Apple music concerts
Pupils learned about agriculture
Lanarkshire school children are probably more used to downloading songs from Apple Music – but now they are presenting music about apples.
They have been performing songs that are based on the historic Clyde Valley orchards.
Youngsters learned all about the workers, some of whom are pictured above, that picked fruit in the Clyde Valley.
Now two free concerts and a songwriting workshop are taking place as part of a celebration of the iconic Clyde Valley orchards, during the Clyde and Avon Valley Festival in May.
The three events are part of the Fruits of Their Labours project from the Lanarkshire Songwriters, funded by Heritage Lottery Fund supported Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership (CAVLP).
Lanarkshire songwriter Billy Stewart, who is leading the project, said: “My family were involved in local fruit growing and horticulture, so this project is very special to me as. It was a fantastic experience to connect pupils with this special part of Clyde Valley history; which many of them did not know about.
“Many of the Lanarkshire Songwriters had no experience or knowledge of this important industry and what its contribution had been. Through this project they have written and recorded a CD of songs which will be called Fruits of Their Labours with many of the songs drawing from actual experiences of people involved in fruit growing and horticulture.”
Through Fruits of Their Labours, the Lanarkshire Songwriters have collected oral histories from former fruit growers and pickers, and brought them to life through creating new orchard inspired songs with schools, members of the public and the songwriters.
The first free concert will be on Wednesday, May 10, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm in Kirkfieldbank Village Hall. No booking is required and the public are invited to join the premier of Apple Day, a collection of new songs written and performed by pupils in collaboration with the Lanarkshire Songwriters
Then the second concert will be on Sunday, May 14, from 7.30pm to 10pm at the Flowers of Scotland Garden Centre, Rosebank. Again, no booking is required and it will showcase the songs written by the Lanarkshire Songwriters as part of the Fruits of Their Labours project.
A songwriting workshop will take place on Sunday, May 14, from 1pm to 5pm at Crossford Inn. Join the Lanarkshire Songwriters for an afternoon on the art of songwriting. Whether you’re starting out as a budding musician, or looking for guidance on how to progress, anyone is welcome to bring along their instrument and get stuck in. Book through Billy Stewart via billy. garriongill@gmail.com or 01698 359 362.
Karen Dobbins, CAVLP development officer, said: “The Fruits of Their Labours songs and workshop are a wonderful tribute to what was once known as the historic Fruit Basket of Scotland.