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Music creator Charlotte Botterill talks to us about the start of their creative journey with music group Harpenden Barbershop Harmony as part of Adopt a Music Creator 2024.
I am a firm believer in the idea that musicians will give a better performance if they enjoy and connect with the music which they are performing.
When I first learned that I had been selected for Adopt A Music Creator, I was filled with excitement and enthusiasm. My mind would fleetingly entertain different ideas, different directions in which I could take my piece. A futile act, because until you know which group you have been matched with it is impossible to form a musical direction for the work. Nonetheless, I found my mind wandering.
I was pleased to be paired with the Harpenden Barbershop Harmony Club, as this would be very new territory for me. I have never delved deep into barbershop music. I have a very limited knowledge of it, mostly obtained through films, TV, old cartoons, and general Americana. However, it is a sound which I have always liked, and which fills me with a sort of warm childhood nostalgia.
Having a choir who only sing one style of music - barbershop - presented me with the first puzzle to solve. How will I compose something which is not simply a barbershop pastiche? How can I put something of myself into this? Something with a contemporary classical vibe, dealing with metaphysical or abstract ideas? These concepts seem at odds with the cheeky or sentimental characteristics of barbershop songs. How far from barbershop can I, and should I, push my choir?
'Seeing them in a performance setting shed a whole new light on their characteristics as a group. They are fun loving and up for a good laugh. But most importantly, their love of performing really shone through, something which I didn’t see in the rehearsal.'
In the meantime, I had my first two meetings with my group. For the first meeting I attended one of their rehearsals. Here I simply wanted to get a sense of who they are, how they work, and any practical vocal considerations. Our second meeting was the one which I found the most enlightening. This year is the group's 40th anniversary. In celebration of this, they had organised an honorary members night at a local pub. Friends and relatives were invited to attend. The programme for the night included sharing stories about the origins of the choir, trips, performances, and of course lots of singing!
Seeing them in a performance setting shed a whole new light on their characteristics as a group. They are fun loving and up for a good laugh. But most importantly, their love of performing really shone through, something which I didn’t see in the rehearsal. I realised that a serious and weighty composition with too much classical influence was not going to be right for them, and I don’t think it would show them at their best. Moreover, I want this work to be something which they want to perform again and again. I wasn’t going to completely abandon my compositional voice, but it helped me to discard certain ideas and develop more appropriate ones.
I’m really glad that I was able to see the choir 'in action' before I put pen to paper. By knowing my group better, I can better tailor the composition to them. And in turn, I am hopeful that they will truly connect with it, resulting in an enjoyable and successful performance.
Find out more about Charlotte Botterill on her website
Find out more about Harpenden Barbershop Harmony on their website and follow them on Facebook
