligence, allowing young people to explore feelings that can otherwise be difficult to process. This is an important factor in the way Gem Arts facilitates its resources. Over my nearly two years at The Soundroom, I have seen strong friendships form and individuals grow not only in musical skill, but also in social and personal confidence.

Music also fosters a sense of community and belonging by connecting individuals around common interests and shared experiences. Such as Gem Arts’ sharing events, in which I’ve had the pleasure of being part of two up to now. One being held recently at Sage Gateshead and the sharing event held at Life Transformation Church back in December. By embracing its power to teach valuable skills, Gem Arts continues to value music’s importance in communities and uses it imperatively to help them develop.

Working with other mentors is essential for my development as a Music Practitioner in the community. I’ve been working alongside Georgia, another practitioner for GemArts. She has taught me important skills and valuable lessons, which have helped me grow as a practitioner. After getting comfortable with my surroundings at The Soundroom, I wanted to get a better understanding of how different settings incorporate different structures. This led me to attending sessions at North Benwell, where I had the chance to watch how Adam and Fred (two of the Music Practitioners at Gem Arts) execute their sessions. I had my first experience of Czech music being played live by the guys who attend the sessions there, and the way their community functions. It was an extremely pleasurable experience and taught me a lot about the influence music has in their community. Experiential learning is a great way to stay up-to-date and abreast of trends and styles, while also giving young people access to diverse music communities. With collaborations come creative energy and new ideas which can help create an environment where everyone is able to enjoy different styles of music. Mentors can offer guidance on techniques, performance skills, industry knowledge, and even managerial assistance. I also had the chance to get to know other participants from a whole different community, and them me. I could see how simply being in my presence (me being a rapper), inspired some of the participants’ creativeness and overall psyche. The collective experience that mentors bring can be invaluable for both students and the community as a whole.

It is undeniable that music plays a significant role in bringing people together and creating strong bonds within the community. GemArts recently held an incredible Sharing Event at Sage Gateshead to bring the local music communities together. Attendees enjoyed the exceptional performances of a variety of talented artists, and shared stories about their experience with music through performances on a professional stage. More importantly, attendees realised the power of music in uniting people and making meaningful connections that will last for years to come. The event truly demonstrated how important it is for us to recognise, embrace and celebrate our varying musical tastes within our communities. Especially how powerful music can be, at bettering the future of the lives of the young people who attend the weekly sessions and how influential music is in building communities.

GemArts East by North East – BLOG BY MUSIC LEADER – MARTHA HILL (July 2023)

Here is a blog by Martha Hill, who is one of our music leaders on GemArts’ Youth Music funded East by North East music project.  Martha started on the project in September 2022, she gives fantastic insight into working with young girls from North Benwell Youth Project and discusses the development of their relationship which was facilitated through music making. 

I started working with the girls’ group at North Benwell Youth Project in September last year. I work alongside Anna Hughes, an incredible musician and music leader, and we’re also supported by Margaret who runs the centre. Working with Anna Hughes has been really fun- we both bring different things to the sessions and as a result balance each other out well. Aside from one-off workshops, I’d never done much long-term youth work and it’s been really useful to learn from her and other music leaders I’ve worked with through Gem Arts.

Throughout this academic year, I’ve grown in experience and confidence in terms of delivering sessions, been trained in delivering Arts Awards, and I’ve also put myself through some children and young people’s mental health training to ensure I’m aware of the diverse needs of the age range I’m working with. Since working for Gem Arts I’ve made a career move away from music-focussed and towards community-focussed work. The enjoyment of this job has been a huge part of that decision and I’m grateful at being given this opportunity.

My own experience as a musician has enabled me to bring activities to the group such as songwriting, basic production skills, vocal coaching, instrumental lessons (including drum-kit, guitar, bass and keyboard), and we’ve also had fun bringing in instruments like the trombone or violin for the girls to try. The girls have high energy levels and we’ve worked hard to keep the sessions fun and engaging, bringing in lots of variation and also learning through play and exploration. The girls love singing a wide variety of music from around the world and, as a result, often introduce us and each other to an eclectic mix. All of the girls have had the experience of playing a variety of instruments and the practice of recording their voices has grown their singing confidence hugely.

