Fantasy Fountain is a research project and musical composition inspired by Mr Harper's Musical Fountain, known as The Hubert Fountain (1862) and located in Victoria Park, Ashford. When Mr Harper, a local antiques dealer and philanthropist, gifted the fountain to the people of Ashford in 1912, he believed that there was originally a musical device inside it. However, in the course of researching the fountain the foundry who made it confirmed it was never equipped with a musical device. The fountain has changed hands a few times, and our in-depth research suggests that Mr Harper's Musical Fountain is a fantastical idea, created by Mr Harper and passed down through the generations. Fantasy Fountain celebrates this; people want a musical fountain and we created a inspired by Victorian musical fountains.

Fantasy Fountain premiered on Saturday 23 July 2022 on Mr Harper's birthday.

Public engagement: To create Fantasy Fountain, my team and I held workshops with young people in Ashford. We created musical instruments that use water to create sound (e.g. bird water whistles, and water pitch pipes), and recorded them to feature in the work. These sounds were edited, processed and sampled into keyboard instruments used to compose Fantasy Fountain.

At the premiere on 23rd July 2022, Year 4 and 5 students from Ashford Oaks Primary School, accompanied by Mr Ant Mason, demonstrated the instruments they made that feature in the work, and we present 100 limited edition free musical scores to members of public, containing the composition and a summary of our research. Scores were submitted to local and national archives for future generations to access.

We also have made a game: Create your Own Fantasy Fountain. It features a selection of fountain parts from the foundry's original 1862 catalogue (spouts, basins, water features, statues, etc) and additional fantastical elements.

Materials: Stereo sound piece/composition by Emily Peasgood featuring samples of water instruments created by children, young people and adults in Ashford. Limited edition print run of 150 illustrated musical scores, free at the premiere and available as a free online e-score. Create Your Own Fantasy Fountain paper cut out game. Equipment & software: Zoom H6, RX Audio Editor, Logic Pro & Protools.

Commissioner: Ashford Borough Council as part of the Victoria Park and Watercress Fields Project.Funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Community Fund.

Creative Team: Lead artist, researcher, composer, recordist and musical score layout: Emily Peasgood. Technical support by Sam Slattery. Sound piece mixed by Al Harle at Big Jelly Studios.

Workshop design and research by Emily Peasgood, Dani Osoba and Djuna Mount. Make your Own Fantasy Fountain game by Dani Osoba. Musical score illustration by Djuna Mount.

Participants: Ashford Oaks Primary School: Mr Mason, Abigail, Ayela, Bailey, Ezina, Freddey, Hannah, Harry, Jethang, Jessica, Layomi, Michelle, Noah, Rosie, Wayne and Zach. Young people from Millbank Reception Centre in Ashford. Community Hub drop in participants: Benchick B Burre, Evie Laker, Louise Laker, and anonymous contributors.