After our recent AGM and the advent of some fresh faces on the Making Music Board of Trustees, we welcome Paul Graham in a quick fire interview.
What drew you to Making Music?
I am passionate about live music and wanted to give something back to society so MM seemed ideal. I believe that we need to support the Performing Arts as a key sector of the UK economy and fear that with the decline of music in schools that this may be threatened in the future.
The map is the first-ever of its kind that covers music facilities across the city. By taking into account music venues, recording studios and rehearsal spaces, the map will be used to help protect and nurture the music scene and the facilities it needs across the capital.
The Mayor of London wants to see more local arts and culture activities created and put on by local people in London, so the Greater London Assembly (GLA) has launched the new Culture Seeds programme, which is aimed specifically at grassroots organisations.
If you enjoyed taking part in Make Music Day, how about joining a global singing initiative of harmony and friendship on the UN International Day of Peace on Friday 21 September?
There are two orchestras associated with Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra, the Main Orchestra and the Training Orchestra (TO); both of whom are working alongside composer Ben See on the Adopt a Composer scheme. We caught up with double bass player, James of the TO, to hear how the piece is being put together.
After a year on the Adopt a Composer scheme alongside the composer Gaynor Barradell, Sarah Freshwater - trombone player for the Edinburgh Concert Band - talks rhythm tricks and recording for BBC. Followed by a last word from MD, Sarah Cunningham.
Fish and chips, fish and chips and some lemonade, we’ll have some mushy peas now…
Having been paired with Ben See on the Adopt a Composer scheme, we caught up with a couple of players from the Main Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra to find out what they've been up to.
Cellist, Toby:
As part of the Adopt a Composer scheme, Ben See firstly sent out a questionnaire to each orchestral section asking about what kind of music we enjoy playing the most as well as what we thought Stoneleigh's strengths were.
I have just completed the Certificate: The Practice of Music Making, a one-year programme developed by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (Making Music Corporate Member), in partnership with the Open University.
Many Making Music member groups are currently exempt by law from paying a data protection fee as they process personal data for not-for-profit purposes.
However, the government has launched a consultation on exemptions from these data protection fees. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is handling the consultation and has invited respondents to tell them which exemptions they consider are still appropriate and should be kept, and which exemptions are no longer appropriate and should either be changed or removed - and the reasons why.
In part II of Ben See's blog he gives us an insight into the thoughts and processes of composing for the main orchestra (MO) of Stoneleigh Youth Orchestras (SYO).
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