On a personal level, the girls have asked me about my life and I’ve told them that I’m married to a woman. They found this really interesting and asked lots of questions. This also then lead to one of the young people saying that they’re also queer, which the girls all accepted openly and kindly. Exposure to positive diversity is so important at this age and it was a really lovely experience.

In terms of challenges, most of the girls don’t have instruments at home, meaning instrumental progress can sometimes be slowed. That being said, they’ve all made huge leaps this year in terms of their playing. One of our girls had never played drum kit before September and now we’re currently in the process of putting her through her Grade 1 Rock and Pop Drums. She commented on how proud she felt of this achievement. Another girl has said she’s since been put in the top set for music in her class and is often sharing lessons she’s learned at school with us and the rest of the group- she would make an excellent teacher. A third girl has shown amazing focus in learning the keyboard and drums. She’s an excellent team player and I’m looking forward to continuing this work next year. Finally, our youngest girl didn’t talk much to us when she first started attending the sessions, but has since learned to play the ukulele really well and she also sang at our EBNE event at Sage Gateshead this summer. With so much progress and hard work this year, I’m so excited to see what we can achieve next term!

GemArts East by North East – Blog by Margaret Ridgley – Partner Organisation (July 2023)

Margaret Ridgley, Project Co-ordinator, North Benwell Youth Project

Here is a blog by Margaret Ridgley, who is The Project Co-ordinator at North Benwell Youth Project, a partner organisation for  GemArts’ Youth Music funded East by North East music project.  Margaret discusses the partnership with GemArts and the growth facilitated by this project, and how the participants have benefitted from working alongside the talented music leaders.

NBYP continue to be a part of the East by North East music project led by Gem Arts. We’ve been developing our sessions since 2013 and these sessions are lively and fun with an opportunity to learn a musical skill such as playing an instrument, writing lyrics, rapping, singing, music production and performing to others. The sessions run every Monday (girls) and every Wednesday (boys). During the boys sessions, learning to play together as a band rather than trying to outperform each other can take time to grasp.

The girls like to sing together especially traditional Czech and Romanian songs. With the support of the music leader, Lily wrote her own song which she sang at a recent music sharing performance at the project, overcoming her initial shyness.

Gem Arts provide professional music leaders who have the talent and also the skills, to relate with the young people. Adam, Ashleigh and Anna have been an integral part of the young people music development.

Musicians Freddie and Martha have recently joined the team to give extra support.

Filip who is now 18 has attended the project from many years and is a keen musician.  Filip was also featured in the The Sound Of The Next Generation report by Youth Music https://youthmusic.org.uk/filip. He has been asked by Vic from Gem Arts to support the music sessions and be mentored by Freddie. This is a great opportunity for Filip to develop leadership skills and share his musical experience.

Ashleigh arranged tickets for the girls to watch Katherine Jenkins perform at The Sage Gateshead. Not normally a genre of music they would listen to, but they absolutely enjoyed it and watched transfixed at her performance. This was an experience they would not normallv have had the opportunity to engage with and NBYP are grateful to Ashleigh and Gem Arts for making it possible.

We have an array of musical instruments and equipment including a drums kit, keyboard, various guitars, microphones, speakers and mixers.

The music room has recently been refurbished; extra thick carpet has helped with sound proofing the room.

Our partnership with GemArts has really developed and strengthened over the years and we continue to demonstrate impact around progression routes for young people and positive outcomes in terms of musical, personal and social development, and we hope the East by North East music sessions will always remain as part of the sessions offered at NBYP.

GemArts East by North East – BLOG BY MUSIC LEADER – GEORGIA MAY (July 2023)

Here is a blog by Georgia May, who is one of our music leaders on GemArts’ Youth Music funded East by North East music project.  Georgia started on the project in November 2021 and outlines her work with Benfield School and discusses the value of learning music with friends for developing skills built on the shared creation of music.

