“Bird Tunes is, very simply, utterly beautiful. Nature and music in perfect harmony.” Tradfolk
Featured on Front Row, BBC Radio 4 and The Breakfast Show BBC Radio 3 (live from Slimbridge Wetlands Centre)
With bird song as its peak in May, we felt it is the perfect time to present Miranda Rutter’s exquisitely crafted Bird Tunes! The beautiful nave at St Mary’s Church will provide the perfect acoustics for her birdsong-inspired compositions. In the afternoon, she and Rob Harbron will be teaching a Bird Tunes workshop for musicians - we think this is going to be rather special! (Book the workshop and concert together for a discount.)
Bird Tunes Workshop for Musicians 2:00 - 4:20 pm (includes 20 minute break)
We will learn one of the Bird Tunes by ear (but have dots available if anyone is struggling) and explore how to play it with life and energy! We will then look at a harmony and chord options for all instruments and work it into an arrangement.
Suitable for players of all melody instruments and also guitar / strummy ones, but not percussion players.We can make it accessible for a range of abilities but not beginners. Ideally, you can play your instrument at a level where you can pick up a tune / chords and be able to play at least a tune or two.
Miranda explains: “This is a suite of tunes inspired by birds and their song. I’ve become so entranced by birds, I’ve found myself recording them in the woods, fields and wetlands near my home. Excitedly bringing home these slivers of sonic magic, I ‘transcribed’ or learnt to play snippets of these birds’ songs on the fiddle, then wove these fragments of melody into folk dance tune forms – my other musical fascination. In some of these tunes, I’ve purely pieced together birds’ phrases, in others I’ve written ‘answer’ phrases to their ‘questions’ and in others I’ve written the whole tune but been inspired by a bird in some way.
I follow in a long line of musicians through from prehistory, who’ve been inspired by birdsong – it being such an enchanting wonder of the world! For me, listening deeper, discovering intricacies and learning to recognise birds by their song has made me care even more about birds and their habitat. As so many species are struggling in this rapidly changing, human-dominated world, I hope that my contribution can help spark intrigue, spread awareness and in turn, generate action to turn the tide of fortune for these awe-inspiring creatures.”
Miranda Rutter is a folk musician, fiddle and viola player, composer, performer and teacher. She performs with Methera who focus on making folk music through the voice of the string quartet. She has also performed with the English Acoustic Collective and Morris Offspring in ‘On English Ground’ and with Chris Wood in his ‘Listening to the River’. Miranda also regularly performs with Rob Harbron and Sam Sweeney for Boss Morris.
She is a much sought-after tutor, having taught on Newcastle University’s Folk Music degree course, at Folkworks’ Fiddles on Fire Festival, as part of the English Acoustic Collective Summer School team and as a core tutor for the National Youth Folk Ensemble
Rob Harbron is a uniquely skilled player of the English concertina, described by The Guardian as a ‘concertina wizard’ and renowned for his highly individual and harmonic style of playing. He is a member of Leveret (alongside Sam Sweeney and Andy Cutting), with whom he has toured extensively and released six landmark albums.
Known for his work with a wide range of artists including Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings, Emily Portman, Emma Reid and The Full English, he has also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His debut solo album Meanders was released in 2019 and was followed by a tunebook of original compositions.
Rob leads the English Acoustic Collective Summer School and is regarded as an inspiring and supportive teacher. He has been extensively involved with the National Youth Folk Ensemble as a tutor.
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