Soundbath
Site-specific performance in Aberdeen's iconic Bon Accord Baths.
I was having a coffee with Coralie Usmani, who was telling me about her exciting new job as CEO of Jazz Scotland and Producer of Aberdeen Jazz Festival. 'I've had this crazy idea,' she said. 'I'm thinking of using the Bon Accord Baths as a concert venue.'
Bon Accord Baths
Opened in 1940, the Baths were a leisure landmark in Aberdeen. As well as its iconic, light-drenched pool, the Art Deco complex also housed Turkish baths and public baths for tenement residents who lacked bathing facilities at home. But due to council budget cuts, the Baths closed their doors in 2008 and sadly they have now stood abandoned for over a decade. However, recent years have seen a surge in calls for the building's restoration. The development of the 'Save Bon Accord Baths' campaign and 'Bon Accord Heritage' charity have inspired a number of initiatives highlighting the huge potential of this beautiful space.
Soundbath
'So what do you think? Are you up for it?' Coralie asked. 'Me??' Yikes. It has been several years since I've performed (2016!) so I was flattered to be asked, and also slightly terrified. The brief was to compose and perform a new piece which would showcase and work with the pool's stunning acoustics. After a brief moment's consideration I jumped at the chance. A second commission would also be performed by the wonderful Mikey Owers from the band Young Pilgrims on trumpet, trombone and sousaphone, providing a great tonal contrast.
Inspirations, Preparations
In every sense, this was no ordinary gig. Preparations included several visits to the pool to test out the acoustics and find inspiration for what I might write. Entering the pool for the first time I was struck by several things: the sheer size of the space; the bone-chilling temperature of the long-unheated building; its dilapidated state with peeling paint, grafitti and rubble; and then the soaring, sublime resonance that filled the chilly air as soon as I played my first note. I left feeling a complex mixture of awe, amazement, sadness and frustration at how this incredible building, so full of memories, had been allowed to fall into such disrepair.
The following weeks were spent trying to reimagine the pool's sonorous acoustics whilst composing in the confines of my tiny flat. What sounded good in my living room would likely not work in the pool and vice-versa - quite a mind-bending challenge! In my writing I wanted to capture the bittersweet feelings I had experienced on my first visit to the Baths. In the end I built the composition around two short phrases - one major, one minor. The two phrases return throughout the piece in different contexts, at times happy and hopeful, at others mournful or haunting. The recurrence of these phrases also aimed to imitate 'echoes' alongside the actual echoes created by the amazing acoustic. Considerable time was also spent researching and frantically ordering heated vests and hand-warmers in preparation for performing in the unheated pool!
Showtime
Alongside Mikey's composition '3ft Deep and Descending', I gave 5 performances of 'Echoes of Brighter Days' to a packed and quite emotional audience. With hundreds of tickets snapped up within hours of being released, people's passion for stepping inside the Baths once again was clear. I think providing a musical setting added to the emotional experience of revisiting this place that's filled with memories for so many Aberdonians. In the current climate, the performances seemed quite symbolic, reaching beyond mere entertainment. It felt like we may have helped reaffirm several important messages: that we need to look after, value and fight for our public spaces; that we must rediscover ways of putting people before profit; and that hopefully brighter days - in every sense - will come again.
I hope to be able to post a full video of the performance in time, but until then, click below for a short snippet:
Main photo credit: Alastair Robb
