FOGHORN REQUIEM

FOGHORN REQUIEM

The phasing out of the foghorn from the UK’s coastal landscape will be commemorated in the North Sea on Saturday 22nd June. Already there are fifty ships ready to assemble for what has been dubbed The Foghorn Requiem.

Music will be performed by three brass bands (the Felling Band, the Westoe Band and the NASUWT Riverside Band ), various ships and the Souter Lighthouse Foghorn. The event has been carefully orchestrated by artists Lise Autogena and Joshua Portway and composer Orlando Gough to take into account landscape and physical distance of sound and will cover several miles off coastal cliffs across the area.

The foghorn (and steam whistle) have recently been superseded by GPS and other technologies. The Souter Lighthouse, near South Shields on Tyneside has one of the few remaining working foghorns in the country.

Organisers are hoping that vessels of all sizes will turn up for the event and be anchored of the coast at South Shields by 21 June. Specialist equipment will be supplied for anyone wanting to be involved. There will also be a sail by and a land based celebration.

Project originator Lise Autogena told the press, 'We're really excited to have so many sectors of the maritime community taking part and it would be great to hear from even more... Whether you're the skipper of a large commercial vessel, a small pleasure craft or a spectacular tall ship we'd love you to come along and you can be sure of a great welcome.'
To take part call 07738 953116, email rhollinshead@gritandpearl.co.uk, or visit www.foghornrequiem.org

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