The hills are alive: combining the benefits of natural environments and group singing through immersive experiences

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This project uses immersive virtual reality technology to bring to life a key moment in the formative history of the UK's National Trust. The main outcome of the research is an immersive and interactive virtual reality installation where individuals can participate in a group singing event on a Lake District mountain summit in virtual reality, commemorating the 1923 gift of land to the nation in memory of those who lost their lives in the Great War 1914-18.The project draws together the various threads of the challenge in a unique way, uniting memory, place and performance in a compelling realisation of the power of immersive experiences to transform historical events through cultural participation. Current research identifies important health and wellbeing benefits associated with both fell-walking and group singing, and this project provides opportunities not just for able-bodied participants to enjoy the multiple wellbeing benefits of singing on mountain summits, but uniquely will provide opportunities for those otherwise unable to access such activities to do so through an immersive virtual reality experience.This project also seeks to develop relationships with cultural heritage partners in the Lake District and beyond, and to develop a workflow for the capture and virtual reality reproduction of choir performances in inaccessible but culturally significant locations, to permit the application of the technology in a wide range of installations and exhibitions in the future.