The People's Requiem Sketches
Ashley Bayston, also known as Lewylady, loves nothing more than to sketch the environment around her. Having not sung in a formal choir for over ten years, and after two years of isolation, the time felt right to return to Sage Gateshead last autumn to join in with The People’s Requiem, capturing all in sight along the way.
To honour those lost due to Covid-19 and mark a return to large-scale music-making, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia united with 200 orchestral players and choral singers from across the North East, ending in a performance of the thundering, iconic piece of classical music, Verdi’s Requiem. Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa conducted in Sage One at Sage Gateshead on 28 November 2021.
Ashley found the experience exciting and scary and gladly welcomed the vibrational energy of working with others creatively. One moment that particularly stands out is an enchanting rehearsal at All Saints Church in Newcastle, and the first time she heard the orchestra play the music together. She prefers to draw instruments than people, and her delightful sketches offer an intriguing insight into her experience.
Enjoy the video of her work below.