Highnotes issue 34, Summer 2017

THE MAKING MUSIC MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE | SUMMER ISSUE 2017

Somme100 Making Music members remember war heroes with live performances • PAGE 10

AGAINST THE STREAM

With the decline of the CD is it time to get your music online? • PAGE 8

WORKING WITH PROS

A look at new Musicians’ Union guidelines • PAGE 12

CONTENTS & EDITORIAL

Laid-back activity holidays for artists and adventurers

If you enjoy singing as part of a group, then why not take your hobby on the road and do it in some of the world’s most scenic locations? At Authentic Adventures, our goal is to help our guests flourish in their chosen passion — whether that’s singing, painting, walking or sightseeing — with the assistance of enthusiastic tutors and knowledgeable guides. Join us on tour from as little as £1,099 and find out what you can do.

Spring has most decidedly sprung at Making Music!

CONTENTS NEWS

5 In brief 6 Around the UK FEATURES

Croatian Culture & Song

The Hills are Alive...

Sightseeing, gastronomy, and sunny singing sessions overlooking the Adriatic are all in store on the idyllic Croatian peninsula of Istria.

Experience a holiday full of high notes (in more ways than one) surrounded by the spectacular scenery of Bulgaria’s Rila Mountains.

Date 3 June

Date 29 July

Exc £1,599

Single Supp. £196

PAINTING WALKING

Exc £1,199

Single Supp. £105

SINGING

Sunshine Singing with Spice Where better to sing away the mornings than in the indescribably beautiful environs of Kerala?

Date 28 October

Exc £2,595

Single Supp. £405

SIGHTSEEING HOLIDAYS

BOOK NOW

info@authenticadventures.co.uk +44 (0)1453 823328 www.authenticadventures.co.uk

The King’s Singers

We are now a financially stable organisation once again, as the accounts for 2016 at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday 25 June will show.

FROM OUR TEAM

14 Membership and services 16 Projects 18 Volunteers

The AGM will also enable you to find out how we can help you claim Orchestra Tax Relief; and feature the presentation concert for the new Philip & Dorothy Green Young Artists, with a chance to talk to them over lunch. All free! Register at makingmusic.org.uk/events.

MEMBERS

19 Corporate members 21 Blow your trumpet 22 Readers’ page

More buds are in evidence as our Reaching Out project, part-funded by Arts Council England, gets started. It will investigate and contact a wide range of groups across all genres, to ensure Making Music is able to support the whole of the leisure-time music sector, and thus have a mandate to speak on its behalf to relevant policy makers and other organisations.

If you have suggestions or would like to contribute to Highnotes, please contact the Commissioning Editor, George Acock, on 020 7939 6041 or editor@makingmusic.org.uk The copy deadline for Highnotes Autumn 2017 (published 1 September) is 28 June

IN CONCERT BIC Bournemouth 27th May 2017 - 9.00pm The King’s Singers are performing in concert at the British Association of Barbershop Singers 43rd Annual Convention on the 27th May in Bournemouth. They will be supported by an International Award Winning Barbershop quartet from Sweden.

Tickets are only available from Venue Cymru in Llandudno, who are the appointed ticket agent for this event.

Plus £3.00 Box Office Administration Fee per transaction

Tel: 01492 872000 10.00am to 7.30pm (Mon-Sat)

www.venuecymru.co.uk Concert promoted by the British Association of Barbershop Singers Registered Charity No: 1080930, as part of its Annual 4-day Convention. www.singbarbershop.com

Any views or opinions expressed by external contributors may not necessarily represent those of Making Music

About to reach full bloom on 21 June, Make Music Day is an international celebration of music by everyone for everyone, and Making Music is proud to be one of the organisations leading its large scale development in the UK. Find out how to get involved at makemusicday.org/uk.

Highnotes is the official journal of Making Music, The National Federation of Music Societies, 8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL 020 7939 6030 info@makingmusic.org.uk www.makingmusic.org.uk A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales no. 308632 Registered charity in England and Wales no. 249219 and in Scotland no. SC038849 If you need us to make any of this information more accessible, please get in touch

Barbara Eifler

£6 where sold, annual subscription £15 (3 issues)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MAKING MUSIC

Designed by Cog Design Printed by Gemini Press

Email: barbara@makingmusic.org.uk Twitter: @BarbaraEifler

Advertising: Contact Antoinette at Space Marketing: 01892 677740 / antoinettem@spacemarketing.co.uk

Cover image: Falkirk Tryst Orchestra performs as part of Somme100 Photo: James Stewart

Photo: Damien McFadden

TICKETS: £30

Photo: Andy Staples

8 Against the stream?

10 A place in history 12 Working with pros

NEWS

IN BRIEF Left: The Cobweb Orchestra performs its Adopt a Composer piece at Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum Photo: Steve Messam

Live music census

Take part in the world-first census to map live music activity across a whole country

The Edinburgh Festival Chorus is one of the finest choruses in the world and in 2017 will once again be at the heart of the International Festival’s classical music programme.

Hear them in action this August, performing exhilarating repertoire with world class orchestras and conductors.

VISIT EIF.CO.UK/CHORUS TO FIND OUT MORE #EDINTFEST

Elgar’s Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf, 11 Aug With Sir Andrew Davis and the Philharmonia Orchestra Berlioz’s La damnation de Faust, 20 Aug With Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé Verdi’s Stabat mater and Te Deum, 27 Aug With Riccardo Chailly and Filarmonica della Scala Visit our website to explore the programme, book tickets and discover how to join the chorus.

The UK Live Music Census is a collaboration between music industry organisations, policy bodies and leading academic researchers. It is spearheaded by the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle and run by members of the Live Music Exchange.

A snapshot census has already taken place in March but there is still time to contribute to the nationwide online survey, which is open until 8 May 2017. We would urge as many members as possible to add their voice, and make sure leisure-time musicians are properly reflected in the results! It is open to audiences, promoters, venues and musicians.

Go to uklivemusiccensus.org

Did you know? From May, you will also be able to download the Live Music Census Toolkit so that you can carry out a census in your own home town

Singing Network UK Charity No SC004694

P ER F EC T � SC OR ES �

Mendelssohn’s Symphony No 2 ‘Lobgesang’, 5 Aug With Pablo Heras-Casado and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Live music is a vital part of the UK’s cultural life, and has become increasingly important to the music industry; overtaking recording revenues in 2008 (see our feature on online music sales on page 8). Yet many live music venues struggle to keep running; particularly smaller venues, clubs and pubs.

