ResearchWorks: Creative Minds in Song

Creative Minds in Song sees Guildhall School composers create new songs from the poems of mental-health service users. The songs are brought to life by singers from Guildhall in workshops are performances. The most recent project ran November 2022-May 2023 in partnership with MIND in Tower Hamlets and Newham. Our research has focussed on the impact of interdepartmental and community collaboration for both students and staff facilitators. The project aims to be in line with the ‘Guildhall Teaching and Learning Strategy 2020-25’ to ‘promote a whole-person, learner-focused, individualised approach’ as ‘socially engaged, employable and entrepreneurial creative citizens’. The project also relates to the Guildhall School Strategic Plan, which values ‘the transformative power of the artist within society’, ‘a learning and teaching environment enriched by a diverse creative community’ and ‘partnership and the collaborative spirit in the creation and performance of work’. It is noted that the school wishes their students to be ‘world-class; virtuosi in their field’ as well as ‘adaptable, purposeful and responsible artists in society’. The project research is underpinned by an ever-growing interest in interdisciplinary and community-based learning in Higher Education music education.

Speaker

Gavin Roberts enjoys a varied career as a piano accompanist. He has partnered singers in recital at Wigmore Hall, the Barbican Hall and the Royal Festival Hall, and is Artistic Director of the recital series Song in the City. He has appeared at The Cheltenham Festival, Dartington International Festival, The Ludlow Weekend of English Song, The Ryedale Festival and The Oxford Lieder Festival. He works regularly with soprano Lucy Hall, with whom he was the winner of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform, and actor Rosamund Shelley, with whom he performs her one-woman shows Novello & Son and War Songs.

He has played for The BBC Singers, The Joyful Company of Singers, Constanza Chorus, The Hanover Band, Tiffin Boys’ Choir, and as a repetiteur for Sir Roger Norrington and the late Richard Hickox. Gavin has appeared regularly on BBC Radio broadcasts as a soloist and accompanist, often giving premiere performances of new works. He has played on numerous recordings for the BBC, ASV, Guild and Priory Records. His most recent project is a CD recording of London-themed song commissions for Song in the City.

Gavin studied piano with Andrew West and Eugene Asti at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he is now a Professor. He previously read Music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he also held the organ scholarship. Following this, Gavin gained a Master’s degree from King’s College London. Gavin is Organist and Director of Music at St Marylebone Parish Church.

Guildhall School’s ResearchWorks is a programme of events centred around the School’s research activity, bringing together staff, students and guests of international standing. We run regular events throughout the term intended to share the innovative research findings of the School and its guests with students, staff and the public.