Composer Alvin Curran and the London Symphony Orchestra will be performing Maritime Rites on the banks of the Thames outside Tate Modern and on a barge on the water itself this Friday evening. Described as a sound sculpture, Maritime Rites is a semi-improvised live event that incorporates the bells of St Pauls, the sound of traffic on the river and music associated with the Thames.
As if this piece of live music and site-specific performance wasn't extraordinary enough, the event is inviting Londoners to be part of it.
If you are interested and can play a portable acoustic instrument (one that does not need a chair), please contact the Maritime Rites team at Tate Modern.
We need to know the instrument you play, the length of time you have been playing it, and if you can attend a rehearsal the day before the performance. The rehearsal will take place at Tate Modern on the evening of 13 September 2007. You will also be asked to come in advance of the performance on 14 September 2007.
If you've got a horn, or can toot a flute or have a musical interest / musical skill that is adaptable for crude puns, get in touch! We'll be there to cheer you on as our musical contribution of paper and comb may not make it into the actual performance. It will be quite a marvel to witness the Thames being brought to life through sound, performed by professionals and professional Londoners.
Maritime Rites by Alvin Curran, the London Symphony Orchestra and volunteers with their own musical instruments, Friday 14 September, 5.30pm. The event is free and takes place on the Thames outside Tate Modern. For more information and to volunteer, go to the Maritime Rites website here.
Image courtesy of Simon Rigglesworth via the Londonist Flickr pool
