‘Working on my piece for The Hermes Experiment has been fantastic. Hearing the ensemble’s unique line-up of soprano, clarinet, harp and double bass brought my imagination to a dreamy seascape which grows into a dark, wild sound. I decided to portray the frustration caused by victim-blaming in the face of oppression through… the character of a female seagull. The destruction caused by humans to her home forces her to travel to urban areas for survival, where she then faces blame and hostility. For this, I wrote a text reflecting timeless issues of environmental destruction, anti-migrant rhetoric, and female suppression. The Gaelic name for a gull sgaireag possibly derives from the word sgairt, meaning to scream: a natural reaction to such oppression. 

She flies, her wild and airy home below.
She soars, at peace among her own.
She thrives, but unknown pressures mount.
She tries to feed her children but in vain.
She cries, oppressed, and uses all her strength but fails.
And fails.
And fails.
And fails.
Their damage is too great it seems, she cries,
unheard. And so she flies,
elsewhere in the hope of her survival where,
they blame her for her being there.
Frustration far beyond a cry,
She tries
she tries
she cries
And then, 
She screams.

The first of three sections portrays the seascape with wave patterns and a shifting harmonic centre. There are fragments of Gaelic songs which reference gulls. Calls of gulls are imitated in the second section. The piece then becomes darker, ending with a scream. 

It’s been fantastic to work with The Hermes Experiment. We had an incredibly fruitful workshop which brought to light many practical aspects and inspired further timbral ideas. It was so inspiring to hear how they approached the music, to see their dedicated way of working together, and gather their feedback. I’m really grateful to RPS for the opportunity to work with the ensemble, the fantastic array of mentoring sessions we have received, and all the well-rounded support from the charity.’

Lisa’s RPS commission and her place on the RPS Composers programme is kindly supported by Thea Musgrave and Peter Mark.

Annually, the RPS Composers programme works with a group of talented composers, offering each a commission and premiere with a UK ensemble, festival or venue, supported by a year of professional development and personal mentoring to help elevate their careers. Our commitment to supporting composers is part of a tradition that dates back to Beethoven and Mendelssohn, whose 'Italian' Symphony was commissioned by the RPS when Mendelssohn was in his early twenties. Since 2000, the RPS has commissioned over 100 composers in their early careers, including Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Dai Fujikura, Daniel Kidane, Shiva Feshareki, Tom Coult and Charlotte Bray. 

The RPS Composers programme could not happen without the support of RPS Members, PRS Foundation Talent Development Network supported by PPL, Delius Trust, Fidelio Charitable Trust, Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation, Idlewild Trust, John Ellerman Foundation, Marchus Trust, Presteigne Festival, Radcliffe Trust, Susan Bradshaw Composers' Fund, Vaughan Williams Foundation, and several anonymous donors.