THE MAKING MUSIC MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE | SUMMER ISSUE 2021
New horizons Converted churches as rehearsal and performance-ready spaces • PAGE 14 APPLYING FOR GRANTS Tips on grant funding applications • PAGE 8
NEVER STOP LEARNING The many benefits of adult education • PAGE 17
e m re a h ur S o y h wit up! gro Budget tech upgrades
Covid-19 resources
Making Music on a bandstand
OPENING OUR DOORS Monday 17 May 2021
Courses • Concerts • Venue Hire Bed and Breakfast Stays • Afternoon Teas Music Workshops • Conferences Meetings and Celebrations Benslow Music, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 9RB • 01462 459446 info@benslowmusic.org • www.benslowmusic.org
CONTENTS & EDITORIAL
SUPPORTING AND CHAMPIONING LEISURE ISURE--TIME MUSIC
CONTENTS NEWS
5 The bigger picture 6 Around the UK FEATURES
8 Applying for grants 14 Beyond worship 17 Never stop learning FROM OUR TEAM
12 Membership and services 15 Projects 22 Making Music people MEMBERS
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Blow your trumpet Exploring music Drop the mic Corporate members Readers’ page
If you have suggestions or would like to contribute to Highnotes, please contact the Commissioning Editor, Natalie Joanes, on 020 7939 6041 or editor@makingmusic.org.uk The copy deadline for Highnotes Autumn 2021 (published 1 September) is 30 June Any views or opinions expressed by external contributors may not necessarily represent those of Making Music
Welcome And on it goes. Since March we have once again been updating our popular online tool – Can my group get back to meeting in person? – on a daily basis to take into account everchanging roadmaps and restrictions in the four nations of the UK. Find it on our website: makingmusic.org.uk/guidance-tool Many of you are planning a return from May or June, so check our free events and risk assessment guidance to help you with that: makingmusic.org.uk/coronavirus-resources But do low infection numbers and vaccines mean we are out of the woods for good? The medical community thinks new variants and a winter spike mean we will have to factor in the virus for at least another year. So implement as many mitigations as possible when returning to meeting in person; and also we are close to launching a reporting app, PandeMUSIC. Developed with the Association of British Choral Directors and available for Apple and Android, your reports on it will help us gather data on the safety of leisure-time music and prevent future shutdowns. Meanwhile, keep up the online creativity and get your facemasks ready for rehearsals…
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 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
Barbara Eifler CHIEF EXECUTIVE, MAKING MUSIC Email: barbara@makingmusic.org.uk Twitter: @BarbaraEifler
£6 where sold, annual subscription £15 (3 issues) Designed by Cog Design Printed by Gemini Press Advertising: Contact Sharon Maslen at Space Marketing: 01892 677742 sharonm@spacemarketing.co.uk
Cover photo: Bolton, All Souls Regeneration by Andy Marshall
SUPPORTING AND CHAMPIONING LEISURE ISURE--TIME MUSIC
Summer 2021 HIGHNOTES
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NEWS
THE BIGGER PICTURE @makingmusicuk
CULTURE RECOVERY FUND
Making Music is delighted to have been awarded a grant of £44,000 in the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund distributed via Arts Council England. This funding helps mitigate some of the impact Covid-19 has had on Making Music and will enable us to support member groups vigorously as they prepare to come back to rehearsing and performing, and presenting concerts, in person. We are especially delighted that this award recognises the value and importance of music-making by and for everyone, in communities of all sizes and shapes throughout the UK. Check our coronavirus guidance tools and resources: makingmusic. org.uk/coronavirus-resources
Speaking for leisure-time music Since March 2020, we have been speaking up for leisure-time music groups and amateur promoters Part of Making Music’s work since March 2020 has been to make sure that the voice of leisure-time music groups and amateur promoters is heard where it matters, in all the nations of the UK, when Covid-19 guidance is created. But other topics remain of interest, too. Brexit: we have been monitoring its impact on music groups, so far mainly on those wishing to engage artists from the EU, or those whose data are housed outside the UK. See our Brexit resource makingmusic. org.uk/resource/brexit-impactmusic-groups PRS for Music consulted briefly on the tariffs it had already introduced for live online events, which are at least twice as high as the percentage for in-person events. Making Music and many member groups responded robustly, explaining the not-for-profit nature of our sector and its considerable financial value to musicians. We now await the outcome. Covid-19 certification (‘vaccine passports’) was also briefly consulted on by the government. Making Music responded to say that mandatory certification for
events would place an unacceptable financial and organisational burden on leisure-time music groups and raise concerns about volunteer-run groups having to hold sensitive medical data. Research shows audiences would be hesitant to accept such a passport instead of other mitigation measures, so little would be gained. Further consultations of interest are: The Protect Duty consultation is about making events and venues safe from terrorist attacks. See gov.uk/government/ consultations/protect-duty There is a consultation around the ability of Local Authorities to hold meetings online indefinitely, which may impact the ability of residents – including members of music groups – to make their voice heard to their elected representatives, as many have done in the past, e.g. with regard to music libraries. See gov.uk/government/ consultations/local-authorityremote-meetings-call-forevidence Raise issues with us by emailing barbara@makingmusic.org.uk
CORONAVIRUS IMPACT SURVEY
“... 58% of groups are not considering public events before September, with 32% planning their next concert for November or December 2021” Making Music’s latest coronavirus impact survey
