Here We Are - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project

This series looks at the thoughts, feelings and experiences of participants involved in The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project HERE WE ARE, a project in collaboration with creative ageing organisation Autumn Voices, funded by Creative Scotland and a grant from The Hope Scott Trust.
Singer and songwriter Sophie Bancroft guided a group of The Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, and rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir in 3 concerts around the Lothians in 2023.

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Here We Are - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project

Episode 8: Here We Are

October 29, 2023 • Sophie Bancroft • Season 1 • Episode 8

This episode hears various project participants thoughts about the overall project, and hears from some of the songwriter participants about the challenges of collaboration. It also hears from Mags Bryan, one of the Here We Are project songwriters, talk about her experience of being in the project, sharing a piece of her creative writing and being involved in writing the song 'Here We Are.' Arranger Tom Bancroft shares his thoughts about the project and writing the anthemic arrangement of Here We Are which gave its name to the entire project.

You can watch the video of the performance of Here We Are at
https://youtu.be/8hqCrWjrDM8

HERE WE ARE (a song created from The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project - Here We Are)

Lyrics by Mags Bryan and Val Dijkman with Sophie Bancroft and The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Group
Music by Sophie Bancroft
Choir arrangement by Tom Bancroft

Restless thoughts, restless skies, friends there to empathise
Time to wander and breathe the air
Lives woven day by day, crossing paths, we find our way
Summer sun and winter blues

Here we are walking together
Here we are with stories to tell
Here we are to share the message
And sing out loud that we’re still here

Nature’s song, time to sow, learn slowly to let go
Live each moment to the full
Friendships so long and deep, memories to make and keep
Room to laugh and even cry

Here we are walking together....
We are here, see our faces, hear our voices
Tell the story, share the message, we are here

Life’s a dance, set us free, speak truth with honesty
New adventures every day
Old age, a gift to share, more time for us to care
Grow our wisdom, give ourselves

Here we are walking together....

HERE WE ARE - The Pathhead Choir Songwriting Project saw Sophie Bancroft guiding a group of Pathhead Choir members aged 60+ to write original songs for The Pathhead Choir to perform. These songs were then arranged and notated for the choir by Pathhead Music Collective musicians and arrangers, rehearsed and performed by The Pathhead Choir, conducted by Sophie and choir co-leader Gina Rae, with Dave Milligan on piano. The choir gave three concerts around the Lothians in June 2023, performing eight new, original pieces.

Full information about the project, and sheet music and choir arrangements can be found at
https://autumnvoices.co.uk/projects/the-pathhead-choir/