A new symphony based on the music of Joy Division is being prepared for the anniversary of Ian Curtis’ death.
Formed in the aftermath of the punk explosion, Joy Division had only a brief career. Over the course of two albums and a handful of singles the group proved themselves to be a stunningly intense songwriting force.
However lead singer Ian Curtis tragically took his own life on May 18th, 1980. Thirty years on there are a number of celebrations planned to remember his life, including an exhibition in his hometown of Macclesfield.
Curated by cultural observer Jon Savage, the new exhibition takes place in the town’s 1813 Sunday School Heritage Centre. Opening on July 29th, the event will showcase artefacts from the singer’s life.
Alongside photographs and letters is a handwritten note from Ian Curtis deriding Joy Division’s second album ‘Closer’ as a “disaster”. In addition to this, the Northern Chamber Orchestra will work with schoolchildren in Macclesfield to perform a Joy Division symphony based on the band’s slim back catalogue.
“This exhibit brings together a wide range of material – posters, handbills, hand-written documents and other memorabilia – for the first time,” Jon Savage said.
The Joy Division Symphony will use three different songs as an inspiration, with the orchestra’s education co-ordinator Helen Quayle confirming: “The style of music is quite sparse and very simple. The kids can understand and take elements of that and write for a string quartet using the same technique.”
Alongside this exhibition, Peter Hook is planning to pay tribute to his former band mate by re-visiting Joy Division’s seminal debut album ‘Unknown Pleasures’ across two nights in Manchester.
The Ian Curtis Exhibition runs between July 29th – August 7th.