Still not enough is known about the challenges facing venues across the UK, or how they tie into why different groups of people – audiences, musicians, promoters, venues – value live music. But a new UK-wide live music census aims to correct that by creating a clear picture of the live music scene in this country, in all its variety.

Making Music is proud to be working with many of the country’s singing organisations to form Singing Network UK — a free forum, bringing together all and any organisations with an interest in singing to meet twice a year, face to face. One of the network’s aims is to encourage collaboration between its 20 membership organisations. This could be through special projects or campaigns, or research such as Voices Now’s study of the number of choirs in the UK. To get involved or learn more go to makingmusic.org.uk/singing-network-uk

BOOK REVIEW: The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes Shostakovich’s relationship with those in power in Communist Russia is well documented.

Forced to comply with The Party seemingly against his will, he eventually joined them, causing him to be vilified by many who believed he had become a tool of the government.

Julian Barnes takes us inside Shostakovich’s head at three points in his life as he considers the relationship between music and power, and shows us a man whose thoughts skitter about as he veers between fear, acceptance, apathy and self loathing.

Barnes has painted a vivid portrait of a man learning to live with fear, while struggling to continue with everyday life. The narrative style of the book lends itself well to that, contrasting longer reflective sections with a series of shorter paragraphs that seem to jump from thought to thought in a matter of seconds.

What we don’t get though, is flesh on the bones. We don’t see Shostakovich interacting with his family, or at work on his music – these are referred to in passing, but they are secondary to the story that is being told. There is no plot to follow, only the rising torrent of fear as it occupies the mind of a creative genius.

If you’re looking for a story, this isn’t the book for you. But if you want to try and understand what it must have been like to live in an unpredictable world in fear of your life, then Barnes’ sympathetic exploration of Shostakovich’s mindset is an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Sharon Moloney

Summer 2017

HIGHNOTES

5

NEWS

NEWS

AROUND THE UK

LEICESTER

Whirlwind success It’s been a very busy 10 years for Leicester Community Concert Band When a music shop in Leicester approached recently–retired music teacher Brian Humpherson to create a community wind band for lapsed players, little did he realise what he was letting himself in for.

In September 2007, at the request of Sheehans Music Services in Leicester, Brian formed Second Wind with the aim of encouraging adults back in to making music.

Around 15 musicians turned up to the first meeting, representing an array of different instruments and abilities. This, says Brian, was a daunting prospect: ‘initially it seemed unlikely that the ensemble would last until Christmas!’.

The ensemble, however, did last until Christmas – and way beyond. By 2013 it had grown to include over 50 musicians. As word spread, and more experienced players began to join, the original aims of encouraging people to 6

HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

learn an instrument or return to playing again, began to change.

The improved standard of playing made it difficult for new members to take part.

A decision was taken to change the group’s name to Leicester Community Concert Band (LCCB) and create a new constitution — one that reflected the view that membership should be open to any wind players in the community, however experienced.

Today the concert band is 10 years old, and has become one of the largest non–professional ensembles in the East Midlands, with over 60 members.

To celebrate this milestone, LCCB is currently recording its first CD and planning a major concert at Wigston College in June. So much for a peaceful retirement Brian! leicestercommunity concertband.weebly.com

Above: Leciester Community Concert Band Photo: Ketan Ayra

MANCHESTER & ST ALBANS

ESSEX

After a successful launch in 2016, the UK Choir Festival returns this year — even bigger than before.

The festival aims to support, train and bring choirs together in a beautiful setting ‘where people can learn, develop and thrive’. Each day offers a range of workshops designed for choirs of all abilities, ages and style, culminating in an opportunity for each choir to perform on stage.

The organisers say that the ethos is to create a non-competitve environment where choirs can watch and learn from each other.

The festival is split over two weekends — one in Manchester in July, and one in St Albans in October — and choirs can choose to attend as many days as they wish. But be quick, one of the St Albans dates has already sold out!

Find out more and register your group at ukchoirfestival.com

Felicitations

LONDON

Did you know?

Nottingham Performing Arts Library Service recently won a Hearts for the Arts Award for its excellent new online sheet music hire service

Making Music member Beckenham Junior Choir has an ambitious musical project for 2017, which it hopes will create a lasting artistic legacy.

The group has commissioned James Olsen, a leading young British (Beckenham-born) composer, to write a children’s opera based on the story of Saint Jerome and the lion.

Musical Director, John Webber, said: ‘I am immensely looking forward to this opportunity for our young musicians to work alongside a composer who has written for enormously varied groups and individuals.’

One of our Brothers is a Lion! premieres on 20 May in Beckhenham, with a further performance in Broadstairs on 1 July, and entry to both is free. beckenhamjuniorchoir.co.uk

Felicitas celebrates 25 years of chamber singing this year Felicitas, a chamber choir based on the borders of London and Essex, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

The formation of the choir resulted from a chance conversation between two friends, Chrina Jarvis and Maggie Snook; the former having been given a copy of the Oxford Book of Madrigals as a Christmas present. ‘Let’s get a few singers together to sing a few madrigals’ led to the creation of a choir that has grown in stature under its director, Simon Winters, performing frequently at Waltham Abbey but occasionally in London and abroad.

The choir enjoys performing music from all periods and styles and has recorded four CDs. In 2012, Will Todd was commissioned to write Vidi speciosam for the choir’s 20th anniversary.

Felicitas has become something of a family, with over half the current membership having sung with the choir since the its inaugural concert in 1992. To celebrate, Felicitas is giving a concert at St Lawrence Jewry, near Guildhall, on 15 June at 7.30pm. More information can be found at felicitas.org.uk

Northern Ireland The Studio Symphony Orchestra was founded by the late Dr Havelock Nelson in 1947, shortly after his arrival in Belfast from Dublin. Today the orchestra draws members from across Northern Ireland and has carved a niche with its ability to perform large scale works, which would often be prohibitively expensive for a professional orchestra to stage. To celebrate its 70th anniversary, the group is holding an online poll to find the most popular large-scale works from its extensive repertoire. Get voting! studiosymphony.org.uk

New members A warm welcome to the 87 new members who joined us between 1 December and 31 March!

Casterbridge Male Voice Choir The Fantasy Orchestra South Cheshire Concert Band Anglia Singers Headcorn Ukulele Group Kirkby Stephen Silver Band The Canty Band Fylde Ukulele Network Spirit of Music Festival Carillon Singers Midhurst Community Choir Cartmel Choral Society Sussex Concert Orchestra Cansing!