Over 1,000 member groups responded to our survey, which followed up on surveys in March and September 2020. It gives a fascinating snapshot of the variety of online activity, in-person meetings, and digital skills developed over the last year, but also of the concerns relating to a return post-Covid Groups report a high level of anxiety among their participants about in-person meetings, and difficulties planning ahead due to venues being closed or no longer suitable for reasons including capacity and ventilation. These are some of the reasons why 58% of groups are not considering public events before September, with 32% planning their next concert for November or December 2021. Rehearsals in person are anticipated to start in May/June (39%) or September (22%) 2021. Making Music’s response to the pandemic was again praised, especially its guidance tool and risk assessment documents, and we look forward to continuing to support leisure-time music in 2021. Visit: makingmusic.org.uk/impact-survey Summer 2021 HIGHNOTES
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NEWS
AROUND THE UK If you have any news you would like to share, email editor@makingmusic.org.uk LEICESTER
Making remote work Opera Sunderland turn to film production in lockdown A little over a year ago, a happy crowd of community performers gathered together in Sunderland’s Winter Gardens for a day of singing and drama, after which they signed up to join the chorus for the world premiere of Opera Sunderland’s new work for Remembrance Day, The Soldier’s Return, by Jacob Polley and Marcos Fernandez. Opera Sunderland is not a membership organisation but recruits a new, volunteer chorus for each production, training them up each time to appear alongside professional performers. When lockdown came into force, the team realised they needed to create an online community if they were going to make the project work. Firstly, they created a piano reduction of the score for the chorus master and conductor to prepare the work remotely. Then, the chorus were sent recorded examples of what to sing each week, coached via Zoom and facilitated by a 6
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community coordinator in order to record each week’s sections on their phones or iPads, which were sent to a sound engineer. The chorus filmed themselves individually at home, which was included in the final film. Meanwhile, most of the professional singers and instrumentalists involved didn’t have to travel too far to a studio to record their performances separately with Meerkat Films. The film itself was then made using effects such as projection to reduce the amount of contact needed on stage and Covid-19 restrictions were strictly observed. The chorus never got to rehearse with the orchestra or the principals, and the principals never got to rehearse with each other. But the Opera Sunderland team assembled the whole soundtrack remotely, and the result was a successful and wellreceived online broadcast of the The Soldier’s Return to be proud of. operasunderland.co.uk
Photo: Behind the scenes of The Soldier’s Return Credit: Mark Savage Photography
Players from the Bardi Symphony Orchestra got together to make music again in October 2020, though sadly, it had to be without an audience. However, the orchestra was delighted to play together again under the baton of Danish music director Claus Efland who, at the time, was able to fly in from Berlin. They had a Covid-secure rehearsal at the restored Holy Trinity Church, Regent Road, in three separate sections, and thanks to the technology at the venue, the orchestra was able to video the day itself. In addition, they put together a special video uniting all three sections of a simple version of Beethoven’s ‘Hymn to Joy’ for one of their partner organisations, the Leicestershire Schools Music Service, to send round to schools in the area with a work book for use in lessons. bardi.org.uk BASINGSTOKE
At the beginning of this year and in the absence of concerts, Baskingstoke Ladies Choir showed the impact music groups can still have in a community. They decided to fundraise for their charity - Sebastian’s Action Trust - which supports the families of seriously ill children by ‘Walking Great Britain’. The virtual walk was from their rehearsal venue in Basingstoke to London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and then back to Basingstoke, plus John ‘O Groats to Lands End and all around the coast in between. Anyone in the same household as members was invited to join in and walk, run, jog or cycle. In total they collectively walked 4,124.87 miles and raised over £2,200. They now look forward to being able to meet again in person to sing again! basingstokeladieschoir.co.uk
NEWS
Member announcements New appointments, anniversaries, awards and projects The Cobweb Orchestra marked its 25th anniversary in October with a weekend of silver-themed virtual celebrations as well as a video memoir, Silver Cobwebs: 25 years of joining up the dots. The weekend included a Silver Anniversary Virtual Concert Party with home-made cocktails, live performances on Zoom by professional musicians, an Archive Hour presentation by one of the founding members of memorable moments from the last 25 years, and a Zoom social sharing memories with founding
members. The weekend culminated in revisiting their first ever event from 1995 and playing along to an archive recording of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. cobweborchestra.org.uk/ about/silver-anniversary St Neots Choral Society decided not to pursue virtual singing during lockdown, instead producing their own Desert Island Discs booklet. They asked all their members to submit their favourite ‘desert island’ choices together with their reasons why they had
Meet newly-created group Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra from Leicestershire, who started their musical journey just before the pandemic hit
than 70 members from all walks of life and generations. They have performed across the North East of England, with tours to Norway and Switzerland. During the pandemic, the NTO has created weekly virtual rehearsals, and both string and wind sections have contributed virtual pieces to Making Music’s Virtual Concerts. nto.org.uk
New Tyneside Orchestra is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Comprised of around 30 musicians in 1970, the orchestra has grown over the years to more
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Photo: Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra
60-second interview
chosen them. They collated these into a series of lists detailing the most popular pieces of music and composers, followed by other choices of all musical genres and produced a booklet together with a copy of everyone’s submissions, which they presented to each choir member as a memento of summer 2020. stneotschoral.org.uk
Describe your group in three words? Friendly, versatile, innovative When was the group first formed? January 2020 Why the name ‘Phoenix’? Some of us had met and played together before in various guises, but this group was a fresh, new, bright creation, hence the name ‘Phoenix’.
