The Bluebell project: Sometimes the Signal Jumps - orchestra rehearsal

The Bluebell Project will perform with the RTE NSO at the National Concert Hall on Tuesday, in cooperation with the Dublin City Council Culture Company's National Neighbourhood.

"This performance has been two years in the making and began when composer Seán Millar began visiting the Bluebell Community Development Project as part of The National Neighbourhood, a Dublin City Council Culture Company programme.

Clients of the Bluebell Community Development Project visit the centre once a week for breakfast and social support. They include young adults with disabilities brought from their care projects, older men who live on their own, a group of older women who run the weekly lottery, as well as those recovering from various addiction issues.

The stories that have emerged from the ongoing relationship built with the breakfast club, and gathered through the process of conversation, have been developed into a series of compositions that celebrate the richness of lives lived by all attending these weekly breakfasts. These songs are portraits of how people find joy amidst the everyday difficulties and they document a passion for history, night walks, unearthing via archaeology and pets." (Text from the Dublin City Council Culture Company - they say it so much better than me!)

Dublin Sketchers were lucky to have been invited to some of their rehearsals. Here are some of my sketches:

It took me a while to get going - there was a lot of waiting around, but also a lot of movement and I had difficulty deciding how to approach my sketches!

Then the local residents took to the microphone with their stories, and it all started to fall into place. Once again, everyone was very welcoming and appreciative of my efforts at sketching them!

Ray was enjoying the music so much. Louis had asked Liam to read his piece for him but was very proud that it was his words that became the title of the whole piece: "Sometimes the Signal Jumps"

May was very confident in her reading, and quite relaxed about it. She told me she's got a big birthday coming up in the next few days - all I'll say is that she doesn't look her age! She was looking forward to the performance in the National Concert Hall and was already thinking about how it would all feel a bit empty after it's all over. But seeing how vibrant a community they are, I have no doubt they will come up with other ideas and new amazing projects! 

There were violins and cellos and electric guitars and acoustic guitars and percussions. Hard to capture it all! Graham was enjoying being part of the whole experience!

And I got really interested in the cellos and violins, and the hands holding the bows, but I didn't get to know the musicians, so in some cases I just drew the instruments and the hands!!