This is a the river Tyne from Tynemouth to Ryton. It’s the score for the first eleven minutes of the piece, plus an additional 3minutes to arrive from Greenland. It’s also the opening bass aria for Prudghor, ancient salmon god created together through a typo and a weeping lion at Prudhoe workshop, November 2011. On drawing out the map of the entire river however, Matthews realises, of course, that the entire river is Prudghor’s song. That that is why he sends the salmon. To sing his song.

Workshopped Harrington and Matthews departing West Blaydon Primary school, Gateshead  yesterday 3.30pm. In fact the sky was dark green and 3 mins after this moment, (by Susie), down came the heaviest and most continuous deluge of rain seen for 11.3 years. Matthews back south in the early hours of this morning, now they are preparing for the Bridges Festival, August 4th, when a mid stage showing of the ‘Where are the wild ones?’ project to date will be performed. One major development. The final work, planned to premiere 2013, is no longer being called an opera but a sonic story. Watch this space.

We are making chords from Tyne caught salmon scale images. A scale reveals how many years a fish has been in the river before going to sea, then how many years at sea before returning to breed and die. The direct data to pitch and rhythmic instruction is enthusiastically devoured,  even by Mrs Walsh. The questions around where they really go, why they might return and whether Prudghor has anything to do with it remain inspirational.

Listening to the surprising calm inside the River Derwent with 20 x 10year olds is delicious. We are back seeking the answer to the Prudghor question, investigating sounds and voices and scores from the river and the things we find. Day One of a 3 day workshop working with Blaydon primary school begins today. This is the school we are working with nearest to the sea and Greenland.