What was it like being such a new group during lockdown? In a way, I think being a new group was actually an Has the group been able to continue making music during advantage. We’d only just got started (we’d had five the pandemic? rehearsals before lockdown), so the impetus and enthusiasm Absolutely, yes! We started our musical lockdown journey by to make music together was still with us. Also, we hadn’t got recording individual parts for two new arrangements at home, then set in our ways, so we weren’t afraid to try new ways of doing splicing them together electronically. These were so well received things. Members have eagerly stepped forward to offer help that for Christmas we decided to produce a virtual charity single, with recording, editing, video production and so on, and which raised more than £830 for a local charity, Voluntary Action we’ve come together as a really strong, supportive team. South Leicestershire. If anything, we’ve actually gone from strength to strength. Early on in the pandemic, we also made friends with the As well as acquiring our patron, Saxtet Publications is now Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra, who invited us along to one sponsoring us, we have four new members and we’ve had of their online rehearsals, which inspired us to start our own online loads of local media coverage including regular radio slots rehearsals to learn new music. We’ve also been treated to two we’ve even been on local TV, twice! online masterclasses on sax technique from our patron, Gerard phoenixsax.org.uk McChrystal, which have been truly inspiring. Summer 2021 HIGHNOTES
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FEATURE
Applying for grants
John Rostron, funding consultant and our manager in Wales, gives pointers Covid-19 has caused difficulties across the board, but the good news is that different types of financial support are now becoming available. For leisure time-music groups, new or repurposed pots of grant funding are the most viable. There are a whole range of funds to apply for and amounts available, and a little money can go a long way and make a big difference to a music group. However, before you start looking at what funding is available it’s important to think about what you want the funding for first. Grant funding can undoubtedly play a role in your group’s financial health, but it’s crucial to think about the role it would play. If you have more serious, ongoing financial problems, it is better to try and address these in a more sustainable way. Funding can help bridge a gap, but if you do not address the more fundamental problems the gap will always be there, and sooner or later the funding won’t be. We think it is best to view grant funding as a way of solving short-term problems or to fund a specific, one-off project. Given the hardship caused by coronavirus, using grant funding to solve a short-term problem to get your group back up and running again can be a great option. In order to get grants, you will often need to
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complete some form of application. This may seem intimidating, but writing an application can also be an extremely rewarding process. Often (but not always) there will be a limited pot, and so there will be other people competing for the fund. In order to give yourself the best chance possible, here are some tips to help guide you through the process. Eligibility Make sure you’re definitely eligible for the grant before you embark on an application. Some funders will only support charities or properly constituted not-for-profit organisations, while others might be more wide ranging. Some might have different grants to apply for that only support organisations in a certain postcode, or of a certain size in terms of turnover (small or big). If you’re not quite sure, then contact the funder and ask. It’s always better to get clarity before you invest your time. Read and follow the guidance It may seem obvious, but make sure to read all of the guidance that comes with the grant carefully and make sure you follow it! It’s a good idea to print it out and refer to it as you work on your application. Write a checklist of all the parts you need Every application will ask for a few different things
FEATURE
- financial statements, letters of support, marketing materials or a proposal budget. Write a checklist of everything you need and gather these while you’re writing the main body of the application. That way, everything will be assembled in good time for when you need to submit. Write your application somewhere other than the grant portal Often you’ll submit your grant through some kind of online portal. It’s good practice to copy the questions from the portal into your favourite word processing software or use a tool like google docs, and write out your answers there. Then simply copy and paste them into the portal when you’re ready to submit. Stay in the word (or character) count Most applications set a word or character limit for each answer. Use a free tool like charactercountonline. com. This will keep you on track and you’ll have less editing to do when you nip and tuck your final submission. Use bullet points If you’ve a lot to say in an answer but only so many words to do so, then use bullet points. They will help you get lots of information over within a short space, and help ensure you hit every point of the application. Collect evidence A great way to tell your story is to have others help tell it for you. Keep digital copies of photographs of your events, copies of your favourite artwork and any supportive quotes from key figures or audiences. These
will often help bring your application alive. Be organised Set yourself up right from the start and be organised. Create a folder - with some sub folders - for all the different documents that will go with the application. Have one sub-folder for all the guidance and help notes. Have another for all your notes and drafts. Then have a folder with all the final polished versions ready for upload. Budget for contingency If you’re having to write a budget for your application then putting in a ‘contingency’ line gives you a little cushion. Putting in 3-6% of the overall budget is generally good practice. (If you can) upload attachments as PDFs Unless the application specifies otherwise, then upload or submit your attachments as PDFs. This will ensure you can check your documents look as you’d like them to before you upload, confident that they will look exactly the same for the assessors too. Submit before the final deadline Submit your application early and you’ll have more time to tackle any issues as you upload to the online portal. You’ll also avoid everyone else piling in on deadline day, which can sometimes bring things crashing down. Now you wait to hear the decision best of luck!
“... Funding can help bridge a gap but if you do not address the more fundamental problems the gap will always be there, and sooner or later the funding won’t be.”
