Holy Site for Fragmented Orchestra
Father Martin Eastwood is the Vicar at St Andrews, Fulham Fields, in London, one of two religious sites which make up The Fragmented Orchestra (the other is Gloucester Cathedral). We asked Father Martin about his experiences within the musical cortex...
How did you become involved with The Fragmented Orchestra?
Through contact with the PRS Foundation - we were previously funded for a commission in 2008 and heard about The Fragmented Orchestra through an email.
Where is the soundbox placed within the church?
It is in the sounding board above the pulpit
What does The Fragmented Orchestra sound like?
It varies greatly depending on what is going on. Sometimes it doesn't sound particularly 'musical' but it is always interesting.
You travelled up to the installation at FACT - what did you think of it?
It is an excellent gallery, with very good facilities, and it was a well organised launch event.
What do you think this piece tells us about new music in the UK and where it is heading?
I think it shows that there is a huge amount going on and that the music scene is vibrant.
What events do you have planned around The Fragmented Orchestra?
There are quite a lot of things going on, particularly the launch of a large Art Exhibition in the church on the same day as the closing Fragmented Orchestra events on 21 February (24 Fragments). We are commissioning some music to go with an event which will be attended by many art critics. The project is the making by various community groups of a new set of Stations of the Cross. This is the third year we have run the event, each year in a different way.
You’ve created a Facebook group - how's that going?
It is going very well - it has led to a lot of interaction between the sites and has been a good way of advertising events etc. The current membership is 101 - sign up on Facebook!