intune
summer 2012
ISSUE 10
a chance for you to get involved!
Photo: Eddie Rolmanis
GAMES IN THE PARK
To celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the annual Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival in 2012, there was a free day of songs and musical games for all the family at Toll Gavel United Church in Beverley on Saturday 26 May. The sun shone as local people enjoyed taking part and watching the array of different activities. Starting on the streets, flash mob dancers from Hull City Council’s Youth Centres joined community musician Donna Smith for a highenergy body percussion piece, which led the crowds into the Church. Young children gathered to sing songs and play clapping and skipping games with musicians Sam Dunkley and Donna Smith. Onlookers were joined by Vivien Ellis and violinist Giles Lewin of the early music group Alva, who taught the youngsters ‘An Acre of Land’, an old traditional song from Beverley collected by the Yorkshire Garland Group which gathers local songs from around Yorkshire. Back in the streets the participants of the recorder workshop, which took place at the Guildhall with Piers Adams, followed their leader in a ‘Pied Piper style’ procession through the streets of Beverley to entice shoppers to their mini-concert. Even the Cuban street band buskers stopped playing for the recorder players and clapped enthusiastically! The musicians gave a highly polished performance of dance and contemporary music. The group included a five-year old boy and his grandmother who are learning to play the recorder together and a student who travelled from Dundee especially for this event!
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Next to perform was Castaway Goole Accessible Music Theatre’s Dance Group. This organisation provides performing, leisure and training opportunities for adults and young people with learning and physical disabilities. Under the direction of Anna Webb, they performed their own piece called ‘Meeting Place’ inspired by the choreographer Pina Bausch. The final performance of the day was by the East Riding Youth Dance County Company, featuring six of the region's most talented young dancers, working in a range of contemporary and street dance styles. Director, Delma Tomlin, said it had been a fantastic event and a wonderful way to celebrate such an important cultural Festival. She added: “It was great to see so many people turn up, from babies to grandparents, enjoying their music-making together. “This event not only celebrated the Festival’s Jubilee but also the forthcoming excitement of the Cultural Olympics. The Games we have all played and loved share remarkable connections with cultures around the world and, like music, have a unifying effect on us all.” This event was part of Games in the Park, a New World event and part of imove, a Cultural Olympiad Programme in Yorkshire. New Worlds is a partnership between the NCEM; Alchemy;
Bradford’s Department of Culture, Tourism and Sport; Harewood House; National Media Museum, Bradford and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. It was also supported by Music4U – the Humber Region Youth Music Action Zone.
BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL DAY! Join us as we bring the excitement of the Brazilian Carnival to York on Sunday 17 June from 10.30am to 3.30pm at the NCEM. Heralding the South American theme of the 2012 York Early Music Festival and celebrating with the University of York's Festival of Ideas, we will be joined by the fantastic percussionist Claudio Kron from Brazil who will transport us to Latin America through a series of workshops exploring Brazilian arts and culture. There will be percussion music, samba dance and capoeira with live performances from Claudio and his band and the University of York St John Samba Band. This workshop costs £10 and is suitable for 9 – 14 year olds and booking forms can be downloaded from www.ncem.co.uk/carnival2012
NCEM COMPOSERS AWARD 2012 WINNERS The NCEM Composers Award 2012, presented in partnership with BBC Radio 3 and The Tallis Scholars, has been won by Alex Woolf (16) in the under 18 years category and by Benjamin Rowarth (20) in the 19 to 25 years category. Lux Aeterna by Alex Woolf and Where Is Thy God? by Benjamin Rowarth was premièred by The Tallis Scholars in Durham Cathedral as part of its Diamond Jubilee Celebrations on Saturday 2 June 2012. This concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show on Sunday 1 July 2012. Young composers, resident in the UK, were invited to write a new piece of between three to four minutes' duration specifically with The Tallis Scholars in mind, taking as their starting point the In Nomine theme from John Taverner's Missa Gloria Tibi Trinitas. Seven finalists were selected and their pieces were then performed as part of a public concert by The Ebor Singers, directed by Paul Gameson, which took place at the NCEM in May. The concert was given in front of a panel of judges comprising Chris Wines, Senior Music Producer, BBC Radio 3; Peter Phillips, Director of The Tallis Scholars and Delma Tomlin, Director of the National Centre for Early Music.
