Southampton Music Hub February Newsletter: Spotlight On Shirley Warren Primary & Other Schools / Wind Band Pyramid Concert / Berlin Exchange / Common People

Southampton Music Hub

Highlights...


Spotlight on... Shirley Warren Primary School

Spotlight

This e-newsletter contains the first of many 'Spotlight on...' features, as we look into what different schools, organisations and people do to make a difference to music in our city.

Take a walk around Shirley Warren School and you will see the impact music has made. Children in Year 2 sing their number bonds to ten, Year 5 pupils have bassoon lessons and children in the playground sing as they play.

The school is always excited to take part in the hub activities such as BBC 10 Pieces, Big Sings and working with Oasis Academy. In 2013 the school won a Platinum Singup Award for their vocal achievements, and recently the school choir sang on the Aurora cruise ship. The school's community choir brings in parents, governors, friends and staff of the school.

"There are so many amazing musical things happening every week, I get a buzz from seeing children shine when they sing, play and perform" said School Music Manager Helen Mead.

Children from Year 2 learn an instrument, beginning on ocarina and moving on to recorders, then more traditional orchestral instruments from Year 4. To keep up to date on music at the school visit the regularly updated school blog.


Southampton music services wind bands pyramid concert 

Congratulations to members of Airplay, Pulse8, Clarinet Chorale, Southampton Youth Wind Band and Piccolissimo on a very well-received pyramid concert on 18 January. It was the perfect exhibition of the high standard of young musicians we have in Southampton.

Pyramid Concert

DfE recognises Great Oaks musical delivery excellence

The UK Government Department for Education posted the following article on their Facebook page recognising the great work which has been happening in the music department of Great Oaks in Bassett. Great Oaks is a special school in Southampton for students aged 11-19 with a broad range of complex learning needs. Music is a core feature of the school’s education offer with opportunities for all to learn to play music and to perform.

Included in the article is information about the schools unique iPad ensembles headed by music teacher Kellyjo Peters. 

DfE

St Anne’s young musician of the year competition

Maria Takeuchi at St Anne’s Catholic School is celebrating being the winner of their annual Young Musician of the Year competition for her impressive performance of Movement III from Schumann’s Fantasiestücke op.73 on violin. Emily McCann was awarded runner-up for her rendition of Adagio by Albinoni on tenor horn. Other finalists included Helena Charlton, Simisola Onangua and Susannah Paice.

Head of Music Gemma Nichols started the event three years ago with the aim of raising the standard of solo performance. She said of the young musicians: "It was brilliant to see the girls really develop their performance skills over the three stages and all who took part are to be congratulated for their performances."

The competition encourages pupils to practice and develop their skills through playing to a live audience. The performers are marked on technical ability, musicality and presentation. Congratulations to the young musicians!

st annes

RTSFC students form create theatre company

RTSFC

Formed by students studying BTEC Musical Theatre, the group draw on issues affecting their own lives to create performances that encourage young people to consider important social issues.

The first challenge for SPEAKING UP was to create a piece of theatre about autism, after being inspired by student Shannon Cooley whose brother is on the autistic spectrum. The group were also inspired after reading Carly Fleischmann's autobiography ‘Carly’s Voice’. 

Read more...


Mayflower & SMS musical theatre course

Southampton Music Service and The Mayflower Theatre worked together to provide pupils from various primary and secondary schoools an opportunity to take part in a Musical Theatre Course throughout January. The course included a tour of the theatre, theatre singing workshops, and tickets to see a matinee performance of The Sound Of Music (Primary) and Saturday Night Fever (secondary). 

One teacher from Moorlands Primary school said "It was simply wonderful. The children loved the whole experience and were buzzing the next day!"


In other news...


Two spaces remaining for Southampton music service Berlin exchange

SMS are looking for secondary school musicians with a Grade 3 minimum to join them in commemorating 70 years since the end of WWII. Southampton Music Services have specially commissioned a musical, with it’s premiere set to take place in Southampton. Working together with a group from the Anne Frank Secondary School in Berlin, students will participate in a residential week, rehearsing and performing “Who writes history?”, a specially commissioned piece of musical theatre exploring the “Kindertransport” of 1938 – 1940 where Jewish refugee children travelled alone from Germany to England.

Booking details, costs and further information is available here.


