www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/
"Songs for a Statue” is Episode 24 of the Podcast Series "Women of Science & Music: 30 Celebrations" www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/podcasts/
It was released on 21st May 2023 to celebrate Mary Anning’s 224th Birthday!
More details here www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/songs-for…-podcast/

SPEAKERS:
Anya Pearson – Chair, Mary Anning Rocks
Denise Dutton – Sculptor
Emma Bernard – Palaeontologist, Curator of Fossil Fish, Natural History Museum
Tom Sharpe – Biographer of Mary Anning – “The Fossil Woman” (www.dovecotepress.com/shop/biographi…by-tom-sharpe/)

MUSIC:

Frances M Lynch “NOT Mary Anning – She sells sea shells (fossils!) on the sea shore” (2017) for mixed voices; Tongue Twister Song by Terry Sullivan – 1908; performed by the composer and singers from ELECTRIC VOICE THEATRE – Jenny Miller (Mezzo), Laurence Panter (Tenor), Gwion Thomas (Baritone)

Judith Bingham “Mary Anning, a history and a mystery” (2012) for solo voice, gravel and rocks – a study of the famous Victorian palaeontologist; words by Mary Anning, Molly Anning, Alfred Lord Tennyson and many more…; performed by Frances M Lynch

Judith Weir “I started Early – Took my Dog” from “On the Palmy Beach” (2019) for Soprano, Cello & Piano; words by Emily Dickinson; performed by Frances M Lynch (voice & instruments realised at the keyboard)

Winners of the 2022 Mary Anning Children’s Song Competition “A Song for Mary Anning” (2022), produced & arranged by Frances M Lynch & Herbie Clarke: Music and words by Cohen Baulch age 9; Year 3, Newton Poppleford Primary School; Sarah Mirkin age 8; Mabel Slade age 11; Class 1, Hawkchurch Church of England Primary School; Beech Class, Payhembury Primary School: – performed by Mrs Ethelston’s Primary Academy Choir and Cohen Baulch

www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/
Eliza Flower (1803-1846)
This is a birthday celebration podcast for this unsung composer who was born on April 19th, 1803. Its a snippet of a much longer conversation between our ELECTRIC VOICE THEATRE artistic director, Frances M Lynch and music historian, Oskar Jensen – NUAcT Fellow in Music at Newcastle University and BBC New Generation Thinker for 2022.
We met in the libary at Conway Hall,Red Lion Square, London, where we were overlooked by the beautiful images of both Eliza Flower and her sister, Sarah Flower Adams which hang in pride of place above the enormous fire place. We were also surrounded by scores and books, letter and magazines featuring Eliza Flower's music and life which the Conway Hall Ethical Society kindly gave us access to. Our discussion focused on the music we were considering using to create our Zoom Concert on April 4th 2023 - "Flowers of Spring – Politics, Power & Poverty".

We hope you enjoy the little tasters of the wide range of her vocal music we've recorded for this podcast. You can hear the full works soon on our website
www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/eliza-flower/

The MUSIC by Eliza Flower is performed by members of the ELECTRIC VOICE THEATRE and our Virtual Choir.

“Now Pray We for our Country” Words by A. Cleveland Coxe

Songs of the Months:
March “Wind & Clouds” Words by Sarah Flower Adams
February "St Valentine's Day" Words by Charles Pemberton

Songs of the Seasons: “Spring”

Free Trade Songs of the Seasons: Words by Sarah Flower Adams
“Spring – The Descent of the Lark”
“Winter – Promise”

“The Gathering of the Unions – March & Song” Words by Harriet Martineau
“The Barons Bold, On Runnymede” Words by William J. Fox

Hymns and Anthems
“Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter” Words by Ebenezer Elliott
"Nearer My God To Thee" Words by Sarah Flower Adams

www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/
The Misfolding Project, based at the University of Sussex, has commissioned a series of 5 audiovisual works from a diverse range of artists which together form an exploration of the science of Alzheimer’s disease. The podcast gives you a flavour of the music with a comprehensive exposition of the science – in laymans’ terms. The full works are available online. www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/misfolding/

SPEAKERS: (University of Sussex)
Professor Louise Serpell – Serpell Lab, School of Life Sciences
Dr Karen Marshall – Serpell Lab, School of Life Sciences
Prof. Professor Nicholas Till – Centre for Research in Opera and Music Theatre

MUSIC:
“Miss Amy-Lloyd Folding” (The Amyloid Hypothesis) by Frances M Lynch – a poem for 3 female voices – the singers from electric voice theatre are Frances M Lynch, Soprano, and Samantha Houston and Margaret Cameron, Mezzos; the sound was produced by Herbie Clarke and Frances M Lynch

“Misfolding Through the Looking Glass” by Shu Yang – a recorded work created from natural and digital sounds.

“In Here” by Kira Ramchaitar-Husbands – a soundscape which employs recordings of found sounds eg. tissue paper, cardboard and tinfoil, contrasting with starkly synthesised textures.

“Scarbled Words” by Antonia Redding – for solo silent performer with recorded natural sounds and voices.

