Programme Notes GRAMPIAN SCHOOLS' PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE, ABERDEEN Conductor: Ron Forbes Age range of performers: 14-17 years } Drumtime Excerpts from the Sbepherdess Ron Forbes & Olimney Sweep The seven members of the ensemble are from secondary schools in the Grampian Region and meet every Saturday morning at the Aberdeen Music Centre. All the members of the ensemble are taught percussion by Ron Forbes and since its inauguration the group has performed in France, Germany, Australia and many parts of Britain. Although the ensemble has made five previous visits to the Schools Prom, this will be the first time for four of its members. Both items on tonight's programme were composed especially for the ensemble by Ron Forbes and include 'Drumtime; a rhythmical exercise based on a whole tone scale.
GRANGETOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL, MIDDLESBROUGH
HALESWORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR, SUFFOLK
Musical Director: Bob Mason Age range of performers: 8-10 years Elizabethan Suite A. W Benoy Denis King, arr. D. Wellor Galloping Home Grangetown Primary School is situated in an innerurban area of Cleveland close to the North-East coast. The group meets each lunch time to practise and is financially self-supporting. With approximately half the children leaving the school each year, the composition of the group is constantly changing. The children of Grangetown have been regular visitors to the National Festival of Music for Youth since 1983 and have been presented with no less than six Outstanding Performance Awards. In 1988 the group performed at Schools Prom North in Harrogate and Schools Prom Scotland in Glasgow, before undertaking a most successful visit to Australia to perform at World Expo '88 and the I.S.M.E. Conference. Tonight's programme consists mainly of Elizabethan tunes arranged in three parts for recorders.
Conductor: Christopher Barnetl Accompanist: Adrian Bush Age range of performers: 9-13 years If I Fell l.ennon & McCartney Missa Brevis Pacem (Gloria) Edward Gregson We Were Gathering up Trad., American the Roses Halesworth Middle School is a state school in North Suffolk, catering for children aged 9-13 years. The young choristers are experienced in working with contemporary composers and professional musicians. Their performance of 'Meet my Folks' at the 1987 King's Lynn Festival delighted composer Gordon Crosse and the distinguished audience included Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes. In April 1988 the choir performed the world premiere of Edward Gregson's 'Missa Brevis Pacem, with the composer conducting and in December of the same year Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker Suite' with the Britten Pears Orchestra under the baton of Hugh Maguire. Both of these performances took place at the world renowned Snape Maltings which has strong links with the school. This summer they were presented with an Outstanding Performance Award at the National Choral Competition held at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Also in July, they recorded 'The Nutcracker Suite' with the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. This recording is soon to be on release under Covent Garden's own label. Tonight's programme gives the choir the opportunity to once more perform Edward Gregson's 'Missa Brevis Pacern'. They will perform the Gloria from this work alongside Lennon & McCartney's popular 'If I Fell' and the traditional American song 'We Were Gathering up the Roses'.
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