All the finalists’ compositions were recorded by music technology students from the Department of Electronics at the University of York and can be heard at www.ncem.co.uk/composersaward2012
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I am fantastically grateful to the NCEM for providing this opportunity and to Christopher Fox and The Ebor Singers who were incredibly helpful – I wouldn’t have won without them! Benjamin Rowarth
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I feel really privileged to be part of such an esteemed Award Alex Woolf
Photo: Eddie Rolmanis
Delma Tomlin said: "We have been thrilled with not only the standard of entries, but the range and diversity of ideas around the given theme. It has been inspiring to see our youngest entrant so far, 12 year old Aidan Tulloch, compete on the same platform as composers twice his age and to witness the obvious enthusiasm amongst all finalists to work together."
Peter Phillips, Director of The Tallis Scholars, added: "With The Tallis Scholars I have created an instrument which has a very distinctive sound. I can't think of anything more useful than to put this highly trained instrument at the disposal of these inspiring young composers and am hugely appreciative that they have written so well for us. I find it thrilling to perform works by a 16 year old and a 20 year old and really hope this Award will encourage them to develop their styles and write for many different kinds of ensembles."
L to R: Benjamin Rowarth, Peter Phillips, Director of The Tallis Scholars and Alex Woolf
Photos: Martin Scheuregger
ANTHEM FOR A CHILD
The NCEM and the University of York have worked in partnership with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) to bring an exciting project to young people in York. Anthem for a Child is the OAE's new flagship education project. Working across the country in nine locations from Devon to York, the OAE worked with over 5000 primary pupils, 300 secondary students and 200 university students. The project engaged young people in musical activity and also left a lasting legacy of enthusiasm and excitement for music and music-making, 'passing on the baton' in sound.
They were joined by students from the Music Education Group at the University of York, who supported the OAE team with their teaching work in schools. Teachers were presented with an extensive Teacher Pack, full of information about the orchestra and its instruments, resources for teaching the ‘Anthem’ music, and ideas and suggestions for additional projects and activities.
As part of this national programme of events, three different age groups in York had the unique opportunity to work with – and be inspired by – the OAE in a series of workshops, coaching days and concerts tailored just for them. Events began in the autumn with a training session by Cherry Forbes, Education Director of the OAE, for teachers from Bootham Junior, Dringhouses, Dunnington and Heworth primary schools.
The OAE also led lively workshops with the school children and on Tuesday 27 March, their work culminated in an afternoon concert for the participating schools in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall at the University of York. It was a fantastic event with 250 school children singing together, led by composer James Redwood who performed with the children his two newly-commissioned pieces - a fanfare ‘Twangling Instruments’ and ‘My Cry’, a song
which celebrates the power of each individual singer and their combined power as a choir. The children also found out more about the OAE and the types of instruments they played and witnessed some musical challenges and battles! Celebrations continued throughout the day as the OAE joined forces with the University of York Baroque Ensemble and Chamber Choir for a concert at the NCEM to mark the end of this project. It was particularly significant to end in York, as four of the OAE’s members had studied music at the University of York, under the renowned musicologist, John Paynter.
SAMBASUNDA WORKSHOP WITH YORK ST JOHN STUDENTS Musicians from the Indonesian SambaSunda Quintet extended their stay in York to work with a group of BA Hon first year music students from York St John University in February. The group, who are part of the Making Tracks series who performed at the NCEM, ran a practical workshop to give the students a greater understanding of a different musical style.
Photo: Andy Devine
SambaSunda brings together a dazzling array of instruments including kacapi (a boat-shaped zither), violin, suling (a bamboo flute) and kendang drums, to create a new kind of Gamelan orchestra. They are known for fusing urban rhythms with the ancient instruments and tones of the Indonesian music. Chris Bartram, Senior Lecturer in Music, York St John University, said that the students had a wonderful time.
