Step into a world where myth, music and history intertwine.

Experience the timeless tales of the 'Odyssey' brought vividly to life through the rich, resonant voice of the cello and the haunting, evocative tones of the ancient Greek aulos: a rare double-reed instrument steeped in mystery.

Nina Plapp will be joined by an aulos player who together through live performance and storytelling, guides their audience through epic journeys of gods and heroes, where sound and narrative merge into a deeply immersive experience.

Beyond the performance, discover the fascinating origins of the aulos: the legends of the gods who created it, the myths of its theft, and its enduring influence across centuries. Prepare to be transported back in time, where every note carries a story and every story sings.

Nina Plapp is an improvisational cellist and composer from the UK who studied classical cello at Trinity College of Music, London. Plapp has performed with major international artists including Rox, Angie Brown (Fatboy Slim, Bizarre inc.) Alison David (Red Snapper), and has supported The Charlatans. She composes for theatre, dance and mixed media projects and has had her music performed in the USA, China and the UK. She is the winner of the 'journey of a lifetime award' and produced a radio documentary for the BBC charting her musical adventure exploring the music heritage of Gypsy communities from Rajasthan to Romania.

Lizzie Gutteridge took up playing shawm as a part of the historical re-enactment movement to re-form Waits bands, then decided to pursue it further and make it her main occupation. She plays a wide range of historical instruments, including bagpipes, recorders, curtals, fiddles and aulos.

As well as being a regular member of Blondel, The York Waits and the New Cambridge Waits, Lizzie's engagements have included the Globe's “Nell Gwynn”, both on tour and in the West End, “The Knight of the Burning Pestle” at the Wanamaker Theatre, and “Hansel and Gretel” at the Globe. She's performed in Morocco and London with Passamezzo, at large scale events at Hampton Court and the Tower of London, made TV appearances on “Thronecast – Gameshow of Thrones” and “A Merry Tudor Christmas with Lucy Worsley” and played bagpipe for live & recorded performances of Gregory Rose’s “Dance Macabre”. She recently performed a specially composed work for 'cello and aulos in the National Gallery as part of their “Utterly in the picture” series.

Lizzie's solo project “Consort of 1” combines early music on historical instruments with the use of live looping equipment which allows layering of parts to show Medieval and Renaissance melodies from a new perspective. She also runs the Colchester Waits; a community shawm band welcoming people of all ages, abilities and musical backgrounds, and makes reeds for shawms, curtals, crumhorns and sordunes.