The Stables in Wavendon, Milton Keynes, is one of the top 10 live music venues in the UK and also the organising body behind the successful Milton Keynes International Festival (IF) which in 2012 takes place from 20-29 July.
One of the attractions on display at the IF will be the boat “Collective Spirit” built as the South East’s winning commission as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The Boat Project collected personal wood artefacts from people across the South East to become a core part of the boat’s construction and identity including part of a bus that ferried athletes at the 1948 Olympics!
As part of the working together with IF 2012 and Lone Twin, the performance company behind it, a set of original folk music was commissioned and recorded at The Stables. Called “The Harbour of Songs”, and curated and produced by Festival Artist-in-Residence Adrian McNally of The Unthanks, this will be available on CD on 23 July 2012 including a live performance at the Festival on the evening of its release.
As the Festival’s photographer I had the pleasure of watching a small part of the (very intense) recording process featuring Adrian and musician Hannah Moulette as they worked through the arrangements in the Stables auditorium and sound booth. The aim was to capture Adrian at work for use as profile pictures for this project.
More info about “The Harbour of Songs” and associated talks and activities at IF Milton Keynes at www.ifmiltonkeynes.org including ticket sales for the live event.
