The piece plays out a story of a struggle being resolved by the coming together of a community in a safe place. This is identified through the metaphor of a storm; being caught in the rain is something we can all identify with and certainly, the warmth of a hot drink and good company can make any troubles seem less prominent in that ‘moment’. The score has been sculpted with particular performers in mind, who speak many different languages and who come from a range of musical skills. Therefore, particular attention has been given to the vocal lines to mirror speech rhythms and pitches where possible, with an element of flexibility in the first two scenes to allow for creative expression and onstage action. This also has opportunities for solos or ‘group’ moments where confident performers can come forward and have a moment in the foreground. Some motifs are directly from the performers themselves and have been notated as accurately as possible so that there is a tangible authenticity for the performers from the early discussions and collaborations around the theme of ‘community and belonging’.

Instrumentation has been scored so as not to hinder the message but act as harmonic support and narrative support through the use of various motifs. The score works in a reduced format with piano and vocals only, and scenes can work independently of each other.

Many thanks to David Pisaro, Emily Smith and the MIMA Group at Streetwise Opera, Middlesborough