Flood Tide is a musical composition generated by tidal flow. A sensor in the water reads the speed of the current while custom software maps these gradual changes to notatation performed live by musicians.

FLOOD TIDE - Thames Festival

Sept 12th 2009 - London Bridge City Pier

An orchestra of 31 including professional and youth musicians vocalists and taiko drummers perform a 2 hour segment of the incoming tide. Made possible with the support of Centre for Young Musicians London, National Oceanography Centre Southampton and Arts Council England.

Lots more photos of Flood Tide Thames Festival here.

Extract from the start of Flood Tide Thames Festival listen.

FLOOD TIDE - Royal Greenwich Observatory, London

July 25th and 26th 2009 3.30pm

As part of the 40th anniversary of the moon landings Flood Tide (as a moon related phenomenon) will be performed in the courtyard of Greenwich Royal Observatory at 3.30pm until approx 5pm both days. The open air performance features the sextet arrangement with marimba, vibraphone, celli, alto flute and bass clarinet. On July 25th at 2.15pm there will be a talk by John Eacot with Simon Boxall from the National Oceanography Centre Southampton on the ideas behind Flood Tide.

Stratford Upon Avon River Festival July 4th and 5th 2009

A specially adapted version of Flood Tide will be performed as part of the Stratford Upon Avon River Festival. The first performance is at 10.20pm Saturday 4th July on the riverbank by the Courtyard Theatre directly after that evening's performance of 'Julius Caesar'. The second performance is Sunday 5th July 11am by the bandstand. Both performances feature an ensemble of six musicians - marimba, vibraphone, 2 celli, alto flute and bass clarinet. more.. These performances are the first to use the highly sensitive Vectrino water current sensor supplied by the National Oceanography Centre Southampton.

Flood Tide is supported by Arts Council England, University of Westminster and the National Oceanography Centre Southampton.

A recording from the first performance of Flood Tide at Trinity Buoy Wharf on 28th June 2008 listen..

If you know of an event that may be suitable for a performance of Flood Tide please get in touch..

Download the Flood Tide performance specification here..

Composed by John Eacott, Hardware design by Fairless Masterman, Graphic design by Alison Platt

Musicians: Vibraphone and Marimba - Simon Allen, Owain Williams, Greta Eacott. Cello - Nick Cooper, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Colin Alexander, Tom Devro

With thanks to: Nick Collins, Fred Chak, Lena Augustinson, Urban Space Management, Thames Clippers, University of Westminster

There have been 4 performances of Flood Tide to date - 28th + 29th June and 20th + 21st September 2008. Here are some pics..

Trinity Buoy Wharf 28th June 2008 - Nick, Simon, Owain and Ayanna

Trinity Buoy Wharf 29th June 2008 - Colin, Simon, Owain and Ayanna

Trinity Buoy Wharf 21st Sept 2008 - Simon, Owain, Colin and Ayanna

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