Manchester Museum invites you to be Wonderstruck at weekend performances
28 Oct 2014
Drop in to free musical performances on Saturday, 15 November and Sunday, 16 November (from 11am, morning and afternoon) - no need to book
Manchester Museum’s Wonderstruck weekend on the 15th and 16th of November features two days of live musical performances to surprise and delight. Visitors will be taken on a journey through the galleries, where choirs and performers from across Manchester will perform original songs and pieces inspired by the Museum and its collections.
Wonderstruck aims to bring people together, generate a sense of wonder at the world we live in, encourage awareness of issues such as sustainability, and increase wellbeing in both participants and visitors. It is a unique participatory project, commissioned by Manchester Museum and People United, a pioneering charity which develops projects around the role the arts can play in developing a kinder society. It has been created by writer, director and performer Daniel Bye, director Sarah Punshon, and writer and musician Boff Whalley, of Chumbawamba fame.
The Manchester choirs taking part include Golden Voices Community Choir for older people, the Manchester schools Network Choir, the all-female She choirandthe Ordsall A Cappellas. Joining them will be a flash mob choir made up of members of the public, created especially for the event, which will be popping up in unexpected places throughout the weekend.
The original songs, written by Boff Whalley, will be linked by mini performances as visitors travel through time and around the world, from ancient Egypt to industrial Manchester, taking in dinosaurs, fossils and lots more as they go.
Nick Merriman, Director of Manchester Museum said, ”We are delighted to be working with People United on the Wonderstruck project. Visitors often tell us that Manchester Museum is a space where they encounter the unexpected, and working with Dan, Sarah and Boff, we have been able to explore this in new ambitious ways, drawing on our extraordinary collections and rooted in our vision to work towards a more sustainable world.”
Tina Corri, Co-Director of People United said, “Our Artist Commissions programme is a hugely important part of our work, helping us to illuminate different themes through the arts. Manchester Museum is a fantastic commission partner for us – not just the amazing collection - but the fact that they are always looking to try new things. We feel extremely fortunate to be working with the hugely talented Dan, Sarah and Boff. They work with people in awe-inspiring ways, reflecting our belief that the arts can be a powerful catalyst for bringing different kinds of people together”.
Boff Whalley, composer on the project, said, “Teaching our new songs to these choirs, from the under 10s to the over 60s, has been fantastic. We are really looking forward to seeing how the Museum’s visitors respond to the performances at the Wonderstruck weekend.”
Wonderstruck artist Daniel Bye said “People United and Manchester Museum are both wonderful organisations and I’m totally delighted to be working with them on this project. I hope what we are creating will reflect and magnify the museum’s awesome collection, and bring together some of Manchester’s great communities in speech and song, while creating a sense of joy and wonder for the Museum’s visitors.”