Futuresonic

Following on from Liverpool's Capital of Culture year, John Lennon's Imagine is to ring out across Liverpool on the world's highest and heaviest peal of bells at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral.

Futuresonic has commissioned artist Cleo Evans in collaboration with Sam Austin, Liverpool Ringing Master and other local change ringers to create this special event. This is the first time a popular, and secular, song has been played on Liverpool Cathedral's bells, the highest and heaviest peal of bells in the world. With thirteen bells arranged around ‘Great George', a central ringing bell which weighs over 14 tons, they can be heard for miles around. The rendition of one of Lennon's most celebrated songs is set to become a simultaneous and collective city-wide experience.

Liverpool Cathdral, 12pm
repeat recitals 12.30pm & 1pm
Free event

Cleo Evans - "Imagine, is an incredibly gentle, philosophical, moving and iconic song which speaks strongly of the need for peace.  The performance intends to provide a way of engaging with completely new audiences and participants - from the people who stumble across this piece as it is being performed, to locals who visit the cathedral, and change ringers performing new works."

Festival Director, Drew Hemment - "Playing this iconic secular song on these Cathedral bells highlights the tolerance combined with brass and gall common to both Liverpool and Manchester, and gives a contemporary twist to a musical technology thousands of years old."

Cathedral Spokesperson - "The request to have Imagine played on the Cathedral bells as part of this year's Futuresonic festival was, from the very beginning, a challenging proposal technically but we have a great bell ringing team here and we obviously took into consideration sensitivities surrounding the song's lyrical content. The Cathedral has been very much at the heart of the city's Capital of Culture celebrations and is delighted to embrace the city's artistic energy. The proposed performance will inspire thought as it yearns for peace in a broken and troubled world. We also anticipate that the performance will be a very moving and spiritual experience and will engage with all people including those who do not usually interact either with places of worship."

Biography

Cleo Evans is a site specific artist who often works on temporary installations in the public domain.  She works with a cross fertilisation of mediums, as a creative producer, coordinator and arts animator. She is currently Arts Officer for Dorset County Council, and in 2008 was nominated for the National Women of the Year Award.

Sam Austin hails from Liverpool, and is currently studying for a masters degree in music performance, at the Royal Northern College of Music. His bell ringing career began in 1992, and presently, he is ringing master of the Liverpool Branch of Change Ringers, and secretary of the Liverpool Cathedral ringers. He also works as an organist at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.