Christmas chart hopes for University Archaeology technician
Friday, 20 December 2019
For Archaeology technician Sarah Lambert-Gates, there's an extra reason to be jolly this Christmas - there's a chance to top the charts!
As part of Reading-based music project The Knitting Patterns, Sarah has provided vocals to the track ‘Catch a Falling Star' - a reworked electro pop version of the 1950s song made famous by Perry Como.
"The Knitting Patterns is a project centred on knitting samples from classic oldies together with their hand-crafted sounds to spin something fresh, like buying yarn from the Sue Ryder and crocheting a hipster balaclava", says Sarah.
Released in time for Christmas, the song will also help raise money for the homeless charity Crisis. You can stream and buy the song over at The Knitting Patterns' Bandcamp page.
Sarah currently works as a Senior Technician in the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science. She joined back in 2011 and can usually be found working at our Archaeology field schools (such as Silchester) or on archaeological illustration.
Outside of work, music is a huge passion for Sarah. She has recently started writing and performing her own songs as Daughter of the Water, and regularly performs with skiffle band Dolly and the Clothespegs and the all-female acapella group The Retreat Singers. You may even catch her singing in our very own University Chamber Choir from time to time!
"I have been known to do the occasional evening performance for students and fellow Archaeology colleagues when on our residential field schools," says Sarah.
"Professor Steve Mithen asked me to write a song for the dig on Islay as he had heard me singing many times in the local pub in Port Charlotte. And so I wrote The Ballad of Dunyvaig which I played with local Islay musician Shane MacKinnon at our end of season party. I often find inspiration when I am immersed in an inspiring landscape, which is where my work at Reading can really be helpful sometimes!"
Catch a Falling Star is available to stream and buy now.