Burble is a site responsive performance that plays with the musicality of social interactions along Station Road, Edgware.
Through its cafes, shops, community spaces and pavements, Station Road hosts continuous social interactions that unbeknown to us create a subconscious music of the street. In the greetings people give to one another across the counter and the social interactions of friends and communities meeting up, humans subconsciously create interlocking harmonies and musical patterns that bond us to one another.
The title, Burble, refers to the imitative rush of excited speech, and to the history of Edgware being located between several historic brooks who’s babbling waters are now replaced with the murmur of people. As synonym to “babble”, the title relates both to water and the voice while placing the syllable ‘urb’ at its centre in reference to the city space.
Over several months, Emma worked with over 300 local community groups, organisations, residents, businesses and customers who took part in various recording sessions to explore the musicality of every-day speech that occurs along the street. Local groups included students from Edgware Primary School, the staff at Edgware Library, local businesses and shop owners.
The work brings together the music of voices resulting in a composed site-specific song cycle in 7 languages that was collaboratively workshopped with community singers and local performers from MDX University. The group worked collaboratively with Emma Smith to produce and develop the final score of the final work. The final performance was shown as a free public presentation on 23 November 2023 at Edgware Station, performed by Emma Smith and the performers from MDX University: Deepthi Raghu, Angad Singh, Anaya Cherukat, May Lin Pang and Jia Dong Ho.
Burble was curated by UP Projects and commissioned by Barnet Council.
Performed with:
Deepthi Raghu
Angad Singh
Anaya Cherukat
May Lin Pang
Jia Dong Ho
With special thanks to Middlesex University and in particular to Brian Inglis.
The artist would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this project including:
Children and staff of Edgware Primary School
Staff of Edgware Library
Parents, carers and children of Rhyme Time
Singers of Singing Circle
Local business and shop owners including:
Grodz Bakery
Yasmine Florist Flowers & Plants
Bibi Patisserie & Bakery
Funky Scissors
Isabella Florist
Edgware Music
Home From Home
And people who took part along Station Road.
Sound Engineering: Daniel Halford
Film: Foreign Body