Highnotes, Spring 2016

THE MAKING MUSIC MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE | SPRING ISSUE 2016

Penny Woolcock The acclaimed director talks about Streetwise Opera’s latest project • PAGE 9 GET MEN SINGING

Chris Rowbury on giving confidence to male voices • PAGE 12

COPY RIGHT

The rules about digitising your music library • PAGE 10

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SING BARBERSHOP

New Competition for Mixed Voiced Choirs 30th May 2016 - Harrogate International Centre MIXED VOICE BARBERSHOP CHORAL COMPETITION

Exciting changes are happening to Barbershop four part harmony singing in the UK. Traditionally, it has been exclusively single voice for either men or ladies, but now we are encouraging SATB choirs to sing in harmony too!

The British Association of Barbershop Singers is inviting mixed voice a capella groups to vie for the inaugural UK Mixed Voice trophy, which comes with a £500 cash prize, at its dedicated Open Barbershop Choral Contest to be held on Bank Holiday Monday, the 30th May, at the Harrogate International Centre.

www.singbarbershop.com

Entries will be welcome from choruses and choirs with between 18 and 80 singers, minimum age 14, with no more than 70% of the group being of the same gender. Perform two unaccompanied songs in four part Barbershop harmony for adjudication by accredited music festival judges.

Closing Date for Entries: 9th April 2016.

Send for Details Today!

For full details of this exciting new competition and guidance on song choice, please email:

mixedchoralcontest@singbarbershop.com

The British Association of Barbershop Singers Registered Office: 6 Corunna Court, Corunna Road, Warwick CV34 5HQ Registered Charity No: 1080930

CONTENTS & EDITORIAL

Welcome to a new year and a new website!

CONTENTS NEWS

5 In brief 6 Around the UK FEATURES

9 Street to stage 10 Do you copy right?

12 Get men singing

Of course there have been the inevitable teething troubles — hopefully resolved by the time you read this. Do go and have a look at makingmusic.org.uk, and please let us know about any gremlins you encounter.

FROM OUR TEAM

14 Membership and services 16 Projects 18 Volunteers

All members of member groups can access resources and sheet music, and list their groups’ events and vacancies.

Simply register, individually, and request to be linked to your group online. If your membership and insurance has just run out, it’s easy to renew online…

MEMBERS

19 Corporate members 20 Blow your trumpet 22 Readers’ page

Or to join: individual amateur musicians or supporters of amateur music can now do so, too, whether or not they belong to a member group. Individual membership gives access to our fantastic Musical Instrument Insurance Plus — one-click cover for all the instruments owned by your household. It has certainly made my life easier, with a constantly changing roster of instruments out and about with my children!

If you have suggestions or would like to contribute to Highnotes, please contact the Commissioning Editor, George Acock, on 020 7939 6041 or editor@makingmusic.org.uk The copy deadline for Highnotes Summer 2016 (published 1 May) is 4 March Any views or opinions expressed by external contributors may not necessarily represent those of Making Music Highnotes is the official journal of Making Music, The National Federation of Music Societies, 8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL 020 7939 6030 info@makingmusic.org.uk www.makingmusic.org.uk

We look forward to working hard on your behalf again in 2016, providing you with support and opportunities, and shouting loudly about the benefits and needs of amateur music, so that it can continue to spread enjoyment and wellbeing throughout the UK.

A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales no. 308632 Registered charity in England and Wales no. 249219 and in Scotland no. SC038849 If you need us to make any of this information more accessible, please get in touch £6 where sold, annual subscription £15 (3 issues) Designed by Cog Design Printed by Gemini Press Advertising by Space Marketing: 01892 677740

Barbara Eifler Email: barbara@makingmusic.org.uk Twitter: @BarbaraEifler

Cover image: Sarah Ainslie

Photo: Damien McFadden

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MAKING MUSIC

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27/11/2015 13:55:25

NEWS

IN BRIEF Left: Official image for the Europa Cantat festival, which took place in Hungary during summer 2015.

Photo: Enikö Várai

Vive la chanson!

First attempt at a Europe-wide report on amateur singing shows size and significance of the sector Reports on singing seem to come thick and fast these days, but new research recently published by the European Choral Association — Europa Cantat — really is one of a kind.

In autumn 2015 Europa Cantat delivered the first ever report on singing in the whole of Europe. You may have filled in the survey that the report is based on, as Making Music disseminated it.

Despite the funding, it faced massive challenges — so the report is far more detailed on some countries than others. Even so, there are some fascinating findings: an average of 4.5% of the European population sing together. That’s an estimated

total of 22.5 million singers in 28 countries, in approximately 625,000 choirs with an average of 36 members.

This pilot study aims to convince policy makers to take singing more seriously as a cultural activity. To be truly successful it will need a second, more detailed, follow-up.

Speaking only for the UK data, we know its not the full picture.

Making Music will align some questions on the Treasurers’ survey, so that the results can then be fed directly into the next edition of the survey.

