The Symbiosis Ensemble
I had the concept for the Symbiosis Ensemble in late 2001, after a long bout of RSI. The concept was simple: generate a network of creative musicians in the East and West Midlands that
- would give each other moral support
- would want to play on each other's gigs
- would be willing to hang out and communicate with audiences and talk about the work they produced in a straight-forward, unfussy manner
There are no restrictions on whether you're "amateur" or "professional": it's there to link people together and perhaps do things they wouldn't have done.
At first I didn't want to lead it - I stupidly thought that it'd just happen! - but now I've learned a lot more and understand more about what I'd like the group to be.
The main projects have been Nature's Glory, Fancy's Child and the Corey Mwamba Lecture, as well as various medium-sized ensemble gigs all over the place and a performance at Derby's first [and as it turned out, only] World Music Day on Darley Park.