Glasgow / Edinburgh

Project Earth is a pan-European ensemble project that illuminates the karmic laws of the world and the cause-and-effect of humanity’s impact on our precious planet through an immersive improvisation orchestral performance linked to the same idea. The developmental stages slowly reached a sonic and assured place where all 20 performers were confident at creating, listening, reacting, provoking ideas, developing musical storylines, leaving space, avoiding cliché, and focusing on a concentrated live improvised compositional arc for 75 minutes, which evolved over a week’s journey. At first, the performers were timid about their musical interactions with one another. Still, as we broke down the barriers of making music without any notation or spoken arrangements utilising experimentation and dialogue, especially with so many drummers and bassists, it seemed possible that this daring endeavour was achievable if courage, determination, focused minds, and playing in the moment were found. 

The Music

The two elements of this project include 5 international quartets performing original music, which demonstrates a focus on the identities of each ensemble, and the cause-and-effect completely improvised structure and content of the organic 20-piece large ensemble without a tutor conducting. Stylistically, because the students have varied backgrounds in many genres of jazz of other popular music forms, the music could journey to places that the composer and their notation could never have dreamed of. In addition, the storytelling aspect and adventurous nature of the in-the-moment music really grasps and holds the listener's attention as the music evolves.

Watch the performance from Edinburgh Blues and Jazz Festival here

PARMA From Conservatorio A. Boito, Parma

Pietro Vecchi (reeds – tenor/bari sax)
Igor Fornaciari (guitar)
Leonardo Badiali (drums)
Cecilia Preste (vocals)

From Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Hamburg

Finn Stamer (violin)
Karl Madis Pennar (guitar)
Timon Krämer (bass)
Rafael Müller (drums)

From Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow

Rachel Duns (reeds – tenor sax)
Dawn Coulshed (voice) 
Laurie Moore (bass)
Kenny Lyons (drums)

From Norges Musikkhøgskole, Oslo

Jomar Jeppsson (drums)
Kristina Fransson (trumpet/abelton)
Hanna Skjerdal (bass)
Åsmund Skjeldal Waage (vibes)

From Hochschule für Musik, Nürnberg

Lukas Langguth (piano)
Paul Scheugenpflug (reeds – sop/alto sax)
Regina Heiss (vocals)
Tom Fischer (guitar)

Project Earth will be performing at Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival on 20 and 21 July:

Wednesday 20 July, 18:00 and 21:00 @ The Jazz Bar

Thursday 21 July, 19:30 @ The Studio, Festival Theatre Edinburgh