NCEM Education Newsletter Autumn 2009

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autumn 2009

ISSUE 7

a chance for you to get involved!

YOUNG ARTISTS

COMPETITION

WINNERS

Welcome to the NCEM’s education and community newsletter – the space for you to find out more about events and activities.

In this issue find out more about the winners of this year’sYoung Artists Competition, the Schools Prom, the 2010 NCEM Composers Award and our contribution to the Musicport World Music Festival.

Ensemble Meridiana won the prestigious biennial York Early Music International Young Artists Competition organised by the National Centre for Early Music, which culminated on Saturday 18 July during the 2009 York Early Music Festival.

The group triumphed against intense competition from an exciting line up of 29 young musicians from around the world: Concitato Ensemble (USA); Grand Désir (Switzerland); MetroMarina (Belgium); Le Tic Toc Choc (France); Purcelli Abubu (Austria) and The Marian Consort (UK).

Ensemble Meridiana consists of five young instrumentalists from Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway and England who met during their studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland.They impressed the judges with a programme entitled ‘Leipzig Connections’ featuring works from the Baroque period.The group received a cheque for £1,000 alongside a series of opportunities to work with the NCEM and a prestigious recording contract with Linn Records.

At the end of the competition John Bryan, Chairman of the Judges, said: “We have enjoyed a feast of music ranging from medieval songs and dances to the subtle interplay of late 18th century chamber music – all performed to a very high standard.The winning ensemble gave beautifully sculpted performances of Bach and his contemporaries showing a real understanding of the interplay between different instruments.”

Evelyn Tubb, one of the worlds’ most highly respected singing teachers and competition coach noted: “In most instances, the nature of the competition itself can be fierce and daunting but what makes this competition special is the importance placed on the building of confidence and support. It was wonderful to see

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each group move forward significantly from their workshop to their competition performances. I wish all of the groups well for the future.”

Delma Tomlin, Director of the National Centre for Early Music added: “We have been particularly impressed by the overall high standard of preparation and presentation which all the entrants have displayed this year and wish each ensemble the success they so richly deserve in their future careers. Although there has to be a winner, we are very aware from the feedback we have received from the competitors that they have all benefited from the whole experience which has provided them with valuable and highly professional advice across all the performing disciplines in the nurturing and encouraging environment created by our NCEM audiences.”

As in previous years, the Friends of the York Early Music Festival awarded their own prize and this year it went to the medieval ensemble Grand Désir whose members came from Switzerland, Canada and Holland.

The next York Early Music International Young Artists Competition will take place in 2011 as part of the York Early Music Festival. Information will be available shortly on the National Centre for Early Music website at www.ncem.co.uk

SCHOOLS PROM FOR 500 YORK PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Sing Up York Massed Choir at the Royal Albert Hall Photography: Chris Christodoulou

The National Centre for Early Music has worked with the National Singing Programme - Sing Up - throughout 2009 to celebrate the 350th anniversary of Henry Purcell, one of England’s finest composers.

This autumn, the NCEM worked with over 500 primary school children from 12 schools in York to prepare a short piece to perform at the Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall on 9 November 2009.The schools that took part were: New Earswick, Dringhouses, Dunnington, Heworth, Fishergate, Wigginton, St Wilfrid’s RC, Park Grove, St George’s RC, Robert Wilkinson, Hempland Primary Schools, Bootham Junior School and the Minster Minstrels - York’s Young Early Music Ensemble.

The piece, known as ‘Ode on the 350th Birthday of Mr Henry Purcell’ was especially commissioned from Cathedral composer Dr Richard Shephard.The young people’s choir was directed by Susan Hollingworth, musical director of the Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir who won the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year in 2008.The young people performed the piece to over 5000 people at the Royal Albert Hall and were praised by all for an outstanding performance.

“Thank you for your huge efforts and hard work that enabled us to go to the Royal Albert Hall. It really was an amazing and unforgettable experience for children, teachers and parents. It will certainly be a lasting memory for everyone.”

Caroline Gilderdale, Deputy Head, Dunnington Primary School “Many congratulations on the fabulous organisation of the Schools Prom. We knew exactly what to expect and you planned things very well indeed. Many thanks for all your hard work and effort. We all had a wonderful time and experience.”