It is still a remarkable effort, and well worth a read. You can download the full report at thevoiceproject.eu

Silent treatment Ever wanted to accompany a silent film? To commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, the Imperial War Museum has commissioned a new music score by Laura Rossi to accompany the iconic 1916 documentary film The Battle of the Somme. The museum plans to show the film

“Based on the figures we gathered... we can project an approximation of 1 million ensembles in the European continent” Singing Europe report 2015

INTRODUCING XENIA In an age when increasing evidence suggests that making music with others has huge benefits for our mental health, and yet increasing numbers of young people are experiencing stress and anxiety, more must be done to support and enable young people to get involved in making music.

In August, Xenia Davis joined the Making Music team as Youth Engagement Manager. With a background in youth work, participation and community music, Xenia will be talking to young people to better understand what inspires and motivates them to join music groups, as well as the barriers that may prevent them from getting involved. She will also explore the challenges faced by music groups in recruiting and retaining young members.

This research will inform a broader piece of work for Making Music, helping us to better understand how we can support groups to engage more effectively with younger members and enable more young people to experience the benefits of making music.

This research is funded by the Pauline Thompson legacy. Pauline was a passionate choral singer all her life and left this legacy to Making Music to help encourage more young people aged 15-35 to engage with amateur music groups.

Glyndebourne Youth Opera throughout the UK during the year, and is looking for orchestras to perform live at each screening.

Faber Music is offering reduced price hire on the score, to enable as many amateur orchestras as possible to add it to their schedule.

For more information and to sign up visit somme100film.com

GYO’s 14-19 year-old members will perform in the world premiere of Nothing this February, alongside professional singers. Based on an award-winning novel for young adults by Danish author Janne Teller, the brand new opera will be performed by 20 talented young instrumentalists, mentored by professional musicians from Southbank Sinfonia.

Tickets start at just £7 from glyndebourne.com

Spring 2016

HIGHNOTES

5

NEWS

AROUND THE UK SCOTLAND

YORKSHIRE AND THE NORTH OF ENGLAND

Pitch perfect Newcastle Choral Society tackled its biggest ever gig — perfoming for thousands at the Rugby World Cup Newcastle Choral Society had the opportunity to sing to an audience of more than 50,000 people at the recent Rugby World Cup 2015 matches – with many millions more watching around the world.

The Making Music group was appointed to lead the singing of the national anthems at all three Rugby World Cup 2015 matches being held in October at St James Park, Newcastle, following a chance approach from Progress Productions, the Sports Presentation partner to England Rugby 2015.

Chairman of Newcastle Choral Society, Charmian Marshall, said: “This was a unique set of performances for a choir more used to singing in the Sage than St. James Park – our biggest audience ever!

Huge excitement ensued at the news, numbers were restricted but we also invited local members from the National Youth Choir of Great

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HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

Britain and Sage Gateshead Quay Voices to share the experience with us.”

The choir’s first match – South Africa v Scotland on Saturday 3 October – was “an exhilarating experience” says Charmian; “buoyed up by the roar of the fans, and the huge round of applause as we left the pitch — wow! All that practicing of unusual languages in the South African anthem paid off”.

Two more matches followed, and since no scores were allowed on the field the choir had to master more dialects and languages, including tongue twisting New Zealand and Tongan anthems, Samoan and a reprise of the Scotland anthem.

“I’ve never been so excited since I was a child at Christmas waiting for Santa Claus” said one choir member. “Best thing I’ve done in years” said another. And so say all of us! newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk

Above: Newcastle Choral Society prepares for the teams to come on to the pitch, for the singing of the national anthems Photo: Kevin Gibson / NewcastleGateshead Initiative

Scotland’s leading chamber music ensemble, Hebrides Ensemble, and Contemporary Music for All (CoMA) are inviting musicians to take part in a two day new music workshop this March. Part of CoMA’s national celebration of contemporary music-making, which takes place at multiple cities around the UK in 2016, this weekend is designed especially for amateur musicians. Participants will work alongside members of Hebrides Ensemble to prepare a programme of contemporary music for public performance on the evening of Sunday 6 March 2016.

Participants will explore new repertoire that’s accessible yet challenging, written especially for CoMA as part of its Open Score project (see the previous issue of Highnotes for details). Parts will be available to download in February 2016, so that each musician can prepare in advance of the weekend.

For further details email info@hebridesensemble.com or phone Jennifer Martin on 07958 748 293. The application deadline is Friday 22 January. hebridesensemble.com WALES

A candlelit performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers is just one highlight of Swansea Bach Choir’s 50th Anniversary Season, which began in November and continues through to spring. The season, which also includes two Christmas concerts, will culminate next March in a performance of Haydn’s Creation, featuring celebrated Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas – who will no doubt receive a very warm welcome, having been a member of the choir in her youth. For full details of the anniversary programme visit swanseabachchoir.org.uk

NEWS

NORTHERN IRELAND

Belfast Philharmonic Society will attempt to teach four songs in just one day at a Come and Sing event on 30 January. Chorus master Stephen Doughty, soloists Rebekah McCann-Wililams (soprano), Debra Stuart (contralto), accompanist Gail Evans and singers from far and wide will begin rehearsing choral classics including Vivaldi’s Gloria and Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart at 10am, before giving a public performance that same evening. belfastphilharmonic.org.uk

Did you know?

