What are professional orchestras up to these days – what do they see as their future and mission, how do they relate to the places they find themselves in, including their communities’ leisure-time groups? Could we – Making Music and its member groups – be working more closely with them?
These are some of the questions which prompted me to attend the ABO conference on members’ behalf this year, and I emerge the other side of it with mixed feelings.
Composer Laura Snowden offers a brief insight into classroom memories and how the music still moves her as an adult, working alongside the Chandos Chamber Choir on the Adopt a Composer project.
Composer Nathan James Dearden gives us a unique diary-like insight into his Adopt a Composer project pairing with Swansea Philharmonic Choir.
Being part of a community is special. Whether that is a community of composers, a community of singers, we are a community of individuals with one goal; to create music. And what a community to be welcomed into.
Swansea Philharmonic Choir Music Secretary, Jemma, describes getting stuck into the Adopt a Composer project with Nathan James Dearden from day one of 2019.
It was our first rehearsal back after the Christmas break following our hugely challenging yet rewarding performance of Britten's 'War Requiem' in December, and what a way to start than with our first workshop with Nathan for the Adopt a Composer collaboration.
Congratulations to our seven groups and composers whose brand new Adopt a Composer pieces were recently broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
The culmination of a year of work between groups and composers has produced a fantastic array of pieces that are all very different and unique in character, with sounds ranging from mandolins and voices to handbells and wind turbines.
Nominate someone working in music libraries or information services for the 2019 Excellence Awards: Personal Achievement Award.
Applications are now open for the Amateo Award, which is given for an outstanding participatory arts project that adds value for the community.
Tutti is the AirBnB of affordable rehearsal space, uniting musicians with the owners of vacant space, from front rooms to churches and more.
Having been immersed in professional music from an early age, founder Gabriel Isserlis has seen many musicians struggling to find somewhere to rehearse while so much space stood brazenly empty. Starting in London, it’s his dream to fill front rooms, halls, churches, community centres and more with music.
Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir has been on tour in the UK and abroad many times but their tour to Tuscany - and their first tour with coprorate member Club Europe - was their best yet.
“It was a wonderful place to go to,” says the choir’s chairman David James. “We had very good food, visited some beautiful places and sang in churches with absolutely stunning acoustics.
Southampton Concert Wind Band (SCWB) wrap up Christmas and look towards a puzzling 2019 with composer, Robert Laidlow, for the Adopt a Composer project.
It is tradition for SCWB to go in to winter hibernation once the Christmas concert and carols are done, but not this year… this year we had another festive activity before we had earned the turkey!
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