Residency with Wild Plum Arts and Britten Pears

I was privileged to have a residency at The Red House, formerly the home of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. I stayed in Cosy Nook, the cottage of Nellie Hudson, Britten and Pears' housekeeper. It had a beautiful acoustic, and I was nourished regularly by the mulberries and blackberries from the garden.

I worked mainly on a group of pieces for voice, oboe, oud and 'cello that I was developing in collaboration with film artist Lin Li. I incorporated the udu, a drum traditionally made by and played by women in Nigeria. Our broad theme was Regneration, each of us engaging with found objects, revocalising them and reimagining them in a changed world. Both our collaborative Unwept Tears and my series Hopeful Art began on this residency.