Stagecoach Associate Diploma in Performance Arts (ADPA)

Are you teaching the performing arts in a part-time setting? Stagecoach Theatre Arts school now have a Level 4 Internationally recognised teaching qualification for all who teach or work in the performing arts. Prices start at £225 for the two day fast track course, for information visit this link or email lhowes@stagecoach.co.uk

Stagecoach

Southampton music services school instrument concert days and ensembles

From 23 Feb SMS staff will be taking part in a week-long series of performances in Southampton Junior and Primary schools with the aim of bringing live music into schools, encouraging young people to engage with music and encourage them to take up learning an instrument.  

This is the first programme of live music. SMS will be presenting in schools in the coming year, and are developing plans to bring live music into Secondary schools in the future.

Despite the snowy weather (as seen outside Beechwood School below) all Music Services ensemble rehearsals went ahead as planned. If you are interested in joining an ensemble it's not too late to join one, click here for more information.

Southampton

Coming up...


The really wicked flute day 

29 Mar / 10am-4pm / Winchester Cathedral / £25

Abbie Burrows and Gareth McLearnon: flute soloists, orchestral players and west-end musicians will be hosting a Flute Day. The day will cover experiencing story telling using your flute, learning new ways to play your flute, exploring weird and wonderful flutes, discover new techniques and sounds and challenge yourself to try new things. 

The Just Flutes shop will provide music, instruments & accessories. Open to all flautists grade 1 and above.

Tickets available online from the Cathedral Box Office or on 01962 857 275.


Elgar's trombone - presentation

14 Feb / 1.30pm / The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Havant / Free (open to visitors, no booking required) 

Sue Addison, professor of trombone and sackbut at the Royal Northern College of Music, CEMPR at the University of Birmingham and founding member of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment will give a brief history of the development of the trombone and of composer Elgar’s relationship to the instrument. It is hoped that Elgar’s own trombone will be among the instruments used to illustrate her talk.


SoCo festival Of international music 2015

20 - 22 Feb / The Courthouse

SoCo International Festival

The Courthouse will be hosting a Festival of International Music in February. Lead by SoCo Music  Project - music, arts and food from around the world will be brought together to the vibrant community music and arts space. There will be performances, masterclasses and workshops, something for all the family. Check the SoCo music project website for further announcements.


Hampshire flute day for beginners - Grade 5

1 Mar / 12.15pm (5pm Concert) / Lantern Theatre, Romsey / £15 (£5 concert only, kids go free)

Flute

The next Hampshire Flute Day on 1st March for flautists, beginner to grade 5, is swiftly approaching. This is a wonderful opportunity to play your flute with friends and to get top tips from professional flute trio, Flute Roots, through fun warm ups, musical games and flute choir sessions.

Tickets and further details are available from here. Tickets must be booked in advance by Feb 16.


Common People Festival

23 & 24 May / Southampton Common / £60 Adult Weekend Ticket 

Common People Festival Logo

This new event is organised by the multi-award winning Bestival team. Taking place on the bank holiday weekend, it will be a glorious two-day metropolitan festival, bringing the spirit of Bestival right to the heart of the city.

The music line-up will be a feast of the finest that the live music and DJ scenes have to offer, from legendary stalwarts of the festival scene and guaranteed crowd pleasers, to exciting new acts. Find out more and register for pre-sale tickets.


Musicians wanted!


Pit musicians required for Mayflower summer youth project – Oliver!

Oliver

Do you play the cello or the flute at a grade 7 or above? Are you aged 18 or under? The Mayflower Theatre are looking to audition musicians to be in the pit band for Oliver! performed at the Mayflower Theatre on the 28, 29 and 30 August 2015.

Auditions are open to young people between the ages of 8-18. You can apply, and find more information on the Mayflower Theatre website here. The audition date for is on 8 Mar and the closing date for applications is 8 Feb.

The cost of the project will be £190 and a sibling discount of £170. A limited bursary is available by application to families on low income. Applications are also still open to audition to be in the cast for the production.


Call out for young composers for MFY new music stage 

Music For Youth Logo

There is a new opportunity for young people composing their own music to get their music heard on a national stage. Music for Youth, in partnership with Sound And Music, is looking for 12-21 year olds (split in to three categories) to submit new music for inclusion in our National Festival in July. The deadline is 27 March. 

Click here for more information. 


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