Otley Chamber Orchestra Samba Tawe No Strings Attached (Bournemouth) Montgomeryshire County Music Festival Basingstoke Male Voice Choir Harrow Symphony Orchestra The Dunsford Singers Rochdale Retirement Choir Halifax Chamber Choir Renaissance Group Cornwall Concert Orchestra The Fretful Federation Mandolin Orchestra The Wednesday Orchestra Scunthorpe Concert Band Vale of Clwyd Singers The Phoenix Voices Cardiff Amateur Flute Ensemble Chorleywood Music Dart Music Festival - Classical Section vOx Chamber Choir Adonis Ensemble Gloriana St Donats Chorale CIO In Capellis Gospel Generation Community Choir Collegium Singers Sing4Fun South Wigston EX4 Chamber Orchestra Jubilate Chamber Choir

Suffolk Festival Chorus Mersey Wave C.I.C Somali Art & Culture Melton Mowbray Orchestra East Riding County Choir Ellington Colliery Band Epsom Symphony Orchestral Society Inverurie Concert Band Portsmouth Baroque Choir Batala Bristol Lancing and Sompting Concert Band Allington Strings Wampr Ltd Viva Voce Singers The Pilgrims Steel Band Costanzi Consort Mornington Sinfonia Eastcote Choral Society Noteworthy Voices Milltown Singers New London Music Society Virtually Opera Newport Orchestra Linden Baroque Orchestra (Linden Baroque Orchestral Society) Plumstead Peculiars Cantare!

The Cheyne Gang Edinburgh Police Choir North Norfolk Concert Band Cloud Glider The Stan Hacking Concert Band SoundingOutUK Love Music Ipswich Hospital Community Choir Dorset Kaleidoscope Concerts The Military WAGS Choir Haddo Arts Miller56 Swindon Concert Band Harmonie Concert Band (Sussex) Oxford Concert Productions Ltd Machynlleth and District Music Club Wind Band Association Highbury Opera Theatre

HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

7

advert:Layout 1 30/03/2017 16:31 Page 1 FEATURE

Kent Music Summer School 13 July - 31 July 2017

Follow Champs Hill Records

NEW

13th - 31st July 2017

JAMAL ALIYEV BBC Introducing Classical Artist cellist Jamal Aliyev, with pianist Anna Fedorova, in Russian masterpieces by Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev.

Jazz Junior String Orchestra Musical Theatre Recorders Rock Band String Orchestra Songwriting Summer Singing Symphony Orchestra Wind Band

8

HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

Don’t forget, if you also want to produce a physical album, Making Music Mix is a great way to create low– cost professional CDs. makingmusicmix.org.uk

Find out more and apply here www.kent-music.com/summer-school

Investing in choral futures Conducting | Singing | Musicianship | Repertoire

Winner of the 2008 Windsor International String Competition and cellist in the Navarra String Quartet Brian O’Kane is joined by fellow Irish pianist Michael McHale in Fauré and Saint-Saëns.

TIMOTHY RIDOUT Winner of the 2014 Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition Timothy Ridout and duo partner Ke Ma perform the complete viola works of Henri Vieuxtemps.

Sing for Pleasure Summer School 12-20 August 2017: A must-attend training week at Keele University for choral enthusiasts of every kind.

“There were 45 billion audio streams in 2016. An increase of more than two-thirds on 2015.”

Acclaimed choral conducting courses for all abilities

Part-week choral courses for singers at three levels

Musicianship courses for beginners and improvers

Booking online now

For further details on this and other training events in 2017-18, please visit www.singforpleasure.org.uk/events or email events@singforpleasure.org.uk

“I can’t recommend this course highly enough Sign up to our ... I enjoyed every moment of the week; e-newsletter via the it maintains a fantastic balance between website to receive alerts hard work and enjoyment.”

Intermediate 1 Conductor

on future courses.

Tel: 0800 0184 164 or visit singforpleasure.org.uk Registered Charity No. 270384. Freephone supplied by Verizon

JAMES TURNBULL An exploration of the rich, varied repertoire of the past thirty years for solo oboe including works by Michael Tippett, Richard Rodney Bennett, Jonthan Dove, Judith Weir, Helen Grime & John Tavener.

CHRCD099

a concert, but also offering your music on streaming services could widen your audience to a global level.

So how do you get recordings onto streaming sites?

The good news is it has become much easier for anyone to distribute their music online, but sadly it’s still not as simple as just uploading directly to your store of choice. The best way to sell through sites like Apple Music, Google Play and Spotify is to work with an online music publisher — they will make sure your music is sent to stores correctly and the recorded rights are registered with PPL, and collect all the royalties for you. There are many publishing companies online, so it pays to do your research, but these are four of the biggest contenders: • CD Baby and TuneCore: Trusted and widely used, with very similar business models. Each charges a flat rate for album distribution and you take all the revenue. Both also offer a physical CD production service. cdbaby.com / tunecore.com • Ditto Music: Quick to set up an account and the website is simple to use: upload music, choose which stores to sell through and submit. You pay a fee for distributing your music (which varies based on the number of stores you choose) but keep 100% of the royalties. dittomusic.com • AWAL: A more selective approach, you apply and wait to be accepted before you can upload music.

Rather than charging a distribution fee, AWAL distributes the music for free but takes a 15% cut of the revenues. awal.com

BRIAN O’KANE

CHRCD113

With digital music sales booming, is it time for your group to ditch the CDs and focus your efforts online?

CHRCD130

Against the stream?

Many Making Music members produce recordings of their music to sell at concerts and through their websites. Usually these are on CD, and for good reason; CDs are relatively straightforward to selfproduce and generally affordable. However with CD sales reaching record lows, many predict that it is only a matter of time before the format disappears completely, so what does this mean for members?

The fact is that while sales of CDs globally have been falling for years, the decline is actually slowing down.

Mp3 downloads were once considered the greatest threat to the CD format, but now they too are losing out to online streaming services.

According to figures released at the start of this year by the British Phonographic Industry, CD sales declined by over a tenth in 2016. Physical formats (CD and vinyl) now account for 41% of music consumption in the UK. Downloaded albums and singles account for just over a fifth of music consumption volume in the UK but the biggest growth is in streaming. There were 45 billion audio streams in 2016 — an increase of more than two-thirds on 2015.

Of course, billions of streams do not equal billions of pounds for artists...or even hundreds. According to the website Digital Music News, from 2015 to 2016 Apple Music’s payout per stream in the UK was $0.01070, so clearly unless your profile is at the ‘Beyoncé’ level, this is not a moneymaking game. It can, however, be a very effective way of getting your music heard by an audience that might never otherwise find you.

