Here We Are - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project

Sophie Bancroft
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  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS

This series looks at the thoughts, feelings and experiences of participants involved in  The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project  HERE WE ARE, a project in collaboration with creative ageing organisation Autumn Voices, funded by Creative Scotland and a grant from The Hope Scott Trust.Singer and songwriter Sophie Bancroft guided a group of The Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, and rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir in 3 concerts around the Lothians in 2023.

Episodes

  1. Episode 8: Here We Are

    10/29/2023

    Episode 8: Here We Are

    This episode hears various project participants thoughts about the overall project, and hears from some of the songwriter participants about the challenges of collaboration. It also hears from Mags Bryan,  one of the Here We Are project songwriters,  talk about her experience of being in the project, sharing a piece of her creative writing and being involved in writing the song 'Here We Are.' Arranger Tom Bancroft shares his thoughts about the project and writing the anthemic arrangement of Here We Are which gave its name to the entire project. You can watch the video of the performance of Here We Are at  https://youtu.be/8hqCrWjrDM8  HERE WE ARE (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by Mags Bryan and Val Dijkman with Sophie Bancroft and The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group  Music by Sophie Bancroft  Choir arrangement by Tom Bancroft  Restless thoughts, restless skies, friends there to empathise  Time to wander and breathe the air  Lives woven day by day, crossing paths, we find our way  Summer sun and winter blues  Here we are walking together  Here we are with stories to tell  Here we are to share the message  And sing out loud that we’re still here  Nature’s song, time to sow, learn slowly to let go  Live each moment to the full  Friendships so long and deep, memories to make and keep  Room to laugh and even cry  Here we are walking together....  We are here, see our faces, hear our voices  Tell the story, share the message, we are here  Life’s a dance, set us free, speak truth with honesty  New adventures every day  Old age, a gift to share, more time for us to care  Grow our wisdom, give ourselves  Here we are walking together....  HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces. Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/

    24 min
  2. Episode 7: Feather

    10/29/2023

    Episode 7: Feather

    This episode hears from Val Dijkman and Shirley James, two of the Here We Are project songwriters,  talk about their experiences of being in the project and being involved in writing the moving song 'Feather.' And arranger Corrina Hewat discusses her reaction to first hearing Feather and then how she went about creating her stunning arrangement. You can watch the video of the performance of Feather at  https://youtu.be/Zr6IS_El1NE  FEATHER (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by Shirley James, Val Dijkman, Andrew Lorrain-Smith, Sophie Bancroft and The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group  Music by Sophie Bancroft and Val Dijkman  Choir arrangement by Corrina Hewat  We played in the burn catching trout for the tea  Alone in the woods just you and me  Together we grew like Adam and Eve  And the children arrived with laughter  A feather floats down, without a sound  As I sit here and remember  Is it you, can you see the memories of you and me  A feather floats down  I miss you  We travelled the world enjoyed being free  Discovering more about you and me  The grand-children came our lives became full with time to enjoy them growing  A feather floats down.......  You were never supposed to leave  Seasons pass by, our garden grows on  I sit by our tree still hearing our song  Chill in the air but love keeps me warm as I treasure our time together  A feather floats down, without a sound  As I sit here and remember  Is it you, can you see the memories of you and me  A feather floats down  I miss you  HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project  saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces.  Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/

    23 min
  3. Episode 6: Beach Escape

    10/29/2023

    Episode 6: Beach Escape

    This episode hears from arranger Tom Lyne about his experience of being involved in Here We Are and writing his quirky arrangement for Beach Escape, and  from Helen Horsfall,  one of the Here We Are project songwriters,  who talks about her experience of being in the project and being involved in writing the song 'Beach Escape.' You can watch the video of the performance of Beach Escape at  https://youtu.be/z_a5U-TrQ0Y  BEACH ESCAPE (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by Helen Horsfall & The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group  Music by Sophie Bancroft  Choir arrangement by Tom Lyne  I’m going crazy here, stir crazy here  Escape away from the day-to-day, dry mouth, clenched jaw, tired eyes, back sore  Give me the space, wild wind on face, back to everybody’s childhood place  Escape, let’s escape away to the beach!  Full palette blues, sand golden hues, sundown reds, psychedelic confuse  Flags fly high in a pebbledash sky, castles stand so proud and grand  Escape, let’s escape let’s escape away to the beach!  I’m Here at the Beach!  Driftwood fire burns bright with desire, cavernous caves echo thunderous waves  Sandy towels hide passion fever, salt on the lips, the kisses are quick  Escape, let’s escape let’s escape away to the beach!  Kodak moments, salty doughnuts, sunburnt bodies drinking whisky toddies  Chips get cool, we’ll disappear, back to life with no souvenir  Escape, let’s escape let’s escape away to the beach!  I’m Here at the Beach!  I’m going crazy here, stir crazy here  HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project  saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces.  Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/

