The Water Diviner's Tale
West Sussex Music is bringing experienced and confident choirs together with the West Sussex Youth Choir and West Sussex Youth Orchestra to perform The Water Diviner’s Tale by Rachel Portman OBE on Monday 23 March at 7pm at Worthing Assembly Hall.
Narrated by Elinor Moran and featuring five young professional soloists, the work will be performed by students from:
-
West Sussex Youth Orchestra
-
West Sussex Youth Choirs
-
Chichester Festival Youth Theatre
-
Felpham Community College
-
Handcross Primary School
-
Midhurst Rother College
-
Storrington Primary School
-
The Regis School
-
The Southwater Junior Academy
The Water Diviner’s Tale is an oratorio that deals with the issue of climate change. Written in 2007 by composer Rachel Portman and poet/novelist Owen Sheers, the work tells the inspiring and moving story exploring what is happening to our world due to climate change.
“This is a piece for our time. The music gives an emotional voice to the science behind climate change while seeking to inspire both performers and the audience to question our relationship with the earth.” Rachel Portman – Composer
We have a host of resources for you
Born in West Sussex, Rachel began composing at the age of 14 and read music at the University of Oxford, where she became interested in writing music for student films and theatre productions.
Rachel became the first female composer to win an Academy Award, which she received for the score of Emma and the first female composer to win an Emmy Award, which she received for the film Bessie.
In 2023 she received her second Emmy for Julia. She has received two further Academy Nominations for The Cider House Rules and Chocolat, which also earned her a Golden Globe Nomination. She has scored over one hundred films!
Given an OBE in 2010, Rachel is an honorary fellow of Worcester College, Oxford, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Music.
