Finding Our Way: Songs for the Anthropocene
“Finding our way: Songs for the Anthropocene” is my collection of choral pieces, written in 2021. They have been performed by a virtual choir (see video), and 3 of them were premiered live as part of the Choirs for Climate concert in Edinburgh on 5th March, 2023.
The backstory…
After more than a decade writing, recording and touring as an independent singer-songwriter (occasionally with a band, mostly solo), the question of sustainability began to creep in to my work. Following a 60+ date tour of the UK and Europe in 2018, the notion of personal sustainability loomed large: I was exhausted. Although I had some amazing experiences, travelling solo and handling every aspect of my career myself had left me feeling depleted and uncreative, but with a vague intent to do something good, and useful… or at least, to do no harm.
Fast forward to 2021… after some time out from music, I found myself returning to songwriting through the unlikely route of studying for an MSc in Sustainability at the Centre for Alternative Technology. These songs were composed with a question in mind: how can music help us to achieve a more sustainable society?
Would you like to perform these songs with your choir?
If you’d like to perform songs from “Finding Our Way: Songs for the Anthropocene” with your choir, I am making the sheet music available here (click on the song titles below). Please consider making a donation by clicking the “support my work” button below. Suggested donation: £2 / copy.
Written with young voices in mind, the songs work well for upper voices (the parts are indicated in brackets above). However, the songs can be easily adapted to suit the voices in your choir. These songs could be sung anywhere, from school assemblies, to community concerts, to peaceful demonstrations and marches. If you perform these songs, I’d love to hear about it!