Particularly if you are recording out-of-copyright works by often-searched-for names, which many classicallyoriented Making Music members are.

CD albums may remain popular with audiences after

CHRCD127

Benenden School, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 4AA

“This is a beautifully played, interestingly programmed showcase of the oboe as a recital instrument.”

BBC Music Magazine

Champs Hill Records available on CD or for download from all good record shops & online, or direct from:

www.champshillrecords.co.uk

Select QE:Layout 1 04/04/2017 09:32 Page 1

FEATURE

FREELANCE CONCERT SALES AGENTS SELECT MUSIC, the UK’s leading distributor of classical music (including Naxos, Hyperion, Chandos and Bis) are looking to recruit FREELANCE PART-TIME AGENTS to sell CDs at concerts in leading local venues.

A place in history Many members presented concerts as part of Somme100 last year. With the release of another score in 2017, we chat to the project’s composer Laura Rossi What is the Somme100 project? How did you get involved? The Imperial War Museum commissioned me to score the 1916 film The Battle of the Somme for the 90th anniversary in 2006. This was performed live by the Philharmonia Orchestra, with the film, and presented with a certificate of UNESCO world heritage (the first British document of any kind to be included.)

Having spent months researching the film and the battle (during which I found my own family connection) I realised what an important film it is, not only as a historical document but also as a groundbreaking piece of cinema. The Battle of the Somme film broke all box office records and in 1916 was watched by nearly half the UK population in its first six weeks of release (a record not beaten until Star Wars in 1977).

For the 95th anniversary we put on a short tour of six performances which was very successful. For the centenary last year we wanted to do something much bigger to enable this film to reach as many people as possible through live orchestral screenings.

There will be 100 performances for Somme100.

How is it hearing your work played by so many different orchestras? The great thing is they are always unique and special in their own way. The music and expression are all written in the score but individual players can always bring their own personality to it. Some of my favourite performances have been the amateur and youth orchestras who have connected with this film. Many of the orchestras had a film night to watch the film with my recorded music so that they understand what they are accompanying — and you can tell the ones that have done this — you can hear it in their playing.

10 HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

What can you tell us about the next film score?

The Battle of the Ancre is the sequel to the Somme film – shot in November 1916 and released in 1917. It is a cinematically stunning film. The IWM is releasing the DVD with my newly recorded score this year. It is scored for either a chamber ensemble of 15 musicians or for full string section, single woodwind, piano and percussion. It is a bit less challenging to play compared to the Somme film score and enables smaller orchestras to put this on. The chamber version enables it to be performed in smaller venues.

What has been your highlight so far? Perhaps most moving were many of the amateur and youth orchestras, who through weeks of rehearsals have really found their own connections with this film, and the battle. It’s these screenings that have made it feel like the most worthwhile project I have ever been involved in. These orchestras have helped this film reach a new audience and brought communities together, developing new relationships between local film, music and history societies and schools and colleges — many of which have already planned future collaborations. I hope that the film continues to be screened with live orchestras for generations to come.

To put on a live orchestral screening of the Battle of the Somme or Battle of the Ancre films email: somme100film@gmail.com. To hire the parts and score email: silentfilms@fabermusic.com Read about Falkirk Tryst Orchestra’s experience of performing The Battle of the Somme on page 21.

Above: Laura Rossi at the Imperial War Museum. Photo: Tas Kyprianou

Sales at concerts are an increasingly important part of the classical music market but many venues have neither the facilities nor staff to properly handle the sale of CDs when an artist performs. We are therefore looking to recruit agents who are interested in classical music and who are prepared to sell CDs as required at venues in their locality. There are no fixed schedules – sometimes there may be no concerts for a month, sometimes there may be two in a week. We’ll supply the CDs, the equipment you’ll need and arrange with you which concerts are to be covered. In return you’ll earn a fixed £25 per concert plus a percentage of each CD sold.

We have identified the following as being of particular interest: MIDLANDS inc. Nottingham/Derby area; SOUTH COAST inc.

Poole/Bournemouth; EDINBURGH & GLASGOW; BATH/ BRISTOL; CAMBRIDGE/EAST ANGLIA; N. ENGLAND/NORTH-EAST INTERESTED? For further details please contact David Blake at dblake@selectmusic.co.uk

Sherborne

Summer School of Music 30 July - 13 August 2017

Four Choirs

Cappella Chamber Choir, Lighter Side Choir Choral Masterpieces Choir, Voices in Harmony

Mixed Chamber Music Piano and Vocal Masterclasses

Piano Course, Piano Accompaniment Course Masterclass for Singers 1 and 2

Composition Four Conducting Courses

George Hurst Conducting Course Wind Conducting Course, Practical Conducting Choral Conducting

A Journey Through Jazz Wind Ensemble Two Orchestras

Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra

Sherborne Summer

School of Music

email summermusicschool@btinternet.com tel +44 (0)1342 893963

www.sherbornemusicsummerschool.co.uk

Join us at Guildhall this summer Passionate about singing?

‘The Battle of the Somme’ film broke all box office records and was watched by nearly half the UK population in the first six weeks of its release

The Guildhall School offers a range of summer courses for singers of all ages and abilities, delivered by expert tutors in our City of London campus.

2017 courses include: Contemporary A Cappella Singing Taster (16 – 21 years) Singers’ Weekend Training in Classical Voice Find out more and book your place at gsmd.ac.uk/summer

03002122017_high_notes_apr17_final-02.indd 1

03/04/2017 10:02

FEATURE

FEATURE

Working with pros

This means there are years of training and hard work behind you simply being able to ring someone on Wednesday and ask them to come and play on Saturday. Surely they deserve the right fee to reflect those years of commitment?

They deserve to at least make a living?

But the budget set by your group at the beginning of the year might not have factored in the need for such fees sufficiently, and so someone ends up in the unenviable situation of asking a professional to play for a tiny fee.

Result: grumpy treasurer, grumpy conductor, and grumpy professional. Not the right premise for the best possible concert!

This agreement — we think — gives you the right information to build your budgets realistically and make calculations easy. It includes rates for headings where additional costs may arise: doubling, for instance, and porterage for large instruments, and indicates where you would be advised to negotiate with musicians.

We’ve teamed up with the Musicians’ Union to create new guidance on paying professionals. Barbara Eifler explains...

‘Work not play’ is the Musicians’ Union’s campaign; for Making Music members it’s the exact opposite: playing is precisely NOT work!

But plenty of professional players are engaged by Making Music groups, as last year’s survey showed.

That survey was a fantastic starting point for our work with the Musicians’ Union (MU) on developing a new agreement, specific to amateur music groups.

