Profiling performers and activities appearing at this year’s ArtsFest.
Sedecim
Sedecim is a group of young singers aged between twelve and seventeen, all of whom are pupils at Kent College, Canterbury.
The group has only been formed recently, from present and ex-members of the well-established Kent College Choristers, winners of the ‘Outstanding’ award at the National Festival of Music for Youth and finalists in the Children’s Category of the BBC Choir of the Year 2008.
The members of Sedecim sing regularly in various local churches, both leading the worship in services and performing concerts for charity and fund-raising events. They have already had some success, reaching the finals of the Top Choir Kent Competition in March 2010.
This will be their ArtsFest debut, and it promises to be a great event: make sure you’re there!
The summer term is always a mixture of pleasure and regret: sadness that so many who have been a vibrant part of the musical life of the university are about to leave, but pleasure at being able to acknowledge some of them formally.
Last Friday saw the prize-giving for this year’s Music Awards prizes, and a chance for members of the staff and scholarship committee to recognise and thank particular students for their contribution to the year.
Winner of the Canterbury Festival Music Prize Maddie Harris received her award from Rosie Turner, Director of the Canterbury Festival, in acknowledgement of her outstanding contribution as a final-year student to Kent’s musical life.
Suzy Walton, last year’s Music Society Secretary, received the Colyer-Fergusson Music Prize for her contribution to organising music at the University from Jonathan Monckton, Chair of the Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust. It’s always a genuine pleasure for Jonathan to be able to present the award in honour of Sir James Colyer-Fergusson, who supported music at the University and after whom the Cathedral Concert every March, given by the University Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, is named.
(l-r): Elizabeth McIver, Alanya Holder, Maddie Harris, Suzy Walton
The University Music Awards Committee Prize, an occasional award to recognise a special contribution to the year’s musical activities, went to Biosciences student Elizabeth McIver. Presenting her award was Dr. Dan Lloyd, a lecturer in the Biosciences Department, who was delighted to be able to recognise a musical student’s achievements from within his own faculty.
The University Music Prize, awarded to a returning student, went to Alanya Holder, the new Music Society President. She received her award from Dame Anne Evans, Patron of the Music Scholarship Scheme.
Each of these worthy winners has played a significant role in the continuing success of music-making here at the University, and hopefully they will continue to be involved in music after life at Kent.
To all those musical students who are leaving this year, and who have done so much to make the University’s music a success: ave atque vale. You will all be much missed.
Profiling performers and activities coming up at this year’s ArtsFest.
The Maridadi Singers: Photo credit: Robert Berry
Formed in 1997, the Maridadi Singers are a popular feature at the University’s ArtsFest. Conducted by the dynamic Anita Memmott, the group is a community of world singers who perform regularly including concerts in Canterbury Cathedral, the Canterbury Festival, the University of Kent’s Gulbenkian Theatre, and in London.
Anita is delighted to be back at ArtsFest again. ”Our group will be performing songs and drumming numbers from South Africa. We will also do some spirituals and songs from Israel/Palestine.Audience participation is encouraged and there’s always singing, drumming and dancing during our sets. Children usually have a great time with us!”
The Maridadi singers & The Strode Park Foundation are coming together for Arts Fest: Anita had the idea of a ‘Singing for Fun” group at Strode Park. Anita volunteers to facilitate the group once a fortnight and around sixteen residents regularly attend the sessions. The benefits are clear to see as the residents reminisce with songs from their past, and are always adding new songs to their repertoire.
The residents will be with the Maridadi for the first time and will perform a selection of their favorite songs at ArtsFest.
