Fiona Bruce attended the London Premiere of the New Music Biennial Commission “A Child Like You” at London’s Southbank Centre this week.
This new piece of music was commissioned by Foden’s Brass Band and written by Sandbach composer Andy Scott (founder of the Sandbach Concert Series).
This dramatic piece is a fifteen minute mini opera. It tells the story of a seventeen year old Ugandan Asian refugee, taken in by the family of composer Andy Scott – when Andy himself was under ten years old – to help the young Ugandan Asian refugee escape the brutal regime of Idi Amin. It tells Andy’s foster brother’s story from Uganda to refugee camps in the UK to living with his new family, weaving together original text and music.
This new work featured Anna – Clare Monk as soprano/narrator, Lauren Scott on harp and the world famous Foden’s Brass Band, with whom Andy is Composer in Residence. Four young musicians from Foden’s Youth Band both played and narrated part of the piece and Foden’s Brass Band travelled with conductor, Michael Fowles, to play the piece at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the Southbank Centre.
The performance was recorded and can be heard on BBC Radio 3 next Saturday.
Fiona Bruce said “This was a complex and dramatic piece, which vividly stirred compassionate thoughts and emotions about the challenges faced by children losing their homeland and having to start life again in a completely strange environment and culture. It was a privilege to attend this prestigious event. The powerful, creative work and the sensitive dramatic way in which Foden’s interpreted it showed yet another dimension of Foden’s musical versatility. The whole performance was received extremely well by the audience, in fact, so much so, it was played twice! It made me very proud to represent Sandbach as Member of Parliament. I was particularly interested to learn that excerpts from a speech in Parliament from the 1970s were woven into the text. It was also wonderful to meet Andy’s foster brother who also attended the performance.”
