CORNWALL, UK–The Eden Project hosted the premier of a new composition by acclaimed British classical composer, Graham Fitkin, collaborating with celebrated harpist, Ruth Wall. Staged in Eden's warm temperate biome, the Fitkin Wall project entitled "Still Warm" was mixed live on a 16-channel Allen & Heath MixWizard, provided by local PA company, SPS Systems. Since opening in March 2001, the Eden Project has become one of the UK's most visited tourist attractions. In recent times, the Project's tranquil setting has made it an attractive proposition for large music events, including Live 8's Africa Calling event–a 32-channel Allen & Heath ML4000 VCA console was used to mix the stage in the Warm Temperate biome–and the annual Eden Sessions, which have included prestigious acts such as Moby, Keane, Elbow, Ian Brown, Air, Brian Wilson, Pulp, Basement Jaxx.
"Still Warm" performance dates were arranged to coincide with the 2006 Eden Sessions– a week-long series comprising performances from Jose Gonzalez, The Magic Numbers, Muse, Goldfrapp, and Snow Patrol.
The piece comprises rhythmic, multi-layered scattered beats and grooves, tinged with jazz and electronica. The new work uses three harps–lever harp, bray harp and a wire-strung harp–performed by Ruth, with live and pre-recorded audio performed by Graham on keyboard and live electronic manipulation, run through a compact PA system comprising the MixWizard console and EM Acoustic speakers.
"The MixWizard is a really good little mixer–it's compact, has all the right features in all the right places, and is reliable. The individual phantom power buttons are a particularly useful design feature and make the desk very flexible," commented Fitkin Wall's sound engineer, Bax.
The Eden Project environmental complex covers 35 acres of a former Cornish clay-mining pit, containing the largest greenhouses in the world–two translucent domes, which each emulate a natural biome housing plant species from around the world. The larger Humid Tropics biome emulates a tropical environment, while the Warm Temperate biome emulates the Mediterranean, Southwest Australia and parts of South Africa and California.
Commissioned by Eden and Classic FM, the inspiration for "Still Warm"came specifically from Cornwall-born Graham's study of the plants at Eden and sounds from the natural world, and is ultimately shaped by the space and its unique acoustics.
"Visitors were encouraged to walk around the Biome to enjoy the soundscape of the performance," explains Steve Yelland from SPS, which manages many of Eden's AV requirements. "The Biome's dimensions are 135m long, 35m high and 65m wide, which acoustically is a large space to fill on a compact system. However, the A&H desk and EM Acoustics speakers were a great success, amply filling the biome and delivering simple and clear audio to all areas. I used the MixWizard's auxes to feed 4 zones, and still had plenty of capacity for monitor feeds for the band. This creates a rich mix over the dome. I'll be using a similar set up for other events taking place during the summer season, including the Jungle Nights, featuring live world music and dance, story telling, and a carnival parade."
Graham Fitkin was resident composer with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the 1990's and has had works commissioned and performed by the Halle, BBC Philharmonic, English Northern Philharmonia, RSNO, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and Netherlands Radio Orchestra. Fitkin Wall will be touring this project during autumn 2006/spring 2007.
For more info, visit www.allen-heath.com.