Julia Elliot, Head Teacher, Dringhouses Primary School

The young people also performed a special preview concert to over 1000 people in York Minster on Wednesday 4 November prior to their London appearance.

Here are comments from some of the participating schools: “Thank you! We are still reflecting on the amazing musical experience we were fortunate to be part of at the Royal Albert Hall.The whole concert, the venue and the atmosphere contributed to making a very special occasion for everyone involved. All the children from every school in York were brilliant in their attitude and performance.”

Stuart Outram, Head Teacher, Hempland Primary School

Sing Up York Massed Choir at York Minster Photography: Eddie Rolmanis

NCEM ANNOUNCES 2010 COMPOSERS AWARD The National Centre for Early Music is delighted to announce the 2010 NCEM Composers Award in which they continue to develop their successful partnership with BBC Radio 3 and the internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble The Tallis Scholars.

This major national award is open to composers up to the age of 25, divided into two age categories: 18 years and under, and 19 to 25 years.

The 2010 NCEM Composers Award invites young composers to compose a new a cappella (unaccompanied) piece for Soprano, Alto,Tenor and Bass.The Award will be judged by Peter Phillips, Director of The Tallis Scholars; Chris Wines, Senior Music Producer BBC Radio 3 and Delma Tomlin, Director of the NCEM.The winners’ pieces will be premiered by The Tallis Scholars in Chester Cathedral as part of the 2010 Chester Summer Music Festival on Wednesday 30 June.

The 2010 NCEM Composers Award’s development programme is designed to provide a thorough insight into an unaccompanied vocal group’s sound and appreciate how best to write for these forces.

Those wishing to take part in the Award should write to the NCEM to formally express their interest by Monday 1 March 2010, with completed scores to be received by Monday 15 March.The finalists will have the opportunity to work with composer Christopher Fox and the Ebor Singers in a special public finalists’ concert to be held at All Saints’ Church, North Street, York at 7pm on Thursday 20 May.Their pieces will also be recorded and made available for listening on the NCEM website.

Delma Tomlin, Director of the NCEM, commented: “Working with BBC Radio 3 and The Tallis Scholars has been a great privilege and a wonderful experience. We were thrilled with the high standard of entries last year and look forward to the exciting prospect of developing more young talent in 2010 and encouraging further compositions of modern a cappella works for the voice.”

The inaugural NCEM Composers Award in 2009 culminated with The Tallis Scholars’ performance of the winning pieces in the opening concert of the 2009 York Early Music Festival in York Minster.The winner in the older category was 21 year-old Michael Perrett from Hampshire, currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with his piece entitled ‘God’ – a setting of a minstrel song from Isaac Rosenberg’s verse-play ‘Moses’ published in 1916.The younger category was won by 16 year-old Elizabeth Edwards from Surrey, who has recently begun her A-level studies at Wells Cathedral School as a music specialist, with her entry entitled ‘Arise’, with text from Isaiah chapter 60. For further information visit www.ncem.co.uk/composersaward

MINSTER MINSTRELS AWARD Musician, Joanna Wherry won the first-ever NCEM Award for Excellence in recognition of the commitment and enthusiasm that she had shown to the Minster Minstrels over the years.

The prize was donated by John Marvin, former chair of the York Early Music Festival.

Joanna has been a member of the ensemble since 2003 and left to read English at the University of Edinburgh. She said: “I felt so honored that the work I had put into the group had been appreciated in such a way. Being part of the Minster Minstrels has helped me grow as a person and musician. I feel so lucky to have been able to be a part of such an amazing group for such a long time. I am especially appreciative of Ailsa and Lizzy, the group could not wish for more inspiring, supportive and talented leaders.”

The Minster Minstrels will be performing at the NCEM on Saturday 19 December at 12.30pm in

a concert of Christmas music including a twopart arrangement of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus directed by Susan Hollingworth and Ailsa Reid.

It has been an exciting term for the Minster Minstrels Vocal Ensemble who were part of the York Sing Up Massed Choir who performed as part of the Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall.