Visit our website for a webinar recording of our guest speaker event on applying for funding: makingmusic.org.uk/webinar-funding
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NEW: AUTUMN 2021 OCT. 30 - NOV. 7, 2021 FLANDERS, BELGIUM
Photo Credits: Choirs: © Nolte Photography , Landscape: © Fotolia
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MEMBERS
BLOW YOUR TRUMPET Online rehearsals from scratch Patricia Lewis, musical director of St Helens Ladies’ Choir, describes her journey from selfconfessed technophobe to running her choral group on Zoom At the start of the pandemic, my technology skills were abysmal. To be blunt, I was technophobic and could not even send an email. However, I knew we wanted to keep the choir together. By September the French class I attended had moved onto Zoom, and since the tutor was a choir member, I dipped my toe in the tech water. I would call her after class and ask for explanations of Zoom features, and also used Making Music’s online Zoom resources. After a month of preparation and practice we started what, to my dismay, turned out to be weeks of sectional ‘tech with a little music’ rather than ‘music with a little tech’. In September I began a weekly choir
business email to everyone to save valuable rehearsal time, and in October began to incorporate features such as original sound and the waiting room. It was November before we finally had 47 of the 51 members together in a realistic singing rehearsal. Rehearsals are now two 40-minute sessions with a 10-minute break, and we have started using breakout rooms. We cope with Zoom’s musical limitations because there is enormous goodwill and patience in the choir, and a sense of pride in each individual’s personal achievement. There is so much to our online journey, but some key things I learned were: • not to be afraid of asking questions of anyone around you with more technical knowledge
• to bear in mind that some members might not attend because they are afraid of seeming ignorant. Link them, one to one, with a more experienced user of the same type of device • have regular small group Zoom half-hour coffee mornings for no more than eight people. This promotes social cohesion, as does a cascade system for delivering new music • project a positive attitude, which in turn helps your choir to feel positive too, whatever issues may arise. St Helens Ladies’ Choir is still in the shallows of the great technological ocean, but it seems to be working for us! For tips on making the most of online rehearsals and helping others to get online, visit makingmusic.org. uk/resources
Persevering in Perthshire John Leggate reveals how Perth Chamber Music is filling the void of live music for local schoolchildren One tragic consequence of the pandemic has been the shutdown of music workshops. This rich source of live music in schools through coaching and masterclasses, mini-concerts and ‘fun and games’ sessions has practically dried up. Perth Chamber Music’s annual concert series (started in 1948) had to be cancelled, and its plans for 10 school workshops shelved. Then, when all seemed lost, a chance phone call led to three recent PCM pilots: • First, Zoom was used to take Glasgowbased violin and cello duo Sequoia into the homes of 17 primary-age pupils of a local violin teacher. The action-packed evening attracted a further 48 siblings, parents and grandparents. Four members of PCM were given clearance to join. • A month later, Sequoia ‘visited’ another Perthshire village primary school.
A Microsoft Teams link enabled the duo to work with each of the school’s three class ‘bubbles’. This time, PCM stayed away for child protection reasons. • Thirdly, Manchester-based brass quartet A4 Brass was commissioned to film a 30-minute children’s concert. When circumstances allow, the idea is for schools to screen the film alongside a live Teams session so that children can speak directly to the players. Apart from minor problems with the Zoom link and erratic rural broadband, the technology worked well, thanks to good prior contact between musicians and the school. Plans are now underway to build on the online models when restrictions are lifted: • A virtual concert tour by A4 Brass will offer the film and Teams sessions in schools in Perth itself. Three village film clubs will
Photo: Online workshop with string duo Sequoia
screen A4’s film alongside the cinema classic Brassed Off. • A new ecology-themed workshop is being prepared by Sequoia for Highland Perthshire to coincide with the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow and Visit Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters. More information about PCM and its programme of music workshops can be found at perthchambermusic.org.uk Summer 2021 HIGHNOTES
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FROM OUR TEAM
MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICES Helping you get the most from your membership
CONTACT US info@makingmusic.org.uk / 020 7939 6030
Subsidies are up for grabs!
*NEW* resources
If your group presents music, claim a subsidy
Coronavirus
While many professional artists have struggled in the last year to find gigs, promoting groups have risen to the challenge, harnessing technology and booking performances online. Making Music has been supporting these needs by expanding our usual range of subsidies. Livestreaming Subsidy – Philip & Dorothy Green Young Artists: The Young Artists scheme enables young musicians at the start of their careers to gain vital concert and recital experience across the UK, and allows Making Music members to engage young musical talent at a reduced cost. We have agreed a fixed fee of £150 with these artists. This subsidy will cover the full amount and Making Music will pay the artist directly. Livestreaming Subsidy – any artist: Groups can claim a £150 subsidy from Making Music towards the booking fee of any artist engaged for a livestreamed performance. And for when you’re able to 12
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book in-person performances, groups that have an income of £14,500 and under can claim these subsidies: Philip & Dorothy Green Young Artists Subsidy: The subsidised booking rates are £250 for the Young Artist of which £150 can be claimed back from Making Music and for the accompanist, £250 of which £100 can be claimed back from Making Music. makingmusic.org.uk/saguide Selected Artists Subsidy: Apply for a £100 subsidy towards the booking fee of any of the Selected Artists in the purple section of our Selected Artist Guide: makingmusic.org.uk/saguide Artists Expenses Subsidy: When your artists are able to travel again, this subsidy is available to put towards the booking fee, travel and accommodation expenses of any artist. Details on all subsidies and how to apply: makingmusic.org.uk/ subsidies
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Introduction to online rehearsal platforms: Jamulus, Jamkazam, Sonobus
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Zoom: troubleshooting audio issues
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Viewing a virtual performance
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Finding a Covid-secure rehearsal venue
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Managing a moving audience outdoors in Covid times
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Covid-19: what does the medical evidence mean for your group? (webinar recording)
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Everyone welcome?: access and inclusion solutions for groups and events (webinar recording)
Coronavirus case studies •
Livestreaming in-person rehearsals
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Online rehearsals from scratch (St Helens Ladies’ Choir)
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What is it like to have a new conductor during lockdown?