We concluded this would be a good idea because the complexities, and rates, in the agreement between the MU and the Association of British Orchestras which represents professional ensembles were simply not a good fit for Making Music members.

What is a professional?

The survey threw this up as a major question, showing a sliding scale from complete amateur (no professional training, no professional performing credits) via the music college student to the music teacher-who-plays-for-free-except-when-the-otherlocal-orchestra-needs-a-dep, and including the full-time accountant who gets paid as percussionist for every orchestra within 30 miles as he owns the kit.

So there is a definition of a professional musician in the new agreement: ‘a musician who relies on all or the majority of their income from instrumental

12 HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

performance.’ Any rates for soloists or orchestra leaders, or for musicians not covered by the definition are up to you to negotiate. This demonstrates one of the outstanding features of the agreement: keeping it simple, but pointing you in the right direction in order to Do The Right Thing by musicians in your particular situation.

What is The Right Thing, and why should we pay musicians at all?

You know one of the answers: if you ain’t got an oboe, or you only have one unreliable double bass, the only way to make sure you have the right personnel for the next concert is to book a professional musician to plug that gap.

The other consideration is the availability of such a professional. I don’t mean just on a particular date; I mean someone needs to have fallen in love with the bassoon at an early age, had enough support to get into music college, practised like mad to become the best they can possibly be, funded a ruinously expensive instrument and then be prepared to live a precarious hand–to–mouth existence (sorry, enjoy a ‘portfolio career’).

The Brook Street Band, one of the Selected Artists in this year’s guide. Photo: Dan Bridge

“This agreement gives you the right information to build your budgets realistically and make calculations easy”

Don’t panic!

This agreement doesn’t necessarily mean higher costs; but should enable you to think through your needs more clearly; and spend the money you have in the right place on the right professional. And it will definitely give you answers to that frequently asked question: what is the right rate to pay?

IN BRIEF Highlights of the agreement in force from 1 April 2017: Recommended rates Principals £116 Sub-principals £108 Tutti £102 Do pay more if you can or that is what you have done in the past. These are minimum rates!

Note: Definitions of principals etc. are included in the agreement.

Other agreement headings include • Extra rehearsals • Overtime • Doubling • Travelling allowances • Subsistence • Porterage • Broadcasts and Recordings Notes to read alongside the agreement www.makingmusic.org.uk/rates

Our new agreement is now ready. Download it, with accompanying notes, from makingmusic.org.uk/rates

Summer 2017

HIGHNOTES 13

FROM OUR TEAM

FROM OUR TEAM

MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICES MEMBER NEWS

Helping you get the most from your membership INFORMATION & ADVICE EVENTS

Here are our upcoming events for summer 2017.

Orchestra Tax Relief Fri 5 May, Glasgow Thu 11 May, Manchester Thu 18 May, Bristol Thu 8 June, Nottingham • Arts Council England ‘Grants for the Arts’ workshop Sat 6 May, Darlington • Making Local Connections Sat 13 May, Bedford • Engaging with young people (for performing groups) Wed 17 May, London • Every penny counts – tips for improving your income Sat 20 May, Swansea • Top tips for social media Sat 3 June, Eastbourne • Making Music AGM Sun 25 June, London For more information and to book go to makingmusic.org.uk/events •

Orchestra Tax Relief

Designed to stimulate cultural activity in the UK, this new financial aid could benefit many members The latest in a suite of tax reliefs for the creative industries, designed to stimulate the production of cultural activity, this is, in effect, state aid for putting on orchestral concerts — including by amateur organisations.

Concerts with 12 or more performers, on any instrument (but not voice) could be eligible.

As a rule of thumb, if you have £4,000 or more in eligible costs on your concerts in a financial year, the administrative effort could be worth it.

Eligible expenses are rehearsal costs (e.g. music, rehearsal

space, conductor), but NOT performance costs (e.g. half of soloist’s fee – for afternoon rehearsal, but not for concert), and NOT marketing costs (e.g. leaflet design and print).

Making Music is helping: we have made available (for members only) FREE templates to help you set up an orchestral production company to facilitate claiming OTR; and will launch a service to submit OTR claims on your behalf.

For more on this, register for one of our Information and Advice events (see opposite), or go to makingmusic.org.uk/OTR

New online resources (Jan—Apr) • • • •

An introduction to: brass bands, wind bands and barbershop Top tips for social media Press release template Where to go to list your events online

CONTACT info@makingmusic.org.uk / 020 7939 6030

14 HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

“Britain’s orchestras are heard across the country and around the world.

Within the UK, national and regional orchestras provide enrichment to millions of people each year.”

George Osborne

HOW TO ENGAGE UNDER 35S

In February we published our set of recommendations drawn up following our research into young people’s attitudes towards making music, written primarily for performing groups. Go online to read it, and be sure to check out our other resources too — some of the highlights are listed below.

• Top tips for email marketing • Top tips for increasing your income • Dealing with performance anxiety - from BAPAM • How to engage under-35s • Basic techniques in improvisation Find more online resources and guidance at makingmusic.org.uk/resources

Congratulations to Redbridge Music Lounge, which won the Taking Pride in Redbridge 2017 award in March. Receiving the award from Redbridge’s Mayor, founder Christopher Wyatt thanked ‘our hard-working committee and all the members and associate musicians for their support and dedication to providing music for the community throughout the year’. rmluk.org Kensington Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 60th anniversary on Monday 15 May 2017 with a gala concert at the Barbican.

The concert opens with the world première of Matthew Taylor’s Fourth Symphony, written especially for KSO with the support of Arts Council England. kso.org.uk Royal Orchestral Society has some exciting plans afoot for 2017, including the premiere of a brand new work by Syrian composer Khyam Allami. The piece for oud, harp and orchestra is commissioned by the Royal Orchestral Society and will have its first performance in November. royalorchestralsociety.org.uk York Early Music Festival celebrates a milestone 40 years in July, with what promises to be one of its most exciting festivals to date. The 40th anniversary theme is Changing Times Changing Places – a notion that is as relevant today as it was 500 years ago during the great social and political shift of the Reformation. ncem.co.uk/yemf Send your news to: editor@makingmusic.org.uk

Did you know? We had the largest ever number of online renewals this year — 58% compared to 26% in 2016

Making Music staff Barbara Eifler Executive Director Workineh Asres Head of Finance Ben Saffell Membership and Services Manager Sally Palmer Projects and Membership Coordinator Laura Shipsey Membership Coordinator Lily Funnell Office and Membership Assistant Alexandra Scott PDGYA Administrator Ollie Mustill Marketing and Communications Manager George Acock Publications and PR Manager

Rey Trombetta Communications and Events Coordinator Sharon Moloney Member Engagement Manager Abby Charles Manager – Wales Alison Reeves Manager – Scotland Xenia Davis Youth Engagement Manager Najia Bagi Project Manager – Reaching Out

Call 020 7939 6030 Email info@makingmusic.org.uk We are here Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm

Making Music’s summer event

Our AGM and P&DG Young Artist presentation concert takes place in London on Sunday 25 June • •

We start at 11am with a short session on Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR).