Making Music recently helped bring about the UK’s first cross-regional music library service in Nottingham and Leicester

SOUTH EAST

Burgess Hill Symphony Orchestra has announced that Strictly Come Dancing’s Katie Derham is waltzing in to become its new president.

Katie, who has presented the BBC Proms since 2010, says she is honoured to take up the role. bhso.org.uk

EAST

Doing the locomotion Derby Choral Union celebrates its rich history with a new railway-inspired commission Like many choral societies in the UK, Derby Choral Union was formed in the mid 19th century — boosted by the wealth and leisure time brought by the industrial revolution. A booming railway industry in Derby meant that ‘ordinary’ working people suddenly found themselves with time to take up social activities such as singing, and so in 1866 Derby Choral Union was founded by the Mayor, and has continued to perform every season since.

To celebrate its rich history, the choir has commissioned a brand new work by British Composer

Award-winner Kerry Andrews, to premiere at a 150th anniversary concert this spring. Fittingly performed at the Roundhouse in Derby – once an important locomotive repair site – Thy Flight be Fleet: Trainsongs celebrates the link between the coming of the railways to Derby and the formation of Derby Choral Union.

Joining the choir will be another Making Music member, Bardi Symphony Orchestra from Leicester, as well as children’s chorus from a local school. Book your tickets before they speed away at dcu.org.uk

LONDON WEST

CoMA’s nationwide contemporary music celebrations arrive in Manchester on 27 February, with the chance to perform alongside Psappha Ensemble. Open to musicians of any age and standard, the day will include workshops of new repertoire, culminating in a public performance. coma.org

South West East Cornwall Bach Choir is looking to the future for its 50th anniversary, with a new commission to be performed this summer.

The writers of the new work will be drawn from a competition — local Cornish poets have been invited to create inspiring text and the choir will select one entry as the basis for the musical competition. In January it will launch a national composers’ competition to create a score based on the selected text. Members can support the initiative by sponsoring the commission, find out more by visiting ecbc.co.uk/anniversary

Deutscher Chor-llaboration The German Choir of London recruits Making Music members for its new album The German Choir of London shows no signs of ‘difficult second album’ syndrome on its brand new CD, which celebrates the rich folk song histories of Germany and Britain and features cameos from several Making Music members.

A year in the making, this follow-up to the choir’s 2013 debut album features 170 singers from seven choirs, including member groups Chandos Chamber Choir, Constanza Chorus, Collegium Musicum of London and Felicitas Chamber Choir. The song list features both new and old classics, including Abschied vom Walde (Mendelssohn) and Am Brunnen vor dem Tore; alongside British gems such as Scarborough Fair and Molly Malone.

The German Choir of London was founded by Barbara Hoefling in 2009 at the German Christuskirche in Knightsbridge. Its sixty singers are drawn from different nations but all share a common interest in the music, language and culture of Germany. Recently the choir performed at Westminster Abbey and the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace, and is set to sing at St Paul’s Cathedral in 2016 — certainly a highlight to look forward to.

Der Mond ist aufgegangen is available to purchase for £10 from deutscherchorlondon.org.uk

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FEATURE

Street to stage Writer and director Penny Woolcock talks to George Acock about opera, storytelling and why she loves working with amateur performers From documenting gangs in Birmingham to directing opera stars at ENO, Penny Woolcock’s career has taken her to some remarkable places. Her next project is with Making Music member Streetwise Opera, creating a new opera based on Bach’s The Saint Matthew’s Passion, to be performed by a cast of professional singers and homeless people in the vast glass and iron surroundings of Manchester’s Campfield Market.

How is the show coming together? Very well. We have started early rehearsals — Streetwise singers meet every Wednesday and I’ve been going up to Manchester regularly for workshops. We’re also working with The Sixteen, who are a sublime choir, so I’m excited about how it will all sound. It will be promenade staging and I’m grappling with the technicalities of that right now – like how I move the musicians and 400 audience members around the space! I have an image that I want the performers to arrive on a big truck, and spill out onto the stage.

How did you get involved with Streetwise?

I made a BBC4 documentary called On the Streets, about homelessness in London, which the Streetwise team saw. They asked if I’d be interested in working with homeless people in Manchester — there’s an ongoing battle there between the local council and activists to do something about the number of people living on the streets. What Streetwise does is extraordinary; its members meet every week, usually 15 to 30 people, and sing. It’s run just like any amateur choir and members take it really seriously. Every face is inscribed with a story but people aren’t there to talk about their problems, they’re just there to sing.

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HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

You’re using an abridged version of St Matthew’s Passion with a new finale written by Sir James MacMillan and Streetwise Opera performers – how has that collaboration worked? We held a workshop where the performers wrote lines inspired by the idea of an earthquake and its aftermath — of destruction and hope. Some incredible poetry came from this process. Really powerful images. I put them together as a libretto and sent it to James, half expecting him to say he couldn’t use it, and he loved it. He didn’t change a word. What he has done with the new music is really clever; it feels absolutely respectful to Bach’s work, yet still new.