Hi, my name’s Georgia May. I’m a Nigeordian (Nigerian/Geordie) Neo-soul vocalist based in Newcastle. I graduated from my BA in Community Music in 2020 which is when I started my career as a Community Musician. I’ve been working for Gem Arts since June 2021 as one of their Music Leaders. My first session was at Benfield School co-leading one of the East by North East sessions with year 8s and 9s. Adam and Louis were already leading these sessions but I was employed for this role specifically to support the singers in the group. Each Gem Arts Music Leader offers their own set of skills and specialities with varying experience. My time co-leading on this project has been invaluable. It’s given me the opportunity to develop my skills as a Music Leader – learning about my own practice and understanding the methods and pedagogy of my peer Music Leaders.

Our participants at Benfield School appreciate the importance of these sessions as there is no longer music in their curriculum. Luckily, we have access to the music room and a classroom during these weekly sessions to develop their emerging talent and rehearse for end-of-year performances organised by Gem Arts. So far, each cohort I’ve worked with have written or produced at least two original songs and taken part in our performances. I always feel proud to see the participants on stage performing to their families and peers in the audience. The support from the audience at our event at Life Transformation Church was truly heartwarming.

In 2022 I started additional Music Leader roles at The Soundroom; a music charity based in Gateshead, who have been supporting the local community since the mid-1980s. I lead two of the youth sessions (8-12 year olds on Tuesday and 13-18 year olds on Thursday). The younger group is full of emerging talents, young rappers, singers, instrumentalists and breakdancers. While we run a music group there every Tuesday, there are dance teachers who also co-lead the sessions so the participants split into two groups to have the opportunity to spend half the session learning to breakdance then swap over to music making or vice versa. Last year the group wrote a Soundroom anthem that they performed at our Christmas show.

Leading the sessions for the older youth group at The Soundroom is my most recent role at Gem Arts. Some of the participants are at college age and studying music at school, for others it’s an additional interest outside of their studies – but they all really enjoy coming together to make music. These sessions give opportunity for the participants to further their skills and learn new instruments. One of my recent highlights has been teaching a bassline to one of the participants who’d never played a bass guitar before but took to the instrument so naturally, now it’s her instrument of choice and she’s learning new basslines to popular songs every week.

I recognise the need for the East by North East sessions; Gem Arts supports youth groups from various social and cultural backgrounds. We work with a lot of young people from the global majority, some with additional needs, as well as from the LGBTQIA+ community and generally from families with a lower socioeconomic status. We offer the opportunity to have fun, learn new musical skills, meet new friends and socialise in safe environments led by Music Leaders who come from similar walks of life and are making a living out of music. Without this project and the centres we’re based in, some of the children might not have these opportunities. The reason I’m so passionate about Community Music is that I know how much music and the support of mentors has helped me through challenging times with my own intersecting identities. There’s a huge lack in funding for youth groups and creative projects, yet so much evidence of their benefit.

I find being a Music Leader for GemArts really rewarding because I get to see the confidence and talent grow within our participants. Witnessing the journey some of them go on – from having never performed music in front of people before, to performing on stage to larger audiences – is amazing. I feel proud to be part of an arts organisation that values community engagement and to be part of a diverse team of Music Leaders who can inspire our participants in their creative development.

Prior to working for GemArts as a music leader I had a range of experience in this field. I’d worked with refugees and asylum seekers at Crossings and I ran Newcastle College’s ESOL choir. I also ran a regular singing group at Hopewood Park Mental health hospital and worked for Newcastle City Council’s Arts Team as an Artist in Residence. Working for Gem Arts has given me the opportunity to work with youth groups leading regular music sessions working towards end of year goals like performances and completing arts awards. Some of the young people I work with have never learnt to play an instrument or sang/rapped in front of anyone, so I know how important these sessions are to their development. For me as a leader I recognise there are a number of responsibilities that come with this role but ultimately I strive to inspire the participants to find their own musical interests and creative expression. I can admit that I have faced challenges along the way, sessions don’t always go to plan and there is a lot of reflection-in-action needed to facilitate disengagement. Something I’ve learnt in my time as a practitioner is to always allow room for adaptability because ideas don’t always go to plan, improvising alternative ideas just becomes easier with more experience. I’ve learnt a lot from my experience working for Gem Arts and the sta team are very supportive. When I’ve felt moments of doubt in my own practice I’ve felt able to approach the Project Manager (Annalisa) and the Director (Vikas) for additional support and they have been very understanding and reassuring. The team of music leaders are a cohort of inspiring individuals, I always enjoy the opportunities to see them at meetings and performance days. We all have a common interest in music and a collective mission “to increase equality of opportunity for everyone to engage with culturally diverse arts”.