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Online rehearsals and getting the most out of technology
General resources •
Take it away - Guide to buying adaptive musical instruments
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The potential impact of Brexit on leisure-time music groups
Visit makingmusic.org.uk/ resources
FROM OUR TEAM CONTACT US info@makingmusic.org.uk / 020 7939 6030 We are here Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm
ONLINE EVENTS We’re offering help and support with running your group that you can access wherever you are in the UK, plus events with a local focus. Book your free place online: makingmusic.org.uk/events
Online member meetups
General online events
28 May: Promoting groups
18 May: Making the most of your Making Music membership
4 June: All groups 9 June: Wales 15 June: Northern Ireland 22 June: Scotland
8 June: Getting to grips with PRS and copyright 12 June: The role of the chair
Contact us!
Following ou r period of par t furlough, our office is now fu lly open again. Yo u can contac t our team on 020 7939 6030 fro m 10am to 5pm weekd ays or via em ai l at info@makingm usic.org.uk
2 July: All groups
New members A warm welcome to our new members who joined between 1 December and 31 March! A Handbag of Harmonies
Cottenham Brass
Occasional Consort
The Selsey Shantymen
Accessible Inclusive Music (AIM)
Egremont Town Band
Paddock Singers
Tiverton Town Band
Ellesmere Port Concert Band
Phoenix Concert Band (Chesterfield)
UK Autoharps
Acorn Shed Music Axe Valley Community Choir Band Pres Porthaethwy/Menai Bridge Band Bedford Woodwind Academy Flute Ensemble Bournemouth Schools’ Music Association Brass Oddity Cantare Cantemus Choir NI Cappella Nova (Bath) Cleobury Mortimer Concert Brass Band
Felixstowe Harmonies Horsham Garden Music Festival
UK Birmingham Lodge SPPBSQSUS (Society for the Preservation and Propagation of Barbershop Quartet Singing in the US)
Quire Voices Scottish Arts Club
Huntbridge Drum and Trumpet Corps
Sharnbrook Community Choir
Huntbridge Drum and Trumpet Corps
South London Concert Band
Welsh Association of Male Choirs
Sound Waves Community Choir Stannington Brass Band
Wetley Rocks Male Voice Choir
Kidlington Concert Brass
The Central Band of the Royal British Legion
Wigston Band
Lewes Music Group
The Frukes (Frome Ukulele Club)
Men2Sing Midsummer Music
The JPTTRUST (Janice Thompson Perfomance Trust)
New Tottenham Singers
The Rodillian Singers
Key Voices Community Choir
Wycombe Philharmonic Choir
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FEATURE
Beyond worship Peter Aiers, of the Church Conservation Trust, introduces these rehearsal and performance-ready spaces The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) cares for 356 wonderful venues across England; historic parish churches that are no longer used for regular worship, these venues are so special that they cannot be demolished or converted for other uses. We actively encourage communities to use and love them for a wide variety of purposes, as we consider historic church buildings to be the most democratic of historic buildings, and to belong to everyone. The CCT was initially formed in 1969 with the express intention of saving historic parish churches at risk. However, over 50 years we have evolved into an organisation that sees the real future for these special buildings lying with people using and seeing them as real cultural assets in their community. We are very grateful to have funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the Church Commissioners. We double this funding every year through fundraising and commercial activity, and every penny counts as we take on more church buildings each year. We have developed an expertise for repurposing some of our church buildings so they have greater potential for use. The first project we undertook in this vein was to create a circus school at St Paul’s Bristol, which is still operating today and where I have learnt to trapeze! Bristol was followed by projects at All Souls in Bolton, St Nicholas’ Kings Lynn, St Mary at
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Quay Ipswich, and two that should finish later this year in Holy Trinity Sunderland and St Swithun’s Worcester. We also have St Peter’s Sudbury in the pipeline as well as an interesting pub development next to one of our churches. Five years ago we set up ‘Champing’ (champing.co.uk) which is the simple concept of camping in churches. As well as being open to visitors during normal times our churches host live music, theatre productions, art events, beer and gin festivals, fashion shows and much cake eating and tea drinking. We have supported musical events in our churches for years, covering everything from choral, classical and jazz to good old rock and roll. We are proud to say that one of our vice presidents is Jools Holland, and during the first lockdown he hosted a virtual concert on our behalf which saw bands from all over the country perform in our churches. Dave Stewart has also performed in our church in Langport in Somerset, and in Alton Priors you could hear ‘Music for Awhile’ led by Maggie Faultless. At Christmas last year, we joined up with the Royal School of Church Music to host an online carol service from our wonderful arts and crafts church of All Saints Cambridge, so the joy of singing Christmas carols would not be lost in lockdown. Our aim is for historic church buildings to be used and loved by the communities around them, and we would love to hear from musical groups who may wish to use the spaces we have. See visitchurches.org.uk
Photo: Church Keys at All Saints Langport Credit: Dave Stewart
“Our aim is for historic church buildings to be used and loved by the communities around them...”