“Misfolding for Dummies” by Frances M Lynch – for speaker and recorded digital ensemble

www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/misfolding/

https://www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/
Miriam Rothschild (1908-2005)
Fleas can jump much further than any human athlete – up to ten times their own body length. That’s just one of the many intriguing facts related by Miriam Rothschild, an extraordinary scientist who started collecting butterflies and ladybirds when she was four and grew up to become one of the world’s leading entomologists. Insects often seem small and annoying, but they are crucial contributors to ecological diversity – and Miriam Rothschild was a pioneer in conservation who introduced wildflower meadows and launched the UK’s nature reserves. Her philanthropic activities included caring for Jewish refugees, founding an institute for research into schizophrenia and supporting Human Rights movements.
https://minervascientifica.co.uk/miriam-rothschild/

SPEAKERS:
Dr Patricia Fara – Science Historian, Emeritus Fellow of Clare College Cambridge
Peter Smithers – Entomologist, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society

MUSIC
“Miriam” (2013) an opera by KAREN WIMHURST for solo voice and bass clarinet; Written in association with Peter Smithers, FRES, and Dr. Ruth Gilbert; Words by Miriam Rothschild; performed by Frances M Lynch (voice) and Karen Wimhurst (bass clarinet); first performed in Sept 2013, St Andrew’s University, Scotland, part of Ento ’13, the Royal Entomological Society International Symposium and Annual National Science Meeting

Image: Flea Siphonaptera Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

https://www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/

Beatrix Potter (1866 - 1943) Mycologist and Author
We all love Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin and others - but author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter, was also a scientist who made important discoveries. In her early years, she was passionately interested in mycology, studying fungi (mushrooms) and ferns with the help of a Scottish Postman!!! She was not treated well by some men scientists so she stopped her studies - a loss to mycology but a gain for children’s literature and conservation, as the money earned from her books allowed Beatrix Potter to leave a legacy for the protection of the countryside in the Lake District National Park!
https://minervascientifica.co.uk/beatrix-potter/

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Booth – Science Historian and retired Science Curator, National Library of Scotland
Professor Lynne Boddy – Fungal Ecology Group, Cardiff University

MUSIC:
"Beatrix Potter and the Postman" (2018) by Frances M Lynch for unaccompanied voices and female and soloist; words by Frances M Lynch in collaboration with Catherine Booth; recorded at live performances by KILLIN, KENMORE and STROUD GREEN PRIMARY schools

"Without Fungi" (July 26th 2021) an acapella work in progress by Frances M Lynch in collaboration with Professor Lynne Boddy for female voices

Image: Fly Agaric by adege from Pixabay

https://www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/
From humble beginnings in Keith, Moray, Scotland, Dr Isabella Gordon (1901-1988) working at the British Museum (Natural History) had become one of the world’s most respected scientists in carcinology, the study of crustaceans.
In 1961, Japanese scientists wanted to celebrate the 60th birthday of Emperor Hirohito, an enthusiastic marine biologist. They invited Dr Gordon to be an honoured guest for the occasion. In both countries, memories of war were still raw, so such an invitation was extremely unusual. Dr Gordon had a personal informal discussion with the Emperor, met with distinguished scientists, and became the only non-Japanese Founder Member of the Carcinological Society of Japan. https://minervascientifica.co.uk/isabella-gordon/

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Booth – Science Historian and retired Science Curator, National Library of Scotland
Miranda Lowe – Principal Curator (Crustacea) and museum scientist at the Natural History Museum

MUSIC:
“The Grand Old Lady of Carcinology” (May 15th 2021) an acapella limerick by Frances M Lynch for 3 female and 1 male voice; words by Frances M Lynch, Dr A.J. Bateman & Dr Isabella Gordon; performed, recorded & produced by the composer & Herbie Clarke especially for this podcast

Image: - Crayfish and Two Shrimps by Utagawa Hiroshige, 1835-1845 - Online Collection of Brooklyn Museum; Public Domain

https://www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/
Maria Ogilvie Gordon, DBE (1864 – 1939) set out to become a concert pianist but soon found herself trekking among the Dolomites, claiming her place as a highly respected geologist and taking part in negotiations at the Council for the Representation of Women in the League of Nations after WW1. https://minervascientifica.co.uk/maria-ogilvie-gordon/

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Booth – Science Historian and retired Science Curator, National Library of Scotland
Dr Emily G. Mitchell – ​PI and NERC Independent Research Fellow Deep-time Ecology Group, University of Cambridge

MUSIC:
“The Voice of the Mountains” by Helen Hopekirk (1856 – 1945) for voice and piano, performed by Frances M Lynch and recorded especially for this podcast.

"TrowelBlazers –Time & Tide & Tectonics"  (2017) by Frances M Lynch
 for female voices and electronics, performed by the composer, produced by Herbie Clarke, commissioned for Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2017

Image by Nico Boersen from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/

https://www.electricvoicetheatre.co.uk/
Tramping around every part of Scotland, Evelyn Baxter(1879-1959)and her friend, Leonora Rintoul, are recognised as the foremost Scottish ornithologists of their day. The unique data they noted and collected was supplemented by accounts from others, and published in the two-volume Birds of Scotland (1953). A compelling story, which weaves together scientific and historical detail with warm remembrances of the family’s ‘Aunt Evie’ 
https://minervascientifica.co.uk/evelyn-baxter/

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Booth – Science Historian and retired Science Curator, National Library of Scotland
Mrs June Baxter – a member of Evelyn Baxter’s family

MUSIC:
Marie Dare (1902–1976 )
“A widow bird sate mourning” for SATB Unaccompanied Choir; words by Percy Bysshe Shelley; performed by Frances M Lynch, Francis St. John and Herbie Clarke
The Three Cherry Trees for voice and piano; words by Walter de la Mare; Margaret Cameron (Mezzo) and Frances M Lynch (Piano)
“The Grey Geese” for voice and piano; words by C. Ethel Evans; performed by Frances M Lynch