Local resident Chris Williams is the Creator of the Anne Frank Project…

Local resident Chris Williams is the Creator of the Anne Frank Project…

‘a chronicled storyboard in words and music called: ‘six million voices – one girl – and a diary’

  “Having 2 minutes to talk about the Anne Frank project, made me think about the concept of ‘time’.  25 years ago, the Diary of Anne Frank was planted into my mind and gave me the idea to compose a short piece of music which I called a ‘Trilogy’.
It saved the day by supplying the impetus for the 1st music assignment required on a 4-year Degree program.
     25 years later I picked the ‘Trilogy’ back off the shelf and began working on it as a project.
It took 2 years to compose enough music, create Synopsis’ wordage, gather extracts from the Diary, and gain permission from the  Anne Frank Family Trust in Switzerland, to complete the writing of one C.D.
One year ago I launched the Music Disc and one month ago produced a companion audio ‘Talking Book’.
     Anne spent 2 years writing her detailed Diary.  She died 2 months before the Concentration Camps were liberated.
Anne’s story pierced my heart, because of the inhumane atrocities to which she was subjected;  Anne’s story also strengthened my heart, because of the courage and tenacity with which she endured the horrors of her persecution.
     Through this journey of the Diary of Anne Frank, I have been liberated from my own struggles as a victim of abuse and have found my own voice.  The result is a chronicled storyboard in words and music called: ‘six million voices – one girl – and a diary’.  The story will not end there as I continue to write and compose the Anne Frank Project, because Anne’s life is unsinkable.  Thank you for listening.
chris williams
anne frank project

soundcloud 

Anne Frank was a 13 year old girl, living an ordinary life in Amsterdam, Holland.

Caught up in World War Two, Anne lost her life, but left behind an enduring legacy in the writing of her Diary.

During those turbulent times, Anne examined through words and in her thinking, to rationalise everything – the behaviours of other people, and in the party of hideaways with whom she was trapped inside a secret annexe for two years; and the actions of Hitler and his army of followers, of their attempt to wipe out the Jewish population.

Anne own personal feelings towards others, her adolescent mood swings, the daily grinding routines within the secret annexe, her love of nature, God and music, her fears of the unknown, the joy of love as she became aware of her fluctuating emotions for boys, her own self-recognition of developing from a child into a young woman; all of these aspects were recorded into the detailed expressions of Anne two years of Diary writing.

Although Anne was physically trapped and immobilised within the square footage of the secret annexe, she was always moving forward in her mind, through her rigorous and continued education; reading and learning were keenly structured into her two years of enforced hiding from the world. Through contemplation and reflection, dreaming and forward thinking, Anne was constantly maturing.

This ethos I have hoped to incorporate into the music, to make it a travelling music, a travelling experience for the listener, a progressive journey for and in the mind of the audience, encapsulating two predominant years of Anne life.

I advocate that the content and impact of Anne illuminating Diary gives cause to the expression of many manners of musical composition to be explored and displayed.

As for the profound significance of this abominable subject on victimisation, I have intended to produce a sincere and honest music biography of The Diary of Anne Frank.

And through my music, to remind the cause for peace, tolerance, and non-violence amongst all peoples, past, present and future.

Thanks for reading
Chris Williams – Creator of the Anne Frank Project

A Synopsis for each track is available. Be sure to click on the track or its photo.

Celebrate Survey: What did people say about the Festival?

 

celfest
Q1: How does the Celebrate Festival bring the Whalley Range community together?
Q2: Why is an event that brings members of a very diverse community together important?