PROJECTS & OPPORTUNITIES Keeping you up to date with projects and programmes NEW AWARDS FOR 2021
Make Music Day, 21 June Make music on a bandstand! Last year, Make Music Day went digital and included a 13-hour broadcast which premiered our ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ film, featuring 200 Making Music members (watch at: makingmusic.org.uk/ opportunities/make-musicday) Hundreds of groups, individuals and organisations created and shared digital content on the day, and you can view a short highlights film on Make Music Day UK’s YouTube channel. So can you still get involved this year? Yes! Either in person or digitally. Making Music will be hosting a bandstand in each of the UK nations (restrictions permitting) and is inviting you to perform on it – but also encouraging you to find a bandstand near you to perform on. Find a local bandstand at: pavilionsformusic.co.uk And if you are finding it difficult to book via the local authority or friends’ group which looks
after events on your bandstand, please contact us at info@ makingmusic.org.uk, and we will try and help. We are also commissioning two short films to be shared on social media – one to promote the event beforehand and one to show what happened. Register your interest with us by 31 May, so we can feature your group. Email info@makingmusic.org.uk But of course this is not the only thing you can do – makemusicday.co.uk has lots of inspiration and resources, meetups and drop-ins to ask questions. How about an open rehearsal, come and sing, or a care home serenade? Or get involved with one of the international projects this year – you could swap a folk song with Nigeria, or join a global drum battle… Check this page: https:// drive.google.com/file/ d/1BkN6iPXvOEagnVACMPVhsJKRYtQvXxj/view Visit makemusicday.co.uk
We’re delighted to announce that after a year of unprecedented challenges for leisure-time music groups, we have decided to launch two new, additional Making Music Awards for 2021: Music Director of the Year and ‘Group Hero’ of the Year. The sector is full of individuals who have gone above and beyond during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we wanted to provide an opportunity for member groups to express their thanks and appreciation. Nominations for this year’s Making Music Awards will be opening in the summer. Our inaugural awards ceremony took place last September, presented virtually on Zoom by Making Music President Debbie Wiseman OBE, celebrating outstanding music making across the UK with a range of prizes for both leisure-time and professional musicians, music groups and organisations. As before, members of Making Music can also nominate inspirational music makers who have made lifetime contributions to their group or music in the local community. There are also categories to showcase music creators and arrangers that groups have worked with, and you can submit details of an innovative project involving 21st century music created during the course of 2020. Keep an eye on the website for when the awards applications open: makingmusic.org/awards
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FEATURE
Never stop learning New skills, resilience and friendship are just some of the many benefits of adult education. Chris Butcher, of the Workers’ Education Association, tells us more Members of Making Music will be very familiar with the incredible power of singing and playing together. You will know that music heals, it creates communities and it connects us to a wider world. But there’s another activity with similarly powerful properties that can help you make new friends, discover new creative experiences and possibly even improve your health and wellbeing. Every year, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) – the national adult education charity – carries out a survey of around 5,000 adult learners to discover the impact that taking a course has had on their lives. The responses are amazing and inspiring – taking part in learning as an adult brings remarkable effects. In the WEA’s 2020 adult education impact report, 40% of our students said their course helped them feel more resilient, 70% said that their course had introduced them to new friends, and 85% said that it had helped them do at least one new cultural activity. Our students are of all ages (from 19 years upwards), all backgrounds and all academic levels, including many who are returning to learning later in life having left school with few qualifications. Our short courses cover a range from basic literacy and numeracy through to Greek philosophy and art history, but they all have an accessible and friendly approach. And with 39% of WEA students taking courses in the arts, crafts and humanities, you won’t be surprised to learn that we have a good range of courses in music – both participation and appreciation. By the time you read this, we all hope that the Government’s ‘roadmap’ will tell us how much longer we must live with social distancing and the other restrictions the pandemic has placed on us. It has brought many changes, of course, and the WEA’s tutors have worked incredibly hard to ensure that online delivery
retains as much as possible of the ‘feel’ of in-person teaching. Online courses are still interactive, responsive and maintain a high quality. But while we have learned a lot about the possibilities of online delivery in the last year, our students and tutors are keen to return to our venues as soon as it is safe to do so. I have seen some of the incredible online performances which Making Music has hosted during the lockdowns, and as time has gone on musicians and other performers have become increasingly innovative in making use of the technology available. WEA’s music courses have adapted in similar ways, and during the last year we have been able to offer courses which included folk singing circles, percussion workshops (we encourage our students to think of their neighbours if doing these from home!) and even light exercise to music. Music appreciation and theory courses adapt more readily to the online format, and subjects of recent WEA courses have included an introduction to opera and the history of the protest song. So, even if we are still predominantly living virtually when you read this, I would encourage you to explore the range of courses available through the WEA. And of course, the joy of learning is that you may want to stretch yourself into a new subject – there is no reason why a trombonist cannot pick up trigonometry or a soprano discover Socrates. It’s all there for you to explore, and before long, who knows, we may be welcoming you through the doors of a WEA venue and singing and playing – and learning – together once more.
“...during the last year we have been able to offer courses which included folk singing circles, percussion workshops ... and even light exercise to music.”