If OTR isn’t your thing then join us at midday for the PDGYA presentation concert and see some of our best young musical talent – all of whom are available to book at subsidised rates for members.

•

After a buffet lunch will be the AGM, with a chance to ask questions. We will finish at 2.30pm Attendance is free, and you can find out more and book your place by going to makingmusic.org.uk/agm17 SELECTED ARTISTS

Outstandin g musicians specially chose for Makin g Music memb n ers

Selected Artists Guide

The Selected Artist Panel (SAP) has been hard at work again producing the 2018-2019 Selected Artists guide

Selected Artists

2017-18_RED

ESIGN.indd

1

Young Arti sts 2017 Selected Artists 2018 –19 –19 4/12/2017

Created excusively for members, this year the guide has some new additions and an exciting new subsidy for Making Music’s promoting groups: • Philip and Dorothy Green Young Artists (PDGYA) The 6 winners of the PDGYA, all with the usual booking subsidies available. You can see all the winners at our presentation concert on 25 June.

• Selected Artists A wide range of professional artists handpicked by the SAP for our members.

• Jazz and folk ensembles For the first time this year there are also two jazz and folk ensembles included in the Selected Artists guide. The folk artists were selected in association with the English Folk Dance and Song Society

12:36:06 PM

and jazz artists in association with the Worshipful Company of Musicians.

New Subsidy A £100 booking subsidy is available towards the booking of any Selected Artists. To qualify you must be a promoting group with an income under £14.5K/year. There are 35 subsidies available allocated on a first come first served basis.

Don’t Forget This is an addition to the Artist Expenses Subsidy we introduced last autumn (available to promoting groups with an income under £7.2k/year) You can find full details of all subsidies and how to apply online at makingmusic.org.uk/subsidies We would like to thank the SAP and the listening panel in helping to deliver this valuable resource for members.

Summer 2017

HIGHNOTES 15

FROM OUR TEAM

PROJECTS Keeping you up to date with our national projects and programmes Left: A Make Music Day event takes place on the streets of New York, 2015.

Photo: Kris Connor/ Getty Images

Date for your diary — 21 June The UK will take part in a global celebration of music this summer, and Making Music is joining the fun Started in France in 1982 (where it is a nationwide festival), before being enthusiastically taken up by the USA in 2005, Make Music Day is now held in 120 countries and 750 cities across the globe.

Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music Day takes place every 21 June and is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — pours onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches to share their music with friends, neighbours, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public.

This year Making Music is part of a group of organisations bringing it to the UK on a large scale.

You can get involved and perform (including this year’s free song, Bring Me Sunshine); or throw open the doors to your rehearsal; organise a Come and Play event; or simply list your planned concert on the Make Music website for extra promotion.

Other ideas may occur to you and all of them are welcome, provided they take place on 21 June and feature something musical! For more information email uk@makemusicday.org or go to makemusicday.org/uk

In France Make Music Day has turned into a true national holiday.

Almost 8% of the country (5 million people) have played an instrument or sung in public for the ‘Fête de la Musique’

A Highland Day of Making Music For those who were unable to join us at our Festival of Making Music in Perthshire last October, we are delighted to be able to offer Scottish members and guests this opportunity to join award-winning educator Professor Richard Michael BEM for a day of creative music-making in Inverness. Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland, the Highlands ‘Day of Making Music’ will take place on Saturday 13 May 2017.

Reserve your place at makingmusic.org.uk/event/day-making-music CONTACTS: Sally Palmer, Projects and Membership Coordinator: sally@makingmusic.org.uk Xenia Davis, Youth Engagement Manager: xenia@makingmusic.org.uk

16 HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

ADOPT A COMPOSER PREMIERE DATES Since it was first launched in 2000, Adopt a Composer has produced over 90 new commissions. The latest batch of premieres, borne out of close collaboration between Making Music member groups and their composers, will take place over the course of 2017. The following dates and works are confirmed: • Glasgow School of Art Choir with Shona Mackay Continuum 27 May, 8pm Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow • Croydon Bach Choir with Mark Boden Homo Sum 1 July, 7.30pm Croydon Minster, Croydon • Horsham Symphony Orchestra with Adriano Adewale Sweet Dialogues 1 July, 7.30pm The Capitol, Horsham • London Medical Orchestra with Martin Humphries Tilikum 2 July, 6pm St Mary Brookfield, London • Spectrum Singers with Rosie Clements 8 July, 7.30pm Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan Read the composer blogs and find booking details at makingmusic.org.uk/adopt

facebook.com/thecbso

twitter.com/thecbso

Summer School of Music eld sh e c Pri again

To celebrate our tenth anniversary M4P will be giving

TEN FREE PLACE scholarships at our week long residential summer music school in The Yorkshire Dales.

5th - 12th August 2017 Download an application form from the website. www.m4p.org.uk or ring 0800 023 5631 Applications must be received by 29th April 2017

FROM OUR TEAM

CORPORATE MEMBERS

Premium corporate members

VOLUNTEERS Interested in volunteering for Making Music? Visit www.makingmusic.org.uk/volunteers BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

STAFF MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

HEATHER CATCHPOLE

REY TROMBETTA

Youth Trustee

Communications and Events Coordinator

When did you join Making Music’s Board? I sat in on my first board meeting in November last year to get a taster of the types of discussions involved. I was officially co-opted as a board member in February.

When did you join Making Music? March 2016.

What does your job involve? I use social media and email marketing to promote Making Music and its members. I organise events, and I’ve also been producing video and taking photos of our member groups.

What did the application process involve? Making Music was specifically looking to introduce a young member to the board who could contribute to youth engagement work and bring a young person’s perspective to matters discussed at board level. I first made contact through a focus group Making Music held at my choir to ask under-35s about their attitudes towards amateur music. From there the process involved an online application, an interview, and attendance at last November’s board meeting.

What do you most enjoy about working with Making Music?

Having the opportunity to see up-close what a wide-scope of volunteer music making is happening in the UK.

