Poppy Ackroyd is a performer and composer from London, United Kingdom. Clas… Read Full Bio ↴Poppy Ackroyd is a performer and composer from London, United Kingdom. Classically trained on violin and piano, she fell in love with contemporary piano music and with the piano beyond the keys, discovering the world of sound that could be made from other parts of the instrument. Realising the violin had the same potential, she has spent the last few years composing delicate, intricate and beautifully atmospheric music by manipulating and multi-tracking sounds from these two instruments.
Her debut album Escapement stays true to this idea. Every sound, with the exception of a few field recordings, is created using only either the piano or the violin. The seven tracks are a combination of piano melodies and chords - played both conventionally or created inside the piano using fingers, e-bows and plectrums - violin textures, melodies and pizzicato riffs and finally delicate beats composed of hits, plucks, taps and scrapes made using hands, drumsticks, beaters and small cymbals on either the frame, strings or dampers of the piano. There are often five or more different percussive lines working alongside each other.
In order to compose in this way, Poppy Ackroyd had to learn how to record and produce the music herself, as working with someone else would have been far too time consuming. Having discovered and restored a beautiful but neglected grand piano, she bought a laptop, digital recorder and speakers. Everything from the piano is recorded in her home studio with just this one microphone.
Escapement is the part of the mechanism in a piano that enables the hammer to be released, so that the string can vibrate once it is struck. It can also mean the physical act of escaping, and in the context of this album it refers to the release of emotions through the instrument. Field recordings of birds from the Outer Hebrides, and rain recorded whilst driving in Scotland, add to the narrative content of the music which underpins the whole album, giving it a strong emotional resonance.
For the last few years Poppy Ackroyd has been recording and touring extensively with Joe Acheson's Hidden Orchestra, composing and performing live soundtracks for contemporary dance and physical theatre works, and collaborating with other musicians, artists, filmmakers, actors, sound designers and radio documentary producers.
Escapement was released in December 2012 on Denovali Records.
www.poppyackroyd.com
Her debut album Escapement stays true to this idea. Every sound, with the exception of a few field recordings, is created using only either the piano or the violin. The seven tracks are a combination of piano melodies and chords - played both conventionally or created inside the piano using fingers, e-bows and plectrums - violin textures, melodies and pizzicato riffs and finally delicate beats composed of hits, plucks, taps and scrapes made using hands, drumsticks, beaters and small cymbals on either the frame, strings or dampers of the piano. There are often five or more different percussive lines working alongside each other.
In order to compose in this way, Poppy Ackroyd had to learn how to record and produce the music herself, as working with someone else would have been far too time consuming. Having discovered and restored a beautiful but neglected grand piano, she bought a laptop, digital recorder and speakers. Everything from the piano is recorded in her home studio with just this one microphone.
Escapement is the part of the mechanism in a piano that enables the hammer to be released, so that the string can vibrate once it is struck. It can also mean the physical act of escaping, and in the context of this album it refers to the release of emotions through the instrument. Field recordings of birds from the Outer Hebrides, and rain recorded whilst driving in Scotland, add to the narrative content of the music which underpins the whole album, giving it a strong emotional resonance.
For the last few years Poppy Ackroyd has been recording and touring extensively with Joe Acheson's Hidden Orchestra, composing and performing live soundtracks for contemporary dance and physical theatre works, and collaborating with other musicians, artists, filmmakers, actors, sound designers and radio documentary producers.
Escapement was released in December 2012 on Denovali Records.
www.poppyackroyd.com
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Birdwoman
Poppy Ackroyd Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
Зэн Маленко
Most beautiful music on earth. Listening makes one feel as though your whole life, all its beauty, despair, darkness and light, all in one, is flashing, no, flittering, before your eyes like a bird.
Adam Shawcross
I saw you at the Attenborough Centre in 2018 and you opened up my eyes and ears to new music. I’ve been hooked on your stuff ever since.
Just want to say thanks for all the great music :)
Damian Yoko
you are an amazing composer!
Nad Jah
This soothes my soul 💕
Claire Marie V
I discovered you about 18 months ago by searching iTunes for ‘birds’ ‘feathers’ ‘uncaged’, whilst searching for music for a candlelight vigil for remembrance for millions of birds at a slaughterhouse in Hertford. I knew I’d found something very special. Good music keeps me grounded, and your music is absolute art. What a wonderful discovery via such a sad route.
I truly hope to see you perform live some day 🙏🏻🐔
Piano Träume
Beautiful thanks for sharing. ❤️👍
Gasbap
I saw you in 2015 supporting Jo Quail, in a church somewhere in London. My and my mate could only go if we raced back to Euston after the gig, we caught the train with seconds to spare, but it was worth it, such an enjoyable experience that will stay with me forever. that day you were amazing. I hope you keep up the good work and carry on writing such beautiful music; much love x
Mauri
Beautiful <3
Maria Makhantar
Is there a partition? Its so so beautiful
M Agalarova
where can i find the music sheet for this song?