Returning

During the planning stage for the project I went to visit producer George Shilling in his studio and discovered that he played cello. I banked this information for later and I’m glad I did.

I challenged Alice to compose an entire piece for two cellos with accompanying piano. I visited Alice to try out some sketches and we batted ideas back and forth via email. Eventually Alice decided on which of the ideas to develop into the final piece. I left her to it and she came up with this gem of a track.

I asked George and he agreed to be 2nd cello. Alice provided us with score and we rehearsed the piece on our own before coming together for the first time to play, film and record it in the Chapterhouse of Gloucester Cathedral.

I had to work well outside of my comfort zone learning the piece by sight reading score - something that I have avoided for decades since stopping my piano lessons as a teenager. Luckily the piano part is simple. The cello parts aren’t though and both Alice and George performed their's brilliantly.

Chris was tasked with making the film around one moving shot and although we didn't quite manage that you'll observe that there are very few edits. It meant that the performance we captured wasn’t just the musicians as Chris had to choreograph and perform his camera work in one take without errors too!

At the end of the track you can hear blackbirds singing if you listen carefully.

Alice is a genius, this showcases her immense talent as a composer and a cellist and I think this one will be many people’s favourite. It might well be mine.

Alice White : cello

George Shilling : cello

George Moorey : piano