    17 min
  4. Episode 5: I Remember

    10/29/2023

    Episode 5: I Remember

    This episode hears about Jean Durrand's,  one of the Here We Are project songwriters,  experience of being in the project and being involved in writing  'I Remember.' It also features beautiful creative writing pieces written from lines in 'I Remember' by Val Dijkman and Shirley James, and hears from Gina Rae about writing her arrangement of this amazing song. You can watch the video of the performance of I Remember at  https://youtu.be/fB8WYwkosGA  I REMEMBER (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by Jean Durrand with Sophie Bancroft, Val Dijkman and Shirley James and The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group  Music by Sophie Bancroft  Choir Arrangement by Gina Rae  Beautiful blue, terracotta smooth, holes worn through by the sea  Close my eyes, carry me back to the tide  Hold you in my pocket, feel you in my hand, link to where I belong  Close my eyes, carry me back in time  Take me there where the salty air  And white spray catches my breath  Wild and free when you call to me  I remember….  Lazy summer days, cooling waves, gold sand, glistening skin  Close my eyes, carry me back to the tide  What will be, shaped by the sea, bringing clarity to my mind  Close my eyes, carry me back in time  Take me there where the salty air.......  On a shore full of promise treasures can be found  Far beyond where the land meets the sea  Where the birds fly up high and sunlight paints the sky  Waves bring me moonbeams  Take me there where the salty air  And white spray catches my breath  Wild and free when you call to me I remember….  HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project  saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces.  Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/

    21 min
  5. Episode 4: Face In The Mirror

    10/29/2023

    Episode 4: Face In The Mirror

    This episode hears songwriting group members discuss their involvement in the writing of Face In The Mirror, and  pianist and arranger Dave Milligan talk about his experience of the project. You can watch the video of the performance of  Face In The Mirror at  https://youtu.be/3hYtCdKj47Y  FACE IN THE MIRROR (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group  Music by Sophie Bancroft and Tom Lyne  Choir arrangement by Dave Milligan  Mirrors swear to tell the truth  What they see they reproduce  My face is hard to recognise  The image here is not quite mine  Still me reflecting time  Like a fine red wine that satisfies  And every line tells a story and every story is well read  Although the days are sometimes stormy we weather on with no regret  Contours on the map of life  Sunkissed toil, laughter lines  Still a sparkle smiling in my eyes  I love the face that I can see  I love the skin that covers me  My younger self would be surprised  And every line tells a story and every story is well read  Although the days are sometimes stormy we weather on with no regret  My skin, your skin, young skin, old skin, still feel young inside  If they wrote me off at school  now they see that I’m no fool  With all that I have done in life  My younger self would give advice  Get balance right, be worldly wise  Don’t work too hard, find time for play  And every line tells a story and every story is well read  Although the days are sometimes stormy we weather on with no regret  My skin, your skin, young skin, old skin, still feel young inside