Chris added ”As well as being given an explanation of the essentials of the music and instruments, they were able to try out the instruments and music for themselves, and also to have a go at the Sundanese dancing. As a practical, experiential workshop, this was simply invaluable as part of my students’ development and education.” This workshop was aimed at first year students studying music and taking part in a module entitled ‘drumming’. The module is an exploration of rhythm and percussion, from its roots at the beginning of human consciousness, via the music of various world musical traditions, through to the development of percussion music in Western classical, contemporary and popular music traditions.
Photo: Jo Hughes
MINSTER MINSTRELS OUT & ABOUT
The Minster Minstrels have been busy preparing music for concert engagements this summer both at home and away. In June they travel to London to take part in a massed concert alongside the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the culmination of the national project, Anthem for a Child. As part of the programme, the Minster Minstrels will be performing an arrangement of Arcangelo Corelli’s variations on La Follia, Opus 5. Every section highlights the sound of a different instrument, giving players the challenge of a solo ‘spot’ within the ensemble. Last month the Minster Minstrels had the privilege of working with members of the OAE at the NCEM and benefited greatly from their expertise and experience. Back in York there are two concerts this summer – the first at the York Youth Music Festival (Fri 30 June, 7.30pm) at the York Barbican followed by a concert in the York Early Music Festival (Sat 7 July, 3pm) at the NCEM with a programme entitled ‘A Teaming of
Timbres’. Musical Director of the Minster Minstrels, Heather Moger added: “In our study of early music this term we have been exploring timbre and its influence on composition across the centuries, and recently welcomed lutenist Elena Cicinskaite from the University of York to one of our rehearsals. Elena talked to us about the characteristics of her instrument and gave us a short recital demonstrating the use of divisions in Renaissance music.” If you are interested in joining the Minster Minstrels and would like to find out more, please either ring 01904 632220 or email education@ncem.co.uk The Minster Minstrels is run as a partnership between the National Centre for Early Music and the City of York Council’s York Arts Academy with support from the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust.
AN AIR OF MYSTERY: MUSICAL PLAY IN A WEEK
If you enjoy acting, making music and listening to thrilling stories from the past, join us for a week of fun and creativity from Monday 13 – Friday 17 August 2012. This year’s play is set in the Tudor period. 1570: Young musicians arrive at Elizabeth’s court, eager to perform for the queen. They are met by Francis Walsingham, who promises the young people an audience with Queen Elizabeth if they first work for him. Before long, the young people find themselves embroiled in a world of secrets and espionage, where their very lives are in danger. 2012: During the wettest half term ever, the children of the Baxter family are shipped off to spend the week in their eccentric great aunt’s antique shop. There they discover a piece of music that has lain hidden for centuries, from which unfolds a perilous mystery. The Musical Play in a Week is suitable for 9 – 14 year olds. No previous experience is required. The sessions take place at the NCEM from 10am – 4pm daily culminating in a performance for friends and family on Friday 17 August at 7pm. The fee is £100 per child. Download application forms at www.ncem.co.uk/mp2012
SUCCESSFUL YOUTH MUSIC BID
Design www.RedBonsai.co.uk 01759319471
The NCEM, which has co-ordinated Music4U – the Humber Region Action Zone – since 2001, has been successful in its recent bid to Youth Music to become one of 23 Music Inclusion Modules across the country, offering musicmaking opportunities for young people in challenging circumstances.
The project runs from September 2012 for 18 months and the NCEM is one of six partners working alongside Councils in the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, Hull and York. This initiative is also supported by the Leeds College of Music, the University of York’s Music Education Group and the Community Music MA Course.
Over the next few years there will be a wide range of innovative and creative music projects offered across these five authority regions. More details will be available soon at www.ncem.co.uk/music4u
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
All details are correct at the time of going to press. Promoted by York Early Music Foundation Registered Charity No. 1068331
Photo: Kippa Matthews
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