Last year, during the first lockdown, I decided to apply for Arts Council funding. Having spent a day of improvising on the piano with Rachel Starritt during the Story of Books literature accessibility project, I wanted to explore our musical relationship further.

I have always loved going to Hereford Cathedral and the prospect of using the spaces and artefacts in it to generate new music really piqued my curiosity. That became the basis of the project ‘The Vibration Continues’ and after months of putting the bid together, the Arts Council confirmed the funding in December 2020 for a body of work to be created, culminating in a concert in the cathedral.

Cara and Rachel Hereford Cathedral

Since then, Rachel and I have met for regular online sessions. As we weren’t able to go to the cathedral in January, I described the artefacts and spaces to Rachel who is visually impaired, so we could start working on material. In early April, when lockdown conditions lifted, we were able to explore the cathedral. We also had a photo shoot and sounded out the piano. The concert in Hereford Cathedral will take place on Wednesday August 18th.

Photography by Ian Cuthbert