Noisy People's Improvising Orchestra

The Noisy People's Improvisers Orchestra is a continuation of the Noisy Women's ethos of inclusion and diversity in improvised music and live art. We welcome musicians unused to improvising. For young musicians under age 16, we ask that an adult guardian accompanies them. Performers with learning differences are welcome to play. All genders, cultures and age groups welcome.

The orchestra's inaugural concert is at 7.45pm on  Friday 15th July 2022 at St Pauls Church, Hills Road, Cambridge. Doors open at 7.15.

Our compere is Amy Forgacs, photography by Chris Freeman and filming by Darren Fitzpatrick. I have been in meetings with the church team and Gwen to help make this evening memorable.

The plan for the day is as follows:

Art Workshop with Oblique Arts will be sometime between 4.45 and 6.15pm

Fara, Gwen and the set-up team will be setting up from 4.45pm.

The orchestra need to arrive for the rehearsal by 5.30pm, earlier if you need to take time setting up. Please do not come before 4.45 because a talent show is going on in the church before our booking. Please look after the floor of the church and be careful moving chairs about.

The theme for the evening is rainbows and kindness.

Rehearsal starts at 5.45pm with a T'ai Chi session with Mike Tabrett from Grey Heron Internal Arts. The session will be around 20 minutes long.

Doors open 7.15pm, gig starts 7.45pm with a short movement session led by Mike. It will be followed by 3 small-ensemble pieces (ensembles of about 20 people). Me and my housemates are in the first ensemble because we are part of the tea-making team. Please make pieces no longer than 15 minutes. Singers and poets hopefully will have amplification (sorting it as we speak). Everyone else is acoustic unless you have to plug something in. See below. 

after the interval: Part 2

A continuous co-conduction relay for the full ensemble until the piece is over. Singers, poets, dancers and artists can be free-range or part of the conducted orchestra. Myself, Nikki Kokkoli and the other voice artists will do a song for Dominic Mulvey at some point during the conduction (likely a shortened version of a folk song he liked me singing for him or maybe a different one he would have liked, suggestions welcome but has to reflect inclusivity and being nice)...will send a video. After the song the orchestra walk around the whole church playing, singing etc until the 4 final conductors bring it to a close at the same time...probably Fara, Maggie, Sue Lynch and Charlotte Keeffe. The end...

Please share the poster on twitter, instagram, LinkedIn, facebook, smoke signals, word of mouth.

Here is the list of people playing in the orchestra. Some of our artists have less experience playing in this type of event. That is absolutely fine - we are exploring the idea Maggie told us about. It's called Collective Virtuosity. Everyone is welcome and equally valuable. The flyer is attached below. 

On behalf of The Noisy Women Present we welcome:

Khabat Abas

Faradena Afifi (curator)

Geraldine Afifi

Lulu Agate

Francesca Barosi

Douglas Benford

Steve Beresford

John Bissett

Georgina Brett

David Brown

Laura Cioffi

Iris Colomb

Constance Cooper

Megan Day

Terry Day

Sanjay Dhokia

Anthony Dolphin

Julia Doyle

Phil Durrant

John Eyles

Susanna Ferrar

Chris Free

Debbie Googe

Anette Grinstead

Petra Haller

Sylvia Hallett

Tandy Harrison

Christopher Hill

Jane Hollingworth

Sarah Holly

Leanne Holroyd

Rick Jensen

Keith Jordan

Gwendolyn Kassenaar

Ivor Kallin

Petals Kalulé

Charlotte Keeffe

Chris Killick

Hyelim Kim

Krystyna Koseda

Dominic Lash

Sue Lynch

Emmanuel Ian Martin

Mark McGivern

Henry McPhearson

Meg Morley

Shelley Morris

Jo Morrison

Rachel Musson

Peter Nagle

Tamar Osborn

Simon Pettit

Matthew Randle

Fay Roberts

Tom Rouse

Bettina Schroeder

Emily Suzanne Shapiro

Ed Shipsey

Holly Shirra

Shirley Smart

James A Smith

Nicky Smith

Guido Spanocchi

Gardyloo Spew

Loz Speyer

Megan Steinberg 

Bella Stewart

Benedict Taylor

Yanaëlle Thiran

Jim Turner

Martin Vishnick

Cleveland Watkiss

Julian Woods

Mirei Ya

There are 3 ticket prices for the audience: £15 - full price, £10 - concessions, or £ - Pay what you can afford.

Proceeds and funding will be shared between performers and the following charities: Mixed Bag Theatre, Realife Trust, St Pauls Church Roof and Refugee Charities.