The Abbey Road Challenge
Monday January 24 2011
A new documentary called 'The Abbey Road Challenge’ follows three Southampton Solent University students as they witness their orchestral compositions performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra at the legendary Abbey Road studios.
Film music legends Mike Moran (composer for Time Bandits and The Missionary) and music producer Graham Walker (The Talented Mr Ripley and The Long Good Friday) challenged the BA (Hons) Popular Music students to compose an orchestral piece that could be used in film. Hannah Hurst, Erika Aleksaite and Sander de Vries were selected to work with Mike and Graham and record their work with a 65-piece orchestra. They were also given expert tutorial assistance by TV composer Richard Heacock at the iconic recording studios over a three day period.
Popular Music Performance course leader, Dr Pete Wilson, said:
“Some of these students have no classical music background, so to be composing for a full orchestra and recording the pieces at Abbey Road was an amazing achievement for them. It was hugely exciting, and gave them a real sense of the pressure that artists are under when they are working at the very top level.”
Third-year BA (Hons) Popular Music student Hannah Hurst wrote her piece using the piano, which she has been playing since she was five years old. She said:
“It was an incredible experience and now to see it on film brings it all back. Those three days were among the best of my life. The history of Abbey Road - The Beatles and other legendary musicians who have gone before – made me feel so honoured to be working there. It has inspired me to go for a career in writing music for films.”
'The Abbey Road Challenge' documentary made by Solent Productions follows the students as they work on their compositions before travelling to London to hear their music recorded by the London Metropolitan Orchestra, premiered in Southampton earlier this month.
Director Jamie Boxall led a team of students in making the film and Jonathan Plummer and Tony Steyger supervised the production for Solent Productions. Jonathon said:
"This was very much a student led documentary project, we gave them the brief and they went about making the film on their own initiative. Jamie and his team showed great perseverance in making this film too - the editing took several months before they were satisfied with the final cut. It is testament to the quality of the undergraduates on Southampton Solent's TV and Film courses that the final product is of such high quality."
Mike Moran and Graham Walker joined an invited audience of staff and students for the 19 minute film premiere at Harbour Lights cinema on Friday 21 January at 12 noon.
For further information contact the Media Office on +44 (0)23 8031 9040