Above: Penny in rehearsal with Streetwise Opera performers Photo: © Streetwise Opera

Your work has covered many genres. What attracts you to a project? I’m inspired by real life and what’s happening in the margins of society – those areas where things become unstitched. I find it exciting to work in different mediums; ultimately it’s all storytelling. I’m a passionate believer in the power of art to transform lives because it transformed mine.

Are there specific challenges to directing nonprofessional performers? It’s the same. As long as you cast well it’s really no different directing professional or amateur performers. I like working with untrained performers because they tend not to overact. Big stars playing roles can be very distancing, like they’re pretending, but non-professional performers have a natural quality that can be magical to watch.

The Passion is at Campfield Market, Manchester on 25 and 26 March. streetwiseopera.org/passion

“I’m a passionate believer in the power of art to transform lives — it transformed mine”

FEATURE

Do you copy right?

Want to digitise your music library? Sophie Anderson from the Yorkshire Music Library looks at the copyright rules for making archive scans I recently visited my childhood brass band and discovered that they were undertaking a very interesting project indeed. Blackley Band are a 4th Section contesting brass band based in North Manchester and Alex, the band’s Eb Bass player, came up with an idea to digitise their music collection earlier this year. I pinned him down to ask some questions about his experience...

What is the size of your music collection?

Our library contains nearly 1,400 pieces of music and continues to grow.

What gave you the idea to do it? We like to just dive in to the library every now and again and pull out some sight reading during rehearsals. Sometimes pieces that are picked have come out as old and damaged or incomplete so we decided that an audit of the library was required. We felt it was worthwhile to maintain the integrity of older pieces by making a permanent record and scanning them in seemed like the ideal solution.

What will be the benefits of having electronic parts? Having scanned copies of parts means that our older ‘yellow’ collection will continue to be of use to us if and when the time comes. We will continue to play from hard copies and have the electronic back-up purely as a fall back should anything happen to those hard copies.

What are the copyright implications and have you considered this? We sought advice from a publisher friend of ours and he came back saying that it was

10 HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

likely that it would breach copyright rules and we should seek more professional advice. Consequently, we have put the process on hold for now as we haven’t clarified the position but we will be getting further advice before re-commencing activity. It’s a shame because some of our pieces are very old so we are looking at other ways to ensure our tattered pages can be salvaged and maintained for the future.

Photo: George Acock

I have since sought advice from the UK branch of IAML (International Association of Music Librarians) about this project and they have said that it depends on a number of factors: •

•

•

As long as you own the music in question you may make copies of a full set of parts for archival purposes only.

In instances of parts going missing or being too damaged to rehearse/perform from, you may replace these parts from printed/scanned copies as long as they do not exceed 25% of the total set in question.

Whereas you can loan sets of music that you own (originals), you cannot loan copies (digital or printed) to other groups as this would infringe copyright.

For further information about music and copyright go to printmusiclicensing.co.uk and mpaonline.org.uk. See also our guidance at makingmusic.org.uk/resources

“As long as you own the music in question you may make copies of a full set of parts for archival purposes”

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FEATURE

Get men singing Singing workshop leader Chris Rowbury looks at how to keep male singers in your mixed choir once you’ve found them Your recruitment drive has been a huge success and now you have a bunch of eager male singers at your first rehearsal. The problem is: how do you keep hold of them?

When you join a new group and arrive at the first session, you want to find other people like yourself.

If you’re a male singer joining a mixed choir, you’ll probably find that there aren’t many other men there. In my 20-year experience of running singing workshops, I have found that on average only 10% of the participants at any workshop are men. That means that if your choir has 40 singers, there may be just three other men in the room when you walk in. That can feel quite daunting (it’s not just a male problem though: a woman walking into a room of 40 with just three other women will probably feel the same).

Having a small number of men in a mixed choir or singing workshop can create some real difficulties. Here are just a few...

If there is only a handful of singers in any one section (e.g. the bass), it puts far more pressure on individual singers. In a large section those singers who are a bit out won’t notice, but if there aren’t many singers they all need to be more accurate.

If there are few men in a mixed choir, they usually get lumped together in the bass section. But most men are

12 HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

baritones – not too high, not too low – so many will find the bass part goes too low for them. If they’re just starting out this may mean that they feel they can’t sing properly and may not come back.

Men often wander off with the tune, no matter which part they’re being asked to sing! It doesn’t matter whether you teach them their part first or last. My theory is that men have a sweet spot when listening to other voices, and most often they home into whatever the high women’s voices are singing – which is usually the tune.

A typical male will be very hesitant to make mistakes in public. They need to feel like they’ve been “trained up” and really know what they’re doing before singing out. This creates a group of very hesitant singers who can be put off very easily.

The bass part is often the most boring part. It often follows the roots of the chords and doesn’t have much of a ‘tune’. Because it’s seen as the ‘easy’ part (not many notes to learn), it’s very easy for the basses to be left alone whilst other parts are being learnt.

This can make them feel unimportant.

OK, so there are all the negative things — no wonder many men don’t stay in choirs for long!

There are solutions though. The opposite page has a few to get you started.

