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The official newsletter of the lead organisation of Coventry Music Education Hub.
Follow us on Twitter and check out our website for all the latest news.
Included in this update:
For all the latest news visit our news page on our website.
Welcome to the end of another busy term, marking the end of Coventry’s Year as UK City of Culture.
The year might not have been what we expected due to the pandemic and other situations however it has been a great boost to the city and cultural opportunity for all. Some of the Coventry Music related highlights have been the MOBO Awards and Coventry Welcomes in Broadgate alongside Positive Youth Foundation and Colin Bell (Coventry Caribbean Association) curated stages, moving into Drapers’ Hall and playing a small part in CVX festival and other events across the year.
Coventry Music are now embedded within Drapers’ Hall and are fully understanding the building and look forward to developing a wider and more accessible evening groups programme as we move into the next academic year. An early date for your diary is Monday 12 September when groups restart after the Summer break.
However, before the Autumn Term we still have plenty more exciting events including our Cultural Cantata (27 – 30 June), Jubilee Weekend Stage (4 June) and Stage at Godiva Festival (4 September) as well as many visits to support Holiday, Activities and Food provision across various community settings in the city.
Finally, if you are/know an inspiring music educator we are looking for tutors and music engagement team members to join the team – for those interested please email Music@coventry.gov.uk for more information.
Thanks for your ongoing support to Music Education in Coventry.
"In Partnership with CCEP (Coventry Cultural Education Partnership) it has been fantastic to work with the BBC giving opportunity for young people to meet inspiring industry professionals from across the sector.
R1 Connects hosted by Danni Diston took place in three Coventry Schools from 16-18 May followed by an 18+ careers event at HMV Empire on Friday 20 May.
I was lucky enough to attend day two at Blue Coat School and saw the school theatre full of Year 12 and Year 10s listening to the career pathways into creative industries for Gaming, Photography, Acting and Writing (TV/Radio). It was a truly inspiring event for the young people who could hear first hand the skills required both academically and beyond to find their dream jobs both in front and behind the camera.
Students supported the event with roaming mics and photography in the theatre, supporting both the in person and the live stream that was picked up countrywide as part of R1:Connects."
Come and see our string ensemble, junior voices choir, Permanent Daylight band from the Live on Stage project at the Tin, Godiva Calling runner-up from last year - Kanda plus pupils from many of our secondary schools performing on Saturday 4 June between the times of 11am and 4pm.
We will have a stage set up in Broadgate outside Starbucks and Lady Godiva statue. There will also be lots of other entertainment going on in the city centre with street art, dance and drama activities. See you there!
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Parents were treated to some beautiful singing from the Junior Voices choir as they prepare to perform on the Coventry Music stage in Broadgate on Saturday 4 June as part of the Jubilee celebrations.
Vicky Clayton, the choir leader said:
"Coventry Junior Voices Choir made their debut performance to parents/carers this half term and there were lots of proud and happy faces in their audience.
They shared four of the songs they have been working on with Mrs Clayton including a French language song - Soualle, a hip-hop version of an American civil rights song, a 1970s Fleetwood Mac classic and a soaring ballad with the theme of reaching for your goals and dreams (there were a few emotional parents during this one). We also had a few first time soloists singing during the performance. Well done to Archishman, Hollie and Shae-Boo.
It was lovely to see all of the children singing so exuberantly and coming together as a group to perform - we can't wait to do it all again on Saturday 4 June as part of Coventry Music's Jubilee entertainment in Broadgate."
New members are always welcome - if you have children between the ages of 7 and 11 then bring them along for a trial session on a Tuesday evening 5.10-6.10pm at Drapers' Hall - home of Coventry Music.
The Cultural Cantata is a collection of songs for children crafted by Kevin Stannard and Rebecca Thompson, designed to mark Coventry’s year as the UK City of Culture.
The 2020 lockdown intensified their approach to the compositional process - much of the leg work being done online(!) They researched stories involving colourful characters from Coventry’s past, consulted on the city’s rich industrial and cultural heritage, and eventually managed a few distanced walks around the city.
