The Great Learning

Community led devising project, raising questions about how society functions, and what lessons we can learn for a better future.

Over 50 years ago, avant-garde English composer Cornelius Cardew created an experimental and politically engaged choir composition called The Great Learning designed to be performed by people with no or little formal musical training. Cardew’s work uses texts by ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius as provocations for mindful living.

Based on Cardew’s work, The Great Learning project uses community singing - weaving words and music with simple movement - to explore questions about how society functions, and what lessons we can learn for a better future - creating new work that responds to participants own experiences and learnings.

In 2022-23, we worked with communities in Edinburgh and Cumbria to explore our experience of living through the Covid-19 pandemic - how it made us think, feel and see things differently. In 2024 we will deliver further workshops in Cumbria, Edinburgh and North Tyneside to understand how The Great Learning can be used in different contexts to support communities in decision making and creative development, exploring issues that are meaningful and relevant to the communities in which we are working.

Watch our Meet Me @ Mahogany discussion about the project here.