Islington-based male vocal group Chaps Choir. Follow them on Twitter @chapschoir Photo: Paul Hudson

FEATURE

• •

•

•

•

•

“On average only 10% of the participants at any singing workshop are men — that can feel quite daunting”

•

•

•

Don’t stereotype – there are as many different kinds of men as there are women Choose repertoire carefully – there is no such thing as a ‘man’s song’, but there are certain songs that feature the male voice, like South African songs, sea shanties and gospel.

Give clear instructions – most men respond best to simple, clear instructions and benefits, not “touchy feely” language.

Choose appropriate arrangements – many men will have struggle with anything too high in the tenor part or too low in the bass part. Ensure the arrangements are interesting – make every part feel like the melody.

Mix genders across the parts – double the octaves and spread the men evenly throughout the choir.

Don’t always insist on four parts – try three-part songs with men on one part and the women split into two others. There are loads of gorgeous Georgian and other East European songs which will suit.

Move them around – put men next to different parts. This is good for ear training, and allows them to meet other singers.

Try small ‘choirs’ in rehearsal – have equal numbers of women as men in each part. So if you only have four men in your choir, try a song with four women in the other parts.

The women will realise it’s not that easy when the part is small!

Use integration games – it’s easy for small groups of men to become isolated and stick together. Make time to introduce them to (and sing with) others in the choir.

WHERE NEXT? •

•

•

Visit Chris’ blog: blog.chrisrowbury.com (search for Effective ways to recruit men for your choir for more useful tips) Get Men Singing is on a mission to encourage more men to join choirs. Follow them on Twitter: @getmensinging The founder of Chaps Choir (pictured) is setting up a new London-based men’s community choir starting in January. See chapschoir.com/join-the-choir

BOOK REVIEW The Creative Choir - A Holistic Approach to Working with Singers by James Neilson Graham.

Published by Temple Lodge, £18.99.

This excellent new book is packed with advice on getting the most out of choir singers. Through chapters covering everything from the role of gesture and the pressures that daily life puts on the voice, to important factors to consider when choosing repertoire, The Creative Choir is a knowledgeable and friendly guide to modern singing practices.

Neilson Graham doesn’t dismiss the social rituals of choirs, like pre-rehearsal chat and post-rehearsal drinks. They are incorporated into techniques, acknowledged as a key part of encouraging groups to open up, relax and excel.

This is a valuable, enlightening resource for leaders of any choir to get the most out of their singers — both men and women.

Spring 2016

HIGHNOTES 13

FROM OUR TEAM

MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICES Helping you get the most from your membership

Designed by freepik.com

Left: Our new website is packed with useful tools to help members shout about the benefits of amateur music making!

Make some noise!

Our new campaigning and advocacy tools help all of us lobby for a vibrant amateur music scene These new website resources can be used to make the case for your group or amateur music – maybe to your council, a potential funder or sponsor. They’re also useful as a reminder that music is not only fun but good for you and essential glue for communities!

Head to makingmusic.org.uk/ campaigns-advocacy for: • New resource Why amateur music making matters, which describes the main benefits of participation in music, with useful links to support the arguments.

• Our new evidence bank with research relevant to Making Music members’ activities, reports which illuminate the way our policymakers are thinking, guides such as Arts Council England’s Advocacy Toolkit and details on how to contact politicians.

• Templates and tools to use in

your campaigns – e.g. letters about music libraries.

You’ll also find details of campaigns we’re involved in at the moment and a section on our work with music libraries, which collates some of the common themes emerging in this area.

Information sheets You’ll now find these under the Resources section of the new site.

Recently added topics include: • Hearing loss for musicians: top tips on how to check and protect your hearing • Tips on making music in prisons, with a case study • Planning a Family Arts Festival Event • Case studies on audience development, crowd funding, and collaborating with other music groups. makingmusic.org.uk/resources

“Thank you to everyone at Making Music for the help we received this year setting up our organisation for people with dementia... after just three months in operation we are now full and have a waiting list!”

Daphne, Remember That Song

CONTACTS Ben Saffell, Membership and Services Manager: ben@makingmusic.org.uk Katie Calvert, Membership Events and Office Coordinator: katie@makingmusic.org.uk

14 HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Our Treasurer’s survey will take place in early 2016. This is a really valuable lobbying tool for us, and other music organisations, as it provides a snap-shot of what is going on in the world of amateur music and puts us in a strong position to lobby for the sector. Please keep an eye out for it!