What do you do when you’re not doing Making Music Board-related activities? I’m in my final year of studying the law conversion course (having done an undergraduate degree in Classics), and will start work as a lawyer in September. In my spare time I enjoy cooking, going to gigs, running, and skiing when I can (as well as making music, of course!).

Do you play an instrument or sing? I trained as a classical percussionist and then got into Latin percussion. I’ve studied in Venezuela, Cuba and Nigeria. Recently, I’ve been learning to play cello.

What Making Music member group are you part of? I’m part of the New London Singers, a chamber choir with a wide ranging repertoire. At the moment we’re preparing for two Easter concerts including Duruflé’s requiem and Bach’s Mass in B Minor. Previously I spent a really enjoyable few years singing with The Bach Choir – another Making Music member, who put on choral works in big London venues.

What was the last piece of music you listened to? I’ve been listening to lots of The Cat Empire and Ray BLK. I also had the xx and Jamie xx on repeat before seeing them live last week!

Rayburn Tours are specialists in creating tailor made concert tours throughout the UK, Europe and further afield for all types of youth ensembles!

Your repertoire, venues and excursions will be selected to meet both the performance and leisure objectives of your group. rayburntours.com

Audio production company 360 Music are now offering Making Music members a 15% discount on all services.

The 360 Music team can help with every stage of your recording project.

All genres and size of ensemble are catered for, from Jazz trio to full-scale opera.360music.org.uk

Corporate members

If you could invite one person, past or present, to dinner, who would they be? The French composer Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, who was the son of a slave from Guadeloupe and yet managed to become one of the most celebrated composers in Paris during Mozart’s time.

What was the last piece of music you listened to? A Mambo medley by Pérez Prado. I’m doing a percussion arrangement for it, ahead of the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra summer camp in Greece, where I’ll be tutoring the percussion section.

Right now my headphones are bursting with congas, bongos and very loud cowbells!

For all your

music education & performance equipment

Sound-isolating Music Practice Rooms

Music Chairs & Accessories

TROUSERS.

l EXTENSIVE RANGE OF ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE. l FULL EMBROIDERY SERVICE. l FULL OR PART SUPPLY.

WE VISIT AND MEASURE AT YOUR CONVIENIENCE. PLEASE CONTACT US TO DISCUSS YOUR NEEDS.

Tel: 01299 827360 | Web: www.lynoakes.co.uk | Email: sales@lynoakes.co.uk

18 HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

Corporate supporters

Simon Mayer, composer

Music Folders

l SUPPLIERS OF QUALITY CLOTHING TO CHOIRS AND BANDS. l EXCELLENT SELECTION OF COLOURS AND CLOTHS FOR JACKETS AND

ACFEA Tour Consultants arranges customised concert tours throughout the world and is a division of Specialised Travel Ltd. We have over 60 years of experience, we are dedicated to providing every group with the highest quality tour at affordable prices. acfea.eu

What do you do outside of work? I manage Sistema England’s Young Leaders Orchestra. I also tutor Sistema ensembles. In the last year, I’ve worked with youth orchestras in Sweden, Portugal, Turkey and Italy to teach them how to play proper Latin percussion in pieces like Danzón (Márquez) or Mambo (Bernstein).

Music Stands, Lights & Accessories

LOOKING GOOD, SOUNDING GREAT.

The Duet Shop is a unique online service designed to help you obtain the instrument you desire in an easy, simple, and manageable way. All our instruments are available on our flexible play now pay monthly plans and are delivered straight to your door free of charge. duetshop.co.uk

Instrument & Sheet Music Storage Conductor’s Equipment Staging & Risers Acoustic Products

www.blackcatmusic.co.uk

Music Folders for Choir & Orchestra -elegant, lightweight, high-quality music folders to help you organise your sheet music.

Personalised gold-blocking service available.

Just call us on Freephone 0800 072 7799

MEMBERS

BLOW YOUR TRUMPET

YAP ARTISTS 2017

The Tillett Trust is pleased to announce that the following artists were chosen for their YAP scheme in 2017

Children’s orchestra workshop Bournemouth Chamber Music (BCMS) teamed up with Pavão String Quartet to promote a very special day for the children of the local Coda Fiddle Orchestra, writes Terry Rickets

Toby Hughes double bass

George Todica piano

A4 Brass Quartet

Magnard Ensemble wind quintet

SHOWCASES The Tillett Trust will showcase these YAP artists at Wigmore Hall during the 2017/2018 season.

Details of dates available on the Tillett Trust website

www.thetilletttrust.org.uk

SPONSORSHIP towards artists fees is offered to concert promoters for UK bookings during 2017 and 2018.

More details of how to book these artists and how to access sponsorship support

info@thetilletttrust.org.uk

Coda Fiddle Orchestra’s mantra is ‘No child should be deprived of learning a musical instrument on grounds of cost.’

Crucially, forty enthusiastic children provided a ready-made workshop infrastructure, and had rehearsed their music over several months.

Choosing appropriate tutors is vital. Pavão Quartet tick the boxes: superb musicianship; proven record of inspirational teaching of children; friendly personalities; collectively the mothers of six young children.

Since many CFO children and their families had never heard a string

quartet, Pavão included rehearsing and performing two pieces of music, demonstrating the beautiful sound of a top-class quartet. Senior CFO players heard part of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden quartet, with Pavão discussing solving problems which the music posed.

Then followed coaching, rehearsal and performance of Bach’s double violin concerto: several CFO players were soloists in the movements.

Pavão’s Jenny Sacha immediately relaxed and inspired these apprehensive soloists, their confidence growing as they responded to advice. Likewise the orchestra’s sound rose to a new standard.

Then the entire CFO heard Pavão play a carefully-chosen piece – Haydn’s ‘Emperor’ quartet’s slow movement variations. Pavão repeated it, asking who

was playing the main tune at a given time – which kept the attention of even the youngest pupils!

The afternoon coaching session was for the younger players, divided into three age groups, all rehearsing Pachelbel’s Canon. Parents accompanied the youngest children to a special session

by Jenny Sacha. Afterwards, one little girl said ‘Please Mummy, can she be my violin teacher?’

All the groups combined for a final rehearsal and performance, led by Pavão.

CFO’s director Jack Maguire said ‘The whole day was absolutely magnificent – the youngsters benefited enormously.’

Supported by Wessex Young Musicians Trust and Poole Audi.

bournemouthchambermusic.co.uk

Battling on Highnotes cover stars Falkirk Tryst Orchestra gave a Somme100 concert last year. Anna McGregor writes about the experience

Want to advertise in Highnotes?