Momentum

Still from The Misfits

It’s great to be back at GemArts Masala Festival after an absence of 2 years! The world feels rather different from the summer of 2019. Thinking back, it feels like a former world and way of living. Like there was an innocence back then, but we know otherwise… Before, we were familiar with the rhythm and then Covid! Everything stopped, we shut down, had time to think, adapted, carried on, started new things, got bored, tired, lonely, lost people, loved people and then we remerged. And now we have some sort of new normal. Personally, I’m emotionally exhausted. After a few years of care, I lost my dad. As hard as these things are, in the end it was beautiful and even mystical. It wasn’t easy, but it was a privilege to witness. I know that isn’t everyone’s experience. And now, the exhaustion is lifting, as we pick ourselves up and carry on. Each year Masala festival continues to go from strength-to-strength. Let’s see what this year brings…

MOMENTUM is a programme of films celebrating who we are: from our innate nature to the values and beliefs which shape and make us; and the rituals we re-enact to express and participate in a culture and to belong to a community. Major themes include personal identity and agency; spiritual outlook and tradition.

STILL FROM ‘THE MISFITS’

When I first saw The Misfits by Varun Chopra I was left feeling incredibly good to be alive. I was struck by the Mumbaiker energy – the spirit the of 4 outsiders, who had learnt to live on their own terms. This short film covers race, gender, colourism, and non-conforming. Produced by The Corner Shop. Varun Chopra is an India/US based writer-director and a Sundance Institute Ignite Fellow.

STILL FROM ‘DEVI’

Devi is a beautiful narrative short by award-winning Indian filmmaker Karishma Dube, now based in New York. I found myself leaning forwards more and more as this film progressed, such is the dramatic tension created.

STILL FROM ‘THE LYRICS THAT TOOK ME HOME’

In this documentary short we meet three distinct South Asian female artists: poet Vidhu Sharma, dancer Priyanka Chauhan and visual artist Jasmin Sehra. Each navigate aspects of their heritage with their artistic expression, resulting in something new which speaks of today.

STILL FROM ‘BY THE RIVER’

By the River is an award- winning documentary by Norwegian-Brazilian director Dan Braga Ulvestad. It features devout Hindus timing their deaths or waiting to die in Varanasi, as they believe they will acquire moksha (freedom from rebirth). This is a beautifully shot film with a transcendental music score by Dustin Lau and sound design by Rubin Henkel & Nylon Studios. Produced by Charu Menon.

STILL FROM ‘TIGERMAN’

An old battered 70s postcard was the catalyst for Tigerman for director Lisa Gunning whilst on holiday in Kerala. Filmed during Onam (harvest festival) the Tigerman (Pulikali) festival is a 200-year-old tradition evoking the power and magnetism of the tiger through body paint, masks and dance. Featuring a stunning title track by Alison Goldfrapp.

STILL FROM ‘DARLING’

Is a tender story set in Lahore’s (Pakistan) female dancing clubs. Trans Pakistani actor Alina Khan plays Alina Darling with aspirations to become a professional performer. Abdullah Malik plays her devoted friend in love with her.  

The films will be followed by a 30-minute post-screen discussion with filmmakers and associates facilitated by me, Bobby Tiwana.

[Link back to event page]

GemArts launch Spring Summer 2020 with Indian Spring Colours,global jazz and more!

Happy New Year from everyone at GemArts, and as we welcome in a new decade we are thrilled to announce our GemArts Spring Summer2020 Season!

Working with partners and venues across the North East GemArts will be bringing you an eclectic mix of the very best Indian Classical, Sufi  and Jazz music, as well as spectacular family events and festival collaborations.

Coming up in February

We begin at Middlesbrough Town Hall on 8th Feb, with Rafiki Jazz, a group of global musicians mixing roots, jazz and sweeping sufi music, creating music that crosses continents, languages and cultures…..tickets are FREE but booking is essential.

