Were you one of the thousands – millions – who gazed on as the moon eclipsed the sun in mid-August? Did you thrill to the Perseid meteor showers dashing across the high summer night skies? Did these spectacular astronomical events make you think about our place in the universe – but also how much we value and need human connection?
Discover more about the cosmos and the connections between space, music and place at the annual Constellation Symposium at Fontmell Magna, from 28th October to 1st November.
International artists including Henk Schut from the Netherlands and Tanit Plana from Spain will show work inspired by the theme, while Thai-British musician and composer Prach Boondiskolchuk will bring contemporary music and Dorset folk song together, including a new setting of The Sprig of Thyme, one of the songs collected by Cecil Sharp.
There may even be a chance to experience a bit of Dorset soil going into space, arranged by Bernard Foing, a French scientist at the European Space Agency and executive director of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group.
Taking place over Hallowe’en, All Saints Day and All Souls Day, this year’s symposium, Music, the Land and the Cosmos, brings together musicians, scientists, artists, philosophers and environmental thinkers, exploring music as a bridge between disciplines and considering humanity’s place in the universe.
Participants have four days to work together and create new work, leading to a public day on Sunday 1st November with performances, talks, discussions and presentations.
The symposium takes place at Springhead, a rural centre for creative and sustainable living in Fontmell Magna, and is organised by Springhead Constellation.
springheadconstellation.com