Taking inspiration from Benjamin Britten, Ska music, War poetry, the influence of the Irish population, the city’s vibrant people, its architecture, statues and clocks, cars and bicycles and famous Coventry alumni – Frank Whittle, James Starley and Lady Godiva – there is something engage every singer across the age-range. There are musical and linguistic threads that run through the whole, yet each song retains its own character and style. The Cultural Cantata aims to make Coventry’s history relevant to its young people.
Challenges abound from unusual rhythms to teasing tongue-twisters, from raps to choral melodies, from the ridiculous to the sublime. The Cultural Cantata is about Coventry now, and then, and hopefully it will remain relevant in the future too. ‘We were particularly interested in accurately representing Godiva’s story. She was unusual – wealthy, quiet, shy and demure yet ultimately an extraordinary diva. She was undoubtedly a feminist before her time’.
We are so proud of all the children for their energy in learning the songs and would like to thank their teachers for teaching them. After the last two years it is a great achievement and a joy to be making music together in this way.
We can't wait to see all the children performing with our live band and musicians.
For this edition we are meeting not only one of our team but also one of the writers of the fabulous Cultural Cantata appearing across Coventry this June.
Kevin has many interests as a musician and teacher with strengths in performance, improvisation, composition, theory, aural and choral music. He has performed as a pianist, organist and conductor across the UK for forty years and more recently his interests in music education have taken him to conferences in Malaysia, China and Australia.
He began directing choirs in 1980 and has worked with all ages including massed choirs of school children at the Wembley Conference Centre; adult choirs such as the North Cotswold Chamber Choir and close harmony group Two-Apart which he founded in 1987; student choirs such as the Oxford Gargoyles and the Howling Wolves (University of Wolverhampton Chamber Choir) who won the regional heat of the Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year competition in 2002 and the National Choir of the Year competition in 2016.
Kevin has taken student choirs to perform in a number of cathedrals in the UK and on tour in Amsterdam and in 2008 he was instrumental in securing £25k funding to enable the Sneyd School Choir to go to Graz, Austria, for the World Choir Olympics involving two former University of Wolverhampton music students on the teaching staff. Kevin’s work with children’s singing is widely recognised and his music is published by Oxford University Press, Faber and the ABRSM.
Other work of note includes being Musical Director for CoMA East Midlands, Contemporary Music-Making for Amateurs, (1999-2002) producing a concert of songs by Pixell & Gunn at the Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton (2004); Kevin’s debut as organ soloist at Symphony Hall (2006); directing the Oxford Festival of Voices (since the early 90's). More recent projects have been a Christmas Festival of Voices and a Jukebox Jamboree involving over 700 young singers across the West Midlands.
As a teacher and lecturer Kevin has helped and encouraged many children, young people and student musicians in pursuing meaningful careers in music - many of whom are now teaching, writing and performing.
Kevin's career history is quite an impressive one including:
- 1985-95 Oxfordshire schools (Teaching across the age-range)
- 1995-2019 University of Wolverhampton (Principal Lecturer, Head of Department)
- 2019 Oundle School (Organist & Choir Master)
- 2019-> Coventry Music Hub (Music Engagement Officer)
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Coventry Music is settling into its beautiful new home, Drapers' Hall, and it is wonderful to hear the sound of music-making echoing through the corridors and around the building.
We have lots of different groups running currently for all ages and abilities.
- For beginners:
- we have a beginner brass group at Ravensdale school, open to all beginner brass players.
- and at Drapers' Hall we have a beginner ukulele group, for those interested in learning the ukulele and playing with others in a group.
- a Junior voices choir (ages 7-13) and a youth choir (ages 11+)
- and our excellent creative sounds music making group - an inclusive music group for all levels and abilities, where we come together to just enjoy making music.
