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Swindon Music News
Welcome to the Latest News section of our site. Here we will update you on the lastest news and stories about music activity that will be of interest to you music-makers!
Latest News
Rock School Summer 2008 Update – 24/07/2008
Once again the summer of 2008 has been a very busy time for all involved in Rock School.
Back in June saw the first North Swindon Battle of the Bands competition. The event was very well attended by the public who witnessed a superb afternoon of live local music from the talent that Swindon has to offer. It was great to also see five of our rock school bands get through to the final eight bands. The winners were ‘A Beckoning Silence' who will now as part of their prize headline the Swindon Youth Festival on September 13th 2008. Big congratulations to the band for their performance on the day.
Following shortly after this was our end of term gigs held at the 12 bar music venue in town. These were really well attended by parents and friends and once again the quality of music was exceptional. It was also great to see the bands from our satellite Rock Schools playing. This involved students from St Josephs College, Warneford School and Nova Hreod School.
As well as this we have had our bands representing Rock School at the Marlborough Youth Festival, Wroughton Carnival and Wanborough Summer Festival. This is a chance for the students to play in a new environment and to new people who have maybe not heard the bands before.
As always a big thanks goes out to the parents and friends who are always there to support our students and to all students for yet another great term's work.
Paul Ashman, Head of Rock School Faculty
Veterans days Concert – 07/07/2008
The Intermediate Wind Band of the Swindon Young Musicians performed at the Veteran's Awareness day at the steam museum in the special events hall. This was a prestigious occasion and a great opportunity for the young musicians to perform. Having rehearsed very hard over the academic year the intermediate wind band has developed a wide repertoire of pieces ranging from Elton John hits, classical master pieces such as Mars from the Planets by Holst and Mussorskys Pictures at an Exhibition, to film music such as Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars. The audience (including young cadets) especially enjoyed the film music and cheered after the John Williams film music which finished with E.T. Together with the vibrant acoustics of the special events hall this really made an amazing atmosphere which boosted the young students' performance.We had so many good comments from the public who really enjoyed the performance saying they were an asset to the young people of today; even the mayor popped in to listen.
Trip to Guernsey – 12/05/2008
We arrived in Guernsey after our early but fortunately calm crossing. Feeling slightly peckish, we dumped our cases in the lovely hotel and headed straight out onto the beach for chips before embarking on an island tour.
On Tuesday, we had a little explore around the town of St Peters Port. The town was beautiful with lots of small, secret, winding streets; which one could easily get lost in. We then played our first concert in the Town Church. This concert was really fun and we played fantastically!
We spent the next day on Sark, which was a short and enjoyable boat journey away. Sark is a pretty island with no cars, only one post box and a population of 600 people, about 60 of which came to our concert. That's about 10% of the population!
We spent Thursday morning at Castle Cornet which had a huge history ranging from piracy to civil war. Here we saw the noonday gun being fired, even though it was so windy we were almost blown off our feet. We then came back to the hotel for some free time which some of us spent in the freezing cold pool! We then headed to our final concert in St Stephens Church which had great acoustics.
On our final day, we visited lots of sights and sounds in Guernsey which included the worlds smallest chapel made from pieces of broken china and shells; the museum about the German occupation and another visit to the town in St Peter Port. We then had a lovely last meal before we set off on the long journey back to Swindon.
Everyone on the trip had a really great time - adults and children alike - relaxing and having fun. The concerts were well received - making all our rehearsal time worthwhile.
Overall a really successful trip, can't wait for the next one!
Emily Harding
News Archive
Amazing! – 01/11/2007
From September 2007 Swindon Music Service has enabled approximately 4000 children a week in primary schools around Swindon to take part in classroom music activities.
Through a government initiative called Wider Opportunities and our own project titled In2Music, children are learning to play african drums, stringed, woodwind and brass instruments. We also have drum clubs and samba bands taking place. If your child goes to a Swindon Primary school the likelihood is that he or she will know all about these exciting new projects, so when they come home and say "can I learn the ..............?" you know where it has come from.
Music is the place to be!
Congratulations! – 20/10/2007
Four Swindon Teenagers are celebrating after gaining their ATCL (Associate of Trinity College London) Diploma in the Recorder, showing there's far more to the instrument than most of us might think. Sumita Majumdar, Alexander Kilburn, Alison Sinclair and Chloe Starling reached grade 8 standard in order to qualify for taking the ATCL Diploma.
They are all members of Swindon Young Musicians and have taken part in over 100 performances with the 15 strong Consort. They also play with the Recorder Orchestra.
Highlights include having played for Her Majesty the Queen on her last visit to Swindon, as well as performing on the BBC's Blue Peter TV programme and recordring their first CD 'Pastoralis' with the Consort.
Every Child’s Music Matters – 05/04/2007
Every Child’s Music Matters
£93,000 of central government funding has been made available for a Wider Opportunities Scheme through Swindon Music Service. This means every child at Key Stage 2 should have access to free instrumental or vocal tuition. The initiative fits well with the vision of Swindon Music Service to provide accessible tuition to all young people at all levels of ability at Swindon schools
- Swindon Music Service also offers funded initiatives for pre-school key stages 1 and 2 children offering an introduction to a live music experience and an opportunity to take part in music
- Separate Enrichment programmes offering group activities, tours and concerts (not funded through SMS)
Call us on 01793 487802
A great story – 02/04/2007
Music led me to Colombian trip of a lifetime...
"In 2006 I was chosen as a member of the South West Orchestra - specially formed for a musical adventure to Colombia!
Organised by the Dorset Music Service and the British Council in Colombia, 45 young people, all Grade 8 and over, played in 5 major theatres including Teatro Colon, which was like the Royal Albert Hall. We played concerts, enjoyed workshops with Colombian music students and were conducted by such well-known conductors as Lancelot Fuhry.
In Ibague we played in Sala Alberto Castilla theatre. In Medellin we played in 2 theatres, Teatro Metropolitano Jose and an outside concert in the Parque de los Deseos. In Bogata we played in the amazing Teatro William Shakespeare and Teatro Colon theatres
We played a mix of music from such greats as Weinberger, Vaughan Willliams, Rimsky Korsakow, Hardiman, Ginastera, Kurt Weil and Rossini. My favourite piece was Lord of The Dance, which built to a climax which sent shivers down my spine.. audiences said they felt the same... and after some concerts we were kept busy signing autographs!
I stayed with host families in Medellin and Bogata. Sponsorship from the Friends of SYM helped with the costs. We also visited schools in the poorer parts of the cities where young people have to share instruments and everywhere we went we received an enthusiastic welcome.
Since returning from Colombia the orchestra played in Wimbourne Minster where world famous conductor Marin Alsop conducted us. Another great experience.
To sum up, I'd say it was a once in a lifetime experience. I made so many friends and had the opportunity to play in beautiful places in amazing settings. Thanks to The Friends of Swindon Young MusiciansYM for all their help and support.
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