Our ever popular Mini Mela family event is back this half term, 18th February. Drop in to Gateshead Library and try out free arts, music and dance from around the world.

Credit and Copyright ©: Colin Davison +44 (0)7850 609 340 colin@rosellastudios.com http://www.rosellastudios.com

The Late Shows by James Sebright

 

Coming up in March

As we approach Holi, the Indian Spring festival of colours, we head to Durham 29th Feb – 2 March for a fantastic series of concerts to mark the season, featuring vocalists Apoorva Gokhale and Chiranjeeb Chakraboty. We will also present a new Sitar concerto Arya on 5th March by Jasdeep Degun and Opera North, in the magnificent Durham Cathedral.

 

On the 2nd March do not miss the sensational Sufi and Punjabi singers Heshmat Sultana at Sage Gateshead.

 

Simon Thacker’s Svara Kanti as he collaborates with mystical Bengali Baul folk musicians.

Full Spring Summer 2020 programme below, and please do visit our website and follow us on social media for updates,

GemArts East by North East Blog

Here is a blog highlighting a brilliant collaboration between The Syrian Kings, rappers on GemArts East by North East youth music project and Aaron Hughes, BALTIC Artists Award winner 2019.

Ahmad (19) and Hussein (18) had been in Gateshead less than one year when they began making music on ‘Dispersed Belongings’ a project delivered by Gem Arts in collaboration with Durham University and Gateshead Council Resettlement Team. Our initial sessions were based around the concept of belonging, identity and feelings of home. The young men had no previous experience of music making and we were working with an interpreter during those first few months together, exploring band work, lyric writing and percussion with GemArts music leaders Izzy and Pav.

Ahmad and Hussein were progressed on to GemArts East by North East project (funded by Youth Music) and found that they shared an interest in hip hop, and both felt passionately that music could be a powerful tool of communicating their lived experiences of the war in Syria, forced migration, love, and lost love. They continued working with music leaders Pav and Izzy, and soon began writing lyrics together and bringing new material to each session along with musical references and songs that would later inspire beats that they would create during the sessions using Logic Pro and a MIDI keyboard. Their lyrics are often in Arabic and sometimes fused with English but always reference their real, lived experiences.

During autumn 2018, internationally acclaimed artist/anti-war activist/Iraq war army veteran Aaron Hughes was selected to receive The Baltic Artist Award at The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Aaron’s art focuses on the traumas of war, displacement and human connection despite pain. Aaron was interested in collaborating with local people who’ve similar experiences and was put in touch with GemArts to learn more about the creative work involving resettled Syrian youth living in Gateshead. The plan was to reimagine Wilfred Owen’s War Requiem alongside several award winning poets and music maestro, Karim Wasfi. This was an ambitious project for all of us and the beginning of The Syrian Kings journey.

The project Poetry Despite, Music Despite (Eternal War Requiem), as described by artist Aaron Hughes, aimed to reimagine and rework Wilfred Owen’s poems featuring in the War Requiem, using them starting points “to [consider] the relationship between the horrors of World War 1 and the ongoing ‘global War on Terror’.”

Although there are 13 young people who attend our music session regularly, Ahmad and Hussein are consistently keen to create new material and up until recently they were the only two in the group who considered themselves lyricists. In winter 2018 they worked hard demonstrating determination and discipline to create two pieces ‘Doomed Youth’ and ‘Permanent Stars’ for the performance with Aaron at the Baltic and decided to call their musical duo The Syrian Kings.

During the process of creating lyrics, tracks and raps for Permanent Stars in response to Wilfred Owens’s poem ‘But I was Looking at The Permanent Stars’ the group talked about what bugles represented in the war, how they were mournful and often associated with the death of soldiers. They discussed what could be used as an equivalent sound in Syria and asked the group if there was a similar instrument. They told us the sounds of ambulance sirens, radio signal, shattered glass and bombs were all the sounds the associated with the sadness and trauma of war in Syria. These sounds can all be heard throughout our track (the explosion sound became a useful tool for us to mark every 8 bars for rap verses).