Find out more and search for courses: wea.org.uk Discover more about the 2020 adult education impact report at news.wea.org.uk/impact/ Summer 2021 HIGHNOTES
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MEMBERS
EXPLORING MUSIC Readers tell us about the music they love. Email editor@makingmusic.org.uk
Jukebox Readers share how a particular piece of music inspires them Dies Natalis Gerald Finzi I imagine it’s rather like being invited to appear on Desert Island Discs: how on earth to choose a favourite piece out of so many possibles from so many areas of music. As choirs and vocal groups have been the foundation of my musical life – King’s Cambridge Choral Scholar, founder bass of the King’s Singers and choral conductor – my choice will have to involve the human voice, and indeed it does. In my recently published autobiographical book of memories and anecdotes (Music, My Life – Umbria Press) I tell the story of being taken to a performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion at the age of 12. I remember being mesmerised by the story-telling of
tenor Wilfred Brown in the role of the Evangelist; he had a way with the text that started my lifelong love of words and music, ideally in perfect combination. Some years later, I discovered the same Wilfred Brown’s justly celebrated recording of Dies Natalis, the setting by Gerald Finzi of wonderful words about birth and early life by the 17th century poet and theologian Thomas Traherne. His evocation of the beginnings of human life are exquisitely and touchingly written, and Finzi’s deliciously lyrical music mirrors the simplicity of expression to perfection. Whenever I included this glorious work on my radio programmes, I implored listeners to stop whatever they were doing and savour every word and note, and each time I did so I was inundated with letters saying how much it had meant to them. It certainly means a huge amount to me, and if I were ever to appear on that famous desert island, Wilfred Brown’s outstanding recording would be the one record I would save when the other seven had been washed away! Brian Kay, broadcaster, Principal Conductor of The Really Big Chorus, conductor of the Burford Singers and former Chorus Master of the Huddersfield Choral Society
Sea shanties Maddy Shaw Roberts, Senior Content Editor at Classic FM, gives an overview of the recent internet craze Melodies like ‘The Wellerman’ and ‘What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor’ have been popping up in videos everywhere recently. The trend all began with a postman named Nathan Evans, who started singing the folk songs in his bedroom in Scotland and posting them to the social media network TikTok, unaware his videos would lead to a full-blown shanty renaissance. Sea shanties are a type of collective folk song, typically performed on ships by fishermen, merchant sailors or whalers. Shanties were ‘work songs’ in essence, whose steady beat helped unite a shipload of sailors in one rhythm, making lighter work of arduous chores. Sea shanties go back a long way – but no one can quite agree on how long. Popular thought says shanties show an African influence, their form being inspired by the rhythms and call-and-response of African work songs. It’s thought that their name, ‘shanties’, came through French influence, the French word for ‘singing’ being ‘chanter’. In these work songs, one sailor would take the 18
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role of ‘calling’ a line, for the collective group to ‘respond’ across the deck. Different types of shanty existed for different kinds of work. They were also typically sung a cappella – without instrumental accompaniment – and often contained punchy moments of collective sound like ‘Haul!’ or ‘Ho!’ to help coordinate and create energy during heavy-duty chores. Away from the theory side of things, sea shanties – much like gospel songs, thinking to the ever-joyous ‘O Happy Day’ – help us feel like we’re part of something bigger, a collective musical moment that perhaps sailors found comfort in, being away at sea and from their loved ones for long periods. Certainly, looking to the 2021 shanty revival, that shared singing experience is something many of us are yearning for and finding, rather beautifully, in the heart of the TikTok community. Find out more about sea shanties and other musical genres at classicfm.com/discover-music
FROM OUR TEAM
DROP THE MIC If you have any software, hardware or performance tips you would like to share, email editor@makingmusic.org.uk
Upgrade your hardware
ONLINE REHEARSAL PLATFORMS
Leon Gower recommends an external microphone and camera
As we’ve all leapt (or been pushed!) into the digital space, we’ve become reliant on our computers to keep us communicating, rehearsing and performing. As a Digital Producer working with Making Music, I’ve come across a range of equipment designed to increase the performance of our home computers and have been particularly impressed by the quality of the ‘entry level’ offerings. These devices aren’t from big brands but will increase your sound and video quality without breaking the bank. Microphone Model: Fifine K669 (Price £35-£45) Laptops have notoriously terrible builtin microphones and for that reason I’d recommend a budget USB microphone. This model is a hard-wearing metal device with a handy built-in table-top stand. This is a ‘condenser’ microphone, which means it’s more sensitive to subtle sounds (but will also perform well with louder instruments). The microphone plugs into your computer with a USB cable and works with online rehearsal/video calling platforms and audio recording software. The device has a ‘volume’ control – turn this down for a loud instrument or up for quieter sounds.
It won’t quite be studio standard but this microphone will dramatically increase your audio quality, and the straightforward setup makes this device my number one recommendation. Webcam Model: Papalook PA452 (Price around £45) If your computer is more than a couple of years old it’s likely that the webcam quality isn’t too great, making you appear grainy in online rehearsals and performances. Our focus is often on audio quality when playing music online, but it’s also important to consider video, as this can increase the experience for your fellow musicians or audience. Rather than upgrading your computer there are plenty of USB webcams available which plug directly into your machine. This model from Papalook clips onto your computer’s screen and provides video in HD quality – ideal for web streaming or recording online videos. The headline feature is a focus control on the camera lens, allowing you to focus sharply on yourself and dropping your backdrop into a fashionable shallow depth of field blur – perfect for disguising a messy background!