- We also offer brass, wood wind and string options for intermediate players,
- As well great opportunities for more advanced players, for instance our session band and string quartet who appear at many venues and concerts throughout the year.
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Visit our website for full details of all the groups we offer.
We regularly showcase our groups, during sharing sessions with parents and Christmas and summer concerts. We perform at Godiva each year and often in the city centre.
We are inclusive, and provide fun, safe and rewarding places where children can develop their musical talents and learn to work with others in a group setting.
Sign up for one of our groups. Currently all our groups at Drapers' Hall are free.
Sign up now for lessons, ready to start in September.
All students who sign up for lessons before the start of the new academic year will receive a monthly discount.
Lessons start from £6 per lesson or £16.50 per month if signed up before September. More information and sign up.
We offer lessons in most instruments - either at your child's school, or where this isn't possible at our music centre - Drapers' Hall, in the city centre.
 Please note lessons are subject to availability and not all lessons will be able to be offered straight away. We will also do our best to accommodate your lesson choices where possible.
Cultural Cantata is coming to venues across Coventry this June
Tickets are now on sale for parents and family of those performing.
See below for ticket links.
Please take care when booking that you book the right date.
Tickets are limited so book early to make sure you don't miss out.
Monday 27 June 2022 - Methodist Central Hall, City Centre - 6:30pm
Schools performing are:
- Walsgrave C of E Primary School
- Radford Primary Academy
- Eastern Green Junior School
- Willenhall Community Primary School
Book your tickets
Tuesday 28 June 2022 - Coventry Cathedral, city centre - 6:30pm
Schools performing are:
- Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School
- Keresley Grange Primary Academy
- Keresley Newland Primary Academy
- Manor Park Primary School
- Sidney Stringer Primary Academy
- Howes Primary School
- Longford Park Primary School
- Joseph Cash Primary School
Book your tickets
Wednesday 29 June 2022 - Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, Warwick University - 6:30pm
School performing are:
- Stivichall Primary School
- Stoke Primary School
- Aldermoor Farm Primary School
- Henley Green Primary School
- Little Heath Primary School
- Broadheath Community Primary School
Book your tickets
Thursday 30 June 2022 - Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, Warwick University - 6:30pm
Schools performing are:
- All Saints C of E Primary School
- Moat House Primary School
- Templars Primary School
- Ravensdale Primary School
- Whittle Academy Primary School
Get your tickets
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 Keep an eye on our website for events and exciting news coming soon.
 Our Inclusive Soundabout Choir is now meeting face-to-face once a month and online fortnightly.
Everyone is welcome and there is chance for a cup of tea, some cake and a chat after the music making has finished.
This is what one of the parents said about the first Coventry meeting:
"We went to Soundabout's inclusive Choir for the first time last week. My son doesn't always enjoy music as he is very sensory with noises and sounds, but we thought we would give it a go.
From the moment we walked in we were made to feel so welcome. The girls made such an effort to include us all at whatever level we felt comfortable. My son loved exploring all the different kinds of instruments. Karen and Vicky had such a great way of keeping the children engaged and all joining in with the signing and singing.
When my son had had enough, he went to the corridor and had some time away from the group but it wasn't a problem. Vicky took him an instrument out and had a few minutes of 1:2:1 time with him. It was so lovely to be in an environment where the children were free to express themselves with no judgement, which as a SEN parent is priceless. It was a wonderful morning and I cannot wait for the next session."
The choir currently meets on zoom on alternate Saturdays from 11am-12noon. In the autumn the choir will also begin offering face to face sessions in Coventry.
See the choir’s most recent recording.
For more information visit our website or sign up.
choir@soundabout.org.uk 01235 797 474.
This month Kevin - our resident composer - gives us one of his favourites. Something a little different perhaps.
Diva (1981) - Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez - Aria from Catalani's "La Wally"
Visit our website for news, information and to find out more about what we offer.
If you would like these monthly updates to include what your organisation is doing for the children and young people of Coventry, please sign up or contact amy.randall@coventry.gov.uk.
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