First Spark Radio Festival 2014

Various venues in South Devon UK

On Soundart Radio 102.5fm or at www.soundartradio.org.uk

We made it through Christmas and New Year's Eve and we can't wait for Spring now. We want to get outside - not too much though - stretch our legs and try something new.

Welcome to Soundart Radio's First Spark Festival 2014... every year we do a bunch of different things, to celebrate this awkward, in-betweeny time of year, the forgotten fesival of Imbolc that marks the midway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

It is our firmly held belief that such an obscure and difficult festival should be heralded with difficult and obscure music, art and radio works...

This year the focus is on live events - come along, listen, watch and take part. We have excelled ourselves and overcome our natural desire to curl up indoors, by planning three very different live events. Come along to a bit of one, to all of one, to all three for an ear-changing weekend of music, noise and experimental radio... both silly and serious at once.

Friday 31st January 

Totnes Nonclassical at the Barrel House

Together with our friends at Totnes Music Now, we bring the well-loved, London orignated Nonclassical night to the Barrel House, Totnes. This is the first of many -- or at least four a year.

New music live, electroacoustic works and DJ sets.

This will be recorded for broadcast on Sunday evening

Saturday 1st February 

Creative radio day, for people over 50

A day of trying out new skills, having fun, being creative and making some work for broadcast. 

Free workshops all day from poet Lucy Lepchani and sound recordist Tony Whitehead. Supported by Artswave Devon pop-up events.

Dartington, Studio 4 (find us in 'Space' on the lower drive)

Pop in for a session or two or stay all day. 

The workshops:

Sound Recording, with Tony Whitehead

Tony Whitehead is a sound recordist and owner of Very Quiet Records. 

He will be bringing a variety of specialist sound equipment for capturing sounds of birds, water and more, and will lead walks around the gardens. A chance to try out some interesting equipment and make recordings for broadcast.

Sessions at 10 am, midday and 2pm

Poetry with Lucy Lepchani

Lucy writes for performance, publication and short fiction. She will support participants to create new individual and group poems around the 'First Spark' festival themes. At the end of each session we will record the poems to create a new radio programme, where listeners will hear them woven through with the sounds from the recording workshops.

Sessions at 11am, 1pm, 3pm.

All sessions are free of charge and take place at Studio 4, Dartington Space.

Sunday 2nd February

Marbling - live stream from the House of Marbles, Bovey Tracey

We were intrigued by the sounds of Snookie the huge and beautiful marble run created by Alex Schmidt at the House of Marbles, and felt that it deserved it's own radio show.  We will be streaming live from around 10am, then in the afternoon an ensemble of string and recorder players will join the voice of the marble run in a new composition by Sam Richards. Come along to the House of Marbles to witness the performance live, or tune in throughout the day... rattle, rattle, ding, whoosh, clonk.

Sunday evening - tune in to hear highlights of the weekend, including Friday night's performances and work produced during Saturday's workshops.