Craig Fortnam (composer, arranger, conductor, guitar)
Sharron Fortnam (solo voice)
Dug Parker (solo voice)
Richard Larcombe (solo voice, guitar)
James Larcombe (composer, chamber organ, piano)
Ben Davies (piano, chamber organ)
Hugh Wilkinson (percussion)
Harry Escott (cello)
Brian Wright (violin)
Jen Underhill (violin)
Sara Longe (violin)
Luke Crookes (bassoon)
Nicola Baigent (clarinet)
Geri Peach (oboe)
Bill Drake (composer, North Sea Chorus)
Suzi Kirby (North Sea Chorus)
Melanie Woods (North Sea Chorus)
Louise Harrison (North Sea Chorus)
Gideon Miller (North Sea Chorus)
Kavus Torabi (North Sea Chorus)
Influences
flotsam, jetsam, swallows, swifts, the Monument and the Pool.
North Sea Radio Orchestra is a unique chamber group who perform music of beauty and originality that has, at its heart, lyricism and melodic richness. Featuring wind, strings, percussion, guitars, organs and voices, theirs is a world in which melody and harmony abound.
Here's how it all began...
In the October of 2002, composer and guitarist Craig Fortnam found himself walking through the City of London with a sackful of tunes slung over his shoulder; tied to a stick (Dick Whittington style). Now, as all music comes from the air, the sack was all that stopped Craig's tunes from escaping and following the Thames out to sea. Needing a substance with the weight of history behind it, Craig bent down and began to scoop up handfuls of London clay, folding and kneeding it into the melodies and chords from his sack. As this was such hard work, he got his wife, Sharron, to help. As she folded and kneeded, she began to sing, so her beautiful voice found it's way into the expanding mixture.
When the music was almost ready, Craig called together twenty musicians and singers (North Sea Chorus) from all over the Metropolis and they all ducked into St. Martin's-within-Ludgate where the North Sea Radio Orchestra was born. As the clay music was still wet, and therefore somewhat fragile, the NSRO only performed in the City of London for the first while. So, their growing audience had to travel to the strange and magical streets of old Londinium to hear the beautiful sounds.
Finally, the music was ready and the NSRO ventured forth into the wider world where they have attracted many glowing reviews for their live and recorded performances. Their first release, 'The Flower' (oof!records 7" single) has been broadcast on BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 and 6music. They have been regular favorites on the Chiller Cabinet on Chill FM and have featured in many regional stations' playlists. The success of the single can be attrubuted to the truly unique sound of the NSRO - an alliance of various influences and elements: Benjamin Britten, Vernon Elliot, Incredible String Band, London Clay, Vaughan Williams, Water from the Thames and shingle from Bankside.
In October 2006, NSRO released their debut self-titled album (oof006) to sparkling reviews in print and online media from the world's music press.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN THE NSRO MAILING LIST? Send a message to: info@nsro.co.uk
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
Ahoy North Sea Radio Orchestra from 10-D PJ. Amazing gig at the Roundhouse tonight! Your engaging and evocative music vibrates our boat and fires up our synapses. It makes us look at the stars, and consider that they are only notes, they are music.
<°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))>< Peace to you from the 10-DPJ crew <°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))>< <°))))><
Hi craig. Zurich is good thanx. That was a cool cardiacs song u sent me the link 4. Hows things in london? Still teaching the old awesome a level stuff at upper school? Haha good to here from u. Dan
hello glad you liked the tracks - i tried to throw an xtc oranges and lemons trumpet in at the end of thinking the more i listen to that album the more incredible it becomes-chalkhillsandchildren woh!
sounds good, there is another gig a day before that I am attending so I will no doubt hang around a day and watch you guys again. I must say again I loved you lot a St. Martins and would love to see you there again once all restoration work is done, beautiful music in beautiful surroundings..... aaaaah bisto!
