Listed Three Mills

A concert by the New London Orchestra is about to explode the traditional concept where audiences just listen.

Instead, concert-goers are being invited to ‘explore’ a performance of Beethoven’s Eroica as they make their way around the 18th century surrounds of a Grade I-listed heritage mill at the southern tip of the Olympic Park.

Ludwig’s third symphony will be transformed into an act of orchestral and architectural discovery at Three Mills Island on the River Lea at Bow Bridge, in London’s East End.

The emphasis shifts during four concerts on the weekend after next from one instrument to the next as the concern-goer journeys through the Victorian machinery and five floors of creaking timbers.

‘Orchitecture’, the first ever musical performance at The House Mill, is a site-specific sound installation being performed on Saturday, June 23, at 3pm and 5pm, and Sunday, June 24, at 3.30pm and 5pm.

It is staged by the New London Orchestra in collaboration with sound artist Thor McIntyre-Burnie and east London’s Newham Youth Orchestra.

The joint orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp, is being dispersed throughout the mill, connected only by video and audio feed.

The performance comes after the New London has landed a National Lottery Transformers cash award, one of 33 organisations out of 170 applicants to receive an Olympic Lottery grant.

The cash is part of a £1.5m Transformers fund, managed by East London Business Alliance, for communities in the five Olympic ‘host’ boroughs such as Tower Hamlets and Newham. Grants are awarded to projects making a difference in communities affected by proximity to Olympic venues.