    22 min
  6. Episode 3: Hand-Me-Down

    10/29/2023

    Episode 3: Hand-Me-Down

    This episode from various participants in the project - choir members, songwriters, arrangers and audience members talk about their experiences of the project, and  also Barbara Hateley,  one of the Here We Are project songwriters,  talks about her experience of being in the project and being involved in writing the song 'Hand-Me-Down.' You can watch the video of the performance of Hand-Me-Down at  https://youtu.be/-O_6FZqdycc  HAND-ME-DOWN (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by Barbara Hateley with Sophie Bancroft and The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group  Music by Sophie Bancroft  The soup-maker stands side by side with her daughter  Onions, lentils and leeks fill the bench  “I made this soup long ago with my mother”  The soup-maker says  The soup-maker moves in with daughter and family  Pea and ham soup bubbles hot on the stove  Wean in the high-chair wears pea and ham face paint  The soup-maker smiles  Hand me down, hand me down, I am warmth, nurture and love  Hand me down, hand me down, I am warmth, nurture and love  The wean, now a mother, stands by her own daughter  Mud covered carrots sit on the bench  “I found them in the garden, can we make some soup?”  Young soup-maker begs  Hand me down, hand me down, I am warmth, nurture and love  Hand me down, hand me down, I am warmth, nurture and love  The soup-maker lies in her bed in the care home  Velvet brown, bone marrow broth, brought from home  steams in a cup that is held by her daughter  The soup-maker sips  The soup-maker’s daughter returns to her family  Holding the cup that was once full with broth  Now filled with mem’ries of onions and lentils  The soup-maker’s love  Hand me down, hand me down, I am warmth, nurture and love  Hand me down, hand me down, I am warmth, nurture and love  HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project  saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces.  Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/

    22 min
  7. Episode 2: Grandad's Biscuit Tin

    10/29/2023

    Episode 2: Grandad's Biscuit Tin

    This episode hears from some of the project's songwriting participants about why they were interested in joining the songwriting group, from audience members who attended some of the concerts, and  from Andrew Lorrain-Smith,  one of the Here We Are project songwriters,  who talks about his experience of being in the project and being involved in writing the song 'Grandad's Biscuit Tin.' You can watch the video of the performance of Grandad's Biscuit Tin at  https://youtu.be/zFsr4DpckUc  GRANDAD'S BISCUIT TIN (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by Andrew Lorrain-Smith and The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group  Music by Sophie Bancroft  Too high for the kids,  too high for myself  Grandad’s tin sitting high on the shelf  I try to stay full of things that taste sweet  Things that I would choose to eat  I’m battered and scratched and a little bit faded  I sit here and watch the young growing up  It seems to me they hurry too much  Running around, feet off the ground  Wasn’t that how I was found?  I’m battered and scratched......  Listen my friends  Let me tell you what I see from here  It’s not the cards you get but more how you play  Sometimes you win,  other times you just walk away  With an act of kindness every day  So here I am now sitting up high  Mem’ries filled with flavour and smiles  Doing nothing is fine,  I’m savouring time  Not quite full but satisfied  I’m battered and scratched......  Listen my friends......  Too high for the kids  Too high for myself  Grandad’s tin sitting high on the shelf  I try to stay full  Of things that taste sweet  Things that I would choose to eat  I’m battered and scratched......  HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces.  Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/

    20 min
  8. Episode 1: Tree Of Life

    10/29/2023

    Episode 1: Tree Of Life

    , This episode sees Here We Are project leader  Sophie Bancroft and Ken Cockburn, from Autumn Voices , discuss how the Here We Are project started. It also hears from various choir members about their love of being in The Pathhead Choir, and  Sue Lewis,  one of the Here We Are project songwriters,  talks about her experience of being in the project and being involved in writing the song 'Tree Of Life.' You can watch the video of the performance of Tree Of Life at  https://youtu.be/cRUAqy56tTA  TREE OF LIFE (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)  Lyrics by Sue Lewis with Sophie Bancroft and The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group,  Music by Sophie Bancroft  You are drawn to me, my life, my age, my strength  My ancient wisdom  For I have seen more days  Than you will ever know.  Seeded, I begin as you do  and my skin is scarred by life  a life drawn in lines that show only when broken  Rooted, to touch the sky  Rooted, to spread my arms  Rooted, in the soil I bend the battering winds  The earth my holdfast  But we all break sometimes  Find healing in the green, the red, the gold  of turning seasons  And like me find renewal,  autumn, fall and spring  Until I stand no more I lay here on forest floor  Tho living yet the sleeping dragon filling children’s dreams  Rooted, to touch the sky.........  You are drawn to me, my strength, my age, my life  my ancient wisdom  Long years I offer shelter  to the young and old  Though you’re drawn to me  you don’t see the role I take  to cleanse and to heal  our beautiful world  HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces.  Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/

    23 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

This series looks at the thoughts, feelings and experiences of participants involved in  The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project  HERE WE ARE, a project in collaboration with creative ageing organisation Autumn Voices, funded by Creative Scotland and a grant from The Hope Scott Trust.Singer and songwriter Sophie Bancroft guided a group of The Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, and rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir in 3 concerts around the Lothians in 2023.

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