Information and Advice events • Get the most out of Facebook 16 January, Worcester • Arts Council England — Grants for the Arts workshop 17 January, Luton • Get the most out of Twitter 31 January, Colchester • Managing your concert/event 6 February, Rugby • Tips for improving income 21 February, Shrewsbury 27 February, Cheltenham 12 March, Berwick • Resources and tips for librarians 13 February, Liverpool • Promoting your group 30 January, Lewes 5 March, St Austell • Good practice for Treasurers 25 February, London • Good practice for choirs 28 January, London 20 February, Chesterfield • Making Music AGM 18 June, details to follow RENEWALS

Many of you will have renewed your membership and insurance by now. If not, remember that if you had insurance it ran out on 31 December 2015 so you’re no longer covered. You can renew online at makingmusic.org.uk/renewals

FROM OUR TEAM

MEMBER NEWS South Chiltern Choral Society held its special Choral Christmas concert for two nights this December to support the charity Daisy’s Dream, which offers help to children and their families who have been affected by the life threatening illness or bereavement of someone close to them. southchilternchoralsociety.org.uk After 23 years as Chief Executive, Roy McEwan has announced his retirement from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in summer 2016. On his plans for retirement, Roy said: “I hope to continue to contribute to the cultural and public life of Scotland, perhaps at a more relaxed pace than the last 23 hectic, but wonderful, years.”

Making Music would like to congratulate Roy on a wonderful career with SCO, packed with highlights, and wish him all the best for the future. sco.org.uk To celebrate hitting the big 4-0 in 2016, Festival Chorus has commissioned a new work from celebrated composer Colin Matthews OBE. The choir is holding a fundraising dinner and auction in February to help with the commission costs — tickets cost £50 and can be booked from thefestivalchorus2012@gmail.com Whitehall Orchestra is looking for musicians to join its open workshop in London on 16 January. Players will rehearse Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring during the day before giving a public performance in the afternoon.

There will be a £15 charge per player to cover costs. If you are interested in participating, contact events@whitehallorchestra.org.uk

We asked young people to tell us the top three barriers to joining music groups — 88% cited time pressure as a key barrier

Making Music staff Barbara Eifler Executive Director

George Acock Publications and PR Manager

Workineh Asres Head of Finance

Sharon Moloney Member Engagement Manager

Ben Saffell Membership and Services Manager

Abby Charles Manager – Wales

Sally Palmer Projects and Membership Coordinator

Alison Reeves Manager – Scotland Laura Shipsey Member Engagement Coordinator

Katie Calvert Membership Events and Office Coordinator

Xenia Davis Youth Engagement Manager

Alexandra Scott AYCA Administrator

Call 020 7939 6030 Email info@makingmusic.org.uk

Ollie Mustill Marketing and Communications Manager

We are here Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm

Making Music Council report

The autumn Council meeting was a great opportunity to learn more about members’ needs The Making Music Council meeting took place in November. It is always extremely valuable for us to hear what members think, and this meeting was no exception.

Areas covered included Information and Advice events, guidance topics, projects we run or support to offer groups opportunities and our campaigning and advocacy activities. Lots of useful discussions took place and it was reassuring that many of our

plans chimed with your thoughts.

One overriding theme focussed on the need to put groups in contact with each other, in order to share experiences and best practice – something we are keen to develop further.

There are still places available on the Council – contact Sharon Moloney to find out more at sharon@makingmusic.org.uk or give her a call on 020 7939 6046.

Featured Corporate member: Opera Anywhere Opera Anywhere are touring throughout the UK in 2016 — 2018 and are looking to collaborate with Making Music members, including choirs and orchestras.

Current productions being planned include The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Amahl and The Night Visitors and The Magic Flute. For information about us and how we work with Making Music members take a look at operaanywhere.com or contact Mike Woodward on 01865 735910 or mike@operaanywhere.com Opera Anywhere are very grateful to Vocalzone who are supporting Opera Anywhere’s Making Music corporate membership. Take a look at vocalzone.com for some great singing and vocal health tips.

Discover more about Opera Anywhere at operaanywhere.com

Spring 2016

HIGHNOTES 15

FROM OUR TEAM

PROJECTS Keeping you up to date with our national projects and programmes Left: A student learns to master a Fender guitar as part of Learn to Play Day

Making more musicians Now approaching its third year, Grade 1 Challenge has proved a great success. Laura Shipsey reveals even bigger plans for its future...

At Making Music we really do believe that anyone can learn an instrument and that the process can be hugely rewarding. We know from experience that developing a musical skill provides a space to be creative, a way into musical communities, time to focus on something different, a sense of achievement and, hopefully, a skill for life.

As part of our work to encourage amateur music making all around the UK we have gradually been developing our Grade 1 Challenge and are pleased to say that it is now

becoming a staple of what we do.

It began as a challenge to our staff and volunteers, before being thrown open to the nation this year. We’ve been amazed by the response we’ve had from people around the country interested in learning a diverse range of instruments, and hope that by encouraging people to take up the challenge we can help open a door to an amateur music community that may have seemed closed or intimidating before.

From 2016 we will be running the Grade 1 Challenge on a rolling basis.

“Thank you so much! I really didn’t know where to start and who to choose until you sent your suggestions.

I hope to arrange my first lesson soon!”

