News November 2006

Gillett Square Grand Opening

Gillett Square will launch on 10 November with a diverse programme of events and celebration from 3.00pm to 7.00pm.

A community engagement project will recruit 200 amateur saxophonists from the local community, (involving school children and established musicians), to take part in a series of five rehearsals, resulting in a performance in Gillett Square. 200 Saxes by Andy Sheppard was originally written to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and will be adapted to use the architecture of Gillett Square. There will be sax players ranged along raised walkways on the south side, as well as in the square and in the windows of the Vortex Jazz Club on the west side.

There will be performance art including Nik Ramage’s Mechanical Hand and Keyo Ayinde’s Balloonerie. Drum and dance groups will engage the audience and specialist lighting will project images onto the surrounding buildings.

With speakers such as Adisa, Hackney’s Poet Laureate, Mayor Livingstone and Mayor Pipe, as well as a fireworks display, the evening should prove great fun.

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Page updated: 28 Feb 2007