#ambientmusicworld -Woodbridge Ambient Music Festival 2022
Woodbridge Ambient Music Festival - 23rd- 25th September 2022
The river and light of Woodbridge inspire many artists and musicians. Brian Eno, known as the ‘Father of Ambient Music’ and his brother Roger grew up with their family here. You may have seen the Arena film ‘Another Green World’ which touches on his life in Woodbridge and Suffolk. The weekend will celebrate our important link to ambient music, something the town should be very proud of. In the same way Aldeburgh fetes Benjamin Britten I feel Woodbridge should be celebrating one of the most important musical minds of the century along with the importance of keeping the creative arts alive, adding to people’s well-being, sense of community and all-round feeling of being connected and inspired.
The highlight of the event packed weekend will be a performance by Suffolk native, pianist and composer Tom Rogerson, who worked with Brian Eno, on their collaborative album, ‘Finding Shore’. This will be an inspiring afternoon of first-class music drawing international interest from both classical and ambient worlds. Tom and Friends will play a Sunday afternoon concert in the beautiful Church of St Marys and we are delighted to have Suffolk resident and Mercury Prize winner, Talvin Singh OBE, join with his amazing tabla playing and Clare O'Connell on Cello and Liam Byrne on Viola da gamba. Other events include a daily ‘Chill in the Longshed’ with visual music, ambient Festival Projections, films ’Sisters with Transistors’ (featuring the fascinating story of women in electronic music) ‘Life on the Deben’ and ‘Exploring the Music Metaverse’ streamed live from the USA. Yoga and children’s events, workshops, poetry and wellbeing sessions will be offered in the Longshed Gallery.
A Saturday Environmental Awareness and Local Food Market is being held on Whisstocks Square with talks and displays on how climate change affects the beautiful River Deben. A river wide installation ‘Floating Equal’ will take place at the time of the Autumnal equinox at noon with ambient music along the riverbank and a reading of the River Declaration, brought up from the North Sea by canoeists, swimmers, small boats and kayakers. An event on the Cumberland river in USA will twin our beautiful river making it a truly global event. Musical performers include girl in a gale, 100 Poems, Aartwork, Sundowners, Talullah Goodtimes, Mawhrin Skel, Mic Master Lyon, Dronescape, Anthony Awad, Hardwired, Tristan Burfield, Under the Sun, Nick Nicholson Electron Chorus, Will Fergusson, Deben Collective, Moshonsensu, Leon Clowes, Jan Pulsford, Rubber Bus, Cameland, Tony Gerber and more …
So, what is Ambient Music? It is often described as ‘Music to quiet your thoughts’ and ‘Music that doesn’t get in the way.’ Brain Eno has written books and given talks about the subject and recently the NHS suggested relaxation techniques including ambient music, that can help relieve stress and gain a sense of well-being.