Credit and Copyright ©: Colin Davison

The group resonated with the lines in the poem “Voices of boys were by the river-side. Sleep mothered them; and left the twilight sad” and have echoed this with lyrics in Arabic about ships that were supposed to keep people safe but did not, and left bodies of children on the shore.

Credit and Copyright ©: Colin Davison

Collaborating with international artists for their first performance was challenging and the thought of performing with people who you’ve never met is a daunting prospect for any musician but they worked hard and the performance was a huge success.

Aaron Hughes said on working with The Syrian Kings “Ahmad and Hussein had brilliantly related their experiences to Owen’s poems. Connecting the political situation in Syria and the lack of responsibility for the war to the needless violence of World War One. One section addressed their feelings of displacement, “ I already feel like I’ve lost my place, my hometown is gone without a trace, looking for something I can’t replace…” However, unlike Owen’s poems, Ahmed and Hussein expressed a bit of hope and determination “I’m never going back, I’m here to stay got to keep trying to find another way.”

The Syrian Kings performed their work alongside readings by Aaron Hughes, Iraqi-American poet Dunya Mikhail and Iraq War veteran poets, accompanied by Karim Wasfi who improvised cello, replacing the string sample on their tracks. They performed to the public on 15th/16^th February 2019 in the gallery where Aaron Hughes’ print exhibition was mounted.

An album (recorded live at the first performance) and accompanying booklet of music, poetry, and stories by Iraqis, refugees, and veterans was commissioned for the project. 120,000 people visited the exhibition and heard the soundtrack at BALTIC.

The opportunity to connect two emerging musicians from East by North East with internationally recognised artists was invaluable and raised the aspirations and self-esteem of The Syrian Kings. They were treated as professional artists throughout the process and experienced the empowerment of collective creative endeavour.

Credit and Copyright ©: Colin Davison

This year, The Syrian Kings have been invited to perform at multiple hiphop and spoken word events and continued to write, record and perform original material, spreading their message and raising awareness of the political situation in Syria. Hussein and Ahmad are powerful role models and nurture and encourage other young people in our music session to write and create songs that are important to them.

“I am here because I have a message. It is my responsibility to tell people what is happening in my country. I have freedom to say whatever I want and I need to use this. Syria is a beautiful place and the words come from the heart, I know that I will always want to write lyrics and make music, it is something I will carry with me my whole life now.” Hussein

Here is the music video of Permanent Stars by Syrian Kings – GemArts East by North East Youth Music project.

by Izzy Finch, EBNE Music Leader (Nov 2019)

GemArts Autumn Winter Season 2019 Launch

GemArts is thrilled to announce our Autumn Winter 2019 Season that launches with a new partnership with Middlesbrough Town Hall, as we bring the very best Indian classical, folk and contemporary music to this magnificent venue.  Beginning in September, with the brilliant Anupama Bhagwat on sitar, accompanied by tabla virtuoso Shahbaz Hussain; and in October we welcome Sudeep Banerjee for an evening of wonderful ghazals.

Our Riverside Ragas concert series continues at the Sage Gateshead presenting a stellar line up of Hindustani classical music; in September we are delighted to bring back internationally renowned Carnatic vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyan, in October, santoor maestro Rahul Sharma and in November, Music from the courts of Kings and Saints, marking the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth. As always, GemArts’ special family ticket is available for these concerts, encouraging and inspiring a love of music for all ages and backgrounds.

If you’re looking for something to do with your little ones in half term, then don’t miss Indigo Moon Theatre’s wonderful shadow puppet theatre show Aladdin. Our ever popular Diwali celebrations return in November, and do visit the Chai & Chat exhibition at Gateshead Central Library, beautiful textile artwork inspired by traditional chai recipes.

The season ends with a Bollywood spectacular as we team up the Bridging Stroke across Newcastle & Gateshead charity to raise valuable funds for this excellent cause – we look forward to your support!

Keep checking www.gemarts.org for more exciting events and workshops across the North East, and please visit our Support Us page if you are in a position to make a gift.

Download your GemArts Autumn Winter 2019 Brochure here.

We look forward to seeing you soon.