The logistical feat that is taking a musical group abroad and the challenges associated with an aging membership are two issues that we hear about almost every week on the membership team at Making Music. They are both huge issues and issues which we have been working on; see our resources on touring, and on young people’s engagement in amateur music.
News
Everyone’s heart sank when, for the second time in five years, the great collection of music scores known as the Yorkshire Music Library (comprising nearly 200,000 scores from 11 Yorkshire authorities) closed down when its parent company, a social enterprise, failed earlier this year.
At the time, the resource was being used by almost 2,000 music groups, so the closure had a significant impact on music making across the UK.
The celebration will focus on good governance and the skills needed to make trustees effective leaders.
Trustees and committee members from groups can take advantage of free training, resources and events taking place during the week, including:
We were delighted that Rosie could join us so soon for an orientation visit at the end of September.
In a full programme we visited three possible premiere venues – from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s Dora Stouzker Hall, to a local National Trust property (Dyffryn House and gardens) and Penarth Pier Pavilion. We even started off with a concert, which included the premiere of Viral by Mark Boden, another of this year’s ‘adopted’ composers!
So I have recently been selected as the Adopt a Composer Scottish Pairing for 2016-17, working with the Strathendrick Singers on creating a new work. The project really resonates with me – creating relevant and community focused work connects to my interest in concepts of everyday life, nostalgia and personal experiences while thinking about approachability and accessibility allows me to continue challenging my writing, building upon recent work for inclusive audiences and performers – and I am interested to see how the creative process develops.
They say that Scotland’s a small country, and the adage was – perhaps – proved true at the launch of the Adopt a Composer Scheme 2016/17 in September this year. Two representatives from the Glasgow School of Art Choir, me (Musical Director) and General Manager Kate Hollands, travelled down to London wondering if we would be the only Scottish ensemble represented at the event. Upon arrival I recognised two people in the room, and only two. As did Kate. Both were there representing another choral ensemble, and both were from (yes, you’ve guessed it), Scotland.
Brighton Early Music Festival (BREMF) run Early Music Live - a nine month training scheme and performance platform programme for exceptional early music ensembles in the first stages of a professional career. The scheme is run annually, and ensembles are selected by audition each year.
The linked Promoter Fund offers seven promoting groups the opportunity to to claim a subsidy of between £150 and £525 per group (depending on the size of the ensemble) towards the fee of one of this year’s selected ensembles for performances in the 2017/18 or 2018/19 season.
When I found out that I had been paired with the Glasgow School of Art Choir I was really excited by the many prospects and possibilities that the collaboration would allow. I immediately had a feeling they would be outgoing, adventurous and creative and those suspicions were confirmed when I met them for the first time at their annual Open Rehearsal on 20 September.
During the Autumn of 1936, Oswald Moseley led the British Union of Fascists on a march through the streets of East London, in what was seen by many as an anti-semitic demonstration. The large local Jewish community, alongside anti-fascist groups, built roadblocks in order to prevent them from passing, and a riot of historic proportions ensued. Today, if you walk East down Cable Street, you'd be hard-pushed to miss the huge mural which depicts these events (see below), placing them in the context of the terrors which were then spreading across Europe.
Making Music is delighted to announce Lila Hallett as the recipient of its Lady Hilary Groves Prize for 2016. Awarded to one individual in the UK each year, the Lady Hilary Groves Award is presented to a member nominated by their group for their outstanding contribution to music in the community.