Last year, I had the privilege of participating in a brand new exhibition at Manchester's 'Science and Industry Museum'. This week, I travelled to London and caught a glimpse of the exhibition at its brand new unveiling in London's 'Science Museum'.
"Why does music have such a hold over us? What is it about music that drives us to create, perform, feel, connect with others? After a hugely popular run at the Science + Industry Museum in Manchester, Turn It Up: The power of music has now arrived at the Science Museum in London." - sciencemuseum.org.uk
After being asked asked by Dr. Michelle Phillips (Royal Northern College of Music) to get involved in the 'Turn It Up' exhibition - I jumped at the opportunity. Michelle is a wonderful senior lecturer at the RNCM and a passionate, innovative researcher in the field of music psychology.
"Michelle Phillips’ research explores music and the perception of time, music and maths, audience response to live and recorded music, music and entrepreneurship and music and Parkinson’s. Her edited collection entitled Music and Time: Philosophy, Psychology and Practice, co-edited by Michelle and Dr Matthew Sergeant, was published by 'Boydell & Brewer' in June 2022." - rncm.ac.uk
I was asked to record two pieces which I believed evoked sombre emotions - these were Gabriel Fauré's 'Après un rêve' and 'The Last Rose of Summer' by Benjamin Britten. Together with the museum team, we filmed excerpts of the pieces in the studios of the 'Royal Northern College of Music' (Manchester). Michelle wanted to delve into ‘why we listen to sad music, even when we’re happy’ and studied the physical and cerebral reactions of experiment participants who listened and reacted to my performances.
These recordings were also included in the exhibition display, allowing visitors to see for themselves the effects of music on the emotive senses. Fascinating indeed! I was also overjoyed to share a performance of both pieces live for BBC Radio 4 (see photo below) for use on their broadcast episode discussing the exhibition.
Manchester: 'Science and Industry Museum'
London: 'Science Museum'
During a recent stay in London, I was lucky enough to visit the 'Science Museum' in Kensington, where our exhibition has recently opened. It is wonderful to see the collaborative work of so many brilliant minds expanding to new audiences and sparking interest in the power of music!
This exciting collaboration is yet another testament to how pursuing a career in music can open doors to unexpected opportunities - finding that I am always learning something new and of course meeting fabulous creatives along the way! Thank you very much, Michelle, for having me on board!
"From exploring how technological advances can make music more accessible for everyone, to the ways in which music unlocks emotions and memories, Turn It Up is an unforgettable, hands-on experience where you can feel, remember and reflect on what music means to each of us". - sciencemuseum.org.uk
BBC RADIO 4 FRONT ROW
"A toe tapping, foot stomping new exhibition".
STEPHEN MOSS, THE GUARDIAN
"A fascinating show".
Lucy
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