Hepton Singers' MD Richard Bunzl ponders how Fergus Hall has drawn on the history of Hebden Bridge to inspire their Adopt a Music Creator 2020/21 collaboration.
Hepton Singers have now had two full choir meetings with their music creator, Fergus Hall. Even over Zoom, with its sometimes dim and grainy pictures, and often intermittent sound, Fergus, alongside Emily Crossland, our project mentor, came across as a breath of fresh air for a choir living through (and coping with) difficult times.
Making Music was expecting confirmation that Step 2 in the England roadmap would allow outdoor music rehearsals with more than six people from 12 April, but this is not the case.
We are disappointed to hear from DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) that other organised participative group activity, including amateur group sports, are permitted as well as fairly large events for the public (e.g. village fetes), whereas no choir, band or orchestra can meet outdoors, except in socially permitted groups of six or two households.
Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra chair Foss Foster outlines Ben Lunn's research on the life of William Thom, the 'Inverury Poet' who has provided the latest inspiration on their Adopt a Music Creator journey.
Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra (ASO), Ugie Voices and Ben Lunn had several discussions about the sort of material which everyone would find suitable for the collaborative work.
Making Music is delighted to announce it has been awarded a grant of £44,000 from the second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
After a year of unprecedented disruption to leisure-time music, this grant will be timely in enabling Making Music, as its sector organisation, to continue its work supporting 3,500 member music groups across the UK, as well as advocating on behalf of the wider sector to help it pull through the pandemic and thrive.
Barbara Eifler, Making Music Chief Executive, said:
Closing on 29 March, the UK government is calling for evidence on whether to introduce Covid-status certification, commonly referred to as the ‘vaccine passport’.
The proposed certification would show, probably electronically, if someone was vaccinated or had been tested, and could be voluntary or mandatory in different settings to allow people access – from pubs to concert halls.
Music creator Litha Efthymiou shares her thoughts on her promising partnership with Bury St Edmunds Concert Band, and the influential Christian Brewer's recent passing.
Ugie Voices member Sheila Biegala updates us on her group's music making with Ben Lunn, who has recently dovetailed Venezuelan poetry with the National Bard.
We are well into the new year now and can see light at the end of the tunnel as far as lockdown is concerned.
With regard to our ongoing project with Ben Lunn and Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra, Ben has sent us a first draft of his compositions!
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 22 February and subsequent announcements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Making Music has updated its coronavirus guidance tool to reflect what the roadmaps to reopening mean for leisure-time music groups in the four nations of the UK.
29 March – 6 people can meet outdoors, including backgardens, meaning informal small rehearsals in an open space can resume.
Bury St Edmunds Concert Band’s Gary Hawkes pens his thoughts on the group’s fledgling collaboration with Litha Efthymiou for Adopt a Music Creator 2020/21.
Chair Foss Foster pens another diary entry on Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra’s Adopt a Music Creator journey, with a special look at the wonder that is harmonic minor mode five.
We recently enjoyed our first rehearsal of 2021, and as we’re still in lockdown we Zoomed in in what has now become the usual way.
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