Munim, Grade 1 Challenge 2015 participant

The next step Encouraging people to take up new instruments is only the first step. We’d love to be able to point Grade 1 Challenge participants in the direction of groups who are open to beginners, because learning an instrument is a lot more fun if you’ve got people to share the experience with. If your group would be interested in welcoming players from the Grade 1 Challenge then please let Laura know at laura@makingmusic.org.uk CONTACTS: Sally Palmer, Projects and Membership Coordinator: sally@makingmusic.org.uk Laura Shipsey, Member Engagement Coordinator: laura@makingmusic.org.uk

16 HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

LEARN TO PLAY DAY AND MUSIC FOR ALL We are delighted to say that as a part of the continuous Grade 1 Challenge we will be working in partnership with the people behind Learn to Play Day and Music for All. This means we will be linked into a network of brilliant music shops and teachers who are used to providing for complete beginners. As well as these invaluable resources, Music for All provide funding which Grade 1 Challenge participants may be eligible for, if learning an instrument really wouldn’t be possible without financial aid.

The next Learn to Play Day takes place over two days on 12 and 13 March 2016. Find out more at learntoplayday.com and musicforall.org.uk ADOPT A COMPOSER Since it began in 2000, Adopt a Composer has created over 80 partnerships, producing hugely diverse works and performances in the process. It is a wonderful opportunity for a voluntary group to ‘adopt’ an up-and-coming composer and produce a brand new piece of music, culminating in a première performance and an opportunity to be heard on BBC Radio 3. If your group would like to be considered for a 2016 pairing, do get in touch with us.

The next application process will open in February for the 2016/17 project. Forms are available from makingmusic.org.uk/resource/ adopt-composer-scheme

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FROM OUR TEAM

VOLUNTEERS Interested in volunteering for Making Music? Visit www.makingmusic.org.uk/volunteers OBITUARY

JOHN SCOTT 1956-2015 John Scott, who has died aged 59, was a world class organist and choir trainer and supporter of Making Music when it was the National Federation of Music Societies. Since 2004 John had been organist and director of music of Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York, and before that of St Paul’s Cathedral, London.

While at St Paul’s John was involved in the thanksgiving service for the new millennium, the 100th birthday service for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the service to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, for which he wrote the anthem Behold, O God Our Defender, based on Psalm 84. After the 9/11 attacks in the US he directed the music in a memorial service at St Paul’s.

He had a reputation for perfection and for getting the best out of every choir member. While in New York he raised the standard of the Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys to a level that many had previously thought impossible.

Music mattered greatly to John and when the National Federation of Music Societies was fighting to stay afloat in the 1980s, he offered his determined support. He campaigned alongside the team here, and wrote to various authorities on our behalf.

Last year, he played in the concert marking the return to service of the refurbished organ at the Royal Festival Hall in London. A fortnight before his death, he gave the premiere of Anthony Powers’ O Gott, Du Frommer Gott at the Three Choirs festival in Hereford Cathedral, and then undertook a recital tour of mainland Europe before returning to New York.

BOARD SPOTLIGHT

ALLAN GRAYSON-JONES Trustee in Wales When did you join Making Music?

July 2015 Why Making Music? As an amateur musician for many years I believe passionately in furthering the role of music particularly with young people. With so many cutbacks in funding, sponsorships and cutting of music departments in local government it is becoming more important each year that organisations like Making Music are able to advise and assist amateur organisations and individuals on every aspect of their activities.

What do you do when you’re not doing Making Music Board-related activities? Although apparently retired I am the General Manager of Camerata Wales, a professional orchestra under Owain Arwel Hughes CBE, and on the management team of the Welsh Proms. For the last two years I have been Chairman of the Music in the Vale Young Musician of the Year competition and I am Business Director of the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra. Finally I am on the advisory panel of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales as a business advisor and now of course a Trustee of Making Music. I think I will stop there!

Do you play an instrument or sing? I have played piano since the age of 6 and French horn from 12. I joined the National Youth Orchestra of Wales (the first youth orchestra in the world) when I was 13 and continue to play today in the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra and City of Cardiff Symphony Orchestra.

Who is your favourite composer? Rachmaninov. I could listen to his second symphony every day, especially the slow movement, plus he writes so well for the French horn!

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18 HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

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MEMBERS

BLOW YOUR TRUMPET A party to remember A casual conversation at a drinks party took Helen Keating on a musical journey of discovery — culminating in a world premiere for Solway Sinfonia

It’s amazing what a chance remark can lead to! At a drinks party, along with Czech friends, our host casually remarked that his mother’s cousin had married the son of Alfonse Mucha, the famous Czech painter, and that she was a composer. Geraldine Thomsen was originally from Orkney, had studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music and met Jiři Mucha at a party in Leamington Spa in 1942. He had left

Czechoslovakia at the beginning of the war and, by way of the French Air Force, had become a BBC War Correspondent. After the war they returned to Prague, where she continued to compose and was much loved and respected.

Always interested in supporting women composers I looked her up online, found several interviews with her and some of her compositions on YouTube. I contacted her two friends, Patricia and Christopher, who had promoted concerts of her music in Prague and have looked after her musical archive since her death in 2012. After meeting them both in Prague they

kindly sent me Geraldine’s scores of two unperformed works, a piece for two solo violins and strings, Carmina Orcadiana, and the overture The Tempest. These I transcribed onto Sibelius and the Solway Sinfonia gave the world premiere of the Overture last March at a concert for Gatehouse of Fleet Music Society. We were pleased to welcome John Mucha (Geraldine’s only son) and his wife Sarah, Patricia from Prague, and the Czech Honorary Consul General from Edinburgh, Dr Millar, who had known Geraldine in Prague. It was a very happy occasion enhanced by another world premiere — The Love Song of a Lonely Man — written by our conductor, Geoff Keating, for the orchestra’s Treasurer.

