Here
Music by Lillie Harris. Text by Laura Attridge.
Commissioned by Glyndebourne, Create Music (prev. East Sussex Music), and St Michael and All Angels church, Berwick
Concert premiere: December 2022
Recordings inaugurated at the church: February 2023
Here is the second song in a three-song-cycle for mixed-ability children’s voices. It’s about arriving at, being inside, and leaving St Michael and All Angels church, Berwick.
Here is set inside the quiet, still sanctuary of the church – finding a moment of inner contemplation to reflect on the building’s history and spirituality, on what led us here, on all the people who have stood there before us, and to enjoy the natural light and colours of the church’s famous paintings.
The creative journey for this song cycle included workshops with local school children, whose ideas helped Lillie and Laura write the text and music, and some of whom performed for the recordings now installed in the church for all visitors to enjoy.
Here
Here.
I am here,
where my winding journey has led me;
where the tread of my feet falls still
and soft on the chilled, quiet stone, finding
a reflection of colour and light,
an echo of sound and silence.
Here.
You are here,
where so many journeys meet;
where so many feet have stood before:
many footsteps across this floor, leaving
a reflection of colour and light,
an echo of sound and silence.
Here.
We are here,
where our journeys will always meet;
and the places our feet have stood before
come together to be so much more, creating
a reflection of colour and light,
an echo of sound and silence.