Online rehearsal platforms are websites or software that allow musicians to meet up in a virtual music room to play together using their internet connection. All of the platforms listed here use specialist techniques to minimise ‘latency’, which is the delay heard on many online video conference platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc.) making it impossible to keep in time when playing music. SonoBus A free, easy to set up platform that allows users to join on a computer, laptop or mobile/tablet device. www. sonobus.net Jamulus A free platform that can be configured to work with private or cloud servers to increase quality/connection speeds. jamulus.io JamKazam A platform with free and paid for options allowing users to setup private rehearsal spaces online. This platform also offers video rehearsal jamkazam.com Access resources and download PDF guides at makingmusic.org/ resources
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MEMBERS
READERS’ PAGE Got something to say? We’d love to hear from you: editor@makingmusic.org.uk. The return to rehearsal - is it worth it? There were many questions the German Choir London had to confront when planning our Covid-secure rehearsals last autumn, which we’ll soon face again as lockdown restrictions ease. When we ask ourselves if we want to restart in-person rehearsals, we are faced with a vast number of questions: Will anybody turn up? Who will do the risk assessment? What if our members catch Covid during rehearsals? Do we have a social and mental health responsibility as well as a physical one? And last but not least, is it actually worth it? Which of these questions to base your decisions on depends, of course, substantially on your group. For our members, singing in the choir is as much about socialising, speaking German once a week and meeting like-minded people as it is
about music making. Together with the choir trustees, we decided that fear is not a good adviser. Two trustees filled in a risk assessment (straightforward when you use the template on the Making Music website), we found a bigger but affordable venue, created an online questionnaire about symptoms and attendance, made a weekly seating plan, everybody was told to print and bring their own music, and then we met. And we sang, with masks, warmups, new pieces and old favourites. And not a single singer regretted it. Some had been anxious on the way there, but everyone left with the feeling that it gave them a tiny bit of their lives back. So at least one question is therefore answered for me: is it worth it? Wholeheartedly: YES!
RECOMMENDED READ: MUSIC LIBRARY SURVEY RESULTS
New research into music libraries Many Making Music members took part in a nationwide survey of music library service users, commissioned by the Music Libraries Trust and carried out by Dr Michael Bonshor (University of Sheffield), which was circulated alongside a survey of music library staff. Most music library users valued the current services and resources, and particularly appreciated the cost-effectiveness, convenience, and quality provided. It was widely acknowledged that, without music libraries, many amateur groups would find it difficult to access affordable printed sets of music. Many users were apprehensive about the implications of technological developments, including the digitisation of sheet music, and worried the availability of printed music might be limited in future. While some recognised the convenience of online systems for finding and ordering music, others requested more
technical support. They agreed online catalogues and ordering systems need updating more frequently and called for more national co-ordination of resources. Library users appreciated the helpfulness of music library staff. However, specialist music librarians are not employed in every library, so users and staff suggested musical training might be helpful for non-specialists. Users were concerned about recent reductions in services and closures in some areas. There was a widespread awareness of the impact of funding, and a sense that action is needed to address this. It is hoped that this research will help to spread the word about the services and resources available in music libraries, and that some of the findings could be used to lobby for additional funding. Read the report at the Music Libraries Trust homepage: musiclibrariestrust.org
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FROM OUR TEAM
MAKING MUSIC PEOPLE Interested in getting involved? Visit makingmusic.org.uk/volunteers
BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
STAFF MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
CAROL PEMBERTON
HELEN EVANS
TRUSTEE
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Why Making Music? It’s a great organisation for groups involved in music making at different stages of development and I think I can make a positive contribution. Time will tell.
What does your job entail?
Tell us a bit about your group, Black Voices Filling international concert venues across the world with spirituals and traditional songs to jazz, modern and classical arrangements, Black Voices (BV) is the most exciting and finest female exponents of a cappella singing in the black oral tradition. What other musical activity are you involved in? I play alto saxophone purely for pleasure. I also support a range of community choirs across the UK through sessions exploring ‘singing in the black oral tradition’. As Associate Artists of Town Hall Symphony Hall, BV work in partnership to present Community Spirit (CS), an annual choral showcase event, bringing diverse community choirs together. I’ve been the Creative Producer since its inception in 2009. I manage BV’s centre, Grosvenor Road Studios, the oldest independent recording facility in Birmingham. I have run the popular Gospel Choir at Dartington International Summer School since 1993. Have you been able to keep up your music making during the pandemic? BV has continued to meet weekly online. We’ve managed to learn some new pieces, recording ourselves individually and then putting the parts together. It’s not ideal, but it’s been great to stay connected. We moved our CS project online and regularly have up to 100 singers participating in these monthly sessions since May 2020. Of course my saxophone is always great company! Who is your favourite musician or composer (past or present) and why? This keeps changing. Currently it’s Sheku Kanneh-Mason. I love the freedom in his expression and that he doesn’t see barriers in terms of collaboration and exploring any music. Cello was my first instrument, so maybe I’m drawn by that too! What’s your favourite piece of music or song? Hmm, it’s hard to pick just one... If I have to, then it must be what’s on repeat in my car right now. Liz Wright, ‘I Remember, I Believe’ (from her album Fellowship).
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Looking after Making Music’s financial systems and resources, and also ensuring the trustees and management have the information they need to make effective decisions. Do you play or sing yourself? Yes, I play the double bass with member group, Fleetville Swing Band. It’s such a cool instrument – physically and technically challenging to play, but the reward is a lovely warm, rich sound. I once heard that if chocolate could sing, it would sound like the double bass. When did you start working for Making Music? In April 2020, during the first lockdown. Previously, I was Head of Finance at English Touring Opera. What was it like to start a new job during the pandemic? Exhilarating! It helped that, as an MM Group Rep, I was familiar with Making Music and its fantastic range of services and resources. I’m still looking forward to meeting all of my colleagues in person. What are you most looking forward to doing after the lockdown? Seeing family and friends but also live music. I’ve enjoyed following livestreams from venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, but nothing beats the electricity and unpredictability of being in the room. If you could invite three people, past or present, to a dinner party, who would they be and why? Ray Brown, my double bass hero. Playing with Oscar Peterson and married to Ella Fitzgerald, he must have some great stories to share from that era. Samuel Pepys – London is my birthplace and deep in my ancestry. I’ve always had a fascination with its history. We could compare our pandemic experiences. My late grandmother, who made a habit of enlivening any gathering with a well-placed incendiary comment!
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