Confluence

Watershed

Confluence's chamber trio were formed by Karen Wimhurst in 1999, with Stan Adler on 'cello and Chas Dickie on double bass. Karen played clarinets. Stan unfortunately had to drop out of the group after a successful series of workshops in Wincanton, and David V. Miles joined, taking over double bass duties from Chas, who moved sideways to 'cello. Stan, David and Chas all have contributed new pieces to the group's repertoire, and they have benefited from a number of new compositions by Karen, including Grind, Dissolve and Ripples. She also wrote four new pieces for the ensemble to perform at the early morning Music and Birdsong concert on May 1st 2000 in Springhead, Fontmell Magna: Morning, Dabchick , Sedge Warbler and Swan.

She says of the group: "As part of my compositional work has always emerged from the close relationship developed with musicians in a performing / improvising / collaborative context, this trio establishes that kind of territory in Confluence.I also wanted to bring in musicians who are part of the local scene but with a broad playing experience, able to cross musical boundaries and appeal to a wide spectrum of people. They are also professional players who have experience in educational work of various kinds.Work was in two parts. One task was to bring together a concert set of pieces celebrating water and presenting a whole variety of styles and possibilities, from original music through to blues and as far back as Dowland's Lachrymae. Some of the work involved making some ambitious arrangements for the group such as a setting of Le Cathedrale Engloutie by Debussy. This allowed time to reflect on how other composer's have dealt with 'watery' type themes in their music. Original compositions were a set of four pieces. Spring Thaw by Stan, Water to your Rock by Chas and Grind and Dissolve, two pieces by myself which attempt to look at the transformational properties of water.The other task was to start writing music with local people, demonstrating the instruments, taking individual lessons in composition and playing through people's work in progress".

As well as making their mark in composers' workshops and concerts, the group have played as part of the ensemble which performed Melbury Abbas Spring at Gaunts House for the Well Being concert in 2000 and Silver Messenger in The Confluence at Christchurch Priory. They have performed as part of Dorset Library Service's Books on the Riverbank evening and other community concerts - as well as giving a concert beside a different Stour, in East Anglia.