All from a quiet drinks party in bonnie Galloway! solwaysinfonia.org.uk

When David went to prison David Chapman tells us about his first prison concert with member group Beckenham Concert Band I play trumpet with the Beckenham Concert Band. For its Christmas ‘charity’ event the band accepted an invitation to play in HMP Bronzefield, a women’s prison in Surrey.

The band members and all of our instrument cases needed to be individually searched, and photographs were taken and verified against the ID we had brought. Once inside, we were escorted into the prison. The doors behind us were carefully locked before the door ahead was opened.

It was a surprise on entering the main prison block to discover that it was light and airy, even colourful — and very clean. For the concert we used the prison chapel; a simple, but large room with windows overlooking the

21 HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

courtyards below.

Once we were set-up, the audience started to arrive. They came in chatting, not unlike groups of children filing into a classroom, and many of them were not much older than school-aged children. The normal protocol — of audience seated and hushed, then musicians entering — was turned around.

We played a popular programme, and there was clearly a desire to sing along, especially in the Christmas medley. We did concerts for two groups, both disappointed when the show had come to an end. As they filed out they thanked us for coming to play.

There was a small group of mums with their babies in the audience for the

second concert, and a few inmates went to talk to the mums and hold the babies before they left.

There was a sense from those of us in the band that we were seeing a special group of people – they were as much on show as we were. We were ordinary, free people, who were going to get back to putting the final touches to our Christmas preparations. These ladies were already at ‘home’ and this concert may well be one of the highlights of their Christmas. beckenhamconcertband.com

MEMBERS

READERS’ PAGE This is your page and we’d love to hear from you: editor@makingmusic.org.uk.

Could you be an occasional or even our resident cartoonist? Would your group like to feature in a 60 second interview or send in an anonymous column? sec view r inte

We chat to Annette Hames, member of a Newcastle-based group that has performed in care homes since 2009 What does Semitones do? We play music in nursing homes, sheltered accommodation and hospices. We know that music is therapeutic for elderly people, reducing feelings of depression and increasing wellbeing, and that it can be more beneficial than other artistic activities. Yet elderly people in care often have limited opportunities to access live music. We offer the chance to share the enjoyment of live music together.

What sort of music do you play? We have found that residents often prefer lively and well-known music. Some slow pieces are nicely nostalgic but risk sending people to sleep! Usually we begin by playing well-known favourites – for instance light classics and theme tunes from films. We have recently added local folk-songs that the audience can join in with (they sometimes know the words better than we do). We then introduce percussion instruments so that they can play along with us. These are maracas, tambourines and drums — light instruments that are easy to hold.

How does your audience respond to the concerts?

The positive effects on elderly people are easy to see.

People smile, look more alert, tap their feet and sing along. Sometimes they dance. Those who appear to be socially isolated, maybe moaning to themselves, stop while we play. Many people in our audiences have poor memories and suffer from dementia. While they often cannot remember what we have played, it is known that if people with dementia experience something which makes them feel positive, they will continue to feel positive, even if they cannot remember why.

As a performer, how does the experience differ to other concerts? Not all of us would have been confident enough to play in public, but we have found that the environment of care homes gives us a sense of purpose and more confidence, sometimes to perform solos and duets for the first time. Our younger musicians can make great progress — one who joined us at the age of 12 is now conducting us at 17! semitones-newcastle.webs.com 22 HIGHNOTES Spring 2016

INAPPROPRIATE It seems that there is an everincreasing threat to music and the arts in urban areas as councils seek to recoup lost government revenue. Whilst village halls and community centres in rural areas are often still subsidised, prime sites in the towns and cities are increasingly being sold off or rented out to big business. This of course adversely affects the potential audiences, as well as cutting down the options to stage a musical event.

The Blue Flash Music Trust has been one such victim in Horsham, West Sussex.

Having been finally forced out of Horsham’s town-centre Old Town Hall by Horsham District Council after much public protest and lengthy High Court battles in 2012, like many other community organisations in the area, we have struggled to find alternatives. For example, ‘inappropriate’ was the bizarre

reason given for cancelling a recent Blue Flash Music Trust event at a community centre in Horsham.

The Old Town Hall was perfect in terms of location, size and acoustics, with our patron and internationally acclaimed cellist, Julian Lloyd Webber having played there in the 1970s. By contrast, the Council now yields a paltry £60,000 per year from Bill’s Restaurant.

The Trust recently sponsored a show for a local artist, whose story would have inspired many because of her determination to overcome the loss of the use of her entire left side after a major operation to remove a tumour, but since there was no suitable central location sadly, few were able to see the results of her efforts.

Robert Mayfield, volunteer The Blue Music Flash Trust blueflashmusictrust.org.uk

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Semitones

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Manic depression stopped me from playing to the point of getting rid of my guitar to pay for somewhere to live.

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