Please speak to Antoinette Marley at Space Marketing on 01892 677740 or antoinettem@spacemarketing.co.uk

Click track. Those words were soon to become both our friend and enemy. I think our conductor must have said them scores of times when rehearsing and, I’m sure, had spent three times as long listening to that cursed track on his own.

But for amateur musicians, this was our lifeline, linking our parts and performance to the emotive narrative that unfolded in the film behind us.

After the first run-through of The Battle of Somme, we were thoroughly convinced that we had bitten off more than we could chew. But as our rehearsal season progressed, and the haunting themes in the music took form, we began to realise that we were part of something unique, special and wholly amazing.

Our involvement with the work began simply enough, from an email advert

21 HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

publicising the event. After chasing up a few details, we discovered that our local community trust had independently decided to show the film. They even searched for local personal connections, as it turns out the partner of an orchestra member performs on a pair of bagpipes that was almost certainly used at the Battle itself.

This performance was unlike any that most members of the orchestra had ever been involved in. Most players found the music challenging, but all ended up becoming confident in their ability to play it. Much of this success was due to the dedication of our conductor. He devoted endless hours to learning the score and using the click track. Early on, he recognised the significance of this opportunity, which we are all glad was

FTO member Neil Clark greets guests with a performance on bagpipes saved from the battle itself.

carried through.

This work combined stirring music with a powerful film that recognised both the determination and hardship that were part of this historical event, creating a very fitting commemoration of the Battle of the Somme.

falkirktrystorchestra.org.uk

HACKNEY EMPIRE AND ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA PRESENT

MEMBERS

CHARLIE PARKER’S

YARDBIRD

READERS’ PAGE This is your page and we’d love to hear from you: editor@makingmusic.org.uk.

Could you be an occasional or even our resident cartoonist? Would your group like to feature in a 60 second interview or send in an anonymous column?

60 Gospel Generation

2016. Each choir meets either weekly or fortnightly for their rehearsals where they all learn the same songs. We then bring the four choirs together when we perform to become one big GGCC choir! It’s a fantastic way to get people from across the city to meet.

nd secoview r e t n i

This Bristol-based group is so popular it has just started its fourth choir. Leader Emma Smallwood tells us more.

Describe GGCC in three words.

Inspirational, family, fun.

Gospel Generation Community Choir has a unique structure, being made up of four separate choirs — how does that work? When GGCC started 14 years ago it was just one choir. We never planned to have four choirs, they have each started as a new opportunity came up. The most recent choir only started in September New MD. Happy ending...?

AS

CHARLIE PARKER

What would be your desert island disc?

I’m a big Annie Lennox fan so anything by her. Jess Glynne and Laura Mvula are also two of my faves — I somehow ended up singing backing vocals for Jess Glynne at a wedding a few years ago with a few other GGCC members!

ggcc.org.uk

group; I think his choices are based not on what’s best for us, but designed to build his own reputation — and surely that’s not what he’s there for?

Maybe we shouldn’t have chosen him for his musical ability, but more for how interested he was in us. Now he’s here, I just don’t enjoy playing for him, feeling like an inadequate tool and stepping stone in his musical career.

But it’s my group, and I’m paying his fee. So that’s not right, is it? Do other members have similar experiences?

Anon

9 – 17 JUN 2017 HACKNEYEMPIRE.CO.UK 020 8985 2424

Got something to say?

Email editor@makingmusic.org.uk

LAWRENCE BROWNLEE

11/03/2015

22 HIGHNOTES Summer 2017

What does 2017 have in store? We are singing at various local events throughout the summer, and we have a workshop day in May where our friends Geraldine Latty and Var Smallwood are coming to teach the choir a bit more about performance

STARRING

What happens at Sing! 2017? This will be our fourth year. There are two days, the first on Friday 22 September is for choir leaders and budding choir leaders.

We spend time teaching, facilitating discussion and hopefully providing fresh inspiration. Then the second day is open to anyone who loves to sing gospel music. We spend the whole day learning new songs, running vocal workshops and then perform what we have learned in a free concert at the end of the day.

Both days are open to anyone and tickets can be booked at ticketsource.co.uk/ gospelgenerationcommunitychoir

COPYRIGHT © B&L CAPITAL DISTRIBUTED BY INK BOTTLE SYNDICATE

We’ve got a new MD, and I for one am not happy.

He’s a good conductor – that’s why we all voted for him after the trial rehearsals, and he’s pleasant enough, too. And yet, after over 15 years with this group, I’m actually thinking of leaving.

It’s all change: he’s come in and told us what we’re going to play, and where. No finding out about us first, no consultation. Now, I’m not one of those old codgers who thinks we should keep doing things the same way we always have. Far from it.

What gets me is that I don’t think this new MD is in it for the

You had a busy 2016. What was your highlight? Yes, 2016 was a fun year! I think the BBC Music Day was a big highlight. We sang a specially commissioned song, written by the very talented Amy Wadge, with two other choirs, Only Men Aloud and Renewal Gospel Choir, next to the Old Severn Bridge Crossing, live on BBC TV and radio at 7am (but had to be there for 5am!). It was an amazing opportunity for us, our choir had never been on TV so we were all very excited.

EUROPEAN PREMIERE

technique. Then in September we have a conference for choir leaders and singers called Sing! 2017.

“that was pretty good. this time, when i hit the augmented fifth, step on the cat.”

9 - 17 JUN COMMISSIONED BY

‘A PULSING, JAZZ-INFUSED SCORE’ NEW YORK TIMES

hackneyempire.co.uk

020 8985 2424

Receive your first year membership of the Royal College of Organists FREE, with your home practice organ purchase

New Chorum Instruments Our new range of sampled sound instruments offer: n More

internal speakers

n More

detailed sampling with a greater number of sample points

n Internal n Extra n4

solid state recording facility

voicing facilities for individual stops

fixed organ styles

n Orchestral

voices on all models

See and play the new range in Bicester or at regional dealers Irvine ...................... Soundtec Organs Edinburgh .............. Key Player Morecambe ........... Promenade Music

A full range of models starts from ÂŁ6000

Porthmadog ........... Pianos Cymru

To learn more or book an appointment to play, contact us on

Swansea ................ Music Station

Leigh ...................... A Bogdan Organs Norwich ................. Cookes Pianos Bandon .................. Jeffers Music Exeter .................... Music Unlimited

Tel: 01869 247 333 www.viscountorgans.net

Ballymena .............. Nicholl Brothers Londonderry ............Henderson Music Belfast ......................Keynote Organs