There are more plans afoot for the ensemble in 2010 when members will be auditioning to sing the parts of the Cupids alongside superstars of the early music world in a performance of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis in the York Early Music Festival in July 2010.

The Minster Minstrels is run as a partnership between the NCEM and the City of York Council’s Arts Academy with support from the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust.

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MUSIC4U AT MUSICPORT WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL Thirty-five aspiring young musicians from Headlands Secondary School in Bridlington performed live on stage at this year’s Musicport with the world music band The Balkanatics as part of a Music4U initiative.

Music4U is - the Humber Region Action Zone - is co-ordinated by the National Centre for Early Music working in partnership with the East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire Councils supported by Arts Council England,Yorkshire and instigated and funded by Youth Music.

Prior to stepping in to the limelight in front of the Musicport audience in Bridlington, the ‘A’ level and GCSE music students had the opportunity to work closely with The Balkanatics, a brass band who play wild, rhythmically driving music from the Balkan region and Anatolia. Music teacher at Headlands, Zoe Backhouse said they had a fantastic experience. She commented: "At first, the music sounded far from what we knew and were used to, using different and very difficult time signatures, but it had an amazing energy which hooked us from the start.Within a day, the students had learned the three songs in a rough format,

mastering the timing and we then spent more time perfecting the songs and the Balkan style of playing.

Acting Head Teacher at Headland School, Scott Ratheram, was really delighted and proud that his school had been given the opportunity to be involved in this project. He commented: "Following the Ofsted judgement to remove the school from Special Measures, this event, with so much talent on display, marks the end of a very positive few weeks at Headlands School.”

AMBASSADORS TRAINING

NCEM AT EDUCATORS CONFERENCES

The NCEM is working with MusicLeader Yorkshire, Opera North and York Arts Education to offer training and support in music skills to non-specialist primary school teachers in York. As part of the project the teachers will experience five twilight sessions focusing on singing and transferable workshop skills which they will be able to use in the classroom. Following on from this, primary teachers and music leaders will be introduced to a broader range of art forms including design, directing, composing and acting all areas which directly tie into the world of creating imaginative opera.

This autumn, the NCEM were invited to present the Hopscotch Playground Songs and Games project at the annual National Association of Music Educators Conference. Community musicians ran a workshop for conference delegates which was rated as ‘outstanding’ in the evaluation.The NCEM has also been invited to take part in the prestigious North of England Education Conference, which will take place in York in January 2010.The York Sing Up Massed Choir will reunite for a special additional performance of the Ode on the 350th Birthday of Henry Purcell as performed in the Schools Prom. Cathryn Dew, the NCEM’s Education Consultant, will lead a workshop entitled ‘Music MultiTudornous’ which takes a musical look at Tudor life, using ideas and activities appropriate for Key Stage 2.

To register your interest, or to find out more, please contact MusicLeader Yorkshire on 01422 321823 or email: yorkshire@musicleader.net

Music4U’s Deputy Director, Samantha Sumerfield, said the students had really risen to the occasion.

One student had even learnt to play the accordion for the first time as part of this project and taken to the instrument like a duck to water!

Musicport welcomed this continuing collaboration, Jim McLaughlin, Musicport Festival Director said projects of this nature were the perfect way to engage with young people in East Yorkshire.

MUSICAL PLAY IN A WEEK Oak Apple Day is the 2010 Musical Play in a Week, which explores the turbulent history of the Restoration through an exciting tale of adventure and the tuneful music of the times.

The Musical Play in a Week takes place from Monday 16 - Friday 20 August and is suitable for young people between the ages of 9 and 14 years.The cost for this workshop is £80. For further information, please email your contact details to education@ncem.co.uk

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contact us For further information about any of the activities, events or resources mentioned in this Newsletter please contact the NCEM on 01904 632220 or email education@ncem.co.uk To book tickets for events, please contact the Box Office on 01904 658338 or visit www.ncem.co.uk National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate,York YO1 9TL Garfield Weston FOUNDATION All details are correct at the time of going to press but we reserve the right to amend the published programme if necessary.

Promoted by York Early Music Foundation Registered Charity No. 1068331