  •  An event which caters for all ages, young, old and in-between! One that has activities that are attractive to a wide range of cultures and interest groups. Something for everybody. One of the highlights of the Whalley Range year.
  • By having music and stalls that appeal to several cross sections of society. Whalley Range has a diverse society, lots of religions and cultures and Celebrate Festival reflects this.
  •  it brings rich, poor, middle-class, working-class, young and old together and those from other ethnic minorities besides English.
  • This is an opportunity for the vast number of small voluntary and community groups to showcase what they are involved in and promote theri activities. its a chance for neighbours to get together in an informal way. With so many people leading busy lives, its really wonderful to see everyone from across the community in the same place enjoying the activiteis, information sharing and each others company.
  • Because it enables us to integrate and embrace and respect each others cultures. It also breaks down preconceived barriers by allowing us to share opinions and beliefs and make way for a harmonious society where we can all celebrate each others cultures.
  •  Community cohesion and integration must be encouraged to avoid people feeling isolated, abandonned and rejected. Events like this promote community cohesion.
  •  It gets people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities to come together doing interesting things that they normally wouldn’t.
  • People just end up in ghettos if not actively encouraged to mix at fun events like ‘Celebrate’.
  • The celebrate festival is an integral part of our community. I have been going with my family since it started and my children grew up with it and now bring their children.
  • Everyone I know in Whalley Range for years always kept may bank holiday free for the festival.
  • The event brings all members of the community together and in all the years I have been there has always been a great atmosphere.
  • the local young people all get involved as well and it gives them a platform
  • In diverse communities like Whalley Range it is often not the case that people from the diverse range all get along. often the different groups are isolated from each other and never really mix. events like this are a good way to get people from the wide range of groups to talk to each other and share commonalities as well as celebrate difference.
  • There’s something for everyone. It heralds the start of the summer. It reminds people that we are a community, and all equal. It offers information about events where people can work together to make Whalley Range an even better place.
  • The answer is in the question. We need events like this to remind us that we all all equal and neighbours, and that Whalley Range is a great place to live, and to celebrate it.
  • Groups and individuals from every part of the community get involved, and they all bring their families, friends and neighbours. It’s always busy, even if the weather’s not good.
  • Because people can see that we all live in the same community, therefore we ARE the same community. Celebrate demonstrates this really well.
  • It’s the only event of this scale where we really see people from different backgrounds playing and working together through the arts. Nothing else covered the whole of Whalley Range, and it’s the only chance many people get for an outdoor music festival (major ones are too far away or two expensive).
  • For the continual harmony of the community. Without an event like this, I fear for future discourse through lack of joint activities; if this one goes, then what else will go next?
  • It is the only opportunity to bring people together who are not connected to a particular school or religious group, and has activities and information for all sections of the community
  • It helps celebrate what is good about this diversity, especially at a time of increased negative media coverage.
  • The Whalley Range Celebrate festival brings together the local residents to create and showcase local and up and coming talent. It gives residents a chance to meet each other that would not normally and can result in building long lasting friendships in the local area.
  • As a very diverse community, Whalley range can sometimes be quite fractured and so this event gives the locals a common focus and goal.
  • It’s the only regular event that really belongs to everyone in Whalley Range. Whenever I go with my family we meet up with people we don’t often see and find out about stuff happening in the area. It’s great to see local talent performing too.
  • If different groups don’t meet and speak to each other, it’s harder for the community to work together to solve problems like loneliness or antisocial behaviour.
  • I think the Celebrate Festival brings people in Whalley Range community together by providing a event that is fun and enjoyable for the whole community.
  • It gets people out socialising with people in there community that they may not have talked to before, allowed you to meet new friends (people with the same interests)
  • It’s inclusive, everyone has a chance to get involved and it’s a chance to participate in free workshops
  • Because we are all human beings and Celebrate brings human beings regardless of their shape or colour together to have fun and learn

Celebrate Your Alleygates Booklet

A potted history of our project:
Celebrate Your Alleygates is a Big Lottery Fund project in Whalley Range, Manchester. It was one of the winners of the Big Family Idea: a competition held by National Family Week and the Big Lottery Fund as part of the launch of National Family Week in 2009.

Please use and share our resource!

cyaalleybookletfinal (1)

Broken planters link from booklet: Planters

Age-friendly Whalley Range Newsletters

Welcome to our  newsletter links!
Since the first issue of our newsletter was circulated door to door across the Whalley Range ward, we have held lots of events and made lots of new friends and contacts.

Issue 1: AFWRNewsletter2014_Draft

Read issue 2 here: AFWR_Newsletter_2

And here’s issue 